Vicki's Blog
Name: Victoria "Vicki" Whooper
Major(s): Theatre Technical/Design and Performance
Hometown: Bellwood, Illinois
Extracurricular activities: President of Common Ground—Dominican's gay/straight alliance
Hobbies/interests: Singing, dancing, bowling, fiction writing and sleeping
Class of: 2011
Contact Vicki with questions and comments: whoovict@dom.edu
Title: Macbeth rehearsals
Date: 10/25/09
Hey there all you blogger fans! I hope everyone is having a fantastic week. Sadly I don’t have much to report for this week considering the fact that I’ve been pretty sick all week, but I do have Macbeth updates for you. This past weekend at rehearsal we had part of our set ready to be played on. This thing is HUGE. It’s absolutely beautiful. It’s a two story house with staircases and balconies and hidden passage ways. I’m so excited for this show. We’ve also been working to fine-tune all of the fight scenes, which is a work-out in and of itself. All in all, the show is coming together beautifully, and I have no doubt in my mind that we have a crowd pleaser on our hands. Also this weekend rehearsals for our children’s musical started. The show is called Free to be you and Me. My fellow blogger, Dannie Moore, is in that show, so keep an eye out for her posts for many updates on the show. From what I’ve heard thus far it’s really good. I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween.
Title: Homecoming
Date: 10/11/09
Here we go Stars, here we go!! clap clap It’s HOMECOMING WEEK here at Dominican and everyone’s school spirit is in full swing. Our men’s and women’s soccer teams are gearing up for what are sure to be great games, and everyone is so excited about the dance on Friday night. The theme for this year’s dance is Shine Bright Shine Far, Don’t be Shy be a Star! I just find that absolutely adorable simply because it comes from the Disney movie Life Sized which was such a huge part of my childhood. Homecoming is a huge thing here at DU; even though we don’t have a football team, our soccer team is our pride and joy. They’re so dedicated to their craft, and they’re just plain good. This week is guaranteed to be awesome. There is a bonfire scheduled, free moon pie night, movie night, and last but not least the dance itself. It’s guaranteed to rock.
Title: Falling leaves
Date: 10/4/09
Hey there all you blog fans. It’s that time of year again. That’s right you’ve guessed it, FALL!!! It’s fall all across the Midwest, and it’s definitely fall here at DU. You can tell the weather is changing by the attire change. No longer can we walk around in t-shirts, shorts and flip flops; now it’s jeans, hoodies and flip flops. I love the fall on this campus though. Everything becomes a blanket of orange, red and yellow and we do enjoy the occasional game of Frisbee in the leaves. Fall at Dominican for us theatre students means preparation for the fall show. Just in case you guys forgot, this year’s fall production is Macbeth and it’s going to be AMAZING!!! We’ve hit the ground running as far as rehearsals are concerned, and it’s a real work-out to say the least. The show has been adapted to modern times so I think everyone’s going to like it. I hope everyone’s enjoying their fall season so far.
Title: Combat moves and Hawaiian ice
Date: 9/25/09
I’ve got one word to describe this week: OUCH!!! This week we started stage combat rehearsals for Macbeth, and I didn’t realize just how many muscles there are in my arm that could hurt simultaneously. No matter how much pain I’m in, stage combat is so much fun. So far we’ve learned how to fall without actually getting hurt. We’ve learned how to punch and kick as well. This show is going to require a lot of physicality, and it’s going to be the best thing ever. Speaking of awesome things, Dominican has this crazy way of knowing just when the student body could use a sugar kick. This week in the social hall there was FREE Hawaiian ice. Talk about the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten in my life; it might be better than Italian ice. I love the Office of Student Involvement here at DU; they provide such amazing outlets for us to distress, even if it’s just long enough to eat a yummy cup of Hawaiian ice. So far junior year has been full of fun, and stage combat. I like it. Love and Laughter.
Title: Macbeth
Date: 9/18/09
Have I got an update for everyone! As you know this past weekend we had fall auditions, and they were AMAZING. I’m so proud to be a part of such a supportive and talented department. Everyone did such a great job, and we had a lot of fun Friday night. So the cast list has been posted, and I’m in the infamous Shakespeare play MACBETH!!!!!! I’m so thrilled to be a part of this show. It’s going to be absolutely fantastic, and if anyone wants to come see it, remember to bring your student ID because student tickets are only $5.00 ☺. We had our first rehearsal the very next night which was kind of crazy, but the cast is so huge and quirky in so many ways. I have good feelings about this production. Aside from theatre craziness, so far school has presented itself to be full of fast paced excitement. It seems like every time I walk through the Social Hall there is something there for me to do or eat for free!! I’m in heaven, free food and fun things, that fits a college student’s budget perfectly! Hehe. We’ll that’s all she wrote…for now. Until next time, love and laughter.
Title: Fall auditions
Date: 9/11/09
Hey all of you out there in cyber land! I know it’s been a while since we last spoke, but great things have happened since then. School is off to a great start so far. I love all of my classes, even though my political science class is a lot harder than I thought; but hey, I love a challenge. As you may remember I’m one of those eclectic people we call theatre majors and this weekend we have auditions. AHHH!!! Just kidding. I’m so excited for this weekend because not only do I get to do my portfolio review as a production major, but I also get to audition for the fall season. I will admit I’m TERRIFIED because one of the fall shows is a musical, and I don’t sing in front of people very often, but I have faith that it will all work out in the end. I promise to keep everyone updated. Love and Laughter.
Title: SOARing To New Heights
Date: 7/28/09
I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer so far. I know it’s been a while since we last spoke, but I’ve been a busy little bee. The start of July sparked the second half of Summer Orientation And Registration (SOAR) sessions for the incoming freshman. Myself along with nine other current DU students are TORCH leaders. TORCH leaders act as orientation leaders to all incoming freshman, as well as transfer students. At the start of the summer I worked solely with transfer students, but for the past three weeks I’ve been working with the incoming freshman in the class of 2013. I must say the class of 2013 is by far the most energetic group of students I’ve come across in a while. I’m so excited that they’re excited to be a part of this grand Dominican family. It’s been a great adventure so far, but sadly all good things must come to an end. I’m so excited to get back to school in the fall on September 1st but I will admit I’m going to miss being at home. I have a feeling this year is going to be a great year, not only for our new incoming students, but for all of our returning students as well. Have a great week everyone.
Title: The hills are alive...
Date: 6/28/09
Hello everyone in Blog land! Well my summer just keeps getting busier and busier and even more fun. I started summer school two weeks ago, and so far so good. I decided to take my required math course over the summer as a way to clear my fall schedule, and let me tell you it’s a great help. That way in the fall I’ll have more space for classes I want to take. But enough about academics, I had the best work day every today, June 28. Today we celebrated the Performing Arts Center and the living legacy of Sister Gregory Duffy, by showing The Sound of Music in our Lund Auditorium. The late Sister Greg, a theatre professor at DU, was so heavily involved in the arts, and in the development of the Broadway production of The Sound of Music that we had a full celebration. We started the day off with a community picnic on our Quad, where there was free ice cream and a sing along with the Oak Park and River Forest Children’s Chorus. It was such a beautiful day today, and just enjoying the weather and hearing everyone sing songs from the musical was such a warming and awesome experience. Then of course we ended thing by showing the movie in the auditorium. Today’s events were a true testament to the power and fun of the Dominican community. I had so much fun, and I hope some of you were able to make it out and enjoy this beautiful day with us.
Title: Summer Orientation
Date: 6/19/09
Hey Guys! I know it’s been a while since we’ve last talked, but I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer so far. This summer is going to be filled with many adventures, and I’m so excited. I started SOAR this last weekend. SOAR is our Summer Orientation and Registration program on campus, and I’m a student leader or a TORCH leader as we’re called. On June 6 my fellow TORCH leaders and myself got the chance to connect with about 42 of our incoming transfer students. It was such a great day, and a great chance to meet other students and talk to them about their previous college experiences and what they expect to get out of Dominican. I can’t wait to start working with the incoming freshman in July!!! In addition to the lovely SOAR program, I’ve been working in the Performing Arts Center running and working on a slew of events, and just keeping busy. I can’t wait for the Taste of Chicago to open up soon and go explore our beautiful lake front and enjoy Millennium Park, as I hope all of you get a chance to do. Until next time, HAPPY SUMMER 09!
Title: Summertime
Date: 5/18/09
Well ladies and gentlemen, it’s finally here, SUMMER VACATION!!! I can’t believe that my sophomore year of college is over, but you know what, it was so much fun. I’m proud to say we ended the theatre season with an awesome turnout for Lysistrata, and I ended the academic year with straight A’s, which was such an exciting moment for me. I’m truly going to miss being in the dorms this summer, but I will be around campus all summer long. I’ll be helping with TORCH, our Freshman/Transfer student orientation sessions, which I’m so excited about. I love being a TORCH leader because it gives us a chance to connect with the incoming freshman and act as their mentors. It’s such a great experience and means a lot to the students. I’ll also be milling around the Performing Arts Center being “artsy” of course, but I’m really excited for the summer. I hope everyone had a great school year, and I hope you have an even better summer.
Title: Spring Fling
Date: 3/26/09
What do 90s Nickelodeon TV shows, aging dressing room attendants and a casino all have in common? They are all elements to this fabulous week at Dominican. This past weekend was the opening and closing of the Black Box Experiment (BBE), brought to you by the wonderful performing arts center. I was lucky enough to play the role of Grace Matthews, an aging dressing room attended who is thrown headlong into a friendship with Ms. Ivy Wall who’s shopping to find the perfect dress to impress the man she loves. Being a part of a series of one-act plays that dealt with women and body issues was so uplifting and a slight struggle for me, but overall it was SO MUCH FUN!
Now you’re probably thinking, well okay that’s super cool, but Nickelodeon and a casino? This week was the every amazing Spring Fling Week. The theme this year was 90s Nickelodeon. Reliving my younger years has been a blast. So far there’s been Honkerburger Night (Doug reference), movie night featuring 10 Things I Hate About You, and Are you Afraid of the Dark storytelling around a campfire. As far as the casino is concerned, it’s our way of closing out spring fling week. At the end of the week we have casino night, in which we turn the social hall into a full-out casino (minus the real money of course). It’s a chance for everyone to get all dressed up depending on the theme, which was Mardi Gras this year, and have a great time. I’m so excited for casino night tomorrow night, and I hope all of you have a great weekend as well.
Title: Conference and Protests
Date: 2/20/09
I had the best weekend ever. This past weekend I went to a leadership conference at the University of Indiana, and it was the most influential experience of my life. I got a chance to sit in on sessions with music producers and documentary filmmakers and get a taste at what makes them true leaders in their fields of work as well as in their lives. I’m so grateful to Dominican for allowing me to go on this trip. It was educational and SUPER FUN!!
Well gang, this week DU is gearing up for The Laramie Project (February 27-March 1), and our counter-protest against the Westboro Baptist Church next Sunday March 1. This event is going to be a true display of the Dominican Community and how strong we are as a unit. I am so proud to be a part of such a strong community that stands up for social justice and works to bring all people together as a family in a sense. I hope everyone had a great weekend and I’ll talk to you soon.
Title: Adventures at DU
Date: 2/13/09
This week at good ol' DU has been filled with crazy moments, but all in all it’s been pretty great. I had my first rehearsal for Appearances, which was awesome, and I’m beyond excited to be a part of this show. My co-star Carley is the cutest thing ever and our acting chemistry is so amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better scene partner.
You remember about the television culture class I told you guys about? Well we’re in week two, and can I tell you I’m loving watching TV in class and getting credit for it. It’s a strange concept, but I’ve learned so much about how television actually affects the way we live our lives. I hate to break it to you ladies and gents, but you’re not just entertaining yourself, your learning at the same time YAY!!!!
I’m so excited for next weekend I’m going to a leadership conference at the University of Indiana with some fellow classmates. I love going on retreats and to conferences and DU has so many options I can never choose, but this one is going to be so much fun. I’m looking forward to enhancing my leadership skills and bringing that back to DU and applying it to my everyday life. Until next week.
Title: Back to School
Date: 1/29/09
It's a new semester here at DU, and I'm so excited to be back on campus. I missed this place so much. Don't get me wrong, I had fun over break at home with my family, but there's something about the atmosphere here at Dominican that makes it really hard for me to stay away.
Since classes have started, my life has been moving so fast, but I love it and after resting over break I'm ready for this semester. This semester I'm in a play on campus, and I'm so excited. We had our first all cast read-thru on Tuesday, and it was so much fun. The other girls in the show are so talented and great to work with, and our directors, Meredith and Ryan, are so much fun to work with.
My classes this semester are pretty cool. I've got one class that studies the theory of creation by looking at both science and religion. In another class we watch television and then discuss how it affects society. I love watching TV, so that class is perfect for me. I can't say enough about how excited I am for this semester and for the year 2009 in general. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend, and I'll talk to you guys soon. :)
Title: Happy Holidays Everyone
Date: 12/22/08
It’s that time of year again, that’s right CHRISTMAS BREAK! I’ve successfully made it through finals week and completed the first semester of my sophomore year with flying colors, which I’m so happy about. But I’m even more excited to go home for break. I’m definitely going to miss being around campus and seeing everyone, but being able to go home for an entire month is going to give me, and everyone else I’m sure, the chance to rest up and recharge for next semester.
I’m looking forward to this Christmas break the most because I am celebrating my 20th birthday on Christmas Eve! Not only that, but being able to spend time with my family is always a blessing, and a lot of fun. I’m not completely “Dominican free” this break though, which is okay with me. I will be working in the Performing Arts Center, which has become my new home in a sense because I spend so much time there but I love it. And I’ll be memorizing pages and pages of lines for the spring show I’m in. Although my winter break will be off campus, I’ll keep little pieces of DU with me. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and very Happy New Year. Enjoy the rest of 2008!
Title: Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!
Date: 12/4/08
Hi everyone! So this week has been a wild and crazy ride. On Monday all of us wild and crazy Theatre Arts majors received the results of auditions, and let me tell you, it was a day full of hugs and laughter as we congratulated each other on a job well done.
I was cast as one of the leads in one of our smaller shows called Appearances, along with my good friend Carley; the show very simply and humorously portrays the lives of two women in a department store. Carley plays Ivy Wall, the young shopper trying to find the perfect outfit for her date, and I play Grace Matthews, the annoyed sales rep. I’m so excited for this show and our spring season in general. I highly recommend that everyone come and check out some of the shows.
The major focus of this week though is everyone’s favorite past time … STUDYING!!!!!!!!!! Finals week is quickly approaching, and I’ve become a rock, planted in my room trying to study and often being distracted by cartoons. But I’m still managing to forge ahead and get the job done.
I’m so excited and sad that the first semester of my sophomore year is over. I’ve had a lot of fun this semester, made some great new friends and connected with people I never thought I’d connect to. Next semester, however, gets even crazier, but I’m ready and excited about all of my communications classes and my theatre classes. I’m even excited for my philosophy class, even though I might need Advil for the headaches; all of that infinite wisdom might make my head hurt.
I hope everyone has a great and safe winter break, and enjoy your Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanza or just having a good old-fashioned snowball fight. Before you know it, 2009 will be here.
Title: This Week at Dominican
Date: 11/26/08
Hey all you lovely blog lovers! So my week/weekend was pretty interesting and fun. I had a crazy miscommunication with my Spanish professor this week. We all showed up to class, but she didn’t come. We found out that she tried e-mailing us, but sadly her server was shut down. The bright side was that I had two days of no Spanish class, but the downside was that I had two days of no Spanish class. We’re back on track with classes now and everything’s all good.
The highlight of my weekend had to be auditions and callbacks for the performing arts center spring season. The shows that we’re doing in the spring are pretty awesome: Lysistrata, The Laramie Project and the Black Box Experiment: Women and the Body. I was lucky enough to be called back for all of the shows so I had a really long day, but I was so excited and had so much fun that day. Now all of us crazy theatre kids have to wait until after Thanksgiving break for the cast list to go up.
Speaking of Thanksgiving break, I’m so excited to go home and spend some time with my family. Although I am from the Chicago area and not very far from campus, I still chose to be a resident on campus. I don’t go home as often as people may think, so to spend some time with family over the holiday is going to be lots of fun and a great chance to catch up on what they’ve been up to. And of course I get to play with my adorable baby cousins on their first Thanksgiving, which is pretty exciting. Well I hope everyone has a turkey filled Thanksgiving, and until next time: HAPPY TURKEYDAY EVERYONE!
Title: Meet Vicki
Date: 11/11/08
My name’s Vicki Whooper, and I am an awesome sophomore here at Dominican University. I’m a theatre arts major with double minors in communications and child psychology, which I’m super excited about because I plan to work in children’s theatre when I graduate. Knowing how children think kind of comes in handy.
Aside from academics, I’m involved with various clubs and organizations on campus (sometimes a little too involved). I’m president of Common Ground which is DU’s gay/straight alliance, a member of Students for Peace and Justice, a Student Ambassador, a member of CAB (Campus Activities Board), and of course a STUDENT BLOGGER!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited that Dominican has continued its student blogger site. I’m so honored to be a part of it and give potential DU students a chance to see firsthand what a day in the life of a current Star is like.
So you’re probably wondering, that’s great that she does so much, but why Dominican? Well the answer for me is pretty simple. I chose Dominican because it was home. All of the faculty, staff and students here on campus are so warm and open to everyone. It makes it so easy to be who you are and know that everyone here accepts you for who you are. If you ever need help with anything school related or not, they’re more than willing to help you. Being a part of this Dominican Family has been a great experience for me so far, and I look forward to the next two years here. Who knows? Dominican may be your new home too.