Entertainment: Top Featured

Hasan Minhaj tells jokes and truths in his University Lecture
By Isaac Napell
October 28, 2017 - 11:36am
Review: 'The Daily Show' correspondent discusses being a Muslim in Trump's America.

Comedian and Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj spoke before a sold-out crowd in the Goldstein Auditorium Friday evening. Minhaj, who made national news when he hosted the first White House Correspondents' Dinner of the Trump era, spoke at length about the place that Muslims hold in American culture before taking questions from Osamah F. Khalil, an associate professor of history, as well as from students. 

'The Lion King' opens its 20th anniversary tour in Syracuse
By Jerald Raymond ...
October 26, 2017 - 9:00am
One of the longest-running Broadway plays, 'The Lion King' is coming to Syracuse to start a national tour that includes new choreography and orchestrations.

Editors note: This article originally appeared on Green Room Reviews on Oct. 25.

This week, Disney’s "The Lion King" will kick off a national tour in Syracuse that marks the 20th anniversary of the musical’s debut.

SU Symphony creates a tapestry of sound
By Jonathan Williams
October 23, 2017 - 9:45pm
Review: The Syracuse University Symphony allowed its passion to shine through in a performance featuring Rossini and Sibelius.

The grandiose sounds of Italian composer Gioachino Rossini paired with the deeply textured and intricate work of Finish composer Jean Sibelius formed a multilayered symphonic pallet Sunday in Setnor Auditorium.

Under the baton of James Tapia, the Syracuse University Symphony Orchestra performed Gioachino Rossini’s short overture from his opera “La gazza Ladra” along with Jean Sibelius’s laborious “Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43.”

Trying to unmask '70 Scenes of Halloween'
By Jerald Raymond ...
October 21, 2017 - 1:32pm
Review: The Redhouse's production fails to live up to its promise, but still provides plenty of laughs.

Editors note: This review originally appeared on Green Room Reviews on Oct. 21.

Syracuse International Film Festival co-founder puts women front and center
By Andrea Henderson
October 20, 2017 - 8:46pm
Christine Fawcett-Shapiro has been running the film festival for its entire 14 year run.

Christine Fawcett-Shapiro does not let the discomfort of dental and toe surgery keep her from running business as usual.  From board meetings to distributing posters, the 14th annual Syracuse International Film Festival (SIFF) will not wait on Fawcett-Shapiro's pain to subside.  While seated at a round table inside of one of her favorite eastside coffee lounges, the 70-year-old film festival co-founder and marketing director’s round hazel eyes gleamed as she glanced over the final draft of the festival’s lobby cards for...

T.J. Miller brings new material to SU Homecoming Weekend
By Jerald Raymond ...
October 8, 2017 - 12:45am
Review: The 'Silicon Valley' star let it all hang out in a loose, improvisational set.

Syracuse University students and alumni were treated to an evening of new jokes and unique moments thanks to The Lucas Brothers and T.J. Miller, presented by University Union.

As the audience was still filing into the Goldstein Auditorium Saturday night, Syracuse University’s Homecoming Court was introduced on stage. Brandyn Mumford and LaNia Roberts were crowned king and queen, respectively, of 2017 SU Homecoming.

Capturing magic: remembering Jabberwocky
By Mikey Light
October 4, 2017 - 3:15pm
Syracuse University’s original DIY venue is long gone, but not quite forgotten.

The drinks, cheap. The music, loud. The times, interesting.

From 1969 to 1985, the current location of the Maker Space in Syracuse University’s Kimmel Hall was known as the Jabberwocky Cafe or "Jab" for short. Known for several murals on the walls themed after Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland," the on-campus bar and music venue borrowed its name from "The Jabberwocky," a poem written by Carroll about the slaying of the mythical Jabberwock.

Brian Wilson brings 'Pet Sounds,' Beach Boys favorites to Syracuse
By Isaac Napell
October 2, 2017 - 9:06am
Concert Review: the 75-year-old former Beach Boy performed the seminal 'Pet Sounds' in its entirety during a show that lasted more than two hours.

On Sunday night, 900 fans met at The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater to watch Brian Wilson perform the entirety of his album, Pet Sounds as well as other hits from his long career. Over the course of the two-plus hour show, Wilson and the eleven other musicians who joined him on stage played more than 25 songs from the Beach Boys’ and Wilson’s own repertoire.

After an afternoon of building anticipation, Paul McCartney delivers for eager Syracuse fans
By Katherine Reahl
September 24, 2017 - 10:39am
The 75-year-old former Beatle proved that age was just a number as he entertained more than 35,000 who had gathered in the Carrier Dome.

Pre-Show Buzz

The fuzz of amplifiers echoed across campus, drawing curious groups of people out of air conditioned buildings and into the blazing heat. McCartney Madness, a music festival which overtook the Quad yesterday from 1:30 to 6 p.m., has been in the works since last Spring according to Dreya Cherry, a main player in bringing McCartney Madness plans into reality.

Trevor Noah tackles prejudice and Trump during politically charged set at Cornell
By Isaac Napell
September 18, 2017 - 9:31am
Review: Trevor Noah was unafraid of controversy during his stand-up set at Cornell University Sunday night.

Trevor Noah took the stage at Cornell University’s Barton Hall Sunday evening to perform an hour of stand-up comedy. Noah, who is cursed to be forever known as Jon Stewart’s replacement on "The Daily Show," drew a crowd of 4,800 people, most of whom were students.