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(03/30/92 10:00am)
"I'm gay." In the cases of Jorge, Kirk, Jason and Jodi, those two words changed not only their own lives but the lives of their best friends, Moyna, Stacey, Chris and Brandy, as well. As part of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian Awareness Days, over 40 people gathered in the seminar room of High Rise East to discuss what happens when a person discovers his or her best friend is gay. The discussion featured five student panelists and was moderated by the Quadrangle's Assistant Dean for Residence Brenda Ridley. The panelists related how their friends "came out" to them and how they dealt with the news. Most of the panelists said they had little difficulty in accepting the fact that their best friend was gay and instead found that their friend's coming out improved their relationship. "Jason had become somebody none of us wanted to be around," College junior Chris Lehmann said. "He was moody and distant. But once he came out to me, he was back to his old self. It seemed like a big weight had been lifted from his shoulders." In most of the cases, the panelists said they were among the first people to whom their friends came out. Wharton senior Moyna Sen said that in such cases, the most important thing for the friend to do is offer support. "The first thing your friend needs to hear is that it's okay," Sen said. "Even though he or she may tell you they're gay, doesn't mean they, themselves are comfortable with that fact yet." And although the majority of students said they did not have much difficulty in accepting their best friend's homosexuality, some clearly had more difficulty than others. College senior Ray Godleski said he had been brought up in a staunchly Catholic household which tended to be very intolerant and homophobic. When his best friend Kirk came out to him, he said it forced him to reconsider a lot of what he had been brought up to believe about gay people. "It challenged every notion I had ever had about what a gay person was," Godleski said. "I realized that gay people weren't the sexual perverts the media had been led me to believe they were." Lehmann's difficulty lay not in dealing with the discovery that his best friend and roommate was gay, but in dealing with his concerns for Jason and the physical risks which come with being a member of the homosexual community. "I think that perhaps my only problem with Jason's coming out was the fact that I realized he was entering a community that is very much at risk right now," Lehmann said. "I want him to be my friend for a long, long time."
(03/27/92 10:00am)
Get ready for battle of the sexes, a cappella style, as the all-male Pennsylvania 6-5000 and the all-female Quaker Notes present their annual spring shows this weekend. For the members of Penn-6, this year marks a return to their roots. This name for the show, My Crab Has Girfriends, was taken from the Glenn Miller album of the same name. Penn-6 President Dan Ward, a College junior, explained that Miller, who graduated from the University, was one of the "founding fathers" of Penn-6. Several members of the nine-man a cappella group said this year they have been through intense training so that they will be in peak physical condition for the show. "Everyone in the group has had three times the recommended daily allowance of Riboflavin for the past three weeks so their voices are in top shape," College junior Peter Eliot, the group's nutritionist, said. And Music Director Jason Downey, a Wharton junior, added that while preparing for the show has been a healthy exercise, he hopes the show will leave the audience feeing healthier as well. "This show is filled with 12 essential vitamins and minerals as well as the Colonel's special blend of herbs and spices," Downey said. Following what has become a Penn-6 tradition, this year's performance will once again showcase the group's extensive dancing talents. "We've done some extensive training with the Joffrey Ballet in New York," Ward said. "They taught us to dance and we taught them to drink." College senior Rock "Scott Jerrold" Johnson said this year's group is "eight of the baddest dancing white dudes on campus." For Quaker Notes, this year's show, entitled Girlz II Women, is a ground-breaking one, in which, members said, the group will be exploring new musical styles and sounds. "We're revealing new and unexplored sides of Quaker Notes," Music Director Janice Kim, a Wharton sophomore, said. "A lot of this year's music has a totally new feel than what we've done in the past." In keeping with the revolutionary nature of this year's show, the group said that special guests, never before seen on the University campus, will be making appearances at the show. "Our guests include the Vienna Boys Choir, Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford," College sophomore Kathy O'Neill said. "There will be free Diet Pepsi for all." As an additional incentive for seeing the show, the group said that every hundredth ticket holder will receive a free fortune telling by a mystery member of the group. My Crab Has Girlfriends runs tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the University Museum's Harrison Auditorium. Girlz II Women will run tomorrow night only at 8 p.m. in the Annenberg School Theater. Tickets for both shows are available on Locust Walk and at the door.
(02/26/92 10:00am)
Cole Porter did not write operas. That is what the organizers of the Law School Light Opera Company's production of Porter's Anything Goes hope their potential audience understands when considering whether or not to buy a ticket for the show. According to third-year Law student Laura Gasser, the show's producer, the company, which previously staged Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, shifted its focus to popular Broadway shows with a production of Pippin last year. "There's no longer any opera in this opera company," Gasser said. "But there still is plenty of light, witty, entertaining fun." Gasser said that the reason for the shift in material was the hope that a more popular, more accesible show would get more Law students involved in the annual production. And this year's cast of almost 30 is eagerly awaiting the chance to show off its talents for the University community, more eagerly, perhaps, than the typical undergraduate actor. "For many of us, this is our only extra-curricular activity," third-year Law student Lisa Washington, who is a cast member as well as the show's choreographer, said. "A lot of Law students don't have the time to give to more than one activity so this is our one chance to let it all hang out." Peter Katz, the show's director and a first-year Law student, said the show, which features such well-known songs as "You're the Top," "Blow Gabriel, Blow!," and the famous title song "Anything Goes," is also the perfect show for anyone, undergraduate and graduate students alike, who need a release from the grind of classes, tests and homework. "It's got humor, it's got intrigue, and of course great music," Katz said. "What else could anyone want from a show?" Katz added that although the show was written over 60 years ago it has retained its popularity through the decades, with a Broadway revival as recently as 1988. But despite its popularity, Katz was still forced to make some changes to the script to make a 1930's show into a 1990's show. Toward this end, Katz said the parts of Ching and Ling, two Asians newly converted to Christianity who figure minimally in the plot were eliminated because they would be "clearly offensive to the audiences we are trying to attract." Instead of converts, Katz has made the two characters into Law professors. In addition, the part of the leading man, Billy Crocker, will be played by third-year Law student Todd Cox, who is black. Because Crocker spends much of his time in disguise, the fact that Cox is the only black man in the company may require the suspension of disbelief on the part of the audience to see him as unrecognizable to characters in the show. "When you're casting a show, you cast the best people for each role," Katz said. "If someone is right for a role, then the color of their skin shouldn't make any difference." Anything Goes opens tomorrow night in the Annenberg School Theatre at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the Annenberg Center box office and at the door.
(01/24/92 10:00am)
Over 100 students packed the Underground Cafe last night to watch the Adelphia Repertory Touring Company's passionate performance of Black Man/Black Woman and to discuss the problems that still face blacks in America. The event was part of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity's Alpha Week celebration that coincides with the Martin Luther King holiday and the fraternity's own 72nd anniversary. The play, written by its actors, Maurice Henderson and Crystal Brinson and directed by Henderson, portrayed a multitude of negative black stereotypes. In addition, the 90-minute production dramatized the black experience in America and the severe hardships that blacks have faced in their struggle for equality. One scene portrayed a young child witnessing the gruesome death of his parents at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan. "The images of the play are a reflection of the perceptions of a white America," Henderson said. "Racism is what has taught the black people to feel inferior and hate themselves." According to Henderson, the purpose of the show is to illustrate the various problems facing the black community and to stimulate the audience's minds to find solutions to these problems. "Amongst all our successes, we've still have a lot of problems," Henderson said after the show. "We've got a lot of work to do to solve these problems." But white audience members said afterwards that the play had a message for them as well. Some felt that the show sensitized them to their previously unchallenged stereotypes of black people. "The show spent a good deal of time making fun of black stereotypes and it helped me better understand how ridiculous these stereotypes can be," College freshman Sam Scheid said. A brief question and answer period followed the performance during which audience members discussed the play's content with the actors and offered advice and critiques as to what could be done to improve the impact and message of the play. Wharton junior Kysha Harris, while saying that she enjoyed the production, questioned Henderson and Brinson about the overwhelming negativity about blacks portrayed in the show. She felt that a little more positive portrayal of blacks would allow the audience to come away with the message that the blacks are a "beautiful" people with problems to solve rather than just a people with unsolvable problems. "We have to celebrate the black people as well," Harris said. "We are a beautiful people and while exposing the negative images and exploring how to solve them is important, it is equally as important to depict the black people as the beautiful people that we are." Henderson, who was a graduate student at the University, was quick to note that the play is still a "work in progress," and will continue to be changed and revised so that it is ready for a scheduled off-Broadway opening this fall. "We still have a lot of work to do on the show," he said. "And we appreciate the input of the students about what they think should be done." Alpha Week continues tonight with a charity basketball game and a party at the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and Saturday night with a Cabaret featuring a fashion show and live music.
(12/05/91 10:00am)
Money, space and audience. All of the necessary ingredients to start a performing arts group, and many of which the University lacks. With over 30 performing arts groups already on campus, Office of Student Life officials say that there are hardly enough resources for the current groups, let alone for any new groups. Student Activities Financial Director Lynn Moller said the Student Activities Council -- the organization which allocates money for student performing arts groups as well as all other student groups -- funds 130 groups out of a $450,000 budget. Laura Hammons, the student performing arts administrative assistant, said this week that out of the $450,000, well over $100,000 is given to performing arts groups. She said individual allocations can vary from as little as a few thousand dollars for some small groups to $15,000 to $20,000 for larger theater groups. And while Moller said that she would never discourage student groups from applying for recognition, students must realize that budgets are limited in how far they can be stretched. "With that many groups asking for a fixed amount of money, the money will always be tight," she said. "But I certainly wouldn't discourage any group from at least asking." But even before a group can receive money from SAC, it must first be recognized by the council, which many students said can be a long and tedious process. All groups which wish to be recognized by SAC must first file a registration form with the Office of Student Life Activities and Facilities. This form must be on file for at least three academic months before the group can appear before SAC's steering committee. Then the group must outline to the committee its purposes and goals from which the committee can recommend to the council to recognize the group. OSL Assistant Director Albert Moore said that a group desiring recognition must show that it has a unique purpose. "We need to see that the group offers something different to the community," Moore said. "We don't have the money to have a lot of groups doing the same thing." But Moore explained that there is no limit to the type of group recognized. For example, each of the eight a capella groups performing this fall demonstrated that it provides an original opportunity for the students who participate in them. "Each of the newer a capella groups on campus, such as Off the Beat and The Inspiration, have demonstrated to SAC that their type of music or arrangements are culturally or otherwise different from those that are already being done by other groups," he said. In addition, Moore said that while SAC has no say over space allocations, it is likely that the dearth of rehearsal space on campus is a concern of every SAC member. Hammons, who together with OSL handles the space requests from performing arts groups, said that there is already a space shortage for existing groups. Of all the requests for on-campus rehearsal space, only 45 percent can be filled. Groups that do not get the space they requested are often forced to make arrangements to rehearse in dormitories or off campus. She said that she would urge new theater or dance groups that are considering applying for recognition to think about the fact that they will need larger rehearsal spaces to accomidate their groups and these spaces will probably not be available. "There no question that the smaller the group, the better the chances of getting space," she said. Moore said that another often-heard concern about new groups is that students will only go to a certain number of shows each semester and the more shows there are, the smaller the audiences will be for each show. "I'd be denying reality if I said that the representatives aren't worried about their audiences," Moore said. "There are only so mant days in the week and only so many performances a student wants to see, even the ones their friends are in."
(11/22/91 10:00am)
Hasta la vista . . . turkey? No, it isn't the Arnold Schwarzenegger Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's Off the Beat's fall show entitled A Cappellinator II: Turkey Day which opens tonight in the University Museum's Rainey Auditorium. Members of the group promised that this year's show, like any good sequel, will be even better than its predecessors and feature brand new, intricately arranged songs. "We're doing more new material than we've ever done before," said Off the Beat President Julie Gershman. "So far, our new stuff has been received really well so we're really psyched for the show." Gershman said that all of the songs to be performed were arranged by past and present members of the group and none were bought from outside arrangers -- a practice common among many other a cappella groups. The group has also had a chance to try out some of the new songs during guest appearances at the University of Virginia and at Haverford College, she said. In order to make the show even more exciting, the group has invited two of the country's best and most well-known college a cappella singing groups -- the Columbia Kingsmen and the Tufts Beelzebubs -- to appear with them in the show. Both groups, particularly the Beelzebubs, are known for arranging songs that would seem to be impossible to do a cappella. Some of these unusual arrangements include Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" and a rewritten version of M.C. Hammer's "Can't Touch This." But Gershman said that the visiting groups will not be the only ones singing difficult and challenging numbers. "We're doing some really funky, interesting, and extremely difficult arrangements," she said. "We hope to prove to the community that we can do songs that seem un-a cappella-able and do them well." And Off The Beat Music Director David Quart, an Engineering senior, said that even if audience members do not appreciate the arrangements, most of the songs the group sings are popular and will be familiar to the audience. "I guess you could call our brand of music 'popular progressive,' " he said. "A lot of the stuff we do can be heard on the radio on a regular basis." Quart added that he felt that knowing the songs will help the audience enjoy the show even more. "When you know the song, you can really get into it and it becomes all the more fun to hear it done a cappella," he said. A Cappellinator II: Turkey Day opens tonight and continues tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. in Rainey Auditorium at the University Museum. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.
(11/21/91 10:00am)
It'll make everything feel good. And the kids can watch too -- legally. It's Stimulus Children's Theater musical adaptation of Maurice Sendak's book Where the Wild Things Are, which opens tomorrow night in Houston Hall Auditorium. The story is that of a young boy who wishes to escape to a fantasy land ruled entirely by children. But when the boy's wish is granted and he gets to live there, he realizes how much he misses his home and his parents and yearns to return. And castmembers said this week that although the show is geared for the younger generation, college students should have little trouble relating to the show and enjoying themselves. "It's a chance for everyone to rediscover the kid inside," said Wharton sophomore Jed Cohen. "All of us have a little kid deep down somewhere who wants to escape and run wild." Stimulus is a volunteer organization which was founded with a mission to enrich the educational experience of West Philadelphia elementary and middle school students. Out of the original organization grew Stimulus Children's Theatre, which tries to bring a cheery brand of theater to those who might not otherwise be exposed to it. Since its founding three years ago, Stimulus Children's Theatre has done over 40 performances in the West Philadelphia area. And while this will be the first and only chance for University students to see the production on campus, the group has already performed the show several times at local schools and centers for disadvantaged children. And according to Cohen, all previous performances have been received with great appreciation and thanks. "Every place we've been they ask us to come back and do more," he said. "The kids get to laugh a lot, have a great time, and even the adults share in the fun." Because the show must be able to be performed in a variety of spaces from cramped to wide open, there is minimal set and lighting. College freshman Nancy Wiener said that performing a technically unsophisticated show has its advantages and disadvantages. "It puts a lot of pressure on the actors to really bring the characters to life," she said. "But it also lets the audience's imagination and creativity go crazy." Where the Wild Things Are opens tomorrow night at 8 p.m. and continues on Saturday at 2 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. in Houston Hall Auditorium. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.
(11/21/91 10:00am)
It will be tutu fun. The dancers said this week that while students who are dance aficionados will definitely enjoy the show, those who have never seen a dance show should give it a try. "Constant interesting movement is always fun to watch," Engineering senior Sevrin Huff said. "I enjoy watching football even though I can't play." Huff said that the group will perform five pieces ranging in style from jazz to modern to "ballet-ish." "There's something in the show for everyone," she said. "And its not so artsy that only dancers will understand it." Huff said two of the pieces were choreographed by professionals -- one by Peter McCoy and the other by Norman Taylor, a dance teacher at Glassboro State College -- and the other three by students in the group. In addition, Taylor will be performing in the show. College sophomore Robin Pulis, who will be making her debut as a co-choreographer with a piece entitled Dante's Number Nine, said that working with the professionals taught her a great deal about what and how certain feelings can be expressed through dance. At the same time, she said, dance is a subjective art form and a chance for choreographers to express emotions in their own personal style. "This is the first time I've choreographed anything in my life," Pulis said. "I'm really beginning to see and understand how dance can be an outlet for my creative spirit just like talking or writing." College junior Kristi Gamble said that another unique aspect of Penn Dance is that not all the dancers have training in the same styles and some have little training. "Everyone gets to learn from everybody else," Gamble said. "Even those with years of training can learn from the inexperienced dancers because they're the ones who concentrate more on the meaning of the dance since they don't have the perfect technique." Absolute IndePennDance opens tonight at 8 p.m. and continues through Saturday night in the Annenberg School Theater. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.
(11/07/91 10:00am)
Bigger really is better. Or at least it was in Mask and Wig's Male Chauvinist Wyg, which opened last night in the Houston Hall Auditorium. The bigger numbers -- those that involved more castmembers, music, and colorful costumes -- were consistently better rehearsed and funnier. Smaller skits tended to pack a lesser comedic punch. Mask and Wig shows are staged in a revue format which features a series of funny skits, a la Saturday Night Live, with occasional "commercials" and musical interludes. But while every skit was mildly amusing, it was the big production numbers which produced the big belly laughs. For example, a parody of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" entitled "The Walk" featuring College Senior Al Bingham as Sheldon Hackney as a Pink Floyd band member was brilliant. The transitions between such songs as "Frats on the Walk" and "Comfortably Dumb" were smooth and left the audience in stitches. Other smaller skits such as "Myth Destroyer Man" and the debut performance of the rock group "Bad Habit" lacked the extra something that would have made the skit really work. But despite these occasional lulls of laughter, a number of Wiggers' comedic talents shined through. College senior Rob Forni stood out for his roaringly funny portrayals of characters ranging from William Buckley to the troubled teacher of an SAT prep class. Forni continues to be one of Wig's consistently funny actors and his antics on stage always keep the audience laughing. Also deserving of kudos were College junior Christian Fletcher as the loser in the finals of the "Suave Olympics" and College sophomore Michael Shames as the leading man in the mafia musical which closed the first act. Extra credit goes to Shames for his talents both as a dancer and as choreographer for the show. The choreography was complex yet clean, and in occasional solos, Shames really put on a show. Another highlight of the evening was the debut of Wig Business Manager Ira Hillman, a Wharton senior. The show was Hillman's first appearance in a University show, and judging by the audience's applause, it should not be his last. Lastly, the Mask and Wig band, headed by Wharton junior Steve Raneri and College senior Steve Coopersmith, provided excellent musical accompaniment for the action on stage, but more noticeable were the snippets of popular songs such as R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People" played during set changes. Male Chauvinist Wyg continues through Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in the Houston Hall Auditorium. Tickets are $6 and are available on Locust Walk.
(11/07/91 10:00am)
Outta sight. That's what the climax of Quadramics' production of Frederick Knott's suspense thriller Wait Until Dark will be when the show opens tonight in the Annenberg School Theater. According to Director and College senior Doug Gilmartin, the high point of the show takes place during a five minute blackout in which the audience must use all their senses, except sight, to follow the action on stage. Gilmartin explained that the show focuses on three con men's attempts to obtain a doll stuffed with drugs from a blind woman named Susy. Eventually, Susy catches on and attempts to thwart their plans. The theater's darkness is designed to put the audience on the same level as Susy and force them to look at the action from her perspective, he said. "We hope to make the audience focus on the action without being able to see it," Gilmartin said. "Hopefully, the audience will finally be able to experience the world in which Susy lives." But Gilmartin promised that even without seeing it, the ending will be "intense, dramatic, and frightening." College freshman Andrea Kemp, who plays Susy, said that it was a tremendous challenge for her to learn to play a blind woman and to "see" things from a blind person's perspective. "It really makes you appreciate your ability to see," Kemp said. "Until now, I think I've really taken my sight for granted." "People who can see will never understand the frustration of what it's like to drop something and not know where it is to pick it up," she added. Kemp's preparation for the role included interviews with students from the Overbrook School for the Blind and using blindfolds during rehearsals. "When I visited with people from the school, they really gave me insight into what it's like to be blind," she said. "They helped me understand what it means to feel my way, instead of seeing my way." But Gilmartin said that Susy is not the only intriguing character in the play. He said that Rote, the show's villain, is also a fascinating role to analyze and develop. Gilmartin said he felt challenged to create a character so purely and wholly despicable. "Rote isn't just evil," Gilmartin said. "He's maniacal, he's psychotic, he's demonic, he's everything evil in the world." Wait Until Dark opens tonight and continues through Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Annenberg School Theater. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.
(11/06/91 10:00am)
"Political Correctness" made chairman into chairperson, women into womyn, but what about wig into wyg? It seems that even the all-male comedy troupe Mask and Wig will pay homage to P.C. when they open their fall show, Male Chauvinist Wyg tonight in the Houston Hall Auditorium. Castmembers said that much of the show will be "untraditional," and guaranteed that it will be vastly different from those of years past. But Wig President Al Bingham, a College senior, said that this year's show will have much more of a connection to the University and its students. "We purposely put in a lot of Penn stuff," Bingham said. "We want the show to not just be a funny show, but one that the students can really relate to and therefore laugh at." Bingham said that one of the advantages of the fall show is that it is entirely geared toward University students. "Our spring show is for Philadelphia, Penn students and the general population," Bingham said. "But our fall show is written particularly for Penn students." Bingham added that the skits performed will be almost the same every night, which also differs from year's past. "In previous years, we cut skits from night to night if they weren't working," Bingham said. "But this year the show is so solid that it should be pretty much the same each performance." But Wigger and College senior Michael Silberman had different reasons for why students should come see the show. "We're showing more skin this year than any other year," Silberman said. "Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, we're easily the sexiest group on campus." Silberman also said that the set, which depicts a very condensed view of the University campus, will help students enjoy the show. "They're going to see the campus on stage," Silberman said. "We've got a high rise, the Quad, some trees . . . we've even got Ben." Musical accompaniment for the show will be provided by the Mask and Wig Band, made up entirely of undergraduates, playing popular songs, musical interludes, as well as original compositions as part of some of the skits. Male Chauvinist Wyg opens tonight at 8 p.m. and continues through Saturday with 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. shows. Tickets are $5 for tonight, $6 for other performances and are available on Locust Walk.
(11/01/91 10:00am)
Three groups. Two concerts. One weekend. No instruments. The Pennchants, a sub-group of the Glee Club, will present Three Years of Gritz: A decade of perfect hominy tonight at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in the Annenberg School Theater. Also appearing at the Pennchants performance will be Arts House Dance and the Oxford Blues, an all female a cappella group from Haverford College. And though Pennchants co-Music Director Dan Polster, a College senior, did not wish to divulge the names of the songs that will make their debut tonight, he did say that such old favorites as "Fame" and "I Want You Back" would be performed. College senior Daniel Katz also said that the group, which is noted for their creative dance steps as well as their close harmonies, does not feel threatened with Arts House Dance on the same program. "We do some cheesy choreography," Katz said. "But most of the time our dancing is sexy, provacative and a bit nutty." "We do Korean fan dances," added Wharton senior Myong Leigh. "I've never seen Arts House do any of those." Also this weekend, the all male a cappella group Chord-on Blues will present a joint show with the all female group Quaker Notes called "West Philly 19104" in Kelly & Cohen's Restaurant. Wharton senior Rick Morris, the Chords' president, said that the idea of a joint show was not an unusual concept for the two groups. "The groups complement each other very well," Morris said. "So well, in fact, that four of our last five fall shows have been with Quaker Notes." The two groups will each do approximately 45 minutes of singing and will end with a joint rendition of "Shiny Happy People" originally recorded by pop group R.E.M. But Morris cautioned all fanatic fans of the television series of a similar name that none of the stars would be making guest appearances at the show. "Luke will not be here," Morris said. "Well, actually he canceled at the last minute, but I repeat, he will not be here. We don't need any riots on our hands." West Philly 19104 opens tonight at 8 p.m. and continues tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. and again at 10:00 p.m. Tickets for both the Pennchants show and the Chords/Quaker Notes show are available on Locust Walk.
(10/31/91 10:00am)
If the whole is only as good as the sum of its parts, then Theatre Arts' opening night performance of Lanford Wilson's Burn This had plenty of good "parts." These highlights included excellent performances by College sophomore Jonathan Pitt and College junior Anthony Byrnes and a particularly attractive set design by College senior Dipu Gupta. Pitt's performance was near-perfect, portraying the homosexual Larry with just the right amount of humor and sincerity. Larry is the character which offers the audience comic relief, and Pitt's comic timing was superb. Director Sara Rutstein, a College senior, also deserves credit for not making Larry too comical. Her direction allowed the audience to perceive Larry as a character with whom they could laugh as well as relate. As the emotionally mixed-up Pale, Byrnes's performance was equally well executed. Byrnes's rare ability to portray Pale's violent mood swings with a ringing sense of realism made his angry tirades never seem overly forced or contrived. Engineering junior Rafe Pery, as the screenwriter Burton, gave a good performance, but his costume in the first act severely minimized its impact. Dressed in sweats and a Dodgers cap, Pery looked more like an adolescent teenager than an adult male, making it difficult to see him as involved in a loving adult relationship. It would be too strong to say that Julia Rose's performance as Anna was lacking, but it was noticeably less convincing than those given by her co-actors. While Byrnes's portrayal of Pale, one of Anna's love interests, was deeply revealing, the audience never really saw beyond Anna's surface personality. Much deserved kudos go to set designer Gupta who created a startlingly realistic set in the small stage space of the Studio Theater. With very little space to work with, Gupta built a set which complements the performance wonderfully. One other important note is the play's length. While the script sustains interest throughout the story, the performance, including intermission, lasts over two hours. This, however, should not stop audiences from experiencing the show. Burn This continues in the Annenberg Center's Studio Theater through Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.
(10/30/91 10:00am)
Even without a real fire, sparks will still fly when Theater Arts' production of Lanford Wilson's Burn This opens tonight in the Annenberg Center Studio Theater. According to College senior and Director Sara Rutstein, Burn This does not deal with one specific issue or emotion, but confronts a wide range of topics from death and love, to marriage and homosexuality. Rutstein did not want to divulge any plot details, saying the story -- especially the ending -- has many exciting twists and turns which, if revealed out of context, would lessen their impact. "The ending definitely makes sense," Rutstein said. "But it's definitely not what you'd expect." And while the play does deal with serious issues, cast members said it is not "too heavy" and has several humorous scenes. "The show is very dynamic," said College sophomore Jonathan Pitt. "Even the serious scenes have a lighter mood about them." Rutstein said she hopes the wide range of issues covered in the play will draw a more diverse audience. She said the show's story transcends the age barrier. "It's not just a story about young adults and relationships," Rutstein said. "It's a universal story which audiences from age 18 to 88 can relate to." From the start of rehearsals, one of the major challenges facing the director and cast has been how to deal with a heterosexual actor who would be playing a homosexual character, Rutstein said. However, Pitt -- who plays the part of the homosexual Larry -- said he had little difficulty in understanding his character and relating to him. "The fact that he is homosexual is only a fraction of Larry's personality," Pitt said. "While I am not a homosexual, there is a great deal of his character with which I can truly identify." Pitt added that much of the credit for his ability to portray Larry must go to playwright Wilson. Pitt said it "really helps" that Larry's lines are purposely written in a different style in order to set him apart from the other characters. "Wilson's words make it much easier to portray a complex and difficult character," Pitt said. Director Rutstein said that Pitt's character, as well as the other three characters in the play, could easily be labeled as "stereotypical." "Any of them could be viewed as stereotypes for people we see every day in society," said Rutstein. "But we purposely tried to grasp other aspects of each personality to create fuller, more well-rounded characters." Burn This opens tonight and continues through Saturday in the Annenberg Center's Studio Theater at 8 p.m. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.
(10/25/91 9:00am)
There is so much and so little to say about Without a Net's opening performance of Masters & Johnson of the Universe in Houston Hall Auditorium last night. So little, because there was no set, no costumes -- monochrome t-shirts excluded -- no script, and due to some unfinished circuiting, no lights for the stage. So much, because the show still managed to be hysterically funny, wildly entertaining, and left the audience rolling in the aisles. And if that wasn't enough, because of the nature of improvisation, Saturday night's shows will be totally different from last night's performance. In a performing arts season which will feature scores of a capella groups and all sorts of theatrical productions, Without a Net is a welcome change. It offers a show free of lofty pretense, whose sole purpose is to make people laugh. Improvisation is perhaps the most difficult style of comedy, but Net members have clearly mastered it, as evidenced by their rendition of the improv opera "Oprahoma," sung by not-quite-tenors College senior Larry Wagner and Wharton senior Ed Carse together with not-quite-divas College seniors Stephanie Brown and Yasmin Tuazon. Last night's performance also featured some never-before-tried sketches including "Pop-up Storyteller," "Silent Movie," and "Point of View," which featured a side-splitting rendition of the Boston Tea Party as seen through the eyes of The Terminator, Al Capone and Kermit the Frog. And while audience participation, an integral part of any Net show, was not in abundance, the rave reviews for the show were to be heard everywhere. "It was better than Gremlins," said elementary school sixth grader Dara Abraham, cousin of Net performer Adam Abraham. "But it wasn't better than E.T. Nothing is better than E.T." Masters & Johnson of the Universe continues on Saturday night at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.
(10/24/91 9:00am)
It's new and improved, larger and longer, but still has 100 percent original flavor. It's the New Theater Project, the expanded version of previous years' Collaborative One Acts, in which several student playwrights will see their original scripts performed on stage for the very first time. But unlike in years past, the Project will be more festival-oriented, lasting several days and showcasing not just original one act plays in campus theaters but also short performance pieces to be played in open areas around campus. The One Acts were started several years ago to attract more diverse audiences to student shows as well as to encourage inexperienced but interested students to try their hands at writing for the theater. College junior Christopher Campbell, one of the board members, said the Project will feature three distinct types of theatrical entertainment. The first will be three traditional Mainstage productions, which will feature students' original scripts. The shows will be performed in the Annenberg Center's Harold Prince Theater. Campbell said that for students interested in the technical side of theater, these Mainstage productions will be an excellent opportunity for them to gain entry into the world of University theater in a small-scale environment. "People shouldn't shy away from applying for production positions just because they haven't done any college theater yet," Campbell said. "We're not looking for long resumes. We want to give the new people a chance to break into Penn theater on a low-pressure show." "The Project is just as much about production as it is about creating new and original theater," he added. The second group of shows will be comprised of several pieces, complete works and individual scenes, staged in alternative, more intimate environments such as a Rathskellar or the Underground Cafe. The board said it hopes these pieces will also be original, but Campbell said that other, non-original pieces will also be considered. "These alternative productions are a chance for directors to stage a scene they've always wanted to direct, or direct actors they've always wanted to work with," Campbell said. For this reason directors of these shows will be asked to exclusively do their own casting independent of the group auditions which will be held for the mainstage productions. The third group of productions will be a series of "sideshows" -- short pieces in which actors, writers, and directors will let their creative imaginations "go wild." "It's really an open invitation for people to blow off steam theatrically," Campbell said. "It's a chance to try something you never considered possible in an non-traditional setting like Hill Field or Superblock." College senior Joshua Goldsmith had his one-act play produced last year and said that the experience proved to be invaluable. "Writing, for me, is the purest form of expression," Goldsmith said. "Its a new and exciting feeling to watch your words and emotions played out on stage by other people." Goldsmith encouraged student playwrights not to be afraid to submit their scripts for the Project. "There's no other forum for student-written theater on this campus," he said. "And such a wonderful opportunity to see your work realized on stage may never present itself again." Campbell said that the deadline for the submission of scripts is tomorrow. Interviews for those interested in working on the Project's production staff will be held on November 2 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and the Project itself will be held the last weekend in January.
(10/24/91 9:00am)
For young, ambitious film directors, making movies is the fun part. Getting people to watch them is the hard part. The films to be shown at the annual festival have all been written, produced, and directed by University students. In addition, the premiere of three student films never before shown in public will be screened at the event. College senior Cort Fey, one of the Foundation's board members, said that the Festival will provide an invaluable opportunity for directors to see how their film holds up with an objective, impartial audience. "It's very important for a filmmaker to be with the audience when they experience the film," Fey said. "When you get really close to a film, you don't really see the problems that an objective audience might see in it." Fey added that the audience will also benefit from having the directors present at screenings to answer questions afterwards. "It will hopefully give students insight into the movie-making process by being able to discuss the various choices the directors made with the actual director," Fey said. College senior Alon Kaplan, another of the Foundation's board members, said that the audience will be able to learn things from the student films that they would never glean from seeing a million-dollar movie in a local theatre. "If you go to a Hollywood film, there's no way to learn anything constructive from it," Kaplan said. "But going to a student film, you really learn what can be done within the medium." Fey said that the Festival was designed to get interested students involved in the Foundation's future projects which include the filming of a 20-minute film entitled "Scooby Doo: The Case of the Irate Thespian." Kaplan said he hopes that student film festivals will be held more frequently on campus and will include films from nearby schools such as Temple University, Drexel University, and Rutgers University. He said that the Foundation ultimately hopes to organize an Ivy League Film Festival showcasing student films written, directed, and produced by students in Ivy League schools. Kaplan said he hopes that students will not be discouraged from coming to a film "festival," thinking that all the films shown will be esoteric and "artsy." "Some of the student films are really funny and really entertaining," Kaplan said. "Students shouldn't worry that the all the films will be too deep." The festival begins at 7 p.m. on Sunday in McClelland Hall in the Quadrangle. Admission is free but donations to the Foundation will be encouraged.
(10/04/91 9:00am)
There are few who would claim that the best actors, directors, and designers on Broadway are graduates of the University. But Interact Theatre Company's production of Allan Havis' Morocco, which opened last night in the Annenberg Center's Studio Theatre, was certainly a testimonial to the University's ability to turn out top-notch theater professionals. Nearly half of the cast and production members are or were University students and the University's technical advisor to student performing arts, Peter Whinnery, co-designed the sets and designed the lighting for the show. And quite a show it was. Interact may have its roots in the University, but Morocco is clearly high-class, professional as well as a riveting and intense production. All of the actors were excellently directed by Interact's founder Seth Rozin, but particularly notable was Bruce Robinson as the Colonel. His performance was extremely focused and his character so entirely well-shaped that his believability was never in question. Solid performances were also turned in by Stephen Hatzai and Lillian Rozin, the director's sister, with special kudos for Hatzai and his emotional and crazed performance in the third act. The set was quite simple but incredibly effective. Various tables and chairs sufficed for furniture and five wicker blinds stretching the height of the stage formed a half-circle behind the actors and were used as "doors." These blinds were particularly inventive and, when hung at different positions throughout the show, effectively changed the playing space and made the characters' exits and entrances all the more interesting. Interact will continue their performances on weekends through October 19, but are also preparing for their next production -- a University-commissioned performance of Wole Soyinka's version of The Bacchae, the play which is the subject of the University's freshman writing project. Rozin said one of his goals is to become the in-residence theatre group at the University, a role which he says Interact has already unofficially assumed. As such, he wishes to stage plays which deal with subjects directly affecting the University community. Morocco runs for the next three weekends in the Annenberg Center's Studio Theater. All performances are at 8 p.m., with Saturday Matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15.00, with half-price tickets available to students and senior citizens, and are on sale at the Annenberg Box Office.
(09/26/91 9:00am)
For performing arts fans, it may just be the best deal going. In an effort to boost interest and expand audiences for student productions, the leaders of several student theatre groups are offering a special subscription rate for four shows being produced this fall. Normally, tickets for student shows are five dollars. But the subscription package includes tickets for four shows for $15. Kent Davis, Penn Players chairperson, said this week that the idea for a subscription series was born at a series of informal meetings held last spring at which liaisons from the four groups discussed ways of diversifying the University's theatre audiences. Davis said that the purpose of the subscription was twofold. First, each of the groups felt that they could only attract a certain specific audience to their shows. "It seemed to us that each group had its own audience," Davis said. "But we wanted to broaden that audience so that people would go see several shows and not just the same group year after year." Davis also said that the subscriptions were geared to those who had never been to a student show before. "There are many students who, if they bought tickets to the shows, would have a great time," Davis said. "Our hope was to get these students to buy the subscriptions." Christopher Campbell, a College junior and Intuitons secretary, said that one of the biggest problems with student theatre over the years has been that only theater people go to the shows. Campbell explained that this problem has carried over to the subscription sales. "Theater people think it's a great idea," Campbell said. "But most of them are already in one or two shows and it isn't worth it for them to buy subscriptions." "We're really gearing this to people who have no interest in the theatre other than enjoying a few pleasant entertaining evenings," he added. Campbell said the subscriptions were first available at the Performing Arts table at Center for University of Pennsylvania Identification, but while many people came to the table and found out all about performing arts, few actually bought the subscriptions because students said the shows were too far off in the future. "We have to find people when they are ready to go see the shows and will spend money to do so," he said. Campbell said that he will contact Residential Advisors and Events Managers to see if they are interested in offering subscriptions to their residents. "It's a great way for a whole floor to go see a few shows together and save a good deal of money," Campbell said. Campbell added that as show openings draw nearer, subscriptions will be available on Locust Walk.
(09/26/91 9:00am)
It was a simple case of supply exceeding demand. According to the leaders of many student performing arts groups, more freshmen came out to audition for performing arts groups this year than ever before. The number of freshmen auditioning was so high this year that even groups that normally have trouble recruiting new members were overwhelmed by the number of freshmen who auditioned and the number of students wanting roles exceeded the spaces available. Bruce Montgomery, the group's director, said not only was he impressed by the number of freshmen who came out for auditions, but also by the students' abilities. "I was certainly impressed with the vast array of talents many of the freshmen displayed," Montgomery said. Arts House Dance Chairperson Kristy Stern said that she was impressed by the turnout for the University's three dance troupes, since they are lesser known on campus. "Penn doesn't attract performing arts people in general, especially in dance because the University has no dance department," Stern said. "So it is encouraging to see so many people come out and audition." The biggest problem facing aspiring freshmen was the lack of parts in the various theatrical productions being produced this fall. Five of the six productions offer fewer than 10 roles. "There were so few roles offered this semester," said Theatre Arts Director Sara Rutstein. "Many upperclassmen with extensive experience in Penn theatre had trouble getting cast." But there were a few freshmen whose talents lifted them above their peers and earned them roles in a fall production. For these freshmen, getting cast was all the more satisfying knowing how difficult the competition was this year. College freshman Andrea Kemp, who was cast in the female lead of Quadramics' production of Wait Until Dark, said she thought that freshmen would have no chance at getting cast in leading roles. "I heard that freshman weren't going to get any leads," Kemp said. But theatre and dance groups were not the only ones to benefit from this year's talent boom. A cappella groups also had a chance to pick and choose from some of the best vocalists the freshmen class had to offer. Engineering senior David Quart, Off The Beat music director, said that the group auditioned a record 80 students, over half of which were freshmen. Quart said that many a cappella groups have only a few spots to offer and that freshmen who were not accepted this year should definitely re-audition for groups in the spring and next fall.
