'Chicago' offers show and condoms

Masturbation, menstruation, masculinity and menage a trois? This sounds like a job for Student Health Services. Well, would you believe a student performing arts group? How about both? Along with the free condom, ticket buyers will receive a small pamphlet listing the various products, such as birth control pills and diaphragms, that can be purchased from Student Health at discounted prices. "We're hoping to help people get information about everything they always wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask," said College and Wharton senior Lori Horowitz, the show's producer. Outside the theatre students will be able to find out about sex in the 1990s, but inside the theatre the show itself will serve as a startling contrast, depicting the sexual attitudes of the 1970s. "The show was written in the pre-AIDS era," said College sophomore Jesse Hertzberg, the show's director. "So much has changed since the '70s and many students may have a difficult time relating to the material." Hertzberg added that he would encourage students who are planning to see the show to look beyond its vulgar language and sexually explicit nature, and examine the inner themes which lie beneath the surface of the spoken words. "Some will come away thinking they've seen a series of disjointed scenes with a lot of people cursing and talking about sex," he said. "But hopefully, most people will come away realizing that the show presented an analytical and critical view of love, sex and relationships in the 1970's." Horowitz said that she hopes the show will be educational as well as profitable. "I thought [the show] would be a way to make students aware of the valuable services available to them," Horowitz said. "Then I thought that giving out free condoms might also sell some extra tickets." Sexual Perversity, which is the first student show to be produced on campus this fall, has been in rehearsal since mid-August -- giving the cast only three weeks to put the show together. "Three weeks go by really quickly," Hertzberg said. "But pressure's good. It constantly reminds you of where you should be and when." Sexual Perversity in Chicago will be performed tonight at 8:00 p.m., tomorrow night and Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available on Locust Walk or at the Annenberg Center ticket office.

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