By Lauren Hodges Following the shooting at The University of Virginia and a Ukrainian missile that crossed into Poland, Twitter users expressed hesitation about the information they saw on the platform. At the core of the confusion was Twitter’s new – and frequently changing – policies that have been implemented since Elon Musk’s tenure as a owner and CEO began in late October. A blue check mark used to mean a user’s identity had been verified. Musk introduced a now-paused Twitter Blue in early November to offer a subscription plan for the blue check mark. Soon after, Twitter was flooded was impersonators and misinformation. Musk announced the company was taking action to address fake accounts. But the damage may have already been done. “Many will be looking for other ways to connect with people and to get information,” says Donyale Padgett, a professor of communication studies at Wayne State University. Padgett has done extensive studies on how Twitter has been used to reach the public during natural disasters, most recently focusing on Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Padgett says the platform’s usefulness in these situations is mainly about access. “Especially in a crisis situation, it’s a way to share information with the greatest number of people. The people whose lives are most affected by the situation might not have a lot of options. They need to get this information and they need to get it quickly.” She said that’s also what makes people vulnerable to misinformation, making verification – which used to be Twitter’s job - so important. “Now, it’s a free-for-all,” said Padgett. “To think that could be compromised? It doesn’t make me feel good. It definitely is a breach of confidence in the whole system.”

By Eddie B. Allen Jr. The Detroit Metro Times is covering the case of Mario Willis, who supporters say was wrongfully sentenced for up to 30 years behind bars following a 2008 fire that resulted in the death of Walter Harris, a Detroit firefighter. As part of the investigation, the Metro Times’ telephone calls and emails seeking interviews from the Detroit Fire Department were not answered, and Michigan Freedom of Information Act requests for fire and police investigation records remain unanswered by the City of Detroit. Fred Vultee, a Wayne State University journalism instructor whose courses address reporting about government agency operations, says withholding public information hinders citizen trust. “In my journalism professor capacity, I’d say that’s not cool. That’s not how it’s supposed to work,” Vultee said. “Whether it’s for good or ill, we don’t attached any blame to people who say, ‘I’m just trying to protect my friends.’ The point is to make sure that matters are being done and addressed in the public’s interest.”

By Duante Beddingfield Wayne State University will bid farewell to its Hilberry Theatre on Nov. 20, after the venue hosts its final performance. Over the past 58 years, more than 600 productions have been mounted in the space. Following its closing, it will be transformed into the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center. “There is a great sense of readiness, joy and anticipation that everyone is feeling,” said Mary Anderson, chair of Wayne State’s Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance. “We do not feel like we are saying goodbye to the former Hilberry space, so much as we are making way for the incredible opportunity to build the Valade, a world-class jazz center that will feature our extraordinary educational music programming and also welcome guests from all over the world.”

The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University is proud to present Rent, which is directed by Michael Barnes and runs through October 2. Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice, and survival in the precarious climate of the East Village in 1980s New York City. During the run of Rent, the Hilberry Theatre will host a block of the 54-ton AIDS Memorial Quilt, which is the premiere symbol and living memorial of a generation lost to AIDS as well as an important HIV prevention education tool. A past member of the Hilberry Graduate Company, Alan Harvey, died due to pneumonia caused by AIDS shortly after receiving his M.F.A. diploma. Theatre and Dance at Wayne will be dedicating the run of Rent to Alan, and the quilt will serve as a demonstration that the themes covered in Rent are not only relevant to the present, but are close to home as well.  

By Sue Suchyta Theatre and Dance at Wayne launches its 2022-2023 theatre season with the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Jonathan Larson rock musical “Rent,” which runs Sept. 23 to Oct. 2 at the Hilberry Theater. Set in 1989 in New York City’s East Village during the first wave of the AIDS crisis, “Rent” is about falling in love, finding one’s voice and living for today, as a group of diverse artists and friends struggle to follow their dreams. Director Michael Barnes said “Rent” has developed a large following. “In many ways, it was the first rock opera that was written about Generation X but it has continued to reverberate with young people because all the characters are 20-somethings,” he said. “The music would not sound out-of-place on popular radio today.” X. Alexander Durden, who plays Roger, said the show still resonates with audiences more than three decades after it debuted. “This show still rings true in its themes of wealth disparity, classism and following one’s passions,” he said. “I hope it inspires everyone to be the change they want to see and fight for the things all people should be granted as a right.” Jessica Annuziata, who plays Joanne, said the show’s music is filled with energy and passion. “’Rent’ is a story about really living live, striving to make the best out of bad news and being there for our fellow human beings,” she said.

By Sue Suchyta  Whether you prefer the rock musical “Rent” or Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” – or both – there’s an exciting round of shows ahead as Wayne State University launches its new season in anticipation of the opening of its new Hilberry Gateway Theater in late winter. Department chair Mary Anderson said she is both proud and humbled by the tenacity and creativity of the faculty, staff and students who have weathered the pandemic and developed a vision for the department’s upcoming season. “The 2022-2023 season will engage and enchant us with the beauty and power that only dance and theater can express,” she said. Anderson expressed appreciation for the community partners and patrons who have continued their support throughout the challenges of the last few years, amid a pandemic and the construction of the Hilberry Gateway. “We are building the Gateway together,” she said. “We are all entering into an extraordinary new chapter of collective creation.”  

By Kieron Monks  In the early days of the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky enjoyed a level of international popularity more associated with rock stars than politicians, as he delivered impossibly cool lines such as “I need ammunition not a ride,” and responded to Russian claims he had fled the country with a nonchalant night-time stroll around Kyiv. Zelensky’s appeal extended beyond governments to their publics, earning sky-high approval ratings and support for his cause. He set the tone for Ukraine’s wider public relations campaign, reflected by his ministers and social media channels: confident, urgent, and drawing a start picture of a battle between good and evil with apocalyptic stakes. But as the summer fades and gas bills rise, some of the shine is beginning to come off the golden boy, and support packages no longer pass unchallenged. Reports of dissatisfaction with Zelensky at the White House emerged after he dramatically fired two senior officials and old concerns about corruption in Ukraine have resurfaced. Ukraine is taking a risk by moving from its early, successful use of lo-fi messaging to more slick and stylized videos – such as a montage of strikes by HIMARS missiles set to a Metallica soundtrack – suggests Matthew Seeger, a crisis communications specialist at Wayne State University. “A lot of the initial social media was very authentic,” says Seeger. “It appeared to be shot on somebody’s cell phone. It was Zelensky walking and talking in his facilities. We had a lot of footage from drones. Making sure messages are coming across in an authentic rather than a staged way is important.” Striking the right tone presents a challenge as Ukraine seeks to generate enthusiasm for the war effort, while rejecting demands for peace negotiations that could the country dismembered. But Zelensky may ultimately need a new, optimistic message about ending the war to convince governments and publics that their contributions are not in vain. “He needs to start talking about what happens next,” says Seeger. “We need to have some sense that the conflict is going to end – not go on for the next 10 years – and that when that happens there will be an opportunity to rebuild the country and create a strong, resilient, technologically sophisticated, economically successful Ukraine.”  

Choreographer Biba Bell, assistant professor of dance at Wayne State University, and composer-director Joo Won Park, associate professor of music technology at WSU, premiered A DREAM IS A HOUSE for remembering the future, which was created specifically for the McGregor Memorial Conference Center in Detroit. The hourlong performance included 21 dancers, nine musicians and inside of architect Minoru Yamasaki’s prismatic jewel box of marble and glass, built in 1958. Taking advantage of the faceted atrium’s unusual acoustics, Park’s original score for electric guitar, percussion and eight laptop computers emanated from small amplifiers distributed throughout the skylit room. At one point, the entire ensemble of dancers rushed from one end of the space to the other. Every dance is site-specific in some sense, but, in a warming world changed by war, political upheaval and a pandemic, some choreographers forgo traditional venues entirely.  

Elizabeth Stoycheff, associate professor of communication, wrote an article for The Conversation about the tendency of website browser cookies to make people more cautious online. Cookies are online surveillance tools, and the commercial and government entities that use them would prefer people not read those notifications too closely, she writes, as people who do read the notifications carefully will find that they have the option to say no to some or all cookies. “The problem is, without careful attention those notifications become an annoyance and a subtle reminder that your online activity can be tracked,” Stoycheff writes. “As a researcher who studies online surveillance, I’ve found that failing to read the notifications thoroughly can lead to negative emotions and affect what people do online.” Styofcheff explains what cookies are, how they work, how they affect you, and potential solutions for users.  

By Julie Hinds  Juanita Anderson, the head of media arts and studies at Wayne State University, knew from the start how important it was to make “Who Killed Vincent Chin?,” the 1988 documentary she executive-produced. But she couldn’t have predicted the acclaim it would receive, or how it has become what Anderson calls a “vital tool in understanding American history.” The recently restored version of the Oscar-nominated film aired on Detroit Public TV and other PBS stations across the country. The special airing marks 40 years since Chin, a 27-year-old automotive engineer, was assaulted by two white autoworkers on the night he was celebrating at his bachelor party in Detroit. He was beaten so badly that he went into a coma and died four days later. Anderson says it’s an honor to be part of “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” and is optimistic that this PBS airing will reach a whole new generation that turns to indie docs for in-depth reporting. In the midst of 2022, the documentary comes with “the tragic part of it still being relevant,” said Anderson, referring to the rise of anti-Asian hate in the United States fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I go back and look at the (the 1988 documentary) and look at the rhetoric at that time by government officials and how that kind of rhetoric from authoritative people had an impact on American society – and the same thing has happened around the COVID crisis.”  

By Jabari Young Dave Roberts, one of the most powerful executives at ESPN, is pushing for more diversity at the network. Roberts is the network’s head of studio programming who oversees NBA programming, including the NBA Finals. Roberts grew up in Detroit, and graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in mass communications before starting his career at a local Detroit TV station in 1978.

Theatre and Dance at Wayne, the producing arm of the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University, has announced its 2022-2023 production season. Theatre and Dance at Wayne has curated a season of theatre and dance productions that will delight and inspire you with four plays, two musicals, two dance concerts, and four student-run productions. The season opens in September 2022 with Rent, the iconic musical about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., opening in October 2022, is a wildly experimental and inventive new play that does not behave, is about the conundrums of being a woman in the 21st century. Fans of Shakespeare will be thrilled to attend his comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor in November 2022. 

By Kaitlyn Tiffany    The internet is a powerful machine for twisting the meaning of language. A new word gets pushed through various subcultures that use it for their own purposes, then out to broader audiences that will use it in whichever way they first hear it. ‘Doxxing’ is a special example, in that it originally referred to somewhat specific, dangerous, and unethical behavior — “dropping documents” — or making private information public and calling unfriendly attention to it. By naming that behavior, the word allowed for the development of shared norms against it on the nascent internet. But ‘doxxing’ has since been used to describe so many different situations – with varying degrees of sincerity and fairness – that its original utility has faded. Where the term once defined a category, it now expresses an emotion. Whoever feels doxxed will claim to have been doxxed. Any time a person’s information is “purposefully moved, lifted, and repurposed in other spaces” without their consent, that could be called “doxing,” according to Stine Eckert, an associate professor of communication at Wayne State University who has written about the history of doxxing. There is “usually an element of bad intentions,” she said.   

The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, a program within the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University, will present “Head Over Heels,” featuring songs by the Go-Go’s. Performances will run April 15-24.