Fun Facts About November
- November comes from the Latin number for nine: “novem.”
- The flower for November is chrysanthemum.
- World Diabetes Day takes place on November 14.
- The full moon in November is called the Beaver Moon because hunters would set beaver traps under the moonlight during the early colonial years.
- November is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month.
- The zodiac signs of the month are Scorpio and Sagittarius.
- Topaz is the birthstone of November.
- The National Election Day occurs on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
- Lorde, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Ryan Gosling, and Kendall Jenner were all born during November.
- This year, Daylight Savings takes place on November 6.
Guess what? There is a new feature to The Shield! Click on the bylines of your favorite authors to learn more about their experience in The Shield, their involvement in other activities at Westmont, and their most recent stories! Check it out! 🙂
This Day in History: November 15
- 1867- The stock ticker was first instituted on Wall Street.
- 1926- One of the first remote musical transmissions is transmitted by the radio network National Broadcasting Co. (NBC), which debuted with a network of 24 stations.
- 1942- The American navy defeats the Japanese fleet in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, destroying 23 Japanese ships and killing an estimated 30,000 Japanese soldiers.
- 1943- All Romani people under Nazi rule were to be sent to concentration camps, under Heinrich Himmler’s instruction.
- 1944- Premier Joseph Stalin extends an invitation to General Charles De Gaulle to visit Moscow. The invitation also included British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Chinese President Chiang Kai-shek. In less than a year after its founding, the United Nations would have its first assembly.
- 1956- Elvis Presley’s first film, Love Me Tender, premieres in New York.
- 1959- The Clutter family’s property near Holcomb, Kansas shows the gruesome scene of four of the family members’ murders.
- 1969- Columbus, Ohio sees the debut of the first Wendy’s thanks to Dave Thomas.
- 1971-The Intel 4004 is the first commercially available fully integrated central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip.
- 1979- An American Airlines 727 traveling from Chicago to Washington is forced to make an emergency landing after a bomb detonates in the cargo compartment of the aircraft, marking the Unabomber’s debut attack.
- 1985- Red Cross volunteers and military troops head to Columbia to deliver emergency supplies to volcano catastrophe victims. Up to 20,000 residents of the Columbian city of Armero are said to have perished as a result of this calamity. There were 50,000 people living in this city previously.
- 1988- At a conference in Algiers, the Palestinian National Council, led by Yasser Arafat, proclaims the creation of the Arab State of Palestine.
- 2001- Microsoft releases the first Xbox, a wildly popular video game console.
- 2011- In a container traveling from South Africa, customs officers in Hong Kong discover a record-breaking haul of 190 pounds of rhino horns and ivory. They discover 127 ivory bracelets, 758 ivory chopsticks, and 33 horns, totaling roughly $2 million in value.
Review & Interview
A Wrinkle in Time
I was Enchanted by A Wrinkle in Time
By Faith Gonia
Diverging from standard three-dimensional plays, Westmont Theatre’s production of A Wrinkle in Time revolutionizes the bounds of a fictional world. Played by the amazing junior Kaylie Montoya, our inspiring thirteen-year-old protagonist Meg is determined to find her missing father, no matter where he might be. To achieve such an insurmountable task, Meg requires the help of her brother, Charles Wallace, newfound friend Calvin, and three magical women: Mrs Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. Trapped on a foreign planet and imprisoned by a mysteriously eerie “It,” Meg’s father can only be reached through the act of “tessering” (traveling through a fifth dimensional space). Mrs. Whatsit captures the notion of inter-dimensional travel perfectly, cleverly explaining, “You might say we wrinkle.”
Make no mistake of neglecting the unnamed roles in Wrinkle; the show’s ensemble is the glue to the entire show. Powerful, synchronized, and beautifully abstract, the group plays a crucial part conveying the mysticality of the production. The brilliant twenty one actors and actresses work together to move as one, transforming to represent Meg’s thoughts, the evil “It,” or even the physical setting: swaying vines, or a hilarious speaking kitchen table (played by Ethan Li). I am particularly blown away by the devotion of Kaleb Ma and Brian Vallejo. One pivotal member, Shelly Yoffe, plays a newspaper boy on the planet of Camazotz, where “It” lies. Through monotonous speech and robotic movement, Yoffe convincingly illustrates the chilling essence of the shadowy planet’s mindless inhabitants.
To call lead Kaylie Montoya talented would be an enormous understatement. As Meg, she wonderfully encapsulates teenage angst and insecurity, and you can’t help but feel what she feels. Montoya is a force to be reckoned with. Her mighty spirit propels the show.
Furthermore, Meg’s sarcastic younger brother Charles Wallace, though arrogantly intelligent, loves his sister and parents deeply. As Wallace, Sohum Baluja shines. His confident presence and witty delivery of his lines makes him a natural onstage. Only a sophomore, Baluja should expect great success going forward, and I am excited to see what he has to offer in future productions.
Behind the Scenes!
By Raven Carthon and Rachel Walker
What is your role and what is the description? What do you do?
Kaylie Montoya: “My role in the show is Meg, a 13-year-old girl on a quest to find her father”
Sarah Ruebenson: “My role is AD, assistant director, meaning I help B (the director of the show) with whatever he needs and give creative advice, keeping the actors on track. I keep track of merch, money, and food. I’m also an actor playing Aunt Beast, a small role in Act Two that helps Meg heal.
Shiloh Martinez: “I’m an actor playing the Red-Eyed Man, the antagonist of the show.”
What is your favorite part of working in Wrinkle?
Kaylie Montoya: “My favorite part of working in Wrinkle has been working with our choreographer, Bridgette, who traveled from Las Vegas to work with us. We usually work with her on our Friday and Saturday rehearsals”
Sarah Ruebenson: “My favorite part of working in Wrinkle has been learning how to manage people and prioritize my work.”
Shiloh Martinez: “My favorite part of working on the show is getting to spend more time with my friends in the department.”
What has been your favorite part of working Wrinkle?
Kaylie Montoya: “My favorite show memory from Wrinkle includes working with Bridgette in our Saturday rehearsals on our tessers, which are large choreographed dances.”
Sarah Ruebenson: “My favorite show memory has to be watching the actors for the first time as an AD.”
Shiloh Martinez: “My favorite memory would probably be accidentally making Edward Ward squeak after I elbowed him.”
If you had to describe the show in one word, what would it be?
Kaylie Montoya: “Magical”
Sarah Ruebenson: “Fantastical”
Shiloh Martinez: “Fascinating”
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