Ship departure 2008
The Cell Play: A love story.
Love
is in the air. For the biologist, it could be oxygen pining for entry
to a cell
through its well-guarded membrane so that he can couple with hemoglobin
to make
energy inside these, the body’s seminal chambers—for the cell just
wants to
“synthesize” protein. But any poet or lover knows it’s just a fancy
scientific
term for l’amour! Then the plot
thickens. This love affair includes amino acids, mitochondria, sugar,
transfer
RNA molecules, CO2 and DNA itself. Things are destined to really heat
up in the
endoplasmic reticulum and then, in a hair-raising denoument,
the Golgi Apparatus pushes out a new protein molecule
and Voila: there is a new lock of,
say, red curly hair attached to some lucky person.
Or
there are suddenly May daffodils, tulips, and baby birds. Mosquitoes
too, alas.
This is the “force that through the green fuse drives the flower,”
(Dylan
Thomas) and it’s a force to be reckoned with. In fact, it may be the
universal
force, and English majors too know its powers and properties, though
under a
different name.
This
is not Jerry Bruckheimer’s latest CSI franchise, it is the plot of Bill
McWeeny’s cell play, an “Ode to protein synthesis,” or a theatrical
vehicle for
teaching the complex roles and relationships required of successful
cell
operations. “There’s nothing more basic,” says McWeeny, “than the study
of the
living cell in biology.” Adams School graduates often return from high
school
saying, “I was the only one in biology class who could remember how
cells
produce protein,” such are the play’s powerful mnemonic properties.
This week,
the eighth graders took their cells on the road to perform at the
But
this is actually a tale of two plays, since upstairs in language arts
Romeo and
Juliet are dancing to those “iambic bongos,” as Billy Collins calls
Shakespeare’s meter. The 8th graders are reading the tragic
play and
considering the inner workings of infatuation, family feuds orbiting
the
nucleus of ill-fated romance. Romeo himself seems a lot like that
oxygen, when
he has the audacity to show up at the Capulets’ party. He too is
pining: for
Rosalind. But once he sets his eyes on Juliet’s amino acids, he
switches
objectives. He’d like to make sweet music with Capulet’s daughter;
Rosalind
who? He has been zapped by love’s sugar. Can transfer RNA molecules be
far
behind? Would carbon dioxide by any other name smell as sweet?
Alas,
it does not end well for the human lovers, and their DNA will not
mingle, nor
their mitochondria nor endoplasmic reticulums. Capulet and Montague
cells,
regardless of the good work of both the Golgi Apparatus and Friar
Lawrence,
just don’t blend. Some cells are, in fact, “star-crossed lovers,” as it
turns
out—red curly hair is just not always meant to be.
And
what powerful mnemonic properties might this play have for our future
high
schoolers? It could be nothing more than a preview of the tapping of
those
bongos, or as grave as learning when to ignore the girl from the rival
gang and
keep on walking past her father’s house.
Do not listen to Mercutio or the humming of your hemoglobin.
Another
poet gets the final word:
“sweet
spring is your
time
is my time is our
time
for springtime is lovetime
and
viva sweet love”
e.e.cummings
After all, this play’s the
thing. Hear those bongos? Nothing more basic than love.
—Todd
Weslandia! The play is cast (congratulations actors!) and
play
rehearsals starting next week will be as follows:
Tuesdays: Act I scene 2;
Act II, scenes 2,4; Act III (Dudes, Wes,
Ariel, Bob, Palindromio, Stage Manager, CWG, Mailman, Weslandians).
Wednesdays: Act I, scenes
1,3,4; Act II: scenes 1,3. (Wes, Ariel, Eve,
Bob, Mailman, Mrs. Stevens, Mr. Mayo, Stage Manager, Weslandians).
Thursdays: All actors
grades 4-8
Rehearsals are in Emerson
Hall from
Younger students…On May 29 and June 3,
we’ll add in any students in K-3 who would like to be in the play for
big
“chorus” scenes.
Bad news: The MMA swimming pool is closed for
scheduled
maintenance and repair. It
is
anticipated that this work will last through the summer. Once the
work
has been completed, hours of operation will be announced for public
swimming.
We apologize for any inconvenience, but appreciate your
understanding.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Amy Gutow
at 326-2283.
Lost and Found: There
are lots of winter garments in our lost and found! Please drop by and
claim
them.
Tick Season commences: On
our web site, there is a page of helpful information regarding ticks
and lyme
disease. www.adamsschool.com/ticks.html
—Debbie Candage
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Monday – Chicken/Cheese
Quesadillas, Salsa/Sour Cream, Tortilla Chips, Salad, Applesauce,
Milk
Tuesday – Pancakes, Sausage,
Juice, Yogurt, Melon, Milk
Weds.- Chop Suey, Yeast Roll,
Salad, Peaches, Milk
Thursday – Fried Chicken, Mashed
Potato, Corn, Carrot Cake, Milk
Friday – Grilled Ham & Cheese
Calendar Update
May
12 Kindergarten screening
21 Follow
Monday class schedule for French
class make-up (due to Mem. Day)
26 Memorial
Day
28 Early
Release Day:
June
4
Dress Rehearsals for School Play....in
5
Performance of "Weslandia,"
10-11 8th graders
to
11 5-6 to
12 Spring
Concert in Emerson Hall,
13 Third
Trimester Ends….
13 Earth Day
activities in morning; Smorgs in
afternoon.
16 8th Grade
graduation...
17 Field Day
19 French
Trip presentation at Castine Men’s
Club
20 Last
Student Day: backshore picnic.
23
Inservice
day
24
Inservice
Day