This week, the William Jewell Opera and Jewell Theatre Company are putting on a production of Orpheus in the Underworld. While you probably know the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice from more modern shows like Hadestown, this 1858 comedic opera by Jacques Offenbach spins Greek Mythology into an utter farce. The story loosely follows Orpheus and Eurydice, a young couple in a loveless marriage. Both have found other lovers. Eurydice has unknowingly fallen for Pluto, God of the Underworld. Pluto takes Eurydice away, and Orpheus is overjoyed until Public Opinion finds out what has occurred. Public Opinion demands that he travel to Olympus to ask the King of Gods, Jupiter, for Eurydice’s return from the underworld; if he does not, Orpheus will lose his career. Meanwhile, Eurydice has been trapped in the underworld, and her fate balances in the hands of the many gods who see her as a distraction from their otherwise boring lives.

The cast consists of 14 students, who study a variety of majors but all share a common interest in the performing arts. The production has been led by Music and Stage Director Dr. Laura Lowry, Collaborative Pianist and Assistant Music Director Leslie Bunch, and Technical Designer Nathan Wyman. The student leadership of this production stands out, as they went above and beyond to support their colleagues and present a quality show. The instrumental section is completed by Violinist Bryson Gates. Choreography was done by Lauren Taylor, Technical Direction by Lianna Morelli, Costumes, Hair, and Makeup were designed by Kai Robbins, Poster and Program Design by E.E. Naber and Bryson Gates. The Tech Crew includes Milo Johnson, Zachary Muñoz and Molly Touzinsky.

I was able to speak with Choreographer Lauren Taylor and Costume Designer Kai Robbins about their involvement and experience with putting together the opera. Lauren Taylor is a Senior majoring in Education and Psychology. Lauren choreographed several shows while in high school, but this is her first time choreographing a show in college. When asked about her favorite part of the production, Lauren said it was “making up choreography, which I’m like, ‘I don’t know if this is gonna work’. And then the first time that everyone did it together and it finally worked out I was like, ‘woah, it actually looks so good’.”

Kai Robbins is a first-year majoring in Political Science. Kai has previously worked on costumes, hair, wigs and makeup both in high school and earlier this fall for the Jewell Theater Company’s Production of Two Rooms. Kai said that their favorite part of this production was “Getting to piece it all together in these last couple of days. The lights coming together, and everyone’s vocals coming together. I’m finally getting costumes ready and everything, and watching everyone try them all on. Just like, every puzzle piece finally fitting together.”

There are only three chances to see this incredible opera. The show starts at 7pm on Thursday, April 23^rd and Saturday, 25^th, as well as 3pm on Sunday the 26^th. The show will be on campus in Peters Theater. There are no tickets for this show, rather a suggested donation of $10 at the door. We hope to see you there!

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in an Apr. 24 print edition of the Monitor.

After a four-year hiatus, the “Baby” singer is back, better than ever…with YouTube Premium. At Coachella’s grand stage, Justin Bieber became one of the highest-paid artists ever to perform at the festival, earning $10 million between two weekends. Rocking baggy jorts and a T-shirt, Justin revisited old songs and memories while sitting on a stool, laptop open, searching his old music videos and memes on YouTube, where he started it all. While some complained that the performance was “lazy,” others believed it was a night of time travel full of reminiscing about adolescent years.

Songs from his SWAG album, like “All I Can Take” and “Go Baby,” kicked off the night. The middle was dedicated to that thirteen-year-old bedroom, where you danced in front of the mirror with a hairbrush in hand, featuring some Bieber favorites: “Favorite Girl,” “Never Say Never,” “That Should Be Me” and the golden, but never forgotten, melody of “Baby.” Bieber further surprised the audience by bringing The Kid LAROI onstage—marking his first Coachella appearance—as the two performed their hit collaboration “Stay.” Alongside performing covers of songs by Chris Brown and Ne-Yo, the 32-year-old singer also invited guest artists such as Dijon, Wizkid, Tems and Mk.gee to join. Whether critics hated or loved it, Bieber returns to headline the final weekend of Coachella after he made $5.04 million in merchandise sales the weekend prior. All in all, it can be confirmed that the teenage heartthrob is back and better than ever.

While Bieber stamped his night with old YouTube clips, other performers made history in other ways. Kacey Musgraves returned with a brand-new hit, “Middle of Nowhere.” Friday night’s headliner, Sabrina Carpenter, was joined by Will Ferrell, Samuel L. Jackson and Susan Sarandon; cameos that made Variety scratch their head, but fans deemed it as “iconic.” The all-Filipina-girl group, Bini, became the first Filipino act at Coachella, bringing down the house in shiny boots, ruffled skirts, energetic vibes and fierce attitudes. While the average ticket was priced at $649, and resale costs skyrocketed to $5,000, the sold-out 2026 Coachella performance delivered three unforgettable weekends for fans and the celebrities that attended, posing the question of what will be in store for 2027.

Simone’s Playlist Suggestions (Coachella-inspired):

1. All I Can Take – Justin Bieber
2. Stay – Justin Bieber, the Kid LAROI
3. Things You Do – Justin Bieber
4. Baby – Justin Bieber
5. Beauty and a Beat – Justin Bieber
6. Confident – Justin Bieber
7. Yukon – Justin Bieber
8. Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
9. Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido – KAROL G
10. Break It Off – PinkPantheress
11. Middle of Nowhere – Casey Musgraves
12. Talk Down – Dijon
13. No Type – Swae Lee
14. Bad Dreams – Teddy Swims
15. RATHER BE – GIVĒON
16. Bad Bad Bad – Young Thug, Lil Baby
17. Lover Girl – Laufey
18. Sailor Song – Gigi Perez
19. Gabriela- KATSEYE
20. Sprinter – Central Cee, Dave

At Cardinal Keyboard day a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to observe a masterclass and lecture by Elizabeth Grace, M.M. Ms. Grace is an expert in the Taubman Approach, a holistic method of movement that attempts to eliminate tension that could cause injury, specifically for pianists. Dorothy Taubman (1917-2013) believed that “if playing the piano doesn’t feel delicious and euphoric, you’re doing something wrong,” and she studied anatomy thoroughly to develop a system of coordinate motion that would prevent injury before it began.

Ms. Grace discussed the principle of alignment (joints moving naturally as opposed to straining or moving in unhealthy ways) as well as stability vs. mobility (joints as systems of leverage that should be powerful and properly balanced but still able to move quickly) in her lecture, as well as addressing troublesome habits such as curling the fingers, twisting at the wrist, collapsing knuckle joints, stretching in unnatural ways, and isolating digits from the palm when playing the piano. Instead, she suggested some good methods for maintaining proper alignment, like sitting at the proper height and distance from the piano, using whole-body movement, and ensuring the torso, forearm, hand and fingers, and thumb remain aligned but not tense when practicing. She also recommended that pianists utilize techniques such as horizontal movement into the keys, confirming correct fingering, and taking mid-range notes with different hands, all of which should be noted on the score as best practice. 

If you or someone you know experiences pain or tension when playing piano or any instrument, please research the Taubman Approach for a helpful and holistic set of techniques to eliminate misalignment that could cause injury. We are often told as musicians that pain is just something that happens when you practice for long periods of time and should be ignored as a sign that your muscles are underdeveloped, and this is why many musicians suffer injury or near-injury before realizing that it’s not a lack of physical strength, but a lack of knowledge and technique causing the issue.

For Keeping Up With the World

The Daily and Today Explained

• What they are: Both are daily news podcasts that break down current events in a way that’s easy to follow.
• My take: I listen to these pretty interchangeably. On a good day, I’ll listen to both, but if I don’t have time I just pick whichever episode sounds more interesting. For me, they’re less about enjoyment and more about making sure I know what’s happening.
• Who will like it:  Anyone who wants to stay informed without constantly scrolling the news. Especially good if you’re busy and just want a quick, clear breakdown of one major story.
• Where to start: Just start with today’s episode—that’s the whole point.

For Politics, Culture, and Strong Opinions

In Bed with the Right

• What it is: A podcast analyzing right-wing ideas about gender, sex, and sexuality, and how they still shape politics today.
• My take: This one feels really thoughtful but still engaging. It helps you see how certain ideas have evolved.
• Who will like it: People interested in feminist theory, political ideology or understanding the cultural roots behind modern politics.
• Where to start: The two-part series on Phyllis Schlafly.

5-4

• What it is: A podcast about the Supreme Court of the United States and how political its decisions really are.
• My take: This is basically anger and sarcasm in podcast form. It’s very snarky and opinionated, but also really effective at explaining complicated legal cases.
• Who will like it: Anyone who enjoys political commentary with personality, especially if you like podcasts that are a little blunt.
• Where to start: “Bush v. Gore” – you’ll immediately get the tone.

Diabolical Lies

• What it is: A long-form culture and politics podcast that digs into media, power and the stories we believe.
• My take: This is my favorite podcast right now but it’s definitely not for everyone. It’s slower and really focused on unpacking ideas.
• Who will like it: People who like deep dives into culture and politics, and don’t mind something more thoughtful and less fast-paced with a little (or a lot) of snark. 
• Where to start: If you are more interested in culture I would recommend “Is There a ‘Skinny Apocalypse’ in Hollywood?” If you want more political analyses try  “Why America Can’t See Gaza”

For True Crime 

Crime Junkie

• What it is: A weekly true crime podcast covering everything from missing persons to major cases.
• My take: I think it deserves the hype; it’s easy to follow and consistently interesting. But if you’re only picking one Ashley Flowers podcast, I wouldn’t start here. As much as I love this podcast, International Infamy, is an even better introduction to the world of true crime.
• Who will like it: Anyone new to true crime (or podcasts in general) and are looking for something straightforward and consistently engaging.
• Where to start:  “Infamous: Darlie Routier part 1”

International Infamy

• What it is: Also hosted by Ashley Flowers, this podcast explores infamous crimes from around the world.
• My take: I binged this one. I really enjoyed the global scope, and the fact that it’s short (only 15 episodes) makes it feel very manageable and easy to get.
• Where to start: Honestly, any of the 15 episodes. Since it’s a short series, it’s easy to jump in anywhere and just go from there.

Final Thoughts

If you’re trying to get into podcasts, don’t try to listen to everything at once. Pick based on your mood. The hardest part is just starting—but once you find the right episode, it’s easy to get hooked.