Sherri Barth - The Daily Lobo

Photo courtesy of The Book of Mormon Broadway

Culture

Brief: “The Book of Mormon” returns to Popejoy

Sherri Barth | April 10

Winner of nine Tony awards including Best Musical, Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s “The Book Of Mormon” will be showing at Popejoy Hall from now through April 15 for its second year at the University of New Mexico. “Part of Popejoy’s mission is to bring diverse programming to our community,” said Tom Tkach, Director of Popejoy Hall. “We’re happy to welcome back ‘The Book of Mormon’ as yet another well-received success in the Broadway in New Mexico season.”

Culture

"A Chorus Line" comes to Popejoy

Sherri Barth | March 4

Tony Award-winning director, actress, choreographer and author Baayork Lee brings Michael Bennett’s original production of “A Chorus Line” back to life with a 33-city national tour stopping at Popejoy Hall for three nights, beginning Thursday, according to broadwayworld.com. Lee portrayed Connie Wong in the original 1975 Broadway play, and now she is taking the musical across the Pacific to Tokyo, Japan after the national tour. Since her outbreak performance on “A Chorus Line,” Lee has gone on to direct and choreograph 35 international productions of the musical, according to broadwayworld.com.

Mike Shields, owner of Omni Strength, trains Duane Yardman-Frank at the Omni Strength gym on Feb. 23, 2018.

Sports

College students can reap benefits from bodybuilding

Sherri Barth | February 28

Not everyone has the desire or the drive to be a world-class bodybuilder, but college students and other community members may find it rewarding. Sam Schrader, a multi-title bodybuilding champion and University of New Mexico medical student, said he has experienced both mental and physical gains from the sport. “I absolutely think that keeping a consistent training schedule has been unbelievably important to my resilience in the face of an increasingly demanding academic schedule," he said. "I think that it’s become as important to my emotional wellness as it is to my physical fitness.”

Sports

Basketball: Legislators hit the paint to bring relief for cancer patients

Sherri Barth | February 11

Last Monday night, the Rio Grande Rivalry was put on the back burner as the Lobos and Aggies joined up with New Mexico Senate and House legislators to generate funds for cancer. The 2018 Hoops for Hope event saw Democrats and Republicans alike, play and support each other as the participants helped raise money for the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center's patient assistance program. But it wasn't just political rivals who put their differences aside — there were also two opposing college football coaches who played a hand in the action by leading the legislators turned basketball players for one night at the Santa Fe Indian School.

Sports

Career Issue: Lobo alum went from pro football to mentoring youth

Sherri Barth | February 4

“Football kinda chose me.” That is what UNM alum and former New Mexico football running back DonTrell Moore said, stating his favorite sport wasn’t football, but basketball and then soccer. Moore said it was his mother who encouraged him to play football. A native of Roswell, New Mexico, Moore was able to efficiently balance playing a sport and achieving in the classroom. According to golobos.com, he had over 6,000 rushing yards during his high school years, all while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. Moore played for the Lobos from 2002 to 2005 and was named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year — the first Lobo rookie ever voted first team all-conference, according to the team’s website.

Volunteers help children make personalized capes during this year?s Albuquerque Comic Con at the Downtown Convention Center on Jan. 13, 2018.

Culture

ABQ Comic Con welcomes autistic community

Sherri Barth | January 15

For Taylor Risse, a teen living with autism, comic-cons are special. “I went to the Santa Fe ComicCon a couple of months ago and had a blast,” he said. “I met a couple of movie stars, the guy who played Spike on the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Colin Baker of Dr. Who.” The eighth Annual Albuquerque Comic Con at the Albuquerque Convention Center kicked off a three-day event Friday, which included the Sensitivity Opening, which accommodated Taylor and other kids living with autism. The Sensitivity Opening was intended to give these children an opportunity to experience the fun of superheroes and comic book characters without being overwhelmed by crowds.

Mayor Tim Keller smiles with his wife, Elizabeth Keller, and their children, Maya and Jack.

News

Keller celebrates interfaith, preps for year ahead

Sherri Barth | December 26

Timothy “Tim” Keller’s first term as the mayor of Albuquerque began nearly a month ago, and he has already gotten to work. He has signed his first bill, which awarded 284 pre-kindergarten children with $900,000, and he has begun restructuring the Albuquerque Police Department, according to a City of Albuquerque web post. Keller is currently concentrating on evaluating the city, department by department, and APD is on the top of his list, he said.

Culture

Musical explores comedic, macabre themes

Sherri Barth | December 3

Greed, love, rejection and acceptance are one man’s total obsession in this tale brought to life at the Popejoy Hall stage. Tony Award-winning Broadway Musical, “A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder,” travels to the Edwardian era in the life of a simple, poor man Monty D'Ysquith Navarro. Playwright Robert Freedman and author Steve Lutvak were motivated by the allegory of Roy Horniman’s 1907 novel, “Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal,” and the film, “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” to create a sinister, yet entertaining climb of one man’s creative flight for recognition and wealth through murder and deception.

One of Air Carriage LLC's balloons, "Mas Fedia/More Cash," prepares to soar with eleven passengers, including pilot Arthur M?ller and a trio of sky divers on Oct. 17, 2017.

Culture

Skydivers push thrills to the limit

Sherri Barth | October 22

Think jumping from an airplane sounds exciting? Skydiving enthusiasts have found a different launchpad that takes their flight to new heights and exhilarating freefalls. “You get that stomach-in-your-heart feeling” from jumping off a hot air balloon, according to skydiver Jake Cordova of Skydive New Mexico. Parachuting from a hot air balloon was first introduced as a means of safety, when in 1785 Jena-Pierre Blanchard tested this method of skydiving using a dog. Blanchard would soon have no choice but to put himself in a parachute and jump out of his own hot air balloon when it ruptured in 1793, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Skydivers have been getting a thrill from jumping, then parachuting from a hot air balloon at altitudes that can equal that of jumping out of airplanes. Cordova said jumping off a hot air balloon, or static jumps, is similar to base jumping.

Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobo Howl takes back seat to Cherry-Silver scrimmage

Matthew Narvaiz and Sherri Barth | October 7

It’s that time of year for the UNM men’s basketball team to hit the hardwood and put on a show for its fans. The team did so on Thursday with a scrimmage, but it was much different than the traditional "Lobo Howl" fans have grown accustomed to. Drew Ingraham, Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Fan Engagement said head coach Paul Weir exchanged the Lobo Howl at Dreamstyle Arena, aka The Pit, for the Cherry-Silver scrimmage at Johnson Gym as a season starter. Ingraham said the Lobo Howl is not gone forever, “we’re just giving it a rest.” Thursday’s Cherry-Silver game consisted of a 20-minute scrimmage, a 3-point contest — which involved Lobo players launching up threes from various lengths — and a dunk contest. Judging by the fans’ reactions, the latter seemed to be the audience’s favorite.