CAMPUS BRIEFS: Friday, October 2, 1998

Redford to announce theater deal at U. today University President Judith Rodin and Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell will also attend the event, which will be held at the Rotunda, a University-owned former church at 4012 Walnut Street. Penn officials had said last month that the theater -- a joint venture between Redford and the General Cinemas chain -- will have about eight screens, a bar and food service. It is scheduled to open in early 2000. Today's announcement will be the first time Redford has officially announced the opening of a theater, although Sundance Cinemas is also preparing to begin construction on a theater in Portland, Ore., soon, according to Brian Callahan, a General Cinemas spokesperson. Redford visited campus about five months ago to scout the site. The Sundance Cinemas will primarily occupy space in the Hamilton Village shopping center where United Artists Eric operated until 1994, Penn's top real estate official, Tom Lussenhop, has said. -- Seth Grossman MSNBC plans Clinton town meeting for Phila. Cable and on-line news network MSNBC is coming to Philadelphia Sunday night to hold a two-hour town meeting, its fifth in a series on President Clinton's current scandal, to solicit opinions on whether President Clinton should be impeached. The network scheduled the event for the day before the House Judiciary Committee will hold open hearings to discuss impeaching Clinton. The event will begin at 9 p.m. in Fairmount Park's Memorial Hall. Weekend Today anchors Jodi Applegate and Jack Ford will host the show, which will feature two members of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Rep. Ed Bryant (R-Tenn.) and other expert panelists, including some Penn professors. MSNBC is still looking for Penn professors to participate in the show, according to Jeanne Leong, a staff member at the Office of University Relations. Kathy Sciere, the show's executive producer, said a diverse group of 40 to 45 people would participate out of an audience of several hundred. "We try to get a good balance of views and a good demographic balance," she said. MSNBC is a joint venture of software giant Microsoft Corp. and the General Electric Co.-owned NBC broadcast network. The title of the show is "The Impeachment Debate." It follows previous town meetings held in Dallas, Boston, Cincinnati and San Diego. -- Catherine Lucey