The Circuit

BY JENNA KLINE

VooDoo BBQ & Grill casts a spell that customers’ tastebuds will want to be under. Located in Pembroke Pines on Pines and Hiatus, this New Orleans inspired restaurant serves flavorful and authentic BBQ food for a relatively low price, with most items ranging from $4-$7.

Originating in New Orleans in 2002 and expanding ever since, VooDooo BBQ & Grill gives its customers a genuine New Orleans experience. From the laid-back jazzy music playing throughout the restaurant to the southern-inspired food on the menu, the restaurant, which opened a little under four months ago, gives customers a unique experience while eating barbeque.

With any of the slow-smoked barbeque platters, the restaurant gives customers the option of ordering portions of a quarter, half or 1 lb. The ¼ lb. is $3.99 and comes with two sides and a piece of garlic toast, which is the perfect sized meal.

The signature pulled-pork is tender, slow-smoked and absolutely delicious. It is both juicy and flavorful with not one piece of fat on the plate.

The side of corn-pudding has a great texture and is both sweet and tasty. The sweet potato soufflé side is so delicious and is the perfect treat for any sweet potato lovers.

When serving, the employees at the restaurant introduce VooDoo BBQ’s three unique sauces, which are spicy, tangy, and mild. The Mojo sauce, which is the mild New Orleans style BBQ sauce, was delicious and really added to the pulled pork. This small addition of southern hospitality adds to the experience and also informs the customer of which barbeque sauce is best suited for each customer.

The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating and is in a good location right near the Pembroke Lakes Mall.

VooDoo BBQ & Grill is true southern barbeque and will transport any Floridian to the culture of New Orleans.

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BY SARAH MOHR

The Cypress Bay app, released on March 26, is giving students easier access to school resources and information.

When opened, it automatically gives choices of a school event schedule and messages the school may have. The app also gives students information about the school, a mission statement, bell schedules, what    to do if you witness or are a victim of bullying and a photo gallery of the school.

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BY CHLOE LIPKIN

Kendall and Kylie Jenner, famous for being the little sisters of the Kardashian clan, released their first fashion line labeled Kendall and Kylie for Pacsun on Feb 8. Available in all Pacsun stores and online, the clothes have generated a lot of buzz on social media, but the buzz is better than the actual product. Although both Jenner girls exhibit great fashion choices when it comes to their personal life, the same cannot be said for the line. The materials look cheap and the clothes don’t come across as pieces Kendall or Kylie would actually choose to wear. 

The California girl inspired line includes a selection of high-waisted shorts, blouses, dresses and skirts all ranging between $25-80. With the exception of a few pieces, including the Kendall & Kylie House Dress, Kendall & Kylie Utility Shirt, and the Kendall & Kylie Denim Skirt, none of the clothes really jump out as anything different, or something you’d have to have. With items that stand out more, such as the Kendall & Kylie Faux Leather Sleeve Moto Jacket priced at $79.50, the prices are generally too high for what the clothes are probably worth. Many of the pieces are basic sweaters or shirts that can easily be found elsewhere at a lower price.

The majority of the appeal for the fashion line comes from the name on the label. Buyers are interested in the clothes because of all the promotion that Kendall and Kylie did on Twitter and the meet-and-greets before the release. Of course, the fact that they’re related to the Kardashians and are often featured on the E! hit reality show, Keeping up with the Kardashians doesn’t hurt. Taking the Jenner name off the label would definitely make the clothes lose their sparkle, and their consumer appeal.

Altogether, the line mainly consists of pieces that could work for special occasions or for every now and then. No items really jump out as something that can be part of a go-to outfit, or something that is more than just a fad. Although the line is stylish and fun, it does not consist of amazing styles that that would be expected from the young fashion moguls.

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BY PAULA MARTINS

A lengthy line of people entered Culture Room on March 24 to the sound of catchy tunes of an opening band, Like the Movies. As the venue filled, it was evident that this was going to be a remarkable night.

The Wake Up and Be Awesome Tour consisted of five bands: Like the Movies, For the Foxes, Go Radio, We Are the In Crowd and The Summer Set – all varied in sounds and their place in the genre spectrum. However, the show flowed well with this variety and even the lesser-known bands received plenty of love from the crowd.

To say that We Are the In Crowd excited the people does not give the performance justice. Once they finished off their set with “Rumor Mill,” the crowd could not contain their eagerness as the technicians and staff prepared the stage for the main performance.

As The Summer Set opened up with “F**k U Over,” the entire pit of people was in motion. Nothing can compare to the moment when the head bobbing begins, the rock signs are raised, and the catfights over a thrown drumstick come to a halt and everyone just enjoys the music.

The Summer Set did an excellent job of maintaining this pleasant atmosphere as they continued to play fan favorites such as “Punch Drunk Love,” “Young” and “When We Were Young.” They also played recently released songs “Legendary” and “Boomerang.”

The Summer Set performed with a new sense of confidence compared to their other tours. This was apparent as lead singer Brian Dales entertained with his amusing dance moves and witty banter with guitarist John Gomez.

This band unquestionably lives up to the studio version of their music and the overall presentation was exceptional.

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BY ZOEY FERGUSON

Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful is a somewhat funny prequel to The Wizard of Oz that explains how things came to be in the Land of Oz before Dorothy’s adventures and adds a strange twist to the well-known classic.

Released on March 8, the movie opens with con artist Oscar Diggs (James Franco) in a small traveling circus where he works as a magician, “Oz the Great and Powerful.” A sudden tornado sends him running for cover in a hot air balloon and he gets sucked into the heart of the tornado. When the winds die down, he finds himself in the magical Land of Oz. He then meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), the good witch. He is sent on a quest to save the land from two of the witches, whom he learns to be evil.

The actors, especially Kunis and Wiliams, try to add comedy to the movie but they come up short. The movie is only mildly funny and is a bit confusing at times, especially when it comes to discovering which of the witches are good and which are evil.

To make up for the poor acting, the animation of the Land of Oz are vivid and colorful. For example, when Oscar Diggs first finds himself in Oz, he winds up in a tropical forest. The trees are a beautiful bright green and the water from the stream actually sparkles. The animation really showcases the imagination and creativity put into the movie.

In spite of the poor comedy, the vivid animation and interesting story line make this movie worth going to the theater to see.

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BY RICHARD SHIN

Lead singer Bon Jovi performed with his band at the BB&T Center in Sunrise March 2, giving a relatively strong performance. Playing many classics such as, “Living on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name.”

An American rock band from 1983, Bon Jovi has still maintains some of its former prominence. Regardless of their appeal to an older crowd, they have still succeeded in attracting younger people, including students at Cypress Bay.

Much of the concert consisted of many multi-colored lights, illuminating both the stage and the audience through a multitude of strobes and lighting effects. While pretty and enjoyable, they were nothing new or unique.

Moving pillars were utilized throughout the show, either hoisting Bon Jovi up to reach the top levels of the crowd, or used to display video animations to better describe their music.

Bon Jovi and his band performed well, with the crowd screaming for an encore as the lights began to dim. Bon Jovi sang admirably by mixing hard and soft rock throughout the night. This juxtaposition added a nice mix, from the ear-shattering rock chords to the pretty strumming as the lead famed singer wooed the crowd.

While Bon Jovi was a great concert, nothing set it apart from other groups.  Although they performed well, the lackluster light show dampened an otherwise great concert.  For all fans, both young and old, the concert was a nostalgic and enjoyable trip back to the past.

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BY ALEXA STEINLAUF

PRINT NEWS EDITOR

After weeks of blocking scenes, practicing vocals and building sets, the American Musical Theater (AMT) class held its spring musical, Legally Blonde on March 6-9 in the auditorium.

“We had a really big audience, so it was really fun to feed off their energy, and nothing went too terribly wrong so it was really good,” said junior Sarah Barney, who played lead Elle Woods.

Show director Cynthia Lutwin said they picked this show because it was a perfect fit for her cast.

“I always look at a show and look at the characters, and Legally Blonde had a lot of great characters and we have a lot of great students,” Mrs. Lutwin said.

Senior Carly Valancy, who was understudy Elle, said she loved doing the show, even though it was very hard work.

“Initially, I was very happy they picked Legally Blonde for my last show at Cypress, but honestly the process of putting it together was one of the most difficult and demanding experiences I’ve ever had,” said Valancy, who has participated in the theater program all four years.

Mrs. Lutwin said the production came together well, despite the shortened class periods due to the new schedule this year.

“The show was fabulous, and I was really happy with it,” Ms. Lutwin said. “The lights were great, the sound was great and the kids were all into it. It’s just a really fun, upbeat, feel good kind of show. It appealed to the audiences.”

Barney said the cast worked very hard in rehearsal, especially in the end, which made the show come together.

“The last two weeks were really critical because we had after school rehearsals until 5 p.m. every day,” Barney said. “Up until that point we had been working, but not as rigorously, so the last two weeks is when it all came together.”

Senior Jeremy Tache, understudy Warner Huntington III, said the hours of rehearsal paid off.

“The show went unbelievably and it came together so well in the last few days here,” Tache said. “I am just so proud of everybody for how they did.”

Curtain Call: Legally Blonde by CircuitOnline

Tache said the cast became close after working together for about four months, which made the show even better.

“My favorite part was all of it. You cant really pick a favorite part in a show like this because the whole thing is so much fun,” Tache said. “We all just worked so hard, and we were a family.”

Junior Joshua Jowdy, who played Professor Callahan, also said a main factor in the coming together of the show was the closeness of the cast.

“Honestly, the main thing that we worked on was relationships,” Jowdy said. “Relationships with your fellow cast members and getting comfortable with everybody really brought the show together. We have been rehearsing since about November so I was very happy with the way that the show turned out. It was great.”

Tache said there was no tension between the lead and understudy cast, which made it easier for everyone to work together.

“What was good was that the lead and understudy cast worked together so well, and there really wasn’t very much drama between anybody,” Tache said. “We all just get along so well and work so hard together and that is what makes a good show.”

Valancy said her favorite part of the show was being able work with her best friends.

“I would have to say working with some of my best friends on stage was an experience I will never forget,” she said. “It was both extremely fun and extremely emotional, which made the process something I will take with me for the rest of my life.”

Senior Emma Handler said she was very happy with the turnout of the show because of all the hard work everyone put into it.

“I think the show went really well. I was really happy with the way that everyone made it through because it came together so well and everyone worked really hard,” said Handler, who played Brooke Windham in the understudy show.

Handler said her favorite part of the show was the song “Whipped into Shape,” which involved jump roping while singing.

“That number was ridiculously hard and everyone worked really hard,” Handler said. “We spent hours every day after school working on it over and over just to get it perfect.”

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BY MEREDITH SHELDON

Like The Notebook and other renowned Nicholas Sparks productions, Safe Haven had fans expecting a melodramatic love story. While certain aspects of the film, released on Feb. 14, resemble a typical Sparks movie, viewers are taken on an emotional roller coaster unlike any before due to a romantic-thriller component. The tear-jerking and suspenseful ending leaves viewers perplexed and shocked, which makes the movie unforgettable.

Sparks’ novel comes to life as Erin (Julianne Hough) is shown boarding a train, escaping to a new town. She relocates to Southport, North Carolina where she changes her name and identity. Throughout the movie, Erin has nightmares which show glimpses of her past and why she escaped.

After a few encounters at the local store in her new town, Erin who now goes by the name Katie, falls in love with Alex (Josh Duhamel), a widower and father of two kids. Both of them with troubled pasts connect and find a way to move forward together. Little does Katie know that her past will come back to jeopardize her newfound bliss.

The thrilling and mysterious aspect, although rare in Sparks’ films, definitely takes the movie in a different direction, making it unique. In his other movies like Dear John or The Lucky One, the main focus is on the passion the two lovers share, so it is interesting to see a twist in the story line this time.

Through tears, fear and happiness, Hough truly captivates viewers with her in-depth portrayal of her character. Her mysterious yet spunky qualities enhance the film while Duhamel exhibits little personality through his character. Both characters definitely have chemistry together; however, their love is not as powerful and compelling compared to that of Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in The Notebook.

For fans of Spark’s passionate romantic dramas this definitely has a peculiar twist and is not one to miss. Even though most of Sparks’ “chick flicks” lure in mostly the female crowd, this movie will appeal to many males as well due to the action component.

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BY MORGAN MARTIN

After a three-year hiatus, rock band Fall Out Boy is back with the release of their new single “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)” on Feb.5.

The Save Rock and Roll album will be released on April 15 instead of the original date set to May 6. It will feature unique collaborations including 2Chainz who appears in the singles music video. Fall Out Boy took a break in 2010 to work on side projects and it was indefinite if they would get back together until now.

After the band’s long break, they are going back on tour. The tour begins in May and continues until the end of June. The entire tour sold out within the first week of ticket sales. For more information about the album and tour visit www.falloutboyrock.com/ They will be making a stop in Miami on June 5 at the Fillmore as part of the tour.

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The Circuit staff compiled some of the most news worthy events of 2012, along with the top ten grossing films and music albums.

GRAPHIC BY DANIELA MARIN

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