Shh, did you hear? PHS Spectacle Theatre and Tech Crew
presented “Rumors,” a 1988 comedy, as their fall play. This
award-winning play written by Neil Simon showcases a
chaotic and seemingly joyous dinner party. Beneath the
smiles, however, darker conflicts of mistaken identities
and rumors lurk in the atmosphere.

Because of the characters’ deceptive identities, the actors
had to familiarize themselves with multiple personalities
within a singular role.

“[My character] is a bit of a people pleaser, so there [were]
some scenes where she’s with a lot of people … and she’s
doing her best to appeal to them and appear cheerful,” said
Alexandra Sandt ’25, who played Chris Gorman in the blue
cast. “The real struggle with my character ... was trying to
find who she was behind that veil ... how [she would] act
when she’s not placed in that high-stress situation.”

Konrad Hedges ’26, who played Lenny Ganz in the red
cast, shared his experience of exploring his character.

“I think Lenny is a bit of a suppressed drama queen …
[his career] doesn’t allow for much creative freedom, and
I think in this play, Lenny gets to explore a side of him
that’s more creatively free and expressive,” said Hedges.

Aside from the traditional challenges of getting into
character, the comedic aspect of this play added a layer of
complexity that offered new opportunities for the cast as
they learned to adapt to this style.

“[In comedy], it’s so easy to fall flat and you really have
to be very detailed in the rhythm and the pace ... or the
jokes won’t land,” said Technical Director Jeffrey Van Velsor.

“[Performing ‘Rumors’ was] a really great exercise in
delivering the lines quickly and clearly so that the audience
gets the joke.”

Performers and the Tech Crew had been preparing for
this play since the beginning of the school year. During
Tech Week, the cast and crew collaborated on stage for the
first time to resolve difficulties for the final performance.

“We [didn’t] want you to notice that there were any
mishaps ... and that’s part of the beauty of it,” said Stage
Manager Grace Waldman ’25. “[Tech Crew worked] as
many hours as all the actors [did] to build the set, paint
the set, be in rehearsal, and communicate all the things
that [needed to] happen.”

Throughout the play’s production, PHS performers
were given the opportunity to further their own narratives
through their specific roles in the play.

“With every role I play, I find out a new thing about
myself as a person, [like] something that is a quirk of mine
... Sometimes I’ll take a line from a show and I’ll just start
saying it in my everyday vocabulary,” said Noa Zacks ’25,
who played Chris Gorman in the red cast. “Playing different
roles that come from different perspectives and walks of
life helps you grow as a person and kind of realize where
you’ve come from, because acting is putting yourself in
another person’s shoes.”

“Rumors” brings laughter and joy beyond the stage

On October
17, the Princeton
High School
Orchestra
(PHSO)
collaborated with
the PHS UNICEF
community
service club, as
well as Princeton
Middle School,
to host a benefit
concert promoting
the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals that UNICEF has set
to achieve by 2030.

This event occurs every other year; this
year’s edition specifically placed emphasis
on presenting the 17 goals. These goals
include ending poverty, improving global
education, achieving gender equality, and
making clean energy affordable. PHS
UNICEF leaders and officers discussed
these goals while the orchestra played
music in-between
presentations.

“[We combined]
artistry with
mission … [to
support children]
artistically from
where we are in
Princeton,” said
PHSO conductor
and UNICEF club
advisor Robert
Loughran.

While in previous
years the concert featured PHSO alumni,
this year, only current orchestra members
participated. Loughran described this
experience, noting that the soloists were
all student performers.

“We have a really talented piano section
in the orchestra … [that performed] solo
repertoire that [coincided] with what
[was] presented on stage by the officers,”
said Loughran.

During the concert, all members of
the PHS orchestra program — as well as
some Princeton Middle School orchestra
members — had the opportunity to
perform.

As the event was open to the community
at a low cost of attendance, it reached
a wide range
of community
members.
Moreover, the
performers had
the opportunity
to expand
their musical
talents while
simultaneously
learning more
about global
issues. PHSO
violinist Elif
Cam ’26
describes her
connection to
these goals as a musician after studying
UNICEF’s mission.

“I personally donate to UNICEF,
and I have researched the Sustainable
Development Goals a lot, so for me, it
[was] truly really special to have a concert
in honor of [this cause],” said Cam.

 PHS UNICEF
leader Ava Tabeart
’25 shared her
hopes to inspire
other high school
students.

“Community
service shouldn’t
be  thought of
as a graduation
requirement … it’s
really something
that [we hope
students will]
embrace and try
to make the most
of,” said Tabeart.

PHS Orchestra and PHS Unicef co-host a benefit concert

I don’t notice much about the full moon anymore. Does it still shine as bright? Does its ringing white light still seem surreal in the lonely, dark blue sky? Do the whispers of a rabbit, making the elixir of immortality on the moon, still reverberate as the graceful shadow of a woman flies by — perhaps to meet with her lover? I still wonder about it all, but everything has changed. I have forgotten that special taste of mooncakes and that mystery of the story of “Chang’e Flying to the Moon.” I can’t exactly recall those moments during the Mid-Autumn Festival when everyone was there, sitting at a table full of my favorite foods, vibrantly laughing and talking.

When I can’t remember, I go back to a time when little me was holding my first mooncake, thinking I was having a second birthday. The flowery mooncake was filled with salted egg yolk and red bean paste. It was so pretty I didn’t dare eat it, and I thought I’d never see a more beautiful birthday cake. As my twin sister and I sat around the table full of different mooncakes, gazing up at the big, round moon, our mom told us for the first time, “宝贝儿，这是中 秋节。过这个节日的时候，我们吃月饼，我们赏 月，我们团圆” (Baby, this is the Mid-Autumn Festival. During this holiday, we eat mooncakes, we admire the moon, and we reunite).

A 3,000 year-old tradition, with an ancient and misty origin, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays to people of Chinese descent. Eating mooncakes and gazing up at the full moon is our way of praying for a good harvest. Romantically speaking, it is also a celebration of the reunion of the archer Hou Yi and his wife, the moon goddess Chang’e.

The legend tells that after being awarded with the elixir of immortality for saving the citizens by shooting down nine of the ten suns, Hou Yi gives the precious liquid to his wife Chang’e for safekeeping. Yet one day, Chang’e accidentally swallows the elixir of immortality as she tries to protect it from a thief. The power of the elixir causes her mortal body to become so light that she floats up to the moon and becomes the moon goddess. She is thus separated from Hou Yi — immortal, but solitary. Heartbroken by Chang’e’s departure, Hou Yi lays her favorite fruits and cakes as offerings, hoping to show how deeply he misses her. Touched by their true love, the Mother of the Moon grants them a yearly reunion on the full moon of the eighth lunar month.

This celebration is not only a time to honor a longstanding story, but also an opportunity to make amends and to create new memories. I used to question why times like this mattered and why it is important to value family. Now I understand: one day, when you want to remember something precious but discover that you have forgotten it, you will search desperately through the dark corners 
of your mind. Maybe distance or time caused the forgetfulness. In the end, you will simply wish you’d appreciated the good moments more.

I often wonder why we choose to approach such a reflective holiday so lavishly and sincerely, as when we eat a specific cake and choose to be with family. It is because in the end, we all remember the love shown to us through the things people did for us, the lengths they went to — not for their wrongs or mistakes — just like how Hou Yi will always be there for Chang’e during the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

When we harvest on the 9th full moon

***Happy Together***

*Written by Maya Wood*

“Let’s start over.”

Named after the popular song from The Turtles, Wong Kar-Wai’s “Happy Together” (1997) follows the relationship between Lai Yiu-Fai (played by Tony Leung) and Ho Po- Wing (played by Leslie Cheung). Having had an on-and- off relationship for a long time, the two find themselves lost in Argentina while searching for the other-worldly beautiful Iguazu Falls. Frustrated and sick of each other, they go their separate ways. Eventually, they both end up in Buenos Aires and find each other again, leading to an emotional and complicated reunion.

Wong Kar-Wai, the creator of “In The Mood For Love” (2000) and “Fallen Angels” (1995), brings back his incredible artistic vision using light and color to shape the emotional evolution of this story. The shifting color palettes reflect the fluctuating dynamics of the relationship between Fai and Po-Wing: warm and vibrant reds and oranges when the characters are experiencing overwhelming love or grief; bright and sunny yellow when they feel contentedness; cold blues and greens when they feel depression
and loneliness; and black and white when they completely hate each other, capturing the realistic and raw emotions of difficult situations.

This movie was made only six years after the legal recognition of homosexual couples in Hong Kong (though same-sex marriage was not legalized), and was very influential in attaining more visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. Even today, same-sex couples in Hong Kong have no legal protections from discrimination or for marriage. This story mostly took place in Argentina, which in the 1990s was more accepting of the gay community, and now has many legal protections in place for LGBTQ+ individuals.

This is one of my favorite movies from Wong Kar-Wai and I think that he does a great job of going below the surface in terms of emotion, which can add a layer of relatability and representation to some members of the audience. The themes in this film are raw and moving, but not for everyone. It deals with topics surrounding a toxic relationship, so viewers’ discretion is advised.

***Far From Heaven***

*Written by Chloe Lam*

I’ve tried, I’ve tried to be like other people.”

Many recent movies have displayed honor and respect towards individuals who have had an impact on Pride Month. “Far From Heaven,” released in 2002, is a drama which takes place in the 1950s. It is a stunning and emotional movie which delivers a powerful message regarding race, gender, sexuality, and escapism during that time period.

The protagonist, Cathy Whitaker, highlights many of the oppressions and expectations women faced during the 1950s, such prioritizing family needs over her own desires. She marries Frank, who is similarly struggling with living a double life, since he’s secretly gay. He is forced to hide his identity, which leads to psychological distress.

Frank decided to marry Cathy because it would adhere to societal expectations. Through his marriage, Frank has conversations with his psychiatrist regarding homosexuality, and he realizes that there is a widespread belief that homosexuality is a mental illness that could be cured.

This untrue belief led to the harm of many LGBTQ+ individuals in real life, in addition to Frank in this movie. The film highlights the homophobia and prejudice in the 1950s, where gender roles took precedence over understanding and acceptance, allowing the audience to be aware of the problem, therefore leading the audience to strive for a greater change in the future.

Soon after, Frank has the courage to move out and decides to find his own happiness. He was able to embrace his own identity despite societal expectations and was able to live authentically in a repressive society. The positive ending to the film highlights the importance of finding the right but painful steps to self acceptance and happiness, despite facing difficult situations.

***Brokeback Mountain***

*Written by Rebecca Zhang*

“I wish I knew how to quit you sometimes.”

On the goldens of the lush plains, thousands of meters above the smokes of life — with rain, with snow, with him — “Brokeback Mountain” tells of the tragic love story when Ennis Del Mar (played by Heath Ledger) meets a rodeo cowboy Jack Twist (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) in a small town of Wyoming in 1963. Introverted Ennis and extroverted Jack soon become good friends as sheep herders on Brokeback Mountain. While both try to avoid it, they notice that they have slowly gone beyond the point of friendship, when one freezing night spent together seals their fate. However, after the job ends, they go their separate ways, longing after their memory of Brokeback Mountain, and only having infrequent, secretive reunions
which makes them miserable.

“Brokeback Mountain” shows how the inequalities that LGBTQ+ people face in this world can frighten them because of the risk that they might be physically attacked or publicly shamed by people with homophobic views, especially at that time. Ennis and Jack’s decisions to marry women while having an illicit affair outside of their marriages demonstrates the fragile balance of striving to appeal to the public’s expectations while attempting to understand
their own differences.

However, their hesitancy to be together throughout the film makes for a tragic end. They wanted to express themselves, but the need to protect themselves from danger ended up reigning over their decisions. Although the world is now changing, gay love is still widely restricted in many places and many beliefs. Jack and Ennis’ relationship in “Brokeback Mountain” depicts a love which is raw but heartfelt, violent but fragile, emotional but persevering, and desirous but forbidden. The film has not only strong convincing elements for people to accept all differences, but it also puts in so much humanity and vulnerability that reveals the truth behind common yet undercoveraged encounters with prejudice.

Finding pride in film: three LGBTQ+ movies to watch

On May 23, the Princeton High School Orchestra embarked on their 2024 European tour led by PHS Orchestra conductor Robert Loughran. They landed in Milan, Italy after a long flight, and traveled to Venice over the next few days. There, they performed in a music festival at Riva del Garda.

After the music festival, they ventured into Verbier, Switzerland, where they played in two concerts for primary school students. The orchestra finished the tour in Paris, France, where they performed at Lycée International Saint-Germain-en-Laye school and Église de la Madeleine.

Loughran’s goal for the tour was to reach a variety of audiences with the contrasting repertoire the orchestra prepared, bringing together audiences from different cultures and backgrounds.

“[We played] a lot of pieces ... close to twenty ... I [was] definitely most excited about the movie theme songs,” said flutist Emily Leng ’27.

Other soloists in the orchestra, along with two vocalists, Reva Doshi ’24 and Nicole Lee ’26, played significant roles in uniting individuals through music.

“[We featured] some soloists, like Audrey Kang [’24], and Sunjun Jo [’24],” said Loughran. “[They also did a piece together] called ‘Schindler’s List’ from John Williams.”

To successfully execute the iconic melody from the film, the orchestra had to focus on conveying the beauty of the sorrowful sound.

Another soloist featured in the repertoire is oboist Amanda Sun ’24, who performed the main melody in “Gabriel’s Oboe.”

“It’s from a movie called ‘The Mission’,” said Sun. “It’s very lyrical and I [liked] the orchestra’s parts as well.”

This lyrical style [contrasted] with the music from “Schindler’s List,” reflecting the orchestra’s variety of compositions.

The orchestra’s trip to Europe was not only a musical experience, but also a memorable opportunity for the musicians to bond, meet new people all over the world, and explore various cultures.

“The cuisine ... between all those three different regions [was extraordinary],” said Loughran. “[As well as being] able to maximize the potential of trying new things and savoring new tastes.”

The European tour was a chance for members to venture into newfound attractions and places, exploring various cultures.

“[I was] just super excited to be in Europe because [I had] never been [to] Europe,” said Leng. “[We saw] Moulin Blanc [in Switzerland].”

In addition, the orchestra had the opportunity to explore multiple historical sites, such as the West Bank of Paris where Ernest Hemingway lived, and a French chateau.

“It was so interesting to explore places with such rich cultures and histories,” said violinist Meghna Myneni ’25. “The trip really opened my eyes to different ways of life.”

PHS Orchestra brings unity through music in European tour

   Around 63,000 B.C., Neanderthals began exploring the technique of wall art. The shapes of bison and other animals were inscribed deep onto the stone walls in the Cave of Altamira, Spain; these inscriptions are often regarded as some of the most famous Paleolithic art pieces in existence. One purpose of these depictions was to bring a sense of understanding and appreciation to nature and the environment. 
Several cultures in Asia similarly embraced nature through art. China’s Shan Shui paintings, mainly depicting mountains, were drawn against a wall of fabrics. They eventually became a means for educated men to seek consolation from nature and to escape the chaos of the world. India regarded plants and trees as sacred beings to be protected. Along the walls of buildings, tribal Gond paintings depicted the Indians’ respect for the flora and fauna, which ruled the Earth before humans. 
The 1900s introduced street art and murals. Murals could not only express the complexity of a vast range of themes in a simple way, but they could also be used to speak out regarding the current environmental crisis. Although wall art throughout the centuries has vastly changed in meaning and expression, it has gravitated to environmental art since the 1960s. Differing from depictions of nature, environmental art’s purpose is to raise awareness of climate change and appeal to an audience unfamiliar with the crisis that the Earth is facing.
Environmental damage often feels abstract, meaning most individuals feel detached from its consequences. However, artists bridge this gap by creating powerful pieces to evoke emotions in viewers, sparking introspection and forming a deep sense of connection to the Earth. 
 Artists directly pose uncomfortable questions to viewers by creating pieces that showcase the beauty of nature, juxtaposed with the negative impact of human activities. They challenge the viewers to confront the consequences of environmental damage and consider the long-term effects of their choices. 
	For example, an anonymous graffiti artist and environmental activist in the United Kingdom, known as Banksy, uses his talents to advocate for the environment. He paints graffiti on ruins and areas filled with trash which contrasts with the environmental images and messages in his art, to criticize the consequences of disregarding the environment. 
One of Banksy’s murals depicts a boy holding a can of paint. The message “I remember when all this was trees,” seemingly painted by the boy, is pasted onto the wall beside him. The message, referring to the surroundings of the mural, is extremely powerful because it contrasts with the decrepit and run-down buildings. 
	Examples of environmental artwork can also be found right here in Princeton. One example is the Nature's Nation: American Art and Environment exhibit, from 2019 at the Princeton University Art Museum. Featuring more than 120 paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, and videos, the exhibit expresses an ecocritical view of American art from the past three centuries. It displays the development of the country, including how industrial development has destroyed the land and its natural environment. 
The exhibit begins with an idealistic walkthrough of the pristine landscape before the arrival of humans, then turns to much darker works displaying the destruction of the environment. For example, one work titled “Crucified Land,” by Alexandre Hogue, showcases the eroded terrain that was sacrificed for agricultural practices. Another work by Edward Burtynsky, “Oil Spill #10,” simultaneously presents the majestic biosphere, as well as its degradation caused by the extraction of oil from the earth. 
In addition, environmental art can also be found inside Princeton High School. More specifically, the most prominent spaces coated in environmental murals are the science halls. In the 170s, 180s, 270s, and 280s hallways, paintings of animals and one huge tree flourish on the wall as a clear representation of student’s appreciation for wildlife. Furthermore, students recently hung up a life-size diagram of different animals, including a whale, in the 280s hall. Not only does this art brighten up PHS’s appearance, but it also provides other students with a quick refresher on their knowledge of environmental diversity, which is accessible to them by simply glancing up at the wall.
Every year, the murals at PHS seem to just keep growing, a true testament of students’ freedom of expression. Not only do these murals allow every art student to make an eternal mark on PHS, but they also showcase how the environment is highly appreciated in the community.


Rebecca Zhang's Work