Theater-On-The-Walk™ Icarus Icons

News Source: The Dartmouth (College Newspaper)
Headline: "Icarus Icons"
Publisher: Zachary Gottlieb
Publication Date: April 7th, 2010

Theater-On-The-Walk™ Testimonial

Dartmouth Sun God – A Ray of Hope

My name is Don Kantor, owner of Roberts Flowers of Hanover and I am sincerely pleased to be a part of ‘The Kings’, “Theater-On-The-Walk!"

We here at Roberts Flowers have long recognized the vast artistic potential of the students at Dartmouth College. One such student, Johnathan James Recor, has enthusiastically burst into the realm of entertainment and performing arts with a purpose! He is an almost over-night success due to his much appreciated talents and beautiful personality. Johnathan has become very recognized all around the campus and the local Hanover community bringing a refreshing sense of change.

I personally have found Johnathan's unique vision and openness in finding and sharing love to be wonderfully contagious. I applaud his aspirations in bringing love "out into the open!" Do yourself a favor, get to know "The Sun God" and feel his warm rays of enthusiasm and sincerity!

The year 2010 marks Roberts Flowers of Hanover's 80th anniversary as Hanover's premier florist. Our longevity is due not only to the unique floral designs and giftware we offer, but also to our commitment to sustaining longstanding relationships with our clients -- Johnathan James Recor for example - it's an honor we don't take lightly!

To be a part of our clients' lives through the generations, celebrating weddings, birthdays and holidays and offering support to them through difficult times is part of our corporate heritage. Maintaining the positive relationship between our business and those we serve is at the heart of Roberts Flowers' mission.

In recognizing not only the beauty of our flowers but also the beauty in the hearts of our clients, we at Roberts Flowers support The Sun God's mission of peace and love because after all, for flowers to blossom they need love and sunshine so drop by, let us serve your needs, and by all means go glow with The Sun God!

Theater-On-The-Walk™ No Music Zone

The Prologue
As a dramatist and public performer, I have a natural instinct to express myself theatrically. Combined with my discipline as a ten year martial artist, I am sometimes seen by others as an overwhelming presence. That being said, not everyone who encounters me in costume as “The Sun God” will agree with all my performance methods. As a result, I find myself regularly pursued, questioned, and judged by various authority figures – e.g. Police, Public Safety, Faculty, etc.

Though never an easy task to deal with, I have learned to value these encounters, specifically with officers of the law, because they provide me with a unique insight to how certain individuals attempt to manage their, sometimes exaggerated, inner fears. As such, I have decided to keep an active journal to record my confrontations with authority; sharing my side of the story as I continue onward the emotional journey that is "Theater-On-The-Walk™" -- My life, my struggle.

The following police report is my honest interpretation of what took place during the time of incidence. With respect to all those involved, all names shall be kept confidential.

The Unofficial Report
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 – Dartmouth Public Safety received a midnight phone call from an agitated Undergraduate female student. The student reported a noise complaint from outside her residence of Wheeler Hall - where outside her window and many others could be seen “The Sun God” sitting atop a large pyramid structure along Fayerweather Hill Road listening to music.

In addition to her initial complaint, the student, whom I never formally met, felt compelled to personalize the situation; voicing that I had been personally harassing her for several hours.

The Situation
I departed my residence in North Park at 11:00PM dressed in costume ready to express a range of emotions through an ensemble of music to the open world -- an artistic form of social activism entitled Theater-On-The-Walk™ serving additionally as my creative writing graduate thesis in Masters of Liberal Arts and Sciences (MALS).

I crossed through BEMA (a small expanse of open landscape in College Park) and made my way directly towards the pyramid landmark to hang out and relax. A place where every now and then I typically would spend about fifteen minutes or so listening to music, gazing at the stars, and waving in response to the occasional “Sun God” screams and double-beeps from the horns of enthusiastic drivers passing along College Street.

Being Careful not to cause a public scene for too long and not knowing that anyone had been offend by my presence, I casually migrated towards Berry Library talking to various students and friends along the way and crossed the street to Rope Ferry Road. It was at this time, along the far end of the dimly lit, vacated road that I found myself entrapped by a Public Safety Security vehicle.

Confrontation with Authority
Quickly exiting the vehicle to confront me were two security officers who said they received a complaint about a noise disturbance. Given the small size of campus combined with limited resting locations outside, I saw this as a mutually understandable frustration. Having received noise warnings in the past, I knew this situation wasn’t a big deal but for some reason the officer kept pressing me about my “relationship” with this young lady – a person who I honestly couldn’t even recall; as typically, I am introduced daily to dozens of curious new faces while in costume.

Yet, despite my claim the officer presumed to further question me with increasing attitude “I know you know what I’m talking about” he said while raising his voice – as if alluding to the idea that I had been harassing this person. At this point in time I became inwardly very upset. Though I seldom ever speak it, having to wear a mask in the open public forum in front of all your peers, faculty, and family is an emotional journey with numerous vulnerabilities, and now, being forced into the position to defend my integrity as a decent human being against such petty mind games just felt awful. The officer leaned toward me “Johnathan, you know what you did!”

In response, I decided to take off my mask and look at this man face-to-face to try and understand why an officer, sworn to uphold the law, was attempting to bait me on a fictitious account beyond the initial complaint he presented. “Look” I said frankly, “I don’t know who this person is or what she wants from me, but it’s obvious she doesn’t like me.” The officer then tried to coax me into formalizing his informal inquiry by requesting that I “submit an electronic report of my personal account to Public Safety” –to which I bluntly replied “No”.

The Aftermath
The officer gave me a verbal warning not to play music near Wheeler Hall but gave no further defining specifics of the proximity I was restricted to. In addition to this he also told me not to contact the individual who made the complaint. I couldn’t help but feel felt this was an inadequate solution to a concern that clearly needed improved articulation among both parties involved.

In hearing the tone of my frustration, the officer stated he “was just doing his job” – to that I never denied but rather what irritated me was the spontaneous interrogation I had to endure. Perhaps I am ignorant when dealing with authority but I strongly felt as if I was being persecuted and led on without any apparent regard to my initial responses.

Finalizing our conversation, I told the officers I understood their request and respectfully shook both their hands. The officer gave his respects and departed along Occom Ridge. Undeterred, I put my mask back on and continued to pursue the unknown of the night without hesitation. For the hour that followed before deciding to call it a night, I noticed Public Safety kept an intense surveillance on me; issuing patrol vehicles to pursue my movements in an assortment of tactful methods. According to the Department of Safety and Security website, night security is “done at random times to prevent anyone from patterning our movements”.

The pursuit, though strategically distant at times, was relentless. Without a doubt, they certainly do a good job at tracking down people but sometimes I wonder, in light of the College Administrations plan to cut $100 million dollars from the Dartmouth College budget over the next two years, if following me is a wise utilization of campus resources. The pursuit became so bothersome that at one point I seriously considered calling Hanover Police to file a stalking charge.

My Final Thoughts
I further want to acknowledge that in spite of my emotional evaluation of Public Safety and Security, I know at heart they are all good human beings with families and loved ones; for at the end of the day, when all is said and done, they do a good job. And though their methods, intimidating at times, may make us feel uncomfortable, are in fact beneficial and even transformative. For it is in confronting our inner tension that we experience the nature of our true character as human beings.

Additionally, we are in turn, privileged, because though terrifying, these are rare moments that we should learn to embrace. Among the great timeline of our lives, we are all put the test at some point and though it never comes in the form or time we imagine, at least by confronting our fears early on we will have gained wisdom as we prepare for the world journey that awaits us.

Theater-On-The-Walk™ The Sun God, Unmasked

News Source: The Graduate Student Council (GSC)
Headline: “The Sun God, Unmasked”
Publisher: Michael Hopkins (PBS Graduate Student)
Publication Date: March 3rd, 2010

Theater-On-The-Walk™ Sun God Cockblocks Winter Carnival

News Source: The Dunyun Blog
Headline: "Sun God Cockblocks Winter Carnival”
Publisher: Stephen Briggs ‘12
Publication Date: February 16th, 2010

Theater-On-The-Walk™ Undeterred Sun God Shines On

News Source: The Dartmouth (College Newspaper)
Headline: "Undettered Sun God Shines On"
Publisher: Dana Venerable (Dartmouth Staff)
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2010

Theater-On-The-Walk™ Declaration

Overture of The Sun God
The doctrine I am about to share is a work-in-progress and represents a set of standards that is personal to my outlook of engaging the world. Demanding at times extreme forms of discipline, respect and patience and should not be practiced in full essence, but rather, in proportion to your innermost feelings; for your heart will always remain in bondage until you create peace, not only with yourself, but also, with all the beings you encounter throughout your life’s journey. The final effect will be the greatest feat ever to be accomplished by a species and will serve as the finest hour the universe has ever known since its conception. For when every human is long dead and our bodies retreat back to that which from we came, fear not to dwellings of futility to our seemingly infinitesimal existence; for our expeditions will remain uninterrupted as they travel past the surly bonds of Earth throughout the galactic dreamscape of celestial bodies and unto yearning alien eyes, who seek answers, just as we, and will learn that there were human beings, and they triumphed.

Sun God's Preamble of Reconciliation
As an aspiring member of the sentient body I hereby acknowledge the overwhelming presence of ignorance and suffering which have plagued the shared end-goals of the human race and all of our earthly constituents from the dawn of our creation. Finding these burdens to be self-evident as contingent components of our creaturely designs by which nature has bestowed upon us, we therefore, upon receipt of this universal truth, take the noble task upon ourselves, as principle agents on the path to enlightenment, to spread the supremacy of our goodwill towards the betterment of humankind and all forms of life.

Sun God's Oath of Reconciliation
• I swear to responsibly exercise my powers of intellect in a manner that encourages a prosperous way of life for all sentient beings through the charity of wisdom, goodwill, and love.

• I swear to remain resolute to the virtues of my character among which honesty above all else shall remain in permanent exercise as a way of life.

• I swear to respect and honor the values, laws, and religions of our civilization to the extent that such principles do not deviate, dominate, or undermine the supreme commandment of the heart, to which its voice shall take absolute precedence in times of uncertainty, serving as the chief ambassador to our humanity.

• I swear to use all available methods of diplomacy and non-violence to defend all forms of life against ignorance and suffering.

• I swear to remain steadfast in the face of absolute despair; when all chances for victory have failed and defeat is imminent; for when all the powers of my intellect, diplomacy, and non-violent means have been exhausted and when the voice of my heart speaks to me in tears, to sacrifice my life-force towards the betterment of all things.

For my body is but a mere vessel; and my heart its skipper who compasses the ocean of ignorance in the pursuit of Truth.