THEVOICE | 6 Diversity needed for play- wrights Were plays performed by college theatre programs like Langara’s Studio 58, are written by old white men. The world doesn’t look like a white- washed sitcom from the 90s, neither should the film or theater indus- try. But while film students have the oppor- tunity to write their own scripts, acting students are often stuck with what seems like a rotating selection of plays, no matter the theater school. History is written by the victors, and theatre history is writ- ten by creative victors. From the comedies and tragedies of Ancient Greece, to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats getting a revival on Broadway, and a movie, a theater kid’s life is filled with monologues and songs written by white men. Life imitates art, and life is not seen through the eyes of one group of people. While playwrights like Tennessee Williams and Stephen Sondheim are “So, give the people what they want: a diverse selection of plays. ” rightfully applauded for their work and genius, their voices do not fully represent today’s theatre students or audiences. As Kathryn Shaw, the artistic director of Studio Arts and Studio 58 said, “diversity to me means stretching beyond the canon of old white men’s plays.” Despite the fact that academics and critics alike can find relatable content in a work that is over 200 years-old and that the human condi- tion hasn't changed, people have. Women are allowed to be actors on stage, being gay is no longer listed as a mental illness and being disabled doesn't force you to the outskirts of society. And our schools and cities are, just like they were in Shake- speare’s time, diverse, but now we celebrate it. So, give the people what they want: a diverse selection of plays. A production about and from differ- ent cultures and groups should not be news any more than a production of King Lear should be news—they should be expected, welcomed and readily accessible. OPINION LAUREN GARGIULO THURSDAY, NOV. 21, 2019 | EDITOR MAXIM FOSSEY Viewpoints Gaming can be certainly be a distracting hobby, always hand in your assignments in advance and on time, and study ahead. Planning yourself like this can also mean spending more time on games after. Axi FOSSEY ILLUSTRATION Zero the hero, game over ideo games are often pointed out as a negative impact for people who use it as a hobby. While for many, like myself, gaming can be just a time to spend by yourself and be care- free for a few hours. It can get in the way if you are not careful. When I was in high school, I got easily distracted and played countless hours of different Ca// of Duty games. Black Ops, Modern Warfare 3, Ghosts, Advanced Warfare. Those brought me great memories playing them online alongside my high school friends. However, at a certain point in my high school years, there was one thing that caught my attention, my grades dropped. I decided to simply put aside the controller. Of course, spending time on video games can be seen as addictive because of the competitive aspect of it. When you drop-in in a game session you always think to yourself, “just one more game,” until you are completely satisfied with your online record and stats. For example, I ‘was never satisfied until my ‘kills per death’ ratio went higher on Call of Duty, which meant more distractions away from my assignments. With the rise of Esports and popu- larity of games such as League of Legends, people can spend countless OPINION MAXIM FOSSEY hours on online games, profession- ally too. Of course, people can still enjoy playing these as a hobby, but be care- ful about not getting into it too much. school, work or relationships. While gaming certainly is a great way to spend your spare time, it can definitely catch you off guard. Gaming can certainly be a distract- Some people -— — ing hobby, may use video . one thing games as a sort “Planning yourself I’ve helped f copi h- lf with tniem. Craig | aheadcanalsomean | i ey svays Lee, a clini- more game time for complete or cal counsellor ” hand in your who specializes yourself. assignments in overcom- [L_ _| on time. They ing video game should be a addiction said that people who come to him use gaming to get away from negative emotions such as loneliness, depression and anxiety. ‘They continue to play games even though it’s impacting their life in priority. Planning yourself ahead can also mean more game time for your- self. Rank up those stats all you want, but I’ve learned to do it in a moder- ate way. The Voice is pub- lished by Langara College’s joumalism department. Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration. We welcome letters to the editor. They may be edited for brevity. Your letter must in- clude your name and phone number. HOW TO DROP-IN REACH US Room A226 Langara College PHONE 604-323-5396 SNAIL MAIL E-MAIL The Voice thevoice@langara. 100 West 49th Ave. be.ca Vancouver, B.C. WEBSITE V5Y 226 langaravoice.ca INSTRUCTOR Erica Bulman MANAGING PAGE 4&5 EDITOR Mandy Moon Maxim Fossey PAGE 6 Maxim Fossey PAGE7 PAGE EDITORS Joshua Rey PAGE 1 PAGE 8 Tierney Grattan Adam Levi PAGE 2 Agazy Mengesha MANAGING WEB PAGE 3 EDITOR Liam Hill-Allan Mathilda de Villiers WEB EDITORS REPORTERS Missy Johnson Anita Zhu Austin Everett Henri Ngimbis Nathan Gan Kristen Holliday Christina Dommer Gina Rogers Joe Ayres Lauren Gargiulo Lina Chung SOCIAL MEDIA Palak Klaire EDITOR Ray Chopping Joe Ayres Soubhik Chakrabarti Steven Chang WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU CONTACT Have a different point of view? Write us US Journalism instructor Erica Bulman oversees The Voice. Email: ebulman @langara.ca Online at langaravoice.ca Twitter @langaraVoice