Page 58 - Phoenix1998-99

Thursday, November 5, 1998 - Page 10 FEATURES Cheap Thrills: A new series College dropout defies highlighting local bargains negative stereotypes BY MATTHEW THOMAS Bohager's and Fletcher's in Fell's Point of- SlajfWriter BY JOAN FAULKNER ticn back in high school. But when he men- fer plenty of affordable shows featuring great StajfWriter Hello and welcome to Cheap Thrills. bands. No bright cheapskate would pass up tioned this idea to his parents, they were This is a new feature at the Phoenix, in which Tricky and Whale Nov. 18 at Bohager's for Hearing someone referred to as "college shocked and told him he absolutely could I, fearless tightwad, will attempt to find the $10. Check out City Paper and see if some- dropout" conjures up many negative images. not. So he went to college, and dropped out. most diversions for the fewest dollars pos- thing interests you. Society is prejudiced against these stu- What he didn't like about college was the "whole schedule sible. Cheap Thrills will focus mainly on For all of you studio pimpin' cheapskates dents, just as it is against high school drop- you're in a closed is set for you, that it's like from world," separated local entertainment options to be had for ten out there, you can still pick up a copy of lo- outs. Typical stereotypes are that they do dollars or less. cal rapper Cheazy-E's album CRa.k.a. the not care about their education and where they the rest of society. Since you're college students, you al- White Mystery. At only $10 and horribly are going in life. Dallas says that in college and out of col- ready know about cheap beer and pizza. underproduced, it embodies the Cheap These people supposedly have thrown lege are "two totally different ways of learn- ing." Doesn't mean Iwon't write about cheap beer Thrills vision. Ride the trolley. • away their opportunity to be someone. Dallas learned to ap- Being in California, and pizza, but Cheap Thrills is all about in- If you're listening to Cheazy-E, you This image, however, is not typical. This preciate acting on his own and not baving troducing you to entertainment options other might as well go all out. Get pimped out at can be seen from the example of Dallas the pressure of doing something for a class. than Papa John's and Beast Ice. So let's get the Goodwill Store - you can get an abso- Munger, a twenty-one year old, from Fred- "If I wasn't interested in something, I didn't on with it then. lutely horrible outfit and have enough erick, Maryland. want to learn it." Every college student likes to get his or change left from your $10 bill to get a pack Dallas first attended Tennessee Univer- Dallas doesn't her respective groove on. But grooving is of American Spirits. Now that's Cheap sity, and then NYU for two years, before he what has happened have any regrets about a in his life. "J learned expensive, right? A compact disc is $18. Thrills! realized college was not for him yet. He Concert tickets are even more expensive. Stay tuned for next issue's Cheap Thrills, moved to California for seven months to lot along the way," he says. That's true if you don't know where to look. where I'll explore cheap food and Carroll pursue dreams as an actor. He wouldn't trade his experiences for Cheap music options in this area are limited County culture (i.e. bowling). anything, but wishes he had thought more only by your personal tastes. Dallas' experiences are an example of the many Record and Tape Traders, in the same vi- cinity as Taco Bell (more to come on Taco students who rush into college, because of obligation, Bell), offers a dollar off used compact discs Homeboys without exploring the option of taking a year or two on Wednesdays. A couple of weeks ago, I found the soundtrack to Even Cowgirls Get (literally) off. the Blues for about five bucks. They have literally hundreds of already cheap albums He has just recently moved back here, about what he wanted to do in the beginning. that you can save an extra dollar on every and for the past three weeks has been work- Even so, "dropping out hasn't been a bad Wednesday. According to Interep Re- ing in tech at Alumni Hall. time for me." Incidentally, Record and Tape Traders Dallas hopes to reenter a college soon, He says his goal is to "go somewhere also has the best prices I've found for roil- search, men live longer with but only one that can fit his financial needs where I know I'll be happy." ing papers (for tobacco use only). Only prob- their parents than women. No and where he can be content. He is currently Right now, Dallas hopes he can stay at lem is you have to root around through all of wonder they're all such babies. looking into enrollment at "Yfstcrn Maryland, WMC. He hopes to enroll here because his the cheap junk to find a pack of Bambus. College.' friends and family are nearby. In the mean- But it's worth the extra two minutes. One reason Dallas has had such a hard time he is taking every work opportunity that Still grooving here, we take a look at lo- Adults living with parents: time staying in college is because of his par- he can get. cal concert options. (Local when referring ents' financial situation. Hefeelsguilty about Dallas' experiences are an example of the to concerts will have to include Baltimore his parents getting into debt and later having many students who rush into college, because and Towson, as well as good old Westmin- Age Men Women to payoff his college loans. of obligation, without exploring the option ster.) Eric Byrd is a regular at the Chame- 18 to 19 81.1% 66.5% A bigger reason he dropped out, however, of taking a year or two off. leon restaurant on Main Street. Good tunes, 20 to 24 50.2% 33.4% is because, "I was expecting more from It seems that dropping out might be a but the three-star Chameleon can't really be NYU, considering how much it costs." good thing if a person is not serious about featured in a column called Cheap Thrills. 25 to 29 19.6% 8.4% But his top reason for dropping out and his future yet. A good education is wasted if So we'll have to delve a little deeper to find 30 to 34 10.9% 3.9% going his own way seems to be that he "never it is not going to be used to its fullest extent. concerts in our price range. really got into it." A person should be pursuing what she There are plenty of free concerts offered Dallas actually had been considering tak- wants at that moment in life, not fulfilling here on campus; believe it or not, you might ing a year or two off prior to college educa- someone else's wishes. actually enjoy one - so keep your eyes and ears open for news. In the a -little- more - expensive -than -free -but- still- cheap de- Auditions for "A Christmas Carol" partment, Rec Room in Towson and (by appointment only) .l,'be Eyes Have It Children (ages 6-17): Saturday, November 14 A1;c:ordiDJ to.& B...,h &. Lomb 10 a.m.-1 p.m. survey 0( 1,007 adUlts, Ibis w; thefeatllre they fitstnotk:ed wheD meeting someone new. Adults: Saturday, November 14 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Eyes 37% Smile 28% All auditions will be held at: Alumni Hall Mainstage Clothes '11% Western Maryland College Body 9% westminster, MD Teeth 4% Hair 3% Theatre on the Hill, a professional company in residence at Western Maryland College, is holding auditions on Shoes 1% Saturday, November 14, for its holiday production of '~AChristmas Carol." Auditions wil1 be held for children Hands 1% ages 6-17 from 10 a.m.-t pm and for adults from 2-5 pm at the college's Alumni Hall Mainstage. Children are . nOo'tKnow 5% asked to prepare one Christmas carol (a cappel1a) and be dressed to dance. Adults are asked to prepare a short (one-minute) dramatic monologue, one Christmas carol (a cappella) and come dressed to dance. All adult com- pany members are paid. All roles are open except Scrooge. Auditions: are by appointment only. To schedule a.n 1 audition call the WMCArts Management Office at (410) 857-2599. . . II \' ,.J .11 -~-