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Jan 22, 2025 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Bryan Hecht |Sam Shipman |Annie Sarlin |Danielle N. Bartholet
Last November, late into the night, Kasteel Well students watched with bated breath as Donald Trump won the 2024 election. This semester, many said they chose to skip the 47th president’s inauguration ceremony altogether. Trump was inaugurated on Monday in the Capitol Rotunda, ceremonially recognizing his political comeback four years in the making.
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Dec 11, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Danielle N. Bartholet
Complete with pink tablecloths, red bookmarks with the words “Sucker for a Slowburn,” and cursive lettering reading “Lovestruck,” the Kennedy Room at the Charles Hotel was ready for a night of romance…Romance books, that is. Lovestruck Books and Cafe, the latest addition to the Boston independent bookstore scene, hosted a conversation with award-winning fantasy and romance author Sabaa Tahir on Dec. 7.
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Dec 11, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Danielle N. Bartholet
“And tonight, Boston, we are … live!”The six cast members flooded the stage and got the audience members to jam along with the opening beats of the pop powerhouse number “Ex-Wives,” the shifting purple light reflecting off the bedazzled and multi-colored costumes of the all-female cast. The packed and amped-up theatre was more than ready to “listen up” to the story, with all of its tales of glories and disgraces.
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Dec 4, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Ryan Yau |Danielle N. Bartholet
When Samantha Harvey’s name was announced as the winner of the 2024 Booker Prize, the English author held her head in her hands, taking a moment of pure delight before hugging her family.
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Dec 3, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Maddie Barron |Danielle N. Bartholet
When they placed the headset on my eyes, I first saw white, and I felt like the only person alive. “Welcome, Eve.”My name was spelled out in black across my eyes in the familiar company font before fading to black with the white-lettered user agreement. The contract unfurled in endless jargon in seemingly another language, my skimming becoming more like scrolling before I clicked accept, tapping a button on the side of my headset. Someone came around and tightened the strap around my skull.
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Nov 20, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Danielle N. Bartholet |Ryan Yau
Most indie artists would try to hide their suburban roots. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Meg Elsier, who grew up in Westborough, Mass., a town 40 minutes outside of Boston, thinks it fuels her edge. “I’m not really afraid of being thrown out of place and not knowing what the hell’s going on, because I grew up in a little bubble,” Elsier said in an interview with The Beacon. After attending Berklee College of Music, Elsier moved to Nashville, Tenn., to pursue a music career.
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Nov 20, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Annie Sarlin |Danielle N. Bartholet
The grayscale photo of Shawn Mendes staring down the camera with a far-off piercing gaze found in old photographs is textless, though it depicts him with more hair than usual—he’s aging and it’s human. But that’s precisely the point. The album is about the artist, the fallible person Mendes is. The Canadian singer and songwriter released his fifth album, “Shawn,” on Nov. 15 after postponing the original Oct. 18 release date.
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Nov 20, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Annie Sarlin |Danielle N. Bartholet
The packed Semel Theater exploded in cheers and enthusiastic calls as dancers took their places on the blacked-out stage. Aerosmith’s “Dream On” blasted through the speakers as members of Emerson Dance Company (EDC) launched into a piece choreographed by company member Bella Lopez ‘27. EDC presented “Wanderlust” as its Fall 2024 showcase. Members of the company choreographed each of the 15 numbers, which revolved around themes of searching, wondering, and hopes and dreams.
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Nov 13, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Danielle N. Bartholet
The audience rose to its feet in a standing ovation, but the play had not yet even begun. They cheered as Nigerian playwright Mfoniso Udofia arrived on stage while representatives of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu proclaimed that day, Nov. 6, as “Mfoniso Udofia Day” for her narrative’s contributions to the Boston community. The Huntington Theatre presents “Sojourners” from Oct. 31 to Dec. 1.
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Nov 7, 2024 | 
berkeleybeacon.com | Danielle N. Bartholet
“Three Pines was not on any map and was only ever found by people who had lost their way.” This was how Louise Penny described the fictional village of Three Pines in her mystery novel series to millions of readers who, for almost 20 years, have found themselves at home in Penny’s writing. After a year’s hiatus, New York Times Bestselling author Louise Penny returned with her 19th novel, “The Gray Wolf.” Penny took to the Emerson Colonial stage on Nov. 1 as part of her book tour.
