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(07/25/02 8:23pm)
A farcical romp through a storybook Naples awaits audiences at "Scapino! A Long way off Moliere" this weekend. \nA comedy of love, "Scapino!" is based on the 1671 Moliere production "Les Fourberies de Scapin." Adapted in 1975 by Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale, "Scapino!" tells the tale of two wealthy young Italian men who have fallen madly in love with women whom their fathers would never allow them to marry. To solve their heartache, the two enlist the aide of the witty servant Scapino. \n"It's a theater for the people," director Murray McGibbon said. "What people are going to see is a new 'Scapino!' We've invented all the action and some of the dialogue too."\nDescended from the commedia del arte tradition, "Scapino!" actors and actresses regularly cross the boundary between stage and audience, interacting and engaging viewers.\n"A lot of the characters are so interactive," said senior Jenny Bulla, who plays Giacinta. "And this way there is so much variety for entrances and exits. You can use the actual stage so much more than in a traditional stage.\n"I really think it's a nice change. Especially in this season so far. The humor of the show appeals to all ages."\nThe play is set in Naples, Italy, where it was originally set by Moliere. And the cast trained with a voice coach to work on Italian accents.\n"We're using these fake Italian accents but without being disrespectful to Italians," McGibbon said. "I think there's something charming and fun about the Italian temperament."\nThe costumes, designed by graduate student Becca Jarrell, add a playful, cartoonish and futuristic aspect to the performance. \n"It was almost just like a blank slate," Jarrell said. "I pulled some historical aspects -- that's why you'll see a lot of corsets and period pieces like that -- but I also looked at a lot of avant garde fashion designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivian Westwood and John Valliani. We wanted it to be very piecey and eclectic."\nJarrell said it was no oversight by the cast and crew in creating such a storybook atmosphere. \n"These are obviously not real people, and we're not asking the audience to believe that this is actually happening somewhere," she said, "So it's more about these are characters that are being presented to the audience. It's very, very presentational." \nMcGibbon agreed, praising the freeform style the production had taken on.\n"One of the beauties of directing in a university is that you've got the opportunity to experiment with style and to juxtapose a postmodern costume design on a fairly contemporary set design," he said.\nActors and actresses agreed that the playful attitude of the play was it's biggest draw.\n"It's just a lot of fun," said senior Peter Gerharz, who plays Argante. "There's not pretension of being anything more than a good time."\nMcGibbon urged that the show is one suitable for audiences of all ages.\n"We don't often get to see families come into the theater," he said. "One of my great loves is children's theater, and while this is not a children's play, it is a play that the family could come to see from grandmother right on down to 6- or 7-year-old child."\n"Scapino!" offers viewers a chance to be transported away from reality, McGibbon added. \n"This is not a play with a great message or issues to consider. The play is about love -- and that affects us all -- but it was written as a farce," he said. \n"Scapino!" will be performed in the Wells-Metz Theatre March 22, 23 and 25-30 at 8 p.m. and March 23 and 30 at 2 p.m.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The Reva Shiner Full-Length Play Award-winning production "New World Rhapsody" packed the house Friday during its run at the Bloomington Playwrights Project theater, 312 S. Washington St. The crew had to add another row of folding chairs just to accommodate the incoming audience.\n"New World Rhapsody" is a coming-of-age story about a boy who grows up in the exotic Far East and sees his American home as a strange, new land, ripe for exploration. Playwright Adam Kraar admits the story is not autobiographical, but he writes that it was inspired by his experiences of returning to America after spending many years overseas.\nThe play tells the story of Lenny Kenowitz (played by IU sophomore Jerry McClure), who is trying to make a home in the harsh streets of New York City after spending his own childhood in India. He struggles with maintaining a relationship with the vibrant artist Naomi Gold, portrayed by IU freshman Nicole Bruce, while helping to launch her career as a sculptor. He makes frequent visits to his mother's upstate asylum and his father's apartment, now shared with his Asian soon-to-be wife. "New World Rhapsody" depicts a melting pot of cultures and ideologies, played out by a cast of talented actors and actresses.\nSenior Carol Enoch gave a stunning performance as the hauntingly sad and mildly insane mother, Elsa Kenowitz. And Phil Kasper and Caitlin Burke played well off each other as Lenny's father and soon-to-be stepmother, reveling in idiosyncrasies of their characters. The multi-purpose roles filled by the young talent of Emily Radke and North High School junior Winston Fiore rounded out the cast with delightful character acting and a variety of realistic accents.\nThe small shadowbox theater provided an intimate setting for the production. The backdrop, a jumble of the harsh lines of big city high-rises and the graceful sweep of Indian towers, provided yet another visual emphasis on the mixing of cultures. And as the story progressed, windows looking out upon New York City were opened, letting the light of the Statue of Liberty shine in on the cast, an artistic touch that brought the message home once again.\nWhile the rousing rendition of "This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land" at the conclusion of the play was a novel idea, the production could have gone without it. But the play as a whole granted audiences a glimpse of both Liberty's generous opportunities and her demanding prerequisites -- from the eyes of one not yet numb to her charms. \n"New World Rhapsody" reintroduces its viewers to America and reminds them not to stop dreaming for a better life.\n"New World Rhapsody" will continue through April 14, showing at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
(03/28/02 6:28am)
Nikki Giovanni, the first poet to make the Los Angeles Times Bestseller List, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union. \nThe Union Board will be sponsoring the visit of this influential Black American poet, essayist and revolutionary. Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni has taken stances with her writing that have ranged from supporting revolution, to addressing the necessity of understanding identity, by both blacks and whites. Union Board Lectures Director Mzilikazi Koné said the board had been trying for some time to bring Giovanni to campus, and had worked extensively with the Office of Multicultural Affairs to finalize her visit.\n"As an artist of her caliber, she can really inspire people to think about the world we live in and enable us to grow and learn," Koné said.\nGiovanni has influenced people for more than 25 years with her writings and poetry and has received several honorary doctorates, including one in Humane Letters from IU in 1991. She is currently Professor of English and Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies at Virginia Tech. \nGiovanni will incorporate aspects and readings from her various books into her lecture. Some of her books include: "Black Feeling, Black Talk;" "Black Judgment;" "The Women and the Men" and "Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day." Her newest book, "Blues For All the Changes: New Poems" made the Los Angeles Times Bestseller List, propelling her further into public consciousness.\n"(Giovanni) has a strong history in having something to say and saying it," Koné said. "She uses her art form to make a stance." \nAssociate Vice Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs Gloria Gibson said the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Union Board had cosponsored a lecture last year for Black History Month, and as a result of the success of the lecture, they decided to pair again. They attempted to align her visit for February, but Giovanni's schedule didn't allow for a visit until March, Women's History Month, which is also an appropriate time for her visit, Gibson said.\n"What we're most interested in is bringing speakers that will provide an enlightening message for students," Gibson said."It doesn't necessarily need to be in February."\nGiovanni has been involved in civil and women's rights through her art.\n"Her topic really will be looking at diversity and the issue of art and in fact diversity as art," Gibson said. "And I think that she has been a poet whose work has really in a very significant way, probed into the consciousness of America in dealing with issues of race. \n"I think as a poet she will bring a wonderful contribution in helping all of us understand how art can be didactic, informative and educational, as well as having an intrinsic value as art."\nGiovanni's visit coincides with the decision made over the Thomas Hart Benton mural panel in Woodburn Hall and the discussions over its artistic value.\n"It's quite appropriate with what we're going through on our campus in discussing the Benton Murals," Gibson said.\nThe lecture will be followed by a question and answer session, as well as a book signing by Giovanni. Admission is free and open to the public.
(02/15/02 4:38am)
I was worried about vaginas. I was worried about what we think about vaginas, and even more worried that we don't think about them…So I decided to talk to women about their vaginas, to do vagina interviews, which became vagina monologues. I talked with hundreds of women. I talked to old women, young women, married women, single women, lesbians, college professors, sex workers... They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn't stop them. -- playwright Eve Ensler.\nEve Ensler first began performing "The Vagina Monologues" in the mid 1990s, and it has evolved into something of a phenomenon. It has spawned numerous reproductions and even a day dedicated to preventing and ending violence against women in 1998. Since then, V-day has grown to include a campaign involving various colleges and universities around the world. \nThis is IU's third year participating in the world-wide V-day events. V-day is held on or around Valentine's Day each year to help end violence against women and girls around the world.\nWhat began as a one-woman play by innovator Ensler has now been adapted for performance on a college level. This year's shows will include close to 35 students, faculty, IU staff and members of the community.\n"I think it's a fantastic play, especially for women to see," said Debby Herbenick, research associate for the Kinsey Institute. "The money goes to a great cause, and both men and women need to be a part of that work."\nAs one of the 550 colleges participating in V-day 2002, IU is given permission to recreate Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" free of charge, provided the money raised is donated to local organizations working to end violence against women. \nV-day 2000 events at IU raised more than $600 to donate to the Middle Way House. V-day 2001 performances of "The Vagina Monologues" raised close to $5,000, and proceeds were split between the Middle Way House and sexual assault prevention programming through the IU Office of Women's Affairs.\nHerbenick said proceeds will go to the same organizations this year, as well as a new international fund to aid women in Afghanistan.\n"It has long been a concern of Eve Ensler's to aid women in Afghanistan, so a portion of our proceeds will go to that international fund," Herbenick said.\nLong before Sept. 11, Ensler was working to improve living conditions of women in Afghanistan, and she even visited the country several times. In response to what she saw, Ensler began the Afghanistan is Everywhere fund.\nAs a representative of one of the recipients of this year's proceeds, Assistant Dean for Women's Affairs Carol McCord highly recommended "The Vagina Monologues" to both men and women.\n"In our society, messages about women's bodies have been so perverted that having a production that celebrates in a positive way -- not a pornographic way and not just biological or educational way," McCord said. Portraying women's bodies is a very empowering experience for women, and I would hope for men as well.\n"My sense is -- from people who haven't had a lot of professional experience -- it tells both women and men to be more comfortable with their bodies in a sexual way. It's a really positive set of monologues."\nMcCord said she had seen version of "The Vagina Monologues" both at IU and in New York for the V-day 2001 performances and that both held important messages for all students.\n"These monologues portray women's experiences and help put ideas out there for people to compare to their own experiences," she said. "But it's not done in a pornographic way; it's not done in an abusive way. It portrays women in a very real and emotional way." \nSenior Sarah Hahn is the director of this year's performance and was also involved in performances in the past two years. She has seen the progression of the show from 2000 through the current incarnation of the monologues.\n"It's just something that I sort of happened upon by accident and has really become a very large portion of my life," Hahn said of see the performances.\nHahn said she opened auditions and held an official callout this year to find women interested in performing. She asked the women to come in and simply tell a story, rather than perform a traditional monologue or audition piece. She said she wanted to learn how they felt getting on stage.\n"Real women's voices sharing real life experiences -- that's what this show is all about," Hahn said. "I included as many women as I could; it was really a goal of mine to get a diverse cast. Actresses range in age from 13 to 57 and come from all different backgrounds."\nHahn said the cast members rehearsed both in groups and one-on-one with her to perfect their roles. \n"I feel this collection of monologues creates a creative space for both men and women to explore subjects and vocabulary and ideas that we are all thinking about but no one wants to talk about - well, no, that's not right," Hahn said. Everyone wants to talk about them, but no one can find the space to."\n"The Vagina Monologues" offer a creative space to discuss human sexuality. Some of the pieces cover serious topics, but overall, it has been characterized as a fun performance.\n"It's a fantastic play, and generally people enjoy it very much," Herbenick said. "Each year we do have standing room only and tickets sell out very fast; so I would advise people to come at 5 p.m. I don't want anyone to walk away disappointed because they came right at seven."\nAlong with Kinsey Institute Sexuality Information Service for Students, this year's V-day performances will be sponsored by the Wilkie Community Council, IU Health and Wellness, IU Women's Student Association and the IU Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. Also contributing are the office of Women's Affairs and the IU College Democrats.\nPerformances begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 15, 16 and 17 in the Willkie Auditorium. Seating begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and $7 for seniors and students with a valid ID; they may be purchased at the door at 5 p.m. the evening of the performance.