“It was a Dark and Stormy Night.”

By: Kaitlyn Boisvert
Posted In: Entertainment

The setting of Salve Regina’s Wakehurst lounge looked very much like a scene from a horror movie on the evening of Oct. 27. Darkness engulfed the room, eerie music filled the air and many of the people in the room were wearing spooky costumes. However, the lounge still managed to hold a welcoming and soothing aura, with its vast variety of refreshments that includes Halloween-themed cupcakes and a box of Dunkin’ Donuts hot chocolate. The occasion for this gathering on this rainy was Open Mic Night, an event planned and sponsored by the Salve’s English Guild and the Willow Literary Journal.

According to Allison Riendeau, a senior and president of the English Guild, the two clubs scheduled the Open Mic Night to provide a chance for young aspiring writers to share their work with peers and receive feedback to help them improve their craft. Open Mic night also gave everyone a chance to listen to the works of others and learn how to effectively analyze and critique someone else’s writing. The main goal of the event; however, was to help students gain the confidence to share their writing talents, “with first the campus community, then later THE WORLD,” said Reindeau.

First on the agenda for the event was a reading by Professor Irving, a direct descendant from Washington Irving, the famous author of “Sleepy Hollow”. After being given a cordial welcome by the attendees, he stood directly underneath the awning of a large fireplace, light illuminating his figure in a mysterious and somewhat spooky glow. He lost his friendly demeanor as he began to recite haunting and beautiful pieces, one written by him, and the other an excerpt from his grandfather’s book “Sleepy Hollow”. His voice was compelling and chilling, a smooth cadence that brought everyone listening into a frightening world of spookiness. His storytelling talents clearly mirror those of his grandfather, whose presence seemed to inhabit the room.

Professor Irving was applauded after finishing his recitation, and Riendeau asked him if he had any advice to share with aspiring young writers.

“Just write. Don’t think about writing, just do it and let it flow naturally,” Irving said. “You have the next 24 drafts to worry about editing.” His words of wisdom were met with chuckles, and the audience thanked him for one last time before he set out for the night.

After Professor Irving’s exit, the students recited both famous works and their own writing pieces. Some stood underneath the fireplace like Irving had, while others choose to remain seated on the couches. Each speaker read with a compelling voice, and earned the attentions of all the others in the room. Some pieces were light-hearted and funny, while other pieces were more deep and personal, offering a close glimpse of the author’s hearts. Through this, all the students were able to have fun while bonding with one another.

The Open Mic Night was not just limited to citing works; the students also participated in other activities that result in hilarity. First, those dressed in costumes stood up and explained the story behind their attire with the rest of their peers. Daphney Daniel, a senior, was dressed in regular clothes, but improvised by picking up a heavy backpack and a carton filled with Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, saying that she is a typical Salve student during the final exam week. Everyone laughed upon the sight. Mary Grace Donaldson, a senior and public relations officer of the English Guild, was dressed as Rachel Berry from Glee. Upon explaining her obsession with the character, she belted out into song, singing a rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.”

Other activities included playing an English Literature trivia game, and a group poetry-writing activity. For the trivia game, a quote from a famous work would be cited, and someone would have to say the name of the author. The students got very involved with this game, conjuring all their knowledge of English Literature.

For the poetry exercise, Reindeau wrote a beginning sentence, then the paper was passed around and each person wrote a line that corresponded with the sentence before it. Each person was only allowed to see the last sentence written, not any of the others that precede it. This activity resulted in a hilarious poem that began happily with rabbits, and then ended darkly with a man dying by choking on pie.

By the end of the event, the attendees seemed saddened to depart. However, the end of Open Mic Night marked the great triumph of the two English clubs, since the night brought together students that shared the same interests and helped them improve their writing skills. Plus, listening to scary stories being recited by a direct descendant of Washington Irving is a Halloween treat better than any type of Reese’s candy.