Fine Arts 

SING SING is an American prison drama directed by Greg Kwedar based on the real life events of members in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at SING SING Maximum Security Prison. Colman Domingo stars as the film’s lead, playing Divine G, a man wrongly imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, who finds purpose and passion through participating in a theater group with his fellow inmates. As the story progresses, the troupe pursues a variety of theatrical performances centered around various subjects including Shakespeare, the ancient Egyptian period, and the Gladiator Era among others. Although this wide array of topics is often hastily assembled and very much determined by spur of the moment decisions on behalf of the group, the goal of the RTA program was not to make cohesive and exceptional plays, but to become better people through bonding with their fellow convicts.

Kwedar himself is mainly based in Austin, and thus, our own St. Andrew’s community was deeply interested in its subject matter. Mr. Kendall Evans, Upper School Co-Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging and the Actualizing Beloved Community (ABC) Council, of which I am a member of, heard about the movie from Mr. Blake Amos, Director of St. Andrew’s Experiential Education. Mr. Amos knew of Kwedar due to previous ties with The Trinity Valley School. Mr. Evans recounts that “the first group Mr. Amos thought of when saw the movie was ABC, as they used the term ‘beloved’ and the way they used it was especially important.” Interested, Mr. Evans took the council to view the movie in theaters when it first premiered. The ABC Council is a group of upper school students ranging from sophomores to seniors who involve themselves in service projects on and outside of campus regularly so the screening of the movie served as a way by  which to broaden our minds regarding a new and important topic. When watching the movie for the first time, I remember not expecting much as drama had never really been my biggest interest in terms of film, but still curious as the experiences of the incarcerated had always been something I was interested in. After watching the film Kwedar had meticulously constructed, however, I understood that his intention in creating the film was not truly to highlight the nature of theater as a subject, but more so about how theater and community work as forces to both heal and connect. Both personal and moving, its themes had left me satisfied yet still even more curious now about not only the cast and characters, but also the process surrounding  the movie’s creation.

All of the club, as well as Mr. Evans, reflected my sentiments. Following the viewing, he almost immediately pursued Kwedar in hopes of a potential visit to the campus. Getting him to speak to the student body would perfectly adhere to ABC’s mission because  “one of the ways we actualize our beloved community is by doing stuff off and on campus, but also by bringing people to St. Andrews who can help our community become the best version of ourselves,” said Mr. Evans. Talks were difficult as the school neither had the facilities to properly view the movie nor the funds to provide Kwedar with his usual visitation fee. However, Kwedar and A24, the studio who produced the movie, were highly receptive. “Folks have been really generous with their time and money as they’re  not asking for the fee that they otherwise would with commercial entities,” said Mr. Evans. After months of back and forth, the efforts of Mr. Evans and the ABC Council were successful and Kwedar will hopefully now be visiting the Upper School in May to give more insight into SING SING as a film as well as  his unique process in developing it. Furthermore, Mr. Evans hopes that “Kwedar’s  visit won’t be a ‘one off’ thing, but that his legacy will have an enduring impact on our campus community.”

One of the most notable and at the same time unique characteristics of SING SING as a film was Kwedar’s own process in creating it. In fact, many of the characters  featured in the prison’s RTA program were played by their real-world inspirations. Also,  everyone on set from actors, directors, producers, and camera operators were all to be paid the same salary while each sharing a piece of the profits they hoped the movie would generate. This uniform approach was meant to make sure that people who were working on the project actually cared about their creation and were not partaking solely for monetary interest while simultaneously creating their own community similar to the one portrayed in the film. Evidently the method worked, as upon release SING SING garnered a 97% audience score on movie and television review site rotten tomatoes and famous film studio A24 was quick to snatch up the theatrical rights of the film.

Since its premier at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, SING SING has received great critical acclaim for its authentic depiction of prison life and deeply personal storytelling. Some of the film’s many accolades include the 2024 Seattle International FIlm Festival’s Golden Space Needle for Excellence in Ensemble Acting and our very own Austin South by Southwest’s 2024 Audience Award for Festival Favorites. It was also nominated for several awards at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild ceremony and Golden Globes.  Moreover,  at the 2025 Academy Awards SING SING gained a total of three nominations: Best Actor in a leading role for Domingo’s performance of Divine G, Best Adapted Screenplay for Kwedar and Chris Bentley’s work, and Best Original Song “Like A Bird” by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada.

With SING SING now available for streaming on sites like Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango, and director Greg Kwedar visiting our school in May, this is the perfect time for anyone, but especially St. Andrew’s students to explore the film and its themes. If you are interested in the topics presented in the movie, want to learn more about the lives of the incarcerated, or just wish to see a good movie in general, I would highly recommend that you watch it, viewing this movie for the first time was not only an enjoyable experience, but a highly educating one as well, as Kwedar and the team behind SING SING made sure as to never glorify the prison system or the lives of inmates, but to express the experiences and memories of the troupe in the most authentic way they could. The film also has a lot to teach. One of the many reasons to watch  SING SING is because Kwedar chose to highlight “individuals in society, who, whether falsely or rightly imprisoned, both those groups were able to come together and do something to help reclaim their humanity, in this case the theatrical arts,” says Mr. Evans.  It’s especially important to acknowledge that “the people who we don’t see everyday outside this bubble have a lot to offer and are still human beings with hopes, desires, dreams, and families who through their experiences, were able to achieve some sort of redemption.”

“Visual art is a teaching tool,” said Upper School art teacher, Mr. Chris McCoy. As I drove to Zuni in the Northwest of New Mexico near the Arizona border, I couldn't help but admire New Mexico’s dreamy desert. Passing Sinclair Gas Stations, desert mesas, and Kivas – eventually arriving at my stay near Corn Mountain. 

Prior to my arrival, I wondered about its culture, history, traditions, food, holidays, and art. During one of the final days of my visit, I searched for a little piece I could take home with me to cherish in one of my favorite artforms: jewelry. I chose a pair of iconic, lively turquoise studs and a pair of circular studs made out of soft pink mussel shell cabochons, Hugged by a rim of gently twisted sterling silver; their tiny waves ripple when put in angles of light. Zuni’s Indian Pueblo Store states “Today the majority of Zuni people make a living in the arts, and Zuni artists are famous for their handcrafted silver inlay jewelry, gemstone jewelry with cluster work in the petit point and needlepoint styles and beautiful hand carved fetishes.”

Many Indigenous artists across the southwest are creating art inspired by their roots. Born in Zuni, Shea Harris grew up in the pueblo until eighth grade, when she moved to the state capital to attend the Santa Fe Indian School. After graduation, she moved to Seattle for college; then, just before the pandemic hit, she transferred to A:shiwi College and Career Readiness Center in Zuni and moved home, says the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP). Harris is a seamstress and specializes in traditional embroidery. According to ZYEP, Harris won the first place award for “Personal Attire” in Bernalillo Indian Arts Festival in Bernalillo, New Mexico in 2023. She shares that every art is represented and practiced in her family. Harris is involved in a variety of communities including the only female dance group in the state of New Mexico! 

How does she do it? When creating her pieces, Harris has to keep many things in her mind and heart. “There’re so many rules when  it comes to making a traditional piece," she said. "You have to be in a good heart, in a good mind because you’re putting your heart and energy into that cloth. That said, you really want to have good spirits for when they pass them down and they use them for religious purposes. We want it to come from a good place; you don’t want to have negative energy tied to it.  Everything we do is a prayer. It’s a lot of layers, you know? And that’s just with clothing.”

While it’s fun to try new things, Harris juggles the pressure of making art, saying “I used to struggle a lot with feeling Zuni enough. Although I grew up there, I’m obviously black presenting so it just made me stick out — making me feel not ‘native enough’.” She follows up by adding, “I really just wanted to find a way to connect myself to my roots. To prove to myself that I am a part of this community. That I can do everything that I set my heart to. Just because I look different doesn’t mean that I’m incapable of doing certain things.”

At SAS’s studio, students are able to take Honors Studio Art 1 and 2 with Mr. McCoy. SAS artists describe their involvement in the studio as an “immersive art experience”  with a “creative atmosphere” that’s “open for all.” Mr. McCoy has great respect for indigenous art, saying his interest began in his childhood. “I've always been fascinated with, I don’t know why, but people different than myself” he said, highlighting the curiosity and open mindedness we foster as artists. His favorite type of indigenous art currently is “Black pottery. San Ildefonso is where black pottery comes from.” Mr. McCoy shares that he admires artists Harrison Begay and Presley LaFountain. “I’ve collected a couple of Begay’s paintings and LaFountain is the printmaker. I love his prints, they’re made through The IAIA (Institute of American Indian Art).” The prints acknowledge the past and history. They’re able to convey: “we’re still here despite all the effort put into making sure that’s opposed.”  

Today, non-profit organizations such as the  Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, promote resilience among Zuni youth, so they’ll grow into strong and healthy adults who are connected with their traditions. One of the most perceptive ways of learning and practicing art is through inspiration from others. You can support indigenous art and learn more about Zuni with the following links! Mr. McCoy says, “if you empower everyone equally, you empower yourself – and that’s what we teach at  school.”

Survivor celebrates its 25th anniversary with the twist to end all twists

For the past 25 years, people have been exiting their comfort zones and entering the wilderness to outwit, outplay, and outlast their way to a million dollars. And I have been watching it all unfold for as long as I can remember. 

What is Survivor?

Survivor, created in 2000, is a game show hosted and produced by Jeff Probst that takes 20 people and isolates them out in the wilderness, typically on a tropical island. Over the course of 26 days, the players have to vote each other off of the island, disqualifying them from earning a prize of 1 million dollars. The final couple of players voted out will comprise the jury that chooses who will receive the prize out of the three remaining players. Survivor has a myriad of different games it has players take part in to either be exempt from getting voted out or to receive a reward to make the wilderness more bearable. 

What’s so great about Survivor is how it walks the line of consistency and unpredictability. Every season ends up having similar elements like location, challenges, seasonal arcs, and overall quality; but somehow Survivor weaves in storylines of betrayal, redemption, overcoming odds—if you can dream it, Survivor has done it.

What do we know about Survivor Season 50?

Probst described season 50 to Entertainment Weekly saying “this is the riskiest idea we’ve ever done.” Season 50 is an extra-special season of Survivor because it is not the 50th season of the show and the 25th anniversary, but this is the self-described beginning of a new era. Survivor 50: In the Hands of The Fans features a never seen before twist; Fans will get to vote on different aspects of the season, and the results won’t be revealed to the participating players or anyone until after the show airs. Beginning on the premier of season 48, fans will get the opportunity to vote on: “Idols or No Idols,” “Final Four Fire Making: Keep It or Lose It,” “Live Finale and Reunion Show in L.A. or Keep the Winner Reveal and Aftershow in the Jungles of Fiji,” and much more.

This is a pleasant surprise and a much needed change since ratings for the show have been sinking; and fans, including myself, have taken issue with some of the show's changes. 

How would I vote? What are my predictions?

In the case of “Idols or No Idols,” I would vote for no idols. In 2005, season 11, Survivor: Guatemala, introduced the hidden immunity idol. These idols can be found almost anywhere and have the power to grant a player immunity from being voted out at tribal council. Naturally, this gimmick was an instant hit and has led to many iconic moments. My favorite idol play was during Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites, when favorite Parvati Shallow convinced fan Erik to relinquish his immunity idol to protect her ally, only for him to get voted out immediately after. Soon enough, the show latched onto their ability to create tension and soon became oversaturated with these idols. Despite my love for them, they need to be purged, for now, at least.

Survivor season 35 introduced final four fire making, and since then, at every final four tribal council, the player who made the worst fire would be voted out. It’s a no-brainer that when it comes to “Final Four Fire Making: Keep It or Lose It,” I want to lose it. Randomness is good, but not this type. I trust producers and players more than fire. Probst recognizes that an overwhelming majority of fans want to do away with fire making and says he’s “certainly open to [the idea of removing it from later seasons]” though everything is a mystery until the votes are tallied. 

And finally, “Live Finale and Reunion Show in L.A. or Keep the Winner Reveal and Aftershow in the Jungles of Fiji:” I’ll be voting for the former. The live studio audience and higher production quality are too good to pass up. The return to form would be amazing.

Now that that’s out of the way…

You may be thinking: “Wow! Survivor is unlike anything else on tv! I would totally love that! I should start watching right away!” And you may subsequently open your miscellaneous streaming services and remember: “OMG. There are 48 seasons of Survivor.” But don’t worry! Choosing a season to start with is much more simple than you think. First you have to narrow down the options with these hard and fast rules: Start with a season in the mid-30s or below. Then remove any “all stars,” “fans vs. favorites,” and “second chance” seasons from the pool. You should also keep in mind these helpful guidelines: The earlier the season, the more messy, the less produced, and the less politically correct it will be. Brace yourself to watch something that is a product of its time (for better or for worse). Keep an eye out for certain gimmicks each season is centered around; they could make or break the watching experience. Root for multiple people! If you root for just one person and they’re an early boot, you could disengage and miss out on all of the late-game insanity to come. Most importantly: Have fun!! No matter which season you start with or how many you watch, you will most definitely have a good time. Even if you don’t, at least you aren’t starving on an island surrounded by bugs and crazy people.