Bwog's resident theater expert Michael Molina managed to weave his way through the large, metal, bleacher-like sets to review KCST's As You Like It, and was kind enough to send us his review.

The King's Crown Shakespeare Troupe's performance of "As You Like It" brings laughter and general amusement despite rain clouds, graduation bleachers, and a three-hour performance. While Shakespeare seems to be at it again with his "Oh, shit, he doesn't know that's not her even though it is" and the typical "Why did that guy do that? Now he's ruined everything!", the members of the troupe bring jovial glee to this complicated comedy of silly proportions. Although this piece of student theater is not the most groundbreaking interpretation or presentation of Shakespeare, the profound talent of the cast and the mostly insightful direction of Priyanka Choksi creates a general mood of merriment that can be seen for two more nights outside near the steps.

The play begins with low energy and stagnant blocking, but it's immediately jump-started once Kris Wiener and a wrestling ring of Christmas lights ascend upon Low Steps. Throughout the play Kris does a fantastic job of moving the show along with a carefree, cocksure nature. And the Christmas lights foreshadow the imaginative elements of what's to come.

Catch the final performance of Twelfth Night at 8 o'clock tonight in Barnard's Minor Latham Playhouse.

Rebecca Guy and Ralph Zito's interpretation of Twelfth Night may be traditional, but it offers an entertaining showcase of some of Barnard and Columbia's finest acting. The play is full of scrambled genders, intricate love triangles and drunken debauchery — themes that too often lend themselves to overacting. But, the current production does not suffer from these common pitfalls.

Thanks to many of the actors' eloquent intonation, the audience easily comprehends Shakespeare's meaning and wit. But Jill Usdan's deliberate elocution unfortunately comes off as haughty. Her dry performance as Olivia is demure, but uninspired and misses the silliness and vanity essential to her character. With lines as blatantly promiscuous as "Love sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better," it's clear Usdan could do more with the material.

Adding a hint of melodrama, Kara Feely dresses the cast in luxurious costumes — a mix of Spanish lace, gaudy rosary beads and billowy genie pants. Set against Betsy Adams and Elizabeth Noth's colorfully designed stage, Zito and Guy's vision of Twelfth Night comes to life in a flourishing courtyard.

"Professor Madonna Constantine has been sanctioned by Teachers College for plagiarism, according to a memo obtained by Spectator Tuesday evening. The memo, dated Feb. 18, was hand-delivered to professors on the Office of the President's stationery."

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We rushed to get the Orientation Issue of The Blue and White to you this week, only to have the print release held up by red tape. But we'll still be dangling bits of it in front of you for the next few days while we get the issue online. Today: navigating the cutthroat world of Shakespeare in the Park (which runs until September 8th!), by Anna Phillips.

In late June of this year, within several days of each other, The New York Times and the New Yorker both came out with rave reviews of Shakespeare in the Park's production of Romeo and Juliet. The water! The moonlight! Lauren Ambrose! Critics squealed in delight, and everyone in the city with a literal interpretation of the printed word immediately made plans to attend.

Shakespeare in the Park, as one Times reporter put it, "is one of those grand New York traditions that really works well, that everyone loves, like dog walkers or bagels and schmear." But it's a little different in that, unlike paid help or food, it's free entertainment.

Every semester, President Bollinger brings about 40 students off the street into his swanky abode at 60 Morningside Drive to find out what's going on in the collective student consciousness. Registration is competitive, and as Bwog mounted the cushy staircase to PrezBo's elegantly appointed receiving room, we realized why: the snacks are phenomenal. During a 20 minute schmooze session, the undergrads fed on miniature hamburgers and peeled asparagus served up by a flock of smiling attendants. Here are some highlights from the discussion:

- The Opener: PrezBo began with his standard global university patter, covering the by now familiar tropes of how we need more international students, how much we NEED more space, and how committed we are to educational opportunity.

- On African Studies: Bollinger pinned the blame for the department's termination on erstwhile SIPA Dean Lisa Anderson, but said that we should be expecting a "major announcement" regarding the leader of a new department.

- On Athletics: "I really care a lot about athletics. One of the things I'm been troubled by is the sense that Columbia athletics has not been sufficiently respected or that it's losing." Just focus on water polo!

- On the distinctiveness of a Columbia alum: "You're more in debt than the others." Uneasy laughter. "That was a joke."

- On the works of Shakespeare: "You actively read them every day. You build a life with them...he had the ability to create characters who are truly, truly real. To do that is an act of genius."

- On the potential departure of Dean Galil: "Besides being extraordinary, he's lovable. I would wish him the best, and would work with him as the president of an institution. I think it would be good for the world."

- On the disinvitation of President Ahmadinejad: Bollinger abandoned the pretense that the Iranian leader was asked not to speak because of "security concerns." New version of events: he was informed on a Wednesday morning that Dean Anderson had invited Ahmadinejad while working in a small group setting at the UN to speak Friday morning. The President's office couldn't get a line of communication that would have assured him that Ahmadinejad would consent to a question and answer period, which Bollinger said was essential for this event to have academic merit. Especially considering Ahmadinejad had, one night earlier, implied that the Holocaust did not occur. "Are you unfathomably ignorant, or are you brazenly insulting?" PrezBo asked rhetorically.