Arts Council sprouts five smaller ACs

It appears that the University's performing arts community is suffering from an AC-attack. In the beginning there was just PAC. But starting this semester the Perfoming Arts Council has formed five subcommittees: ACK!, DAC, IAC, TAC-E and CLUB Mac. PAC Chairperson Tamar Climan says the acronyms are arbitrary -- but notes that their role at the University is not. The reorganization actually began two years ago when the PAC-sponsored theater groups formed Baby PAC -- a committee designed to coordinate audition schedules and policies. "[Baby PAC] created common audition times and places so the [auditioning students] wouldn't be running all over campus," PAC Chairperson Tamar Climan said. Four other subgroups -- ACK!, IAC, DAC and CLUB Mac -- were created after Baby PAC was successful in unifying the theater groups. Baby PAC essentially renamed their organization TAC-E -- which Climan said does not stand for anything. The five committees each represent a category of PAC groups: theater, a capella, dance, instrumental and miscellaneous. TAC--E has already begun to solve historic problems, such as conflicting performance schedules. "We agreed to create a season of theater for the University community," Penn Players Chairperson Jesse Hertzberg said. "We sat down as a group and made our performance schedules so that no two shows will be going up on the same weekend." TAC-E also created a policy to accomodate students "called back" to auditions for more than one show. According to Climan, in past years groups collectively decided which group would take which students. But during last weekend's theater auditions, Climan acted as a moderator between the groups and the students when overlaps arose. "Each group wants the best for themselves," Climan said. "But we don't want to have catfights about it." Climan added that PAC members are also working across subcommittee lines. CLUB Mac members Mask and Wig and Without a Net, and ACK! members Counterparts and Pennsylvania 6-5000, intend to organize a joint benefit concert. "[The performing arts groups] want to feel more like a community than competitors," Climan added. Without a Net President Larry Wagner said the concert -- which will be scheduled around Spring Fling -- will benefit two charitites to be picked by the participating groups. Wagner added that Without a Net and fellow CLUB Mac member Bloomers also intend to work together this fall. DAC members are also considering performing a joint benefit, Penn Dance Co-chairperson Allison Powell said.

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