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(08/09/04 1:06am)
Battling the mosquitoes, the threat of rain and the wet grass Friday and Saturday, Bloomington residents assembled at the Third Street Park to see the Monroe County Civic Theatre's production of "Macbeth." Seated on folding chairs or lounging on the grass, the audience members were treated to an essential production that is a rare commodity these days.\n"Macbeth" is a challenging play because of a plot abundant with murders, bloodshed, witchcraft and nihilistic sentiments. But the cast of the MCCT production managed to pull off their performances with confidence. \nKacie Leblong performed the short but legendary role of Lady Macbeth with elegance and skill. Leblong, who is also an Indiana Daily Student employee, captured Lady Macbeth's chilling tone when she chided Macbeth for his cowardice and urged him to murder King Duncan in the famous line: "Infirm of purpose! / Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead / are but pictures."\nThe intense and impenetrable actress remained composed until the final scene when she laments: "What is done cannot be undone."\nHer co-actor, Ben Aldred, who played Macbeth, did not seem equally determined to capture the intensity of Macbeth's ambition. His laid-back swagger and jolly countenance added an interesting American spin to the quiet, puppet-like character of Macbeth. Despite the awkward expression of character, his line delivery was flawless and he excelled in the sword fighting with Macduff and the young Siward. He delivered the famous speech of Macbeth on life as a walking shadow with passion. \nJane Clevenger and Josh Mulford shined as they displayed both talent and stamina by juggling roles. Clevenger doubled as a doctor/witch and did justice to both characters. She was very convincing as the doctor who overheard Lady Macbeth's confession and attempt to wash the invisible blood off her hands. Her incantation with the other two witches around the cauldron was one of the most stimulating moments of the play. Clevenger's performance was truly electrifying, and her clarity was admirable.\nIt was Josh Mulford who juggled several roles: Donalbain, Young Siward and Fleance. Mulford was brilliant in all his roles. He captured the terrified Fleance who witnesses Banquo's murder, the courageous young Siward, who challenges Macbeth to a duel and was killed by Macbeth, and the earnest Fleance was killed with Lady Macduff.\nGreg Jacobs and Sara Jonson did an excellent job with the sound and lighting, which compensated for the minimal sets. Clevenger's costumes were as well thought out as her acting; the checkered robes flattered the actors and created a Scottish ambience necessary for the play.\nOne of the most entertaining aspects of MCCT's productions has been the request for donations before the interval. The request is always made by the characters who perform the preceding scene. This time Hecate, played by Kasi Spyker, sent off her witches to make the rounds carrying urns saying, "Make sure to put in your bit when you go lest you offend the witches or the ancient goddess Hecatewose bills are soaring." \nThe performance was flawless except for a little editing I wish MCCT would do. I admire their determination to abide by the text, but I also wish they had edited the not-so-fascinating conversation between Malcolm and Macduff on the bleeding of Scotland since King Duncan's murder. I also had mixed feelings about the wisdom of having Macduff bring Macbeth's head on his sword. Since there was no trace of blood on the mask, it felt more comic than scary.\nAll in all, the production is a source of delight not only for the Shakespeare purists but for anyone who wants to get acquainted with Jacobean drama. The stage combat, as promised by the assistant director and stage manager, Susan Anderson, is one of the most exciting aspects of the show. So, next Friday, pick up your chairs and beverages, make a beeline to the show and celebrate the end of summer school.
(08/05/04 1:14am)
Macbeth," the last of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, will be performed at the Third Street Park over the next two weeks. As the 80th production of the Monroe County Civic Theater, this play is the second and last installment of Shakespeare in the summer series. \nSet in Scotland, the play traces Macbeth's ambitious rise to power with the collaboration of his wife. Inspired by the three witches' prophecy, Macbeth embarks on a series of murders, including his king, Duncan, while he is asleep. Composed in late 1606 or early 1607, Macbeth engages in a powerful exploration of the psychology and motivations of an ambitious couple who ultimately fail to retain power.\nDirector David Michel said he is excited about his directorial debut in Shakespearean theater. \n"I really like this play, and I am enjoying directing it," Michel said. "The entertainment value of this play is exquisite."\nMichel said graduate student Ben Aldred's performance as Macbeth has been impressive.\n"Aldred and the other cast members have previous experience with Shakespearean theater, so they are comfortable with the language," Michel said. "I have been working on making early modern language sound natural and fluid."\nAldred, who has acted in "The Winter's Tale," "Much Ado About Nothing" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream," said the iambic pentameter line structure and the rhythm helped him memorize some lines more easily.\nSenior Kacie Leblong, a theatre major at IU and also an employee for the Indiana Daily Student, will perform the role of Lady Macbeth. She said the memorization was a little bit of a challenge because the speech patterns are intricate and complicated. \nLeblong said this was a great opportunity for her as an actress.\n"Lady Macbeth is very motivated, unlike most other female characters that are flimsy or ingenue," she said. \nSusan Anderson, stage manager and assistant director of the production, said she shares Leblong's passion for Lady Macbeth.\n"She is fabulous," Anderson said. "In this production, there is enough chemistry between (Aldred and Leblong) to bring them out as the evil couple."\nAnderson said the actors will wear costumes inspired by Renaissance styles. \n"The men will wear kilts to create a Scottish atmosphere," she said.\nAnderson said the theater is also setting up a booth to sell Renaissance clothing and William Shakespeare T-shirts.\nAldred said the show will be very exciting because it is a tragedy with the additional attraction of stage combat, which Anderson said she is enthusiastic about.\n"There will be sword play with metal swords," she said. "And the actors will be coming from different directions through the audience."\nAldred said the cast and the crew was aiming for a very essential production of Macbeth. \n"We are just trying to produce the best Macbeth possible," he said.\nLeblong said the audience members can look forward to watching this celebrated play in a very easygoing atmosphere.\n"You can bring your food, chairs and blankets," Leblong said. "For people who are daunted by Shakespearean plays, this is a great opportunity to watch one of his shortest ones."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(07/22/04 1:53am)
The nationally acclaimed Wood and Strings Puppet Theatre Company will perform "Out of the Mist ... A Dragon" at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. The performance is part of the Buskirk-Chumley Family Series organized by the theater and Bloomington Parks and Recreation.\nWSPT has performed on National Geographic Live in Washington, D.C. and The Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City, and has been nominated for the Tennessee Governor's Award in the Arts.\nProducer Clarissa Lega and Artistic Director Leon Fuller have been doing puppet performances for more than 20 years. Fuller said it took a lot of research and practice for the group to perfect their techniques.\n"We researched at university libraries, saw photographs and video footage to learn about puppetry styles and to create reproductions," he said. "We then learned how to manipulate the puppets and practiced for several years." \nFuller said the most challenging aspect of "Out of the Mist ... A Dragon" is the production's use of the Bunraku technique -- a classical Japanese puppetry style.\n"It requires coordination between the puppeteers, besides a mastery of the technique," he said.\nFuller said this production deals with issues of self-worth, confidence and triumph through determination.\nThe show is about an overlord who prays to a goddess for a suitable match for his daughter. Meanwhile, a fisherman begs for a wife and the goddess pairs him with the overlord's daughter.\n"This is a forbidden arrangement for that time period in Japan," Lega said. \nThe fisherman is transformed into a dragon and travels the world. Over the course of his adventures, he watches many puppet shows and gains spiritual insight. His travels earn him knowledge and experience. \n"By the time he returns to Japan, he is worthy of the match with the overlord's daughter," Lega said.\nLega said the audience will get a glimpse of the popular puppetry styles across the world.\nDanielle McClelland, director of Buskirk-Chumley, said she first became acquainted with WSPT when she attended a national booking conference. She invited them for the Family Series because she was very impressed by the group's professional and wide-ranging puppetry styles. \n"Their puppetry is skillfully executed," McClelland said. \nFuller said the theater company's productions have been wonderfully received by all ages.\n"The adults who bring their children to our shows are pleasantly surprised because they get as much out of the shows as their children," he said.\nMcClelland said she was confident the show would appeal to the masses.\n"The dual level of performance appeals to adults and children," she said. "There are surprises and magic in store for children, but the story is also about making personal choices and seeking the truth. The moral of the tale resonates even with adults who are 80."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(07/22/04 1:25am)
The IU School of Continuing Studies is offering its first online course to help international students prepare for the Test of English as a Foreign Language.\nNon-native speakers of English are required to take TOEFL to gain admission into a major college or university in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia. The computer-based TOEFL test, administered by the Educational Testing Service, consists of four sections: listening, structure, reading and writing. \nThe 10-week non-credit course offered by SCS will prepare students primarily for the TOEFL essay topics in the writing section of the test. The course content was developed by Bruce Leeds, adjunct assistant professor with the IU Center for English Language Training. Leeds has 20 years of experience in preparing international students for the TOEFL and was formerly an official reader for the writing section of the test.\nLeeds said the course was a logical extension of what he had been doing in the classroom for 20 years. He has recently become a champion of the idea of online test preparation.\n"In my 20 years' experience, I have observed that it is much more difficult for students to understand and retain changes in their essays when I communicate orally with them," he said. "I have been focusing on the Internet more and more to communicate with my students these days."\nLeeds said he had also talked about offering other kinds of skills training.\nDharmasari Haroun, a recent IU graduate and resident of Singapore, said she finds it more comforting to sit next to an instructor while he edits her text and explains each step.\nSenior Amy Oh, a native of South Korea, said this course could do well even though there are many institutes offering personalized coaching in South Korea.\n"You could get personal coaching for $500," she said. "And many international students who are very good are coming to teach in Korea."\nJudy Wertheim, interim dean of SCS, said the course was geared primarily toward students who lived far away from test prep institutes or found the timing inconvenient.\n"Online courses are convenient and, of course, eco-friendly ... They save paper as well," Haroun said. "But $500 is slightly steep for an online course."\nOh said the biggest problem with TOEFL has been the 30-minute time limit for the essay since it became computerized.\nLeeds said the instruction will be tailored to the needs of each student to address individual problems. \n"For example, with one student whose linguistic skills are high, I may focus on such global concerns as the organization or development of her ideas, while with another student I may focus on more local problems, such as word choice or grammar issues," Leeds said.\n"The main point is that the beauty of this kind of course allows the instructor to respond to each student's individual needs and in a fashion that allows students to see the instructor's comments and suggestions typed out clearly in the right-hand margin of their essays," he added.\nOh said 40 essays was an unreasonable number for 10 weeks.\n"I think 10-15 essays is more like what I would actually be able to do," she said.\nHaroun also addressed the issue of equipment that might pose a barrier to the easy access of such a course.\n"At IU, we are lucky to have such fast servers, but many students do not have access to the equipment required for this course," she said.\nWertheim said word-of-mouth reports about the course have been positive. \n"We have high hopes of its success," she said.\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(07/19/04 1:50am)
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin will talk to opposition leaders this month to plan the course for the country's new minority government. The prime minister is expected to announce his cabinet appointments Tuesday.\nLed by Paul Martin, the Liberal Party formed a minority government in Canada after the results of general elections were announced June 29. This is the first minority administration in Canada in the last 25 years.\nThe incumbent Liberals have won comfortable majorities since 1993 but lost 37 seats this year because of voter dissatisfaction over scandals involving misappropriation of money by Liberal-affiliated advertising agencies. \nThe announcement of a Liberal majority came as a surprise to many experts and members of the media since voter surveys had predicted a close tie between the liberals and conservatives. Stephen Harper, who led the newly united Conservatives, at one point, told his followers to prepare for government since he was predicted to pull off a victory.\nLori Poloni-Staudinger, a graduate student in political science at IU, attributed the Liberal victory to the Canadians' discomfort with Harper's social conservatism.\n"His fiscal conservatism may play well in relation to the scandal, but the majority of Canadians have tended to shy away from social conservative stances," she said.\nBrian Shoup, graduate student in comparative politics and public policy, said Martin won by successfully convincing Canadians that a Conservative victory would spell an end to a number of social welfare programs. \n"Whether the Conservatives could actually do this is doubtful, but it was certainly a good strategy for Martin to pursue," Shoup said.\nAccording to the BBC, Harper's provocative statements suggesting that Martin was soft on pornography annoyed voters and even right-wing newspapers. Some of his party members' insinuated that a Harper government would attack abortion rights and impede legal steps to enable same-sex marriages, which also irked voters.\nThis general election also witnessed a landslide victory by the separatist party Bloc Québécois in its French-speaking province. The Bloc Québécois political object is for Quebec to secede from Canada and become an independent nation.\nShoup said that Bloc Québécois victory in Quebec does not signal any credible resurgence in secession efforts.\n"(Leader of the Bloc Québécois, Gilles Duceppe) was pretty careful with his words during the campaign, stressing that his party would represent Quebec's interests in the national government, as opposed to playing up the idea of independence," he said. "I think (Bloc Québécois) realized that this scandal represented their best electoral opportunity in years and clearly the Conservatives weren't going to make huge headway in Quebec."\nPoloni-Staudinger said the Liberals' image has not been permanently tainted by scandals.\n"I don't think that something like this will have particularly long-lasting impact on the party's image," she said. "I don't think that the scandal will permanently scar the party over the long term, but it may become an annoyance to Martin."\nJournalism professor Michael Evans said Martin has the potential to salvage the party. \n"He has the reputation for reliability to do it," Evans said. "Basically, the Liberals need to clean up their act and let some time pass without scandal."\nAccording to The Economist, the leftward tilt will be a challenge for Martin who as finance minister balanced Canada's books by cutting spending and taxes.\nPoloni-Staudinger said as the leader of a minority party, Martin will find it harder to cut spending.\n"Usually, during periods of minority rule, spending needs to increase rather than decrease in order to appeal to a wider audience," she said. "Also, if the New Democrats become a partner of sorts to the Liberals, it will be very difficult to cut spending as the New Democrats are arguing for increased social spending."\nThe survival of this government has become a pressing issue since most minority governments have an average lifespan of 18 months in Canada.\nShoup said it is possible that Martin can cobble together support on an issue-to-issue basis.\nPoloni-Staudinger and Evans do not share Shoup's confidence in Martin's ability to garner support and build coalitions.\n"Martin is a safe, solid, competent leader -- but not exactly dynamic or exciting," Evans said. "I think he will have to work hard to shore up his support nationwide, which may well mean calling for another election soon."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(07/01/04 1:46am)
In a decision that could be one of the largest setbacks to President Bush's war on terrorism, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had the right to a judicial review of evidence against them. The 6-3 Supreme Court ruling made the writ of habeas corpus available to detainees classified as enemy combatants by the U.S. government. \nIn the case, Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, Yaser Esam Hamdi was taken prisoner in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 attacks. The Taliban government in Afghanistan was accused by U.S. officials of providing safe haven to al-Qaida. Hamdi's case was filed against U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.\nThe decision led to Pentagon's announcement of the formation of a five-member military tribunal Tuesday to hear the cases of enemy combatants. The majority of suspects are currently held at a detention center at Camp Delta naval station at Guantanamo Bay and at detention centers within the United States.\nPatrick Baude, professor of law and public service, said constitutional civil rights could be upheld while strengthening national security.\n"The framers of the constitution had experience with conditions of war," Baude said. "Every war looks different, but in essence, it is the same. The driving force of this decision is the American constitutional law. It expresses a consensus that the president is not above the law."\nDina Spechler, associate professor of political science, said she also had not anticipated the ruling.\n"Given the nature of this Supreme Court, I was personally surprised with the decision to pose an obstacle in pursuing the central policy of this administration," Spechler said.\nBaude said the ruling may have been influenced by the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq. Seven U.S. soldiers in Iraq were accused of humiliating and mistreating Iraqi detainees in their custody. \n"It is hard to believe that the reversals at Abu Ghraib have not influenced this decision," Baude said. \nSpechler said the ruling did not guarantee the release of prisoners.\n"It may turn out that none of them have a case," Spechler said. "And some of them might have one, but it is not clear that even if these cases are brought before a tribunal, they will win."\nSpechler added the ruling may have a positive impact in improving the U.S. image in the Middle East and elsewhere.\n"The Supreme Court decision might help the U.S. gain respect and win support at an international level," Spechler said.\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(07/01/04 1:11am)
The proposal for a new utilities plant at IU was recently rejected in favor of renovations for the existing plant. The utilities plant, located on Walnut Grove, provides hot and cold water to campus buildings residence halls. The construction of the new plant was slated for 2006 and estimated to cost $120 million.\nUtilities Manager Michael McGinnis said cost was a primary concern.\n"We presented the (IU) board (of trustees) with three alternatives: renovate the existing plant, switch fuels or build a new plant," McGinnis said. "They agreed on the philosophy of fuel flexibility but opted for renovations, which will cost $45 million." \nThe technology at the utilities plant, which was constructed in the 1950s, is now obsolete and will have to be updated to meet clean air regulations for Indiana effective by 2007. According to the Clean Air Act, power plants must use Maximum Available Control Technology to reduce pollution.\nPhilip Stevens, professor of atmospheric chemistry at IU, said a new power plant would significantly reduce emissions.\nPhysical Plant Director Hank Hewetson said although the new facility would have greatly reduced emissions, the renovation will also have the same outcome.\n"The new plant would have been up and running in a short period of time, and it would have had a brand new compliance facility," Hewetson said. "But the emissions have to be reduced to meet state standards, and that is what the upgrades will do in phases."\nUtility Supervisor Jim Bayne said he had a lot of affection for the present utilities building and the boilers.\n"All the boilers have personalities like people," Bayne said. "Some are easy to operate and some give a lot of trouble."\nBayne said the current plant currently uses 95 percent coal and 5 percent natural gas. The proposed plant was going to be an oil and gas plant.\nCoal, according to the journal Scientific American, is a dirty fuel that can ravage the land when mined and produce acid rain that damages lakes, forests and crops.\nAccording to the EPA, large coal burning power plants in the Midwest have received attention for their contribution to acid rain because of the high sulfur content of the coal they use. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released from the Midwestern power plants rise high into the air and are carried by winds toward the East Coast and Canada, causing acid rain.\n"The sulfur dioxide emissions depend upon the quality of coal we use," McGinnis said. "Last year when the coal had lower sulfur content, the cost of our permits dropped by 50 percent," referring to the permits that record the plant's program for meeting sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Those records are then submitted to the state and EPA.\nHewetson said the renovated plant will use coal as its primary source of fuel.\n"We have a 500-year supply of Indiana coal, and we must use it," he said. "But the new boilers will have fuel flexibility, and people have tried using biomass and shredded tires."\nMcGinnis said the cost of using natural gas is three times that of coal.\nAccording to the United Nations Environment Program, natural gas generates fewer pollutants than any other fossil fuel, as well as less carbon dioxide. \nStevens said he believes even though coal fired plants contribute significantly to air pollution, the utilities plant is a small player in the pollution scheme of Bloomington.\n"Automobiles are the biggest source of air pollution in Bloomington," Stevens said. "If students use public transportation or ride a bike to classes instead of driving everyday, the reduction in pollution levels will be significant."\nStevens said the option of renewable sources of energy for the utilities plant would be considered only if students expressed a demand for it.\n"If you have students saying that they want renewable sources of energy and are willing to pay higher tuition for it, then that option can definitely be considered," he said.\nBayne said he was excited about the renovation.\n"Cutting-edge pollution control equipment is going to be added to the boilers," he said. "I will work to operate the plant as efficiently and economically with as little pollution for my son at IU as possible."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(07/01/04 1:08am)
The School of Music's Summer Music Festival kicks off its elite summer opera season next week with Jerry Bock's 1964 musical "She Loves Me." The opera is scheduled for July 9 through 11 at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre.\n"She Loves Me," the basis for the films "You've Got Mail" and "In the Good Old Summertime," was inspired by 1940 film "The Shop Around the Corner" starring Jimmy Stewart. The film was an adaption of Miklós László's play "Parfumerie," set in Budapest.\nProtagonists Amalia Balash and Georg Nowack are co-workers at a perfumery who detest each other. Antics ensue when the two become anonymous pen friends and fall in love, unaware of each other's true identities. \nVincent Liotta, stage director and choreographer, said "She Loves Me" is a romantic drawing room comedy set to a musical. \n"It is one of my favorite shows," Liotta said. "I have always been a proponent of this musical."\nRobert O'Hearn, chairman of the design department and set designer for "She Loves Me," said he has liked this musical since he saw its first Broadway production with the original cast in 1963.\n"It has wonderful music, and it is very romantic," O'Hearn said. "It was written by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, who also wrote "The Fiddler on the Roof.'"\nO'Hearn said his set design was inspired by the picture of a story in Budapest. The set is mounted on pivot points with the perfumery on one side and the exterior of the store on the other. He said he tried to recreate the 1930's Budapest look for his set.\n"I consulted the book 'Everyday Fashions from 1930s' for the costumes," O'Hearn said. "We are using the Hungarian pengo for the currency and an old period cash register."\nSenior Nicole Brickley, crew head, revealed a personal touch the IU painting crew added to the set.\n"They have put up their picture in the perfumery and a copy of the rehearsal schedule," she said.\nO'Hearn and Brickley also mentioned the customized Oil of O'Hearn and 2004 Year of the Cicadas perfumes on display at the store.\nBrickley said the opera is going to be a unique performance because it is the first show produced by the IU Opera Theater to be held in another building.\n"This is also very different because we have just three shows instead of the regular four shows," she said. \nGraduate student Courtney Crouse, who plays the role of Amalia, said she finds the musical charming and endearing and hopes the audience will enjoy it, too.\n"It is not a typical musical," Crouse said. "It is smart, funny and fast-paced, and we have a great cast."\n--Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/28/04 1:18am)
International musicians will visit Bloomington in the Chamber Music Series this summer as part of IU's School of Music Summer Music Festival. The music series began June 25 and will run until July 21.\nJerzy Kaplanek, an associate professor who teaches violin and chamber music at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, will perform at the Summer Music Festival for the fifth time. His group, the Penderecki Quartet, will share its music with the String Academy, who teaches private and group lessons in violin, viola, cello, double bass and electric bass as well as theory and master classes and chamber music.\n"We love playing in Bloomington especially for the String Academy which is a very young audience," Kaplanek said. "The Chamber Music Series provides us with the opportunity to work with such talented kids."\nFormed in Poland in 1986, the world-renowned Penderecki Quartet recently performed in New York, Amsterdam, St. Petersburg, Paris, Poland and Venezuela. \nThe Quartet played at the music series' first recital Friday and have another performance scheduled for Tuesday at Auer Hall.\n"We loved playing on Friday with Luba Dubinsky," Kaplanek said. "On Tuesday, we will start the evening with Philip Glass followed by Tan Dun and Brahms."\nDun's music combines Western and traditional Chinese elements to create a new style.\n"We are attempting to imitate the original Chinese instruments and the sound of the Pekinese Opera," Kaplanek said.\nThe Penderecki Quartet will explain their repertoire to the audience the day before the performance.\n"This helps our audience understand the music better," Kaplanek said. \nCellist David Cole, who will accompany The Penderecki Quartet Tuesday with violist Evelina Chao, performs with his wife Carol, a violinist, in the Cole Duo at Auer Hall tonight. The couple has been performing together for 30 years.\nThe duo will play two short piano pieces from the Baroque period before playing works on cello and violin including 19th century works by by J.S. Bach and the Eastern European composers Zoltan Kodaly and Maurice Ravel.\n"Ravel was influenced by jazz colors and Kodaly was influenced by the folklore of Eastern Europe," Carol said. "Even though only the two of us are performing, it sounds like many people are playing."\nShe said she likes performing in Bloomington and Eastern Europe because the audiences are very educated about music.\nThe music series also features the Borromeo String Quartet on July 6. The Quartet, which was formed at the Curtis Institute of Music in 1989, has performed in Berlin, Tokyo, Prague, Paris and London. \nInternational soloist and chamber musician Nicholas Kitchen will play violin for Borromeo.\n"There is a strong and sincere interest in music in Indiana and Ohio," he said. "Bloomington has a healthy balance of a strong interest for music in the community and a specialized music school."\nThe group will play music by Michael Ellison and Brahms.\n"We are playing two brilliant movements by Ellison that have strains of Middle Eastern music," Kitchen said.\nHoward Klug, professor of clarinet and chair of the woodwind department at IU, performed Saturday. Klug plays music that is originally intended for the viola, bassoon, French horn, cello and voice. \n"I am trying to prove that the bass clarinet is a recital instrument rather than merely an opera instrument," he said. "The bass clarinet has a larger range than the soprano."\nKlug, who will also perform at the CAP Faculty Recital on July 25, played music by Bach, Rachaminoff and Brahms.\n"Good music transcends being played on another instrument," Klug said. "Also, the composers intended their music to be played on several instruments."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/24/04 1:28am)
National singer-songwriter Ari Hest and Bloomington bands The Swell and After Mars will play in Dunn Meadow from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday in a summer concert arranged by Union Board. \nHest, who hails from New York City, will perform at the concert as part of the promotional tour for his forthcoming debut album, "Someone To Tell," which will be released by Columbia Records Aug. 10. \nBloomington is Hest's third stop in his six-day tour of the Midwest. Hest has visited Bloomington several times and played on campus and at the Bluebird. This is the first time he will play at IU during the summer.\n"I don't know what to expect (from a summer crowd)," Hest said. "I am curious to see what kind of an audience will come."\nHest has sold more than 20,000 albums in the past four years. He performed more than 700 shows, headlining on college campuses and clubs across the country. He has opened for bands Guster, O.A.R., Maroon 5 and singer-songwriter Jason Mraz.\nHest said he is confident his concert and songs will be well received in Bloomington.\n"My bass player, Rob Calder, is a local cult hero," he said. "That is an additional perk."\nRecent IU graduate John West, who is the guitarist and lead vocalist of local rock band The Swell said he is excited about the concert.\n"I like playing outdoors, and I have a show that night at Uncle Fester's," he said. "I love a day full of gigs."\nThe Swell will play songs from their forthcoming record, which will be released in September.\nApril Lewandowski, co-director of concerts at Union Board, said the idea of summer concerts has been emerging for a long time.\n"Summer concerts are not typical," she said. "This idea was not big last year."\nLewandowski said this concert is a novel way of showing Union Board's appreciation to the students and providing options for summer entertainment.\nJeffrey Hasson, concerts co-director of Union Board, said the concert is a good way of introducing Union Board to incoming freshmen.\n"The freshmen at the orientation can see what Union Board has to offer," he said.\nHasson also highlighted the popularity of the roster of bands scheduled to perform at the event and emphasized the chance for younger viewers to enjoy their music outside of a bar setting. \n"The Swell and After Mars are local bands that are popular in the bar scene," he said. "This is a good opportunity for those who don't get a chance to listen to them at the bars."\n"Ari is a good musician, and he has played at Bloomington before," Hasson continued. "He is coming with his full band, so that is an added bonus."\nLewandowski said she has heard great things about Ari and hopes all the summer students will come to the concert.\n"I'd love to see everyone on campus come," she said. "But the most important thing is that the audience should enjoy the concert."\nLewandowski said concert organizers are bracing itself for inclement weather.\n"It is a rain or shine event," she said. "We are looking into getting tents in case of rain."\nWest encouraged students to attend.\n"It is a good time to check out a band you have never heard before," he said. "The Dunn Meadow is a lovely place to spend your evening."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/21/04 1:51am)
The 2004 Summer Music Festival, IU's School of Music's summer season, began Sunday and is scheduled to bring international musicians to Bloomington to perform first-rate music in a wide variety of concerts through August 14.\n"This year there will be students from Japan, Mexico, Switzerland and France and teachers coming in from France, Sweden and Wyoming," said professor Mimi Zweig.\nThe Chamber Music Series is a highlight of this summer's programming.\n"Both students and community members attend the performances," Zweig said, referring to the Chamber Music Series. "All concerts in previous years have been sold out."\nZweig said she was enthusiastic about the coming series, which will begin June 25 and features world famous musicians playing classical masterpieces.\n"It is one of the most exciting places for young people to be in the country, if not the world," she said. IU also has the privilege of hosting the sixth USA International Harp Competition from July 1 to 11. \n"This is one of the most prestigious competitions in the world," said Moya Wright, executive director of the competition. \nHeld once every three years, the harp competition is the only one of its kind in North America. This year it hosts 50 musicians from more than 17 countries who will play concerts throughout the week. The concerts are free to the public.\nWright said the final competition July 11 at the IU Auditorium will be exciting. \n"The three finalists will play with the University orchestra," she said. "The jury will vote during the intermission, and the prizes will be awarded on the stage."\nWright said the competition's winner will receive a Leon and Healy gold harp, a CD recording and recitals in London and New York. \n"The runners-up also receive substantial cash prizes," she said.\nWright, who has attended several finals, said the atmosphere is electrifying. The audience also has been growing.\n"Last year, the (Musical Arts Center), which has a capacity of 1,500 people, was completely full," she said. "This year we are expecting the auditorium, which has a larger capacity, to be full."\nAlain Barker, interim director of the IU Music School Office of Marketing and Publicity, said the summer is the time for the music school to step into the community.\n"Summer is different because there is a conscious attempt to create a music festival for the public," he said.\nBarker said the range of performances has been evolving over the years. This year the festival features two performances by IU Opera Theater. Jerry Bock's "She Loves Me," a romantic comedy following two feuding clerks who find solace in their anonymous romantic pen pals -- each other -- has been adapted into several films, such as "Shop Around the Corner" and "You've Got Mail," and plays from July 9 to July 11 at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre. Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca" runs July 30 and 31 at the IU Auditorium and tells the story of a prima donna caught in a complex web of deception in her attempt to save her liberal patriot lover from the Roman police in 19th century Italy.\nBarker praised the Bloomington community's commitment to classical music.\n"The education for classical music in Bloomington is very strong," Barker said. "We are blessed in that respect."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/21/04 1:15am)
The IU Alumni Association honored an athletics broadcaster and an IUAA secretary for their contribution to IU athletics and the alumni association Saturday.\nIn a cream and crimson barbecue, the IUAA awarded Joseph Smith the Bill Orwig Medal for his contribution to IU athletics and Carolyn Birchler Muhn the Gertrude Rich Award for her work with the association.\nKen Beckley, president and CEO of IUAA, said the two honorees have contributed much to IU.\n"They are among the best that have ever been honored," Beckley said.\nSmith, who has been the sports director at WGCL-AM 1370 in Bloomington and a member of the broadcast team that covers IU football and basketball games for 20 years, said he was flattered to be chosen for the award.\n"I am awed to be included in such a list, which includes legendary coaches like Bob Knight," he said. "I had never even imagined in my wildest dreams that I would win this award, even though I have received some nice awards." \nSmith was named the Indiana sportscaster of the year in 1998 and inducted into the Indiana Sports Broadcasters and Writers Association Hall of Fame in 2003.\nSmith was personally acquainted with Bill Orwig, the person for whom the award is named. He recounted his first encounter with Orwig.\n"Bill Orwig called me Smitty as soon as I was introduced to him, and he insisted I call him Bill," Smith said. "Then he asked me if I worked hard and I said, 'Yes.'"\nMuhn was also pleased to be chosen for the award. \n"I feel honored," she said. "I have done volunteer work for IUAA for many years but the award was a surprise."\nMuhn, who graduated from IU in 1951, has helped establish the IU Alumni Club of DeKalb County and served as IUAA secretary from 1989 to 1994.\nMuhn has close connections with IU. Her fondest memories of her time at the University include meeting her husband. She was also actively involved with the Union Board while she attended IU.\n"I also enjoyed working at Union Board," she said. "I served on the Board of Managers, which was interesting." \nShe also worked closely with Jerry Tardy, former president and CEO of IUAA.\nHer daughters have continued the tradition of attending IU.\n"Five of my daughters went to IU, and so did their husbands," Muhn said. "Now three of my 11 grandchildren are studying here."\nSmith has also developed very intimate connections with IU.\n"I have formed many relationships at IU," he said. "I have come into contact with so many great people, and we have a lifetime bond."\nHe lauded Terry Clapacs' efforts to build a sense of community among all members of the athletics department. \n"Terry (Clapacs) has brought everyone in athletics together," Smith said. "He has been such an excellent vice president and director of the athletics department." \nSmith's most memorable experiences at IU include the opportunity to work with coaches like Knight and former football coach Bill Mallory.\nBeckley said Saturday was a perfect day for the ceremony.\n"The weather is perfect, and the cicadas are gone," he said.\nPresident Adam Herbert also spoke at the ceremony.\n"This event is special because it is also the anniversary of my announcement as 17th president of IU," he said.\nHe spoke about the alumni scattered across the globe and their contribution to keeping Hoosier values alive and well.\n"The IU alumni have supported IU's quest for excellence," Herbert said. "IU is a community of caring and compassion that focuses on the hearts and minds of its students."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu .
(06/17/04 2:00am)
An alleged comment by an IU assistant professor of political science incited one of his students to post a complaint against him on a political Web site.\nThe complaint was lodged against assistant professor Abdulkader Sinno, who taught a class on the contemporary Middle East in world politics during the 2003 fall semester.\nThe complaint was posted in the "Forum for Bias" section of the Students for Academic Freedom Web site, www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org. \n"During one class this professor made the comment that the terrorist group Hezbollah, that openly claims responsibility for suicide bombings, is not a terrorist group and is a charitable organization," wrote the student.\nSinno denies ever making such comments.\n"It goes without saying that I never made such statements," Sinno said. \nLev Wismer, a senior majoring in political science, took the same class but said she does not recall Sinno making comments supportive of Hezbollah.\n"He provided us with information that Hezbollah uses terrorist tactics while consolidating support at home through such things as charity," Wismer said. "Though Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, it is true that it is also a charitable organization, a seldom-known fact."\nAaron Aft, another student in the class, said he disagreed with the way Sinno presented Hezbollah in class.\n"Professor Sinno addressed Hezbollah in such a way that, if one was not familiar with the group, one might get the impression that Hezbollah is not a terrorist group," Aft said.\nAft said he did not post the complaint on the SAF Web site but added that he considered addressing his concerns with University officials.\nSophomore Kimberly Ventresca said she distinctly remembers the contents of the lecture the student referred to in his complaint. \n"Professor Sinno started the lecture by clarifying that he does not support any terrorist group," Ventresca said. "He spoke about the community service activities that Hezbollah pursues to help students understand how terrorist organizations gain people's sympathy in the Middle East."\nSara Dogan, SAF's spokeswoman, said the posted complaints in the "Forum on Bias" do not go through any selection or verification process.\n"We post anything that looks serious," Dogan said. "It takes a lot of time for a student to write up a complaint, and if someone goes through the trouble, we post it."\nHezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization according to section 212(a) of the Patriot Act of 2001. Under the act, a person endorsing or espousing terrorist activity may face legal penalties.\n"This student obviously has no idea about the legal consequences of his action," Ventresca said. \nDogan said SAF does not take legal responsibility for the comments posted on its Web site.\n"SAF is merely a free expression site, and if some complaint is not true, the responsibility lies with the student," Dogan said. \nSinno consulted his lawyer and asked students to voluntarily sign an affidavit stating that he did not endorse Hezbollah at any point during the class.\nSinno cites a previous instance where complaints filed on a similar forum had unanticipated repercussions. \n"The professors who were listed on Campus Watch's site had their e-mails swamped with hate mail, a few received death threats," he said.\nBrian Palmer, professor at Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences who also has been listed on the forum, is critical of the content on the SAF Web site. \n"This is an effort by the political right to put pressure on professors who think independently," Palmer said. "The tone and style of this Web site is reminiscent of the McCarthy era when a segment of the American society became intolerant of dissent," Palmer said, referring to Sen. Joe McCarthy's witch hunt and blacklisting of alleged communist sympathizers in the United States during the 1950s.\nSinno said the Web site does not contribute to academic freedom. \n"Instead of providing a well-researched narrative, teaching becomes restricted," Sinno said. "You have to constantly worry about not offending ideologues." \nNelson Lichtenstein, professor of history at University of California Santa Barbara, is another professor listed on the forum. Lichtenstein said he agrees with Sinno and believes the name SAF is a misnomer.\n"This Web site is actually Students for Administrative Coercion, since what they really want is to force departments to hire conservative faculty," he said. "This forum is designed to be intimidating for faculty members and meant to attract attention from state legislators, boards of trustees and conservative members of the media."\nPalmer said that Web sites like SAF can have a large influence on public universities. \n"It is easier for a small pressure group that does not represent a wide body of opinion to have a greater influence on a public university board or legislators who control the funding," he said.\nLee Kaplan, west coast coordinator for SAF, said the Web site is intended for the public and the entire educational sphere but added that SAF prefers students dealing with complaints through their own universities.\n"SAF's aim is to eliminate the problem of political partisanship in universities," Dogan said. "We believe that political content is inappropriate in any class except where it is an integral component of the curriculum."\nStephen Groening, a graduate student who teaches film studies at the University of Minnesota and who also can be found on the forum, said he disagrees with Dogan. Groening said it is important for students and teachers to discuss contemporary issues.\n"Students at a university want to hear different points of view on current affairs, and there is always a tension between those who want to learn and those who wants their beliefs confirmed," Groening said.\nWismer said although he did not agree with everything Sinno presented about the Middle East, he added, "We are lucky to have someone like professor Sinno who has the courage to open up a very controversial subject to debate."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/17/04 1:35am)
Fortune has been smiling on Dalia Kaikhasraw since her arrival at IU in February to participate in the Intensive English Program.\nKaikhasraw, a Fulbright scholar from Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, attended the G-8 summit at Sea Island, Ga., last week. \nShe spoke at a roundtable discussion on global women's issues which Laura Bush, Cherie Blair and Bernadette Chirac participated in.\nKaikhasraw, who has met with President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Iraq's Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator Paul Bremer and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan before, is modest about her achievements at the conference. \n"I was proud that the voice of my people and the women of Iraq could be heard," she said. "I spoke about my personal experiences and presented my thoughts on education, women and rebuilding infrastructure in Iraq."\nShe said she was impressed with the first lady, Blair and Chirac's eagerness to assist Iraq's reconstruction.\n"When I told them that 77 percent of the women in Iraq are illiterate, they were shocked and they asked how they could help," she said. "They cared about every single thing I talked about." \nKaikhasraw said that sipping lemonade and holding an intimate conversation with the first ladies was a unique experience.\n"I had the opportunity to dine with the first ladies of the most powerful countries in the world, and it was wonderful," she said.\nKaikhasraw recounted her experiences of life in Iraq to the three first ladies. Laura Bush quoted Kaikhasraw in a White House press release. \n"One of them said -- and this happens to be the Fulbright scholar who's with us. She said, you know, when people think about Iraq, they don't think of the right thing. They're not thinking of 25 million people with hopes, with each one with their own hope for the future. And I think that's a good way for us to think about both Iraq and Afghanistan," the first lady said in the the release.\nKaikhasraw has left an equally powerful impression with her acquaintances in Bloomington. Alvin Rosenfeld, professor of English at IU, contacted Kaikhasraw when she arrived because she happened to share her first name with his daughter.\n"When my wife read about Iraqi Fulbright scholars and spotted the name Dalia, she could not resist contacting her," Rosenfeld said. "Since then, we have opened our home to her."\nRosenfeld said Kaikhasraw has been through some terrible suffering. \n"She has survived the most horrific ordeals like the gassing of her village, an exile and even temporary blinding," he said, "Most of her friends are no longer alive but despite all these odds, Dalia has managed to retain a strong and positive spirit."\nRosenfeld said he admires Kaikhasraw's strength of character.\n"Her life history is gripping, but she refuses to be devastated," Rosenfeld said. "But she has inner resources which have won my respect and affection."\nNonvignon Kpadonou, Kaikhasraw's classmate in the IEP program, appreciates her maturity and ability to tackle difficult situations.\n"Dalia handles every situation with a high level of maturity," he said, "I have learned from her how to consider the viewpoint of everybody concerning a situation."\nKaikhasraw said she has been constantly learning from her IEP classmates and increasing her awareness of other cultures. \n"I have learned a lot from my classmates about different countries like Japan and Korea," she said. "This has made me more aware of the differences and underlying similarities between nations and cultures."\nWhen Kaikhasraw is not attending lectures, she can be spotted at the photography section of the IU Art Museum or at a recital in the music school. She is looking forward to graduate studies in public policy at Duke University this fall, but she said IU will always remain in her memory as the first place she visited in the United States and where she became acquainted with American culture.\n"I will miss my friends in IEP and the tranquility and beauty of Bloomington's lakes and forested areas," she said. "I am also not sure if I will get such excellent falafels and Afghani food in Durham (N.C.)," referring to the city Duke is located.\nKaikhasraw plans to return to Iraq after completing her masters degree. Rosenfeld is confident of Dalia's success in her professional life. \n"She has a strong work ethic, intelligence, strong analytical skills and is a natural team player," he said. "Her talents combined with her forward looking vision make her capable of significantly contributing to the restructuring efforts in Iraq."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/17/04 1:26am)
With a quarter century's experience in juggling giant bean bag chairs, spinning plates and tossing flaming torches, Truly Remarkable Loon will perform Friday as part of Buskirk-Chumley Theater's Family Series.\nLoon, who goes by his stage name in real life, said he is excited about his second performance in Bloomington.\n"I really like this town," he said. "It reminds me of Madison, (Wis.) where I live. Both are college towns, have a square in the center of the city and a similar ambience."\nHe said his performance here two years ago was very well received.\n"The performance was great, and the audience enjoyed my show a lot," Loon said. "Most audience members belonged to the family audience category, which I can relate to best."\nBCT Director Danielle McClelland said Loon's last performance was very impressive.\n"The entire auditorium was sold out when Truly Remarkable Loon performed the first summer of BCT's Family Series," she said. "He is a flawless juggler and has a wonderful rapport with the audience."\nThe Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with BCT for the family series. Youth Services Specialist Pamala Dunscombe of Bloomington Parks said she really enjoyed Loon's show last time.\n"It was wonderful," she said, "The plate-spinning, comedy and juggling were all very entertaining."\nLoon said he thought his juggling appealed to college crowds, as well as families. \n"I started with college audiences 26 years ago when I started as a street performer," he said. "I used to perform in the center of campus. Later, I performed for the National Association of Campus Activities. So I can relate quite well to college audiences as well."\nLoon said students at IU should enjoy his jokes. An older audience has the intellectual awareness to enjoy his social commentary on election perspectives and world situations.\n"He makes great jokes," McClelland said. "His humor operates at several different levels -- the level of adults and children."\nLoon said he was impressed by the intelligence of the Bloomington audience members in his last crowd.\n"The audience in Bloomington has a high intellectual level," he said. "The jokes I made were social comments, and people got that pretty well."\nDunscombe said there will be a juggling workshop for kids following the performance teaching them how to make three balls out of balloons and rice and juggle them. Joe Ladwig of the IU Juggling Club will help with the workshop.\nLoon said audience expectations are generally higher with indoor performances, and he is looking forward to performing for a high-energy crowd.\n"Most performances in summer are outdoors, so it is a real treat for me to perform indoors," Loon said.\nMcClelland said she believes IU students will get a kick out of the performance. \n"It is a very good deal for $5," she said.\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu .
(06/17/04 1:19am)
As the cicadas become silent, 29 Indiana high school students have broken the summer's stillness by participating in Camp S.O.U.L,, a summer camp dedicated to teaching students about their black musical heritage. The camp began Monday afternoon and continues until Friday.\nCamp S.O.U.L., an idea conceived by Mary Tourner, director of the Office of Community and School Partnerships, and Tyron Cooper, IU Soul Revue director, was launched this year along with Achievers, a college preparation program. S.O.U.L. stands for Students Obtaining Unique musical Levels.\nDirector of the Afro- American Arts Institute Charles Sykes said he is excited about the camp.\n"The idea of summer camps has been talked about for a long time," he said. "But what has really made this possible has been the new (Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center)."\nTourner, who assumed her position as director last year, said Camp S.O.U.L. is a logical extension of the existing middle school programs her office organizes.\n"I wanted to take the office's middle school programs to the next level," she said. "I brainstormed with Tyron Cooper, and we came up with the idea of piloting a musical and college prep program for high school students."\nCooper has been involved in the day-to-day operations of the camp's implementation. He auditioned and interviewed most of the applicants and planned the camp's schedule based on his experience with Soul Revue.\n"Camp S.O.U.L. is not just a music camp," he said. "It is meant to provide intellectual stimulation to students besides helping them shape their career goals and become socially responsible citizens."\nCooper said the camp also seeks to highlight music as an integral aspect of the black cultural experience.\n"Music and culture are intertwined in the Afro-American community," he said. "There is no boundary between the two."\nAdrian Lark, a high school junior from Gary, was selected for the camp in a local competition. She has visited IU before and is enjoying her experience at the camp.\n"The camp is like a big family," she said. "I like the campus very much except for the walking." \nLark has benefited immensely from the camp.\n"I have learned a lot from Tyron's fun way of teaching," she said. "I have also gained more knowledge about music and the history of Afro-American music."\nChelsea Duckwall, a high school student from Noblesville, Ind., said she has learned a lot not only about music forms but also about a culture she previously did not have much knowledge about.\n"The most satisfying aspect has been meeting new people with similar interests and experiencing a different culture," she said. "I have also expanded my music repertoire by learning new genres like hip hop and jazz."\nCooper is impressed by the intellectual abilities of the participants. \n"It is very satisfying to watch the students grasp knowledge at such a quick pace and become enlightened about Afro-American music," he said. "They are very inquisitive about Afro-American culture and other cultures."\n"But we hope to teach the students more than music and their Afro-American heritage," he said, "We want to let the students know that they have options, and they should consider attending college." \nThe participants of Camp S.O.U.L. will hold a musical performance at 11 a.m. Friday at the Wells-Metz Theatre to showcase their talents. \nTourner said she encourages IU students to attend the event. \n"This will be the culmination of their learning," she said. "If you have seen Soul Revue, you will be even more interested in hearing the most talented high school singers across the state." \nTourner said she is satisfied with the results so far.\n"Organizing this camp has been a lot of hard work," she said. "But what makes it worthwhile is the happy faces of the participants."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/14/04 1:56am)
The library staff has began rearranging the tables in the Main Library lobby. The Division of Recreational Sports has hired a team of students to coordinate events at the Student Recreational Sports Center. The staff at the Office of Orientation Programs was working feverishly Friday afternoon. \nIU has witnessed a flurry of activity in recent days as the sluggishness of summer seems to have given way to the enthusiasm for freshman orientation, which will began today and last until July 20.\n"We are expecting approximately 1,400 students and 2,000 parents this week," said Trevor Pittman, who works in the admissions office.\nAndy Tellas, manager of Residential Parking Services, said he also has his hands full this week. \n"It is going to be a very hectic two days, but we are trying to accommodate parents as much as possible," he said. \nTellas said parking would be available in the areas near the Wright Quad and in the 10th Street parking lot.\nIncoming freshmen will stay in Wright Quad during orientation while their parents will live in Willkie Quad. IU will take care of the students and their families' meals.\n"We have assigned a breakfast and dinner schedule to the participants who will mainly dine at the Wright Food Court," Pittman said.\nPittman has also been involved in organizing a program for parents. \n"The parents program will include a meeting with a representative from the Bursar's office, a conference with professors on the IU experience and group advising sessions with University Division and other school advisers," he said.\nAn information resource center will be set up in the lobby of the Main Library. Every year a select group of campus organizations is invited to participate. \nPittman said the library will include booths set up by the IU Police Department, the IU Parents Association, the Office of Overseas Study, along with about 20 other campus organizations.\nThe Division of Recreational Sports has been actively involved with the program for three years and is organizing several events and tours this year.\nChris Geary, director of programming and research at the Division of Recreational Sports, said SRSC plans to educate and entertain parents during orientation.\n"We provide parents with information so that they can become a resource for their children," Geary said. "We also inform them of employment opportunities that are available.\n"The SRSC also functions as a social place where parents can hang out and maybe play a game of squash in the evening," he said.\nThe Division of Recreational Sports will also hold evening programs in the second half of the orientation session.\n"We will provide tours and organize games and activities," Geary said. "Our basic aim is to get students acquainted with the SRSC since the building can look quite intimidating from outside. We try to make students more comfortable and help them explore new interests."\nRosie Pizzo, director of communications of the Office of Overseas Study, is also excited about her booth at the resource center.\n"This is an excellent time to be exposed to such a tremendous number of students," she said. "We will have information about our programs and we hope the students think about how to incorporate it in their plan before they graduate."\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/07/04 2:13am)
Maureen Pirog, professor of public policy, was appointed as the Rudy Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs, effective July 1. \nRudy Professorships are awarded to retain outstanding IU faculty members. \nPirog's research has had a significant impact on national and state legislation. Her findings about the earnings capabilities of adolescent fathers in early adulthood and state-legislated child support guidelines were included in the Clinton welfare reform proposals in 1995. She recently published a groundbreaking study on adolescent fathers which was funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.\nPirog, who is also the co-director of the IU Institute for Family and Social Responsibility (IFSR), did not seem astonished when her appointment was announced. \n"I have known about my appointment since February, but it was really a big surprise then," she said. Pirog had received an excellent offer from a competing school, but IU's counter offer made her decision to stay in School of Public and Environmental Affairs easier.\nAstrid E. Merget, dean of SPEA, explains why SPEA chose Pirog. \n"Her seniority and excellent research merited recognition," said Merget. "The offer from a competing school also played a role in shaping the decision."\nPirog's colleague, Katharine Byers, associate professor of social work and co-director of IFSR, was delighted when she learned about Pirog's appointment. \n"I was very excited for her. It was a well-deserved honor for being such a prolific researcher and grant writer and for her work in welfare reform," Byers said.\nByers has been acquainted with Pirog at a personal and professional level since 1996 when they co- founded IFSR. Byers said they work together to provide policy makers with unbiased research which helps them make well-informed decisions about welfare reform. \nAlthough Byers and Pirog work with different aspects of policy, Byers has learned constantly from Pirog. \n"She inadvertently mentored me," she said. "I really admire her ability to strategize and conceptualize research questions." \nEdward Vargas, Pirog's protégé since fall 2000, shared her reaction when he heard about her appointment. \n"I was really excited but not at all surprised, because I think she deserves more recognition for her work," he said. "She has such a great work ethic -- she is always the last person to leave the SPEA building every day." \nVargas, who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in policy analysis, recalls Pirog's role in shaping his career. \n"She has been one of the greatest influences in my professional and personal life," he said. "She was responsible for my decision to pursue a Ph.D. program right after my undergraduate degree."\nVargas shared the specific lessons Pirog taught him.\n"Pirog taught me how to balance my academic life with other interests. She has the incredible ability to balance her academic interests with a passion for dancing," he said.\nPirog enjoys immense popularity in SPEA for her ability to relate to students. Vargas said she has a strong commitment to students. \n"She genuinely cares about her students," he said. "She is always willing to listen, and she makes every possible effort to help you out."\nMerget agreed about Pirog's relationship with her students. \n"She is devoted to helping students shape their careers as professionals and academicians," she said.\nPirog has been teaching at SPEA for 20 years. Merget said what has enabled SPEA to retain a nationally renowned figure like Pirog has been the school's great appreciation for multidisciplinary research. \n"SPEA recognized Pirog for her excellence. We have provided the support system and resources for her endeavors, like the proposal for her present position as the editor in chief of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management," she said.\nPirog has also enjoyed teaching and researching at IU. \n"I have received constant support from Dean Merget and my students," said Pirog. "SPEA has provided me with the space to work independently with a large group of students."\nBut Pirog's greatest satisfaction lies in the impact of her work. \n"I feel truly content when my work makes a difference. It is very rewarding to know that a lot of kids across the nation are better off as a result of my research," she said. \n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan smadan@indiana.edu .
(06/07/04 1:14am)
As one gallery season nears its end, the Bloomington Area Arts Council begins planning for future exhibits. The BAAC is calling for proposals of exhibition from area artists for its 2005 gallery season at the Rosemary P. Miller and Flashlight Galleries in the John Waldron Arts Center. \nBAAC Executive Director Sally Gaskill said proposals will be reviewed by a panel of jurors at the BAAC who will give selected artists exhibition space in the galleries. The organization will accept show proposals from local artists until June 28.\n"The mission of this exhibition is to provide local and regional artists a professional avenue and local audiences a high quality experience," Gaskill said. "The unique aspect will be the 'Card in Stone' theme, though."\nLocal ceramic artist Marcy Neiditz exhibited her work this season. It was inspired by organic items in nature including branches, roots, bones and abstract body parts. \n"I search to find odd and quirky forms that suggest breathing living organisms, gasping for the last breath of air," she said in her artist's statement. \nShe said she thought local artists may have a better chance of obtaining space in the gallery by presenting well-written resumes, artists' statements and quality slides of their work.\nThe jury selected Neiditz's last year to be displayed with the designs of two other artists. \n"The exhibition was very-well coordinated," she said. "The work feels like it belongs there." \nLocal photographer Gretchen Kromer, whose work is currently on display at the Waldron, said she was impressed by Gallery Director Mary Hambly's efforts to coordinate group exhibitions. She also said she liked the center's gallery arrangements. \n"It is a beautiful space to showcase my work," Kromer said. "The high ceilings and the careful lighting really contribute to the professional quality setup. The overall effect is as good as you can find in galleries in Boston or Chicago." \nNeiditz said she wished BAAC had more funding and bigger galleries for bigger shows because of what the group does for the Bloomington community is significant in exposing the public to local culture, talent and art. \n"Every city needs a non-profit organization like the Bloomington Area Arts Council to provide an avenue to both professional and emerging artists," Neiditz said.\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.
(06/07/04 1:13am)
The Monroe County Civic Theater's production of "The Taming of the Shrew" this weekend was an interesting melange of an early modern script with contemporary sets and costumes. Any modern-day production that clings to the original script of "The Taming of the Shrew," now informally classified as a "problem play," and frequently referred to as Shakespeare's comic paean to chauvinism, is going to be tricky. \nThe play, which enjoys more popularity in production in contrast to its academic notoriety, was well-attended. The audience spread itself comfortably across the Third Street Park on patio chairs and blankets, but it was almost impossible to comprehend the actors' lines at the fringes of the park. Third Street Park could do with a sound-system upgrade.\nThe actors' line delivery was flawless. Amanda Baker, in a black costume and golf cap, did an excellent job as Katharina. Allison Minniear, who wore a pink frock throughout the play, added a noteworthy dimension of immaturity to the play and to the role of Bianca.\nThe MCCT made bold moves in terms of costume and set design, which significantly altered the reception of the play by adding contemporary connotations to the protagonists' roles. Frank Buczolich, who played the part of Signior Baptista wearing a jacket and a tie, inadvertently highlighted the element of business involved in Kate's marriage transaction. \nDavid Wald, dressed like the Marlboro man, portrayed a chilling modern-day version of Petruchio in his striking bright yellow hat, unbuttoned shirt, with an old rusty sword, a huge pink bow tie and a cigarette dangling from his mouth. His attire added a dimension of an individualistic capitalist profiting from Kate's disadvantaged position in the marriage market of Padua. \nThe infamous final scene in which Katharina declares her utter submission to Petruchio, enabling him to win the wager, often causes problems for modern-day directors because it is so misogynistic. Katharina's final monologue on the place of women in society and her offer to place her hand below her husband's foot has evoked outrage even from Shakespeare's immediate successors. Twenty years after "The Taming of the Shrew" premiered, John Fletcher wrote "The Tamer Tamed" in an effort to counter the impact of its misogyny. \nContemporary productions of the play have often followed the shows with a production of "The Tamer Tamed" or tried to make an attempt to subvert the misogyny in Shakespeare's script. The BBC Film version portrays Petruchio as conscious of his lunacy -- which the audience is supposed to think is temporary. Other directors have attempted to address the problematic closure by either changing the spirit of the whole play in switching the gender of actors, making Kate a puppet or diminishing the effect of Kate's speech. Some directors have tried making Kate in on the joke, and others have presented Petruchio and his shrew-taming methods as the dream of a drunken misogynist. \nSince an alteration in costume inevitably produces a dissonance and violation of the original script, I am left to wonder why the MCCT production did not experiment with the final scene to mitigate the overtly misogynistic message. The production had its genuinely comic moments and updated the final scene to appease modern sensibilities that might have convinced the audience of the play's intent merely to amuse.\nBesides the few questionable choices, the MCCT production was very entertaining. MCCT could even begin charging a nominal entry fee from its audience who are provided with the rare opportunity to experience a Shakespearean production in which the actors recite poetry with an earnestness and enthusiasm missing in professional theater. \nI highly recommend this production to anyone who wishes to get acquainted with "The Taming of the Shrew" or who wants an evening of stimulating entertainment.