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(10/27/04 4:11am)
This week, IU Auditorium audiences will have the chance to see whether six unemployed men will try to find a way out of their financial and social slumps by going for "the full monty" onstage. \nDon't worry, this isn't some kinky male strip show. The Broadway hit "The Full Monty" will be appearing at 8 p.m. tonight and Thursday at the IU Auditorium. \nDoug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said that "The Full Monty" was chosen as part of the 2004-2005 season because of a large number of requests for the show in a yearly student survey. \n"It's very gratifying for us because we've been able to bring the students something they've asked for, and there's been a great response," Booher said.\n"The Full Monty" tells the story of six unemployed male factory workers who decide to try to make money by going nude or "the full monty" in a strip show.\n"It kind of tells an 'everyman' story. These guys are down on their luck, and they need to do something to lift their spirits and make some money," Booher said.\nTheater Professor George Pinney had nothing but good things to say about the production. \n"Very fun, very out there ... a very well conceived evening of entertainment," Pinney said. "It's a very fun musical with a nice story. I think that at this point in the semester it's a great escape for students."\nThe musical is based on a 1997 film of the same name, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screen Play and won the Oscar for Best Score.\nBooher and several students indicated the musical's connection with the popular film was one main attraction for people to see the stage production.\n"(The musical is) even more fun (than the film) because it's easier to connect with people when they're real people onstage," Booher said.\nGraduate students Amy Olipra and Christopher Judd each said they were interested in the musical because of the movie.\n"A lot of my friends have seen (the musical), and everybody said it's really funny. I've seen the movie, and I'm really interested to see if the stage version is different," Olipra said.\nJudd also said that the music was another incentive to see the stage production.\n"It is a fairly interesting piece, and 'The Full Monty's' music is unique among other musicals on Broadway. It has popular music accessibility," Judd said. \nFor people who are wondering if the six factory workers actually go for "The Full Monty" onstage, Booher said that they will just have to wait to see the production.\n"It says mature content for a reason on the ads. The ending is not going to be a huge surprise for those who've seen the movie," Booher said.\nTickets for "The Full Monty" can be purchased at the IU Auditorium Box Office or by calling 855-1103. \n-- Contact staff writer Melissa Harrold at mejharro@indiana.edu.
(10/21/04 3:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students have the chance every day to learn from professors who have made remarkable achievements within their respective fields. But what they may not know is that some of their professors also have interesting hobbies and activities outside their academic lives.
VEGAS, BABY, VEGASCable TV shows such as Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown," where audiences get to see their favorite stars either win big for charity or languish in the Losers' Lounge, have taken the poker game to the forefront of popular consciousness in the last several months. Accounting professor Chris Falk said he likes the new attention the game is getting. Falk regularly visits the Caesar's Indiana casino near New Albany, Ind., to play Texas Hold 'em poker, and he said that the newfound popularity of the game makes it even more fun.
"It's good for the game," Falk said. "A lot of people who don't know how to play decide to try their hand at it."
While in many games the appearance of green newcomers is a drag, Falk said in poker, it only augments the more seasoned players' chances at winning, which, of course, is the point.
"We are sharks," Falk said. "They are like a wounded baby seal in the water, and we're coming after them."
Falk, 30, said he began playing poker when he was 17 years old. He had always been into horse racing and casinos and was introduced to the game at a young age.
"I like the money," Falk said. "But then also, you know, it's a challenge. You're competing with other people."
Aside from the competitive aspect of the game, Falk said that poker also fits in nicely with his academic background.
"It's a thoughtful game … there is a mathematical and probability element to poker, which fits in nicely to my accounting," Falk said.
While Faulk regularly plays poker in-state, he said he also enjoys traveling outside the state to places like Atlantic City, N.J., around once a month. But as far as Falk is concerned, the best place to travel to play poker is undisputed: Vegas, baby, Vegas.
"Vegas is the greatest place on the face of the earth," Falk said. "It's just constant action."
Although he enjoys poker enormously, Falk said he would not want to pursue it as a full-time career because he doesn't want to spoil a good thing.
"It can become a grind," Falk said. "You've got the smoke, and you're sitting for hours and hours. I'd stop enjoying it if I played a lot."
UP A CREEK WITH A PADDLEWhile Falk spends his time outside of class raking it in at casinos, Michael Valliant, who teaches classes at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and serves as applications and systems analyst at the School of Journalism, spends his weekends and school breaks leading kayaking trips in exotic locations.
"I enjoy leading groups of people outdoors and exposing people to the environment in nature," Valliant said.
Valliant, who has been paddling for 15 years, teaches R110 Outdoor Leadership Skills classes in HPER. Over the past several years, he has taught this one-credit class on varied subjects such as vertical caving, coastal kayaking, whitewater kayaking, canoeing, showshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Outside of class, Valliant works for IU Outdoor Adventures, leading students on trips all over the country and the world. In the past, he has led trips to the Apostle Islands in northern Wisconsin, Costa Rica and, earlier this year, he led a one-week sea kayaking trip through the Everglades.
"Outdoor Adventures really finds importance in developing student leaders and outdoor leaders, and it's a really phenomenal organization in that regard," Valliant said.
Valliant said that although some students might be intimidated by the thought of kayaking, canoeing or camping for the first time, even beginners can take trips with Outdoor Adventures.
"Most of the people we take out are just interested in gaining new skills, Valliant said. "We have to teach camp-craft, and it's all a group effort."
THE SHOW MUST GO ONTelecommunications instructor Russell Castillo teaches students the art of audio production both in the classroom and his off-campus studio Castle Creek. There, he gives students the chance to use classic audio recording equipment for their projects, while teaching them the tricks of the trade he has learned in three decades in the music business.
Castillo has been around famous rock musicians since he was a teenager, when he went to school with the son of John Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas. In 1979, he got a job at Producers Workshop, a studio in Hollywood that Castillo said had six Grammy Awards to its name at the time. Within his first six months of working there, one of his projects was to work on Pink Floyd's seminal album, The Wall, an experience that he called "two months of intense learning."
Throughout his time at Producers Workshop, Castillo had the chance to work with many famous names, including Bob Ezrin, who produced albums for Pink Floyd and Alice Cooper and discovered the band Kiss, and Bob Rothchild, who produced almost every album by the Doors. Castillo said that his experience working with the big names of the music industry inspired him to pass his knowledge on to others.
"That was pretty exciting for me because I got taught by some of the best people in the world," Castillo said. "I can never pay them back, and I want to pay them back. They told me, 'If you want to pay us back, just pass it on.' I thought that was pretty cool, so that's what I'm doing,"
Now, Castillo said he takes his students to his studio and allows them to record and produce a song, while they learn about all the classic equipment he has amassed in the last several years. Several local bands, including The Swell, Right Side Down, Blue Moon Review and Three Minute Mile have recorded music at Castle Creek with Castillo's help.
Josh Gilmore, a former student of Castillo's who was in Right Side Down and is currently in the acoustic band 20 Minutes to Park, said that Castillo is very helpful to his students.
"He always goes out and supports every band he works with, which is kind of cool," Gilmore said. "He's such a cool guy; he's like a friend."
Castillo said he feels lucky to have had the opportunity to work in the music business for so long and that he is glad to be able to pass his knowledge on to his students.
"I really do love being around the students and working with them. They're very intelligent and very advanced and very technologically knowledgeable," Castillo said.
Castillo said although the music industry is difficult to get into, he encourages his students to pursue their dreams.
"Sometimes I wonder how I became so lucky," Castillo said. "But somebody's got to do it. So if you've got the guts to do it, then go out and do it."
(10/21/04 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students have the chance every day to learn from professors who have made remarkable achievements within their respective fields. But what they may not know is that some of their professors also have interesting hobbies and activities outside their academic lives.
VEGAS, BABY, VEGASCable TV shows such as Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown," where audiences get to see their favorite stars either win big for charity or languish in the Losers' Lounge, have taken the poker game to the forefront of popular consciousness in the last several months. Accounting professor Chris Falk said he likes the new attention the game is getting. Falk regularly visits the Caesar's Indiana casino near New Albany, Ind., to play Texas Hold 'em poker, and he said that the newfound popularity of the game makes it even more fun.
"It's good for the game," Falk said. "A lot of people who don't know how to play decide to try their hand at it."
While in many games the appearance of green newcomers is a drag, Falk said in poker, it only augments the more seasoned players' chances at winning, which, of course, is the point.
"We are sharks," Falk said. "They are like a wounded baby seal in the water, and we're coming after them."
Falk, 30, said he began playing poker when he was 17 years old. He had always been into horse racing and casinos and was introduced to the game at a young age.
"I like the money," Falk said. "But then also, you know, it's a challenge. You're competing with other people."
Aside from the competitive aspect of the game, Falk said that poker also fits in nicely with his academic background.
"It's a thoughtful game … there is a mathematical and probability element to poker, which fits in nicely to my accounting," Falk said.
While Faulk regularly plays poker in-state, he said he also enjoys traveling outside the state to places like Atlantic City, N.J., around once a month. But as far as Falk is concerned, the best place to travel to play poker is undisputed: Vegas, baby, Vegas.
"Vegas is the greatest place on the face of the earth," Falk said. "It's just constant action."
Although he enjoys poker enormously, Falk said he would not want to pursue it as a full-time career because he doesn't want to spoil a good thing.
"It can become a grind," Falk said. "You've got the smoke, and you're sitting for hours and hours. I'd stop enjoying it if I played a lot."
UP A CREEK WITH A PADDLEWhile Falk spends his time outside of class raking it in at casinos, Michael Valliant, who teaches classes at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and serves as applications and systems analyst at the School of Journalism, spends his weekends and school breaks leading kayaking trips in exotic locations.
"I enjoy leading groups of people outdoors and exposing people to the environment in nature," Valliant said.
Valliant, who has been paddling for 15 years, teaches R110 Outdoor Leadership Skills classes in HPER. Over the past several years, he has taught this one-credit class on varied subjects such as vertical caving, coastal kayaking, whitewater kayaking, canoeing, showshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Outside of class, Valliant works for IU Outdoor Adventures, leading students on trips all over the country and the world. In the past, he has led trips to the Apostle Islands in northern Wisconsin, Costa Rica and, earlier this year, he led a one-week sea kayaking trip through the Everglades.
"Outdoor Adventures really finds importance in developing student leaders and outdoor leaders, and it's a really phenomenal organization in that regard," Valliant said.
Valliant said that although some students might be intimidated by the thought of kayaking, canoeing or camping for the first time, even beginners can take trips with Outdoor Adventures.
"Most of the people we take out are just interested in gaining new skills, Valliant said. "We have to teach camp-craft, and it's all a group effort."
THE SHOW MUST GO ONTelecommunications instructor Russell Castillo teaches students the art of audio production both in the classroom and his off-campus studio Castle Creek. There, he gives students the chance to use classic audio recording equipment for their projects, while teaching them the tricks of the trade he has learned in three decades in the music business.
Castillo has been around famous rock musicians since he was a teenager, when he went to school with the son of John Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas. In 1979, he got a job at Producers Workshop, a studio in Hollywood that Castillo said had six Grammy Awards to its name at the time. Within his first six months of working there, one of his projects was to work on Pink Floyd's seminal album, The Wall, an experience that he called "two months of intense learning."
Throughout his time at Producers Workshop, Castillo had the chance to work with many famous names, including Bob Ezrin, who produced albums for Pink Floyd and Alice Cooper and discovered the band Kiss, and Bob Rothchild, who produced almost every album by the Doors. Castillo said that his experience working with the big names of the music industry inspired him to pass his knowledge on to others.
"That was pretty exciting for me because I got taught by some of the best people in the world," Castillo said. "I can never pay them back, and I want to pay them back. They told me, 'If you want to pay us back, just pass it on.' I thought that was pretty cool, so that's what I'm doing,"
Now, Castillo said he takes his students to his studio and allows them to record and produce a song, while they learn about all the classic equipment he has amassed in the last several years. Several local bands, including The Swell, Right Side Down, Blue Moon Review and Three Minute Mile have recorded music at Castle Creek with Castillo's help.
Josh Gilmore, a former student of Castillo's who was in Right Side Down and is currently in the acoustic band 20 Minutes to Park, said that Castillo is very helpful to his students.
"He always goes out and supports every band he works with, which is kind of cool," Gilmore said. "He's such a cool guy; he's like a friend."
Castillo said he feels lucky to have had the opportunity to work in the music business for so long and that he is glad to be able to pass his knowledge on to his students.
"I really do love being around the students and working with them. They're very intelligent and very advanced and very technologically knowledgeable," Castillo said.
Castillo said although the music industry is difficult to get into, he encourages his students to pursue their dreams.
"Sometimes I wonder how I became so lucky," Castillo said. "But somebody's got to do it. So if you've got the guts to do it, then go out and do it."
(10/14/04 6:07am)
At an Oct. 5 rehearsal at the Musical Arts Center, ballet dancers in spandex pants, leotards and sweatshirts helped move the velvet railing from the front of the stage before beginning one of their last rehearsals before the Fall Ballet, "Through a Looking Glass."\nA few days later, these dancers would be dressed in Spanish-style tutus and colorful leotards, bathed in the colorful MAC stage lights, performing in front of ballet fans, friends and family. But for the time, they were still preparing for the first show of the season in a way their teacher, former prima ballerina Violette Verdy, said exhibited all their good qualities.\n"Ballet is like the Cinderella of the arts," Verdy said, quoting an old dance adage. "We're humble, but we're very powerful."\nVerdy added that humility, as well as other qualities, is a way of life for these dancers.\n"Ballet dancers never get that fun, never money like rock stars. You learn service, honesty, sincerity, humility," Verdy said. "They burn so much of their negative energy that they don't have it anywhere else."\nWhether they will enjoy fame or fortune one day, both Verdy and John Clifford, visiting choreographer and current artistic director of the Los Angeles Ballet, emphasized that many of the ballet dancers at the IU School of Music are at a professional level of talent and technique already.\n"The dancers, they're just as good as any company," Clifford said. "Everybody runs off to see these touring companies, and they're fine, but the quality here is so high. The next time they see these dancers, they'll pay $50 more to see the same people."\nClifford, who is currently working with Warner Bros. on a ballet based on the classic film "Casablanca" that will open in China next year, believes in IU dancers so much that he said he is thinking about offering several of them jobs in the future.\nClifford has already choreographed a ballet specifically for IU dancers. The third section of "Through a Looking Glass" was the world premiere of Clifford's choreography to Philip Glass' electronic composition, "Glassworks." \nClifford said he put together the intricately produced light show, including several colors and a sometimes dim stage with only a few dancers illuminated, along with minimal solid-colored costumes and flowing choreography to create "a sense of a lava lamp."\n"I wanted everybody to have sort of an out-of-body experience," Clifford said.\nClifford's modern choreography of this piece followed "Viva Vivaldi," a Spanish-esque piece choreographed by Gerald Arpino, visiting artist and current director of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, and staged by new ballet faculty member Guoping Wang. This is a piece that Clifford called "very fast, very hard technically and rather aerobic."\nThe accompaniment by the classical guitar work of Andrés Saborío Rodríguez, a master's student of Maestro Ernesto Bitetti, and the Kuttner Quartet gave the piece both a Spanish and Italian flavor, Verdy said.\nOn Friday night, Josh Grayson, a junior studying piano, said he thought the performance of "Viva Vivaldi" was very well done.\n"They captured the atmosphere and the essence of Vivaldi," Grayson said.\nThe second section of the performance, Maurice Ravel's "Sonatine," included the original choreography of George Balanchine, the legendary choreographer of the New York City Ballet.\nBoth Verdy and Clifford have worked with Balanchine in the past. Verdy, along with former IU Department of Ballet Theatre chair Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, danced in the world premiere of this duet at the Ravel Festival at the New York City Ballet in 1975.\n"Balanchine wrote for the dancers, so he chose and exploited all your qualities and pushed you further," Verdy said.\nClifford, who danced and choreographed with Balanchine, also emphasized the appeal of Balanchine's choreography to "Sonatine."\n"All of (Balanchine's) ballets are positive about life. It makes it good to be a human. Everyone thinks ballet is a feminine art form, but it's both. It's a human art form," Clifford said.\nJunior Jenna Wolf, who was double cast with freshman Lauren Fadeley in the role originally choreographed for Verdy, said learning the role from Verdy was like "getting a first-hand taste of it."\n"It's kind of getting it straight from the horse's mouth, since Balanchine isn't around anymore," Wolf said.\nAccompanied by the sweet, shimmering piano provided by graduate student Ligia Takei, Wolf and senior Joseph Morrissey, who was double cast in the male role with sophomore Justin Zuschlag, performed Balanchine's precise, sophisticated choreography on Friday night.\nVerdy said while the ballet is not as aerobic as pieces like "Viva Vivaldi," its level of difficulty is high.\n"It's so intimate and subtle. The dancers must control all these little things. You may not have danced hard, but the control," Verdy said.\nBoth Verdy and Clifford emphasized that dancers at the IU Ballet Theatre department have an opportunity to learn and excel in ways that dancers who do not study at a university cannot. \nClifford said that while there is some competition between the dancers at IU, it is less ferocious and more friendly.\n"It's a much healthier atmosphere here than at a ballet company. All these kids are friends and you don't see that other places," Clifford said.\nVerdy said she and the other ballet faculty members try to preserve a healthy atmosphere for the dancers by being very supportive of their needs. \n"We really help them mature, and they go through angst that if they went through it in a company they'd have no help. We help them," Verdy said. \nVerdy and Clifford both said they also make the dancers work but not endlessly repeat things that they already know. Both Verdy and Clifford said their training with Balanchine impressed this value upon them. They agreed that their goal is to create a performance that is "not overcooked" but "well done."\n"They get bored. You give them a few things that keep it fresh. If you rehearse it to death, then it becomes a well-rehearsed act and the spontaneity is gone," Clifford said.\n-- Contact staff writer Melissa Harrold at mejharro@indiana.edu.
(10/06/04 4:30am)
Members of the IU Ballet Theatre have been working hard this week to prepare for their performances of the Fall Ballet, "Through a Looking Glass," at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Ballet professor and former prima ballerina Violette Verdy said the performance is one that is "incredible in variety." \n"Through a Looking Glass" consists of three sections, each containing a different ballet style and music by different composers. Music by Antonio Vivaldi will be featured in "Viva Vivaldi," Maurice Ravel in "Sonatine" and Philip Glass in "Glassworks." \nGerald Arpino of the Joffrey Ballet created "Viva Vivaldi," the one-act first section of the ballet. The act was staged by new faculty member Guoping Wang according to a School of Music press release.\nVerdy said the piece's accompaniment by solo guitarist Andrés Saborío Rodríguez and the Kuttner Quartet gives it a "beautiful, noble Spanish style."\n"Sonatine," which was created by legendary choreographer George Balanchine in 1975, has a special significance for the IU faculty. Verdy and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, former chair of the IU ballet department, were in the original cast of the piece at its New York City premiere in 1975.\n"It's wonderful to teach something you know and have danced because you can give practical hints," Verdy said.\nVerdy said the piece is a pas de deux, which means that a male and female dancer perform together, accompanied by a solo pianist. Graduate student Lígia Takei will play the piano in this weekend's performances. \nVerdy said the movements and style of "Sonatine" seem almost like a scene of medieval courtly love.\n"It's a true refined relationship between men and women," Verdy said. "You can see the relationship of the dancers with the music. It's so obvious and so delicious."\nNew ballet faculty member Glenda Lucena, who is staging "Sonatine," described the importance of Balanchine's influence on the piece.\n"He was not just in ballet; he was a musician. So he taught to speak to the music through the body. It is a combination of musicality and very hard technical (dancing)," Lucerna said.\nComposed by Philip Glass in 1982, "Glassworks" is the third and final section of the Fall ballet. Staged by guest choreographer John Clifford, the piece's choreography is in a late 20th century style, Verdy said.\nThe six musical movements of "Glassworks" combine "abstract and modern sounds" with "high-energy" ballet from an ensemble cast, as well as soloists and couples, according to the press release.\nSome of the music from "Glassworks" might be familiar to audiences, as it was also used in the 2002 film "The Hours," starring Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep. \nBallet lecturer Doricha Sales explained that the variety of ballet styles and musical eras expressed in these three very different sections enhances the experiences of both the dancers and the spectators.\n"We choose the (programs) that will give the most technical and educational progress for our dancers, but that will also be entertaining for our audience," Sales said.\n-- Contact staff writer Melissa Harrold at mejharro@indiana.edu.
(10/05/04 5:33am)
Lessow served on the United Way board from 1994 until 2001 and actively volunteered for several committees from 2001 until 2003, while simultaneously chairing the Monroe County United Way campaign. He said he is very familiar with the role United Way plays in the Bloomington community as well as in Monroe and surrounding counties. \n"United Way can help provide resources as (needs) emerge (within the community)," Lessow said. \nThe United Way provides resources by raising funds for the 25 certified agencies in Monroe County with the resources and education the community demands of them. \nAccording to its Web site, the vision of United Way is to provide the community with sufficient food, a safe place to live, access to health care, access to emergency services, the opportunity for youth to grow and prosper, the education of skills and support needed to enter and stay in the work force, and support of the elderly in their efforts to be independent. \nEach of the 25 agencies accomplishes one or more of these visions with their individual programs.\n"(The relationship between the agencies) is a great power," Lessow said, referring to the monthly meetings in which each agency comes to address their needs, share the services they provide and advertise their latest projects and events. "They provide great information on the needs of the community, allowing (the United Way) to track and cover them." \nLessow also added that United Way's limited budget forces it to prioritize the community's needs, providing only programs that are the most pertinent to the well-being of the community. \nSuch events include after-school programs and other educational environments as well as teaching the Bloomington community about job opportunities and health care.\n"(Monroe County United Way) has to look out for the good of all the community, keeping a balance," Lessow said.\nThe campaign goal is set at $1.6 million for the upcoming 2005 year, Lessow said. In order to reach this amount, businesses and other organizations within the community are offered the chance to get involved. \nMany choose to give a certain percentage from their payrolls every month, while others chose to hold large fund-raisers to benefit United Way.\n"(The United Way's member agencies) touch the lives of one out of every five residents of the county," said Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Kumble R. Subbaswamy. "Since the IU community makes up one out of every four residents within the county, we are helping one another. It is truly neighbors helping neighbors." \nHe also said the United Way campaign is the only way in which IU raises charitable funds as an entire organization.\nIU and its students have a great impact on the Bloomington and Monroe County community. Last year alone, the faculty and staff, with the help of students, raised $602,686 for United Way's campaign. This year, the University has raised its bar a little higher to $615,000, an estimated 40 percent of the entire Monroe County United Way goal.\nThe United Way is not merely supported by the University fiscally, but its member agencies are also supported by the thousands of volunteers that get involved each year. \n"The success of the United Way campaign depends on having broad participation from the IU family; the more individuals who participate at whatever level, the greater the chances for success," said IU Dean of Education Gerardo González, the Monroe County United Way campaign co-chair.\nGonzález said he believes it is the giving and campaign-supporting of students and others on a limited income that makes a difference.\n"(It) encourages others to contribute and underscores the importance of the United Way to the health and well-being of the community in which we live," he said.\n-- Contact staff writer Melissa Swyers at mswyers@indiana.edu .
(09/28/04 5:37am)
The University of Namibia Choir presented a musical play integrating African and Western musical traditions and languages to promote cultural understanding Monday night at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.\nThis was the first of several U.S. performances for the group, who will travel to George Washington, Rutgers and Yale universities before taking the 23-hour-long flight home to Namibia in two weeks, said Danie Strydom, the choir's stage director and UNAM performing arts lecturer.\nAs part of its visit to IU, the choir conducted a workshop at IU's International Vocal Ensemble, directed by Mary Goetze, Monday afternoon. The performers will also visit the African American Choral Ensemble today.\nThe 19 men and women of the choir danced and sang in costumes made of cream-colored fabric and brown leather that combined traditional and modern Namibian designs. The choir members had the opportunity to design their own costumes for the performance, which they embellished with fabric head-wraps and cowrie-shell anklets that helped to keep time when they stomped their feet.\nStrydom said that the choir's multicultural presentation represented the melding of different cultures, backgrounds and religions.\n"Although my ways are not your ways, I respect you, and I expect you to respect me," Strydom said during the play. "Let us strike hands and stand together and be one together for the future."\nThe performance consisted of songs from Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, in several indigenous African languages and English. \nThe choir members, all UNAM students, sang and spoke lines in African languages, and Strydom narrated the scenes in English.\nThe songs, sung a capella in four-part harmony, told the story of a village and its problems at the time that the first Europeans went to Namibia, Strydom said. \nThough the arrival of the Europeans brought conflict to the village, Strydom said these rifts were resolved at the end of the play.\n"(The prior conflict) doesn't matter because they fuse toward the end. You can have the right to decide (your beliefs)," Strydom said.\nDawn Whitehead, a doctoral student in African Studies, said that while the lines were mostly in African languages, she could still understand the story's meaning.\n"I think you can understand the emotions through the facial expressions," Whitehead said.\nFreshman Meg Hathaway said she was happy she had the chance to attend the presentation.\n"I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to get a window into a different culture," Hathaway said.\nAlthough UNAM Choir members have sung all over the world, including trips to Scotland, Germany and South Africa, where they won a prestigious contest, none of them are performing arts majors, Strydom said. During a question and answer session after the play, the students listed their majors, which included accounting, business administration, computer science, mathematics, biology and several others.\nThe UNAM choir has a total of about 70 members, however a smaller group of about 20 came on this tour because of the prohibitive cost of airplane tickets from Namibia to the U.S., Strydom said.\n"The tickets cost what could be a year's salary for some people," Strydom said.\n-- Contact staff writer Melissa \nHarrold at mejharro@indiana.edu.
(09/27/04 4:21am)
The University of Namibia Choir will visit IU classes and give a performance this week as part of their first-ever American tour. The performance will take place from 7:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m., in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. The choir, with conductor Bonnie Pereko, will visit Yale University, Rutgers University and IU as part of a tour sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, said Shawn Reynolds of the IU International Resource Center.\nThe choir was created in 1997, according to a press release. Members sing traditional four-voice a capella, occasionally accompanied by drums or a small band. The choir's repertoire consists of religious, concert, traditional, and folk music, according to the release. They sing in all Namibian languages -- six African and three European (German, English, and Afrikaans).\nReynolds said IU has an ongoing relationship with the University of Namibia (UNAM), through which faculty and administrators are exchanged to help shape UNAM's administration and other aspects of the University. However, this will be the first time students have visited either university, \nTwo IU choirs will take advantage of the opportunity to meet with the choir members. Monday afternoon, the UNAM choir will teach some of their songs to the International Vocal Ensemble, a choir directed by Mary Goetze, that recreates music from outside the Western tradition. Goetze said the public is welcome to attend this class meeting, which will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday in Sweeney Hall, Room MU015 in the Simon Center. Afterward, choir members will answer questions and talk to those in attendance.\n"We're looking very forward to interacting with (the choir) on a personal level," Goetze said.\nThe UNAM Choir will also visit the African American Choral Ensemble, directed by James Mumford, Tuesday.\nMumford said he believes this will be an opportunity for his students to hear African music fused with the Western tradition, which came from the European influences that reached Namibia in the last few centuries.\nLocated in southwestern Africa, Namibia was annexed by Germany in the late 19th century, and remained under German rule until the end of World War I, when the League of Nations transferred leadership of Namibia to South Africa. Namibia received further European influence from missionaries who taught the people to sing in harmonies in the Western tradition, Goetze said.\nMumford said he believes the UNAM choir will show a mix of both indigenous African music and European influence.\n"They will probably sing gospel or spirituals, but of course their singing styles are different from the way that African-Americans do it in this country," Mumford said. "But, it's still indicative of African influence. (My students) will be able to see things from the African-American style that derive from the way the Africans sing," \nThe choir, which mainly sings four-voice pieces a capella, or without instrumental accompaniment, will greet the public Monday after the show. Audience members will have the opportunity to meet with choir members, who will answer questions about their music, their country and various other topics.\n"It's an opportunity for people of different cultures to learn about each other through their music," Mumford said.\nBoth Mumford and Goetze expressed enthusiasm about the show.\n"I just think it will be a treat for everyone to hear the group," Goetze said.\nFor more information about the event contact The Indiana University Honors College at 855-3555. \n-- Contact Staff writer Melissa Harrold at By Melissa Harrold \nIndiana Daily Student \nThe University of Namibia Choir will visit IU classes and give a performance this week as part of their first-ever American tour. The performance will take place from 7:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m., in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. The choir, with conductor Bonnie Pereko, will visit Yale University, Rutgers University and IU as part of a tour sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, said Shawn Reynolds of the IU International Resource Center.\nThe choir was created in 1997, according to a press release. Members sing traditional four-voice a capella, occasionally accompanied by drums or a small band. The choir's repertoire consists of religious, concert, traditional, and folk music, according to the release. They sing in all Namibian languages -- six African and three European (German, English, and Afrikaans).\nReynolds said IU has an ongoing relationship with the University of Namibia (UNAM), through which faculty and administrators are exchanged to help shape UNAM's administration and other aspects of the University. However, this will be the first time students have visited either university, \nTwo IU choirs will take advantage of the opportunity to meet with the choir members. Monday afternoon, the UNAM choir will teach some of their songs to the International Vocal Ensemble, a choir directed by Mary Goetze, that recreates music from outside the Western tradition. Goetze said the public is welcome to attend this class meeting, which will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday in Sweeney Hall, Room MU015 in the Simon Center. Afterward, choir members will answer questions and talk to those in attendance.\n"We're looking very forward to interacting with (the choir) on a personal level," Goetze said.\nThe UNAM Choir will also visit the African American Choral Ensemble, directed by James Mumford, Tuesday.\nMumford said he believes this will be an opportunity for his students to hear African music fused with the Western tradition, which came from the European influences that reached Namibia in the last few centuries.\nLocated in southwestern Africa, Namibia was annexed by Germany in the late 19th century, and remained under German rule until the end of World War I, when the League of Nations transferred leadership of Namibia to South Africa. Namibia received further European influence from missionaries who taught the people to sing in harmonies in the Western tradition, Goetze said.\nMumford said he believes the UNAM choir will show a mix of both indigenous African music and European influence.\n"They will probably sing gospel or spirituals, but of course their singing styles are different from the way that African-Americans do it in this country," Mumford said. "But, it's still indicative of African influence. (My students) will be able to see things from the African-American style that derive from the way the Africans sing," \nThe choir, which mainly sings four-voice pieces a capella, or without instrumental accompaniment, will greet the public Monday after the show. Audience members will have the opportunity to meet with choir members, who will answer questions about their music, their country and various other topics.\n"It's an opportunity for people of different cultures to learn about each other through their music," Mumford said.\nBoth Mumford and Goetze expressed enthusiasm about the show.\n"I just think it will be a treat for everyone to hear the group," Goetze said.\nFor more information about the event contact The Indiana University Honors College at 855-3555. \n-- Contact Staff writer Melissa Harrold at By Melissa Harrold \nIndiana Daily Student \nThe University of Namibia Choir will visit IU classes and give a performance this week as part of their first-ever American tour. The performance will take place from 7:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m., in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. The choir, with conductor Bonnie Pereko, will visit Yale University, Rutgers University and IU as part of a tour sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, said Shawn Reynolds of the IU International Resource Center.\nThe choir was created in 1997, according to a press release. Members sing traditional four-voice a capella, occasionally accompanied by drums or a small band. The choir's repertoire consists of religious, concert, traditional, and folk music, according to the release. They sing in all Namibian languages -- six African and three European (German, English, and Afrikaans).\nReynolds said IU has an ongoing relationship with the University of Namibia (UNAM), through which faculty and administrators are exchanged to help shape UNAM's administration and other aspects of the University. However, this will be the first time students have visited either university, \nTwo IU choirs will take advantage of the opportunity to meet with the choir members. Monday afternoon, the UNAM choir will teach some of their songs to the International Vocal Ensemble, a choir directed by Mary Goetze, that recreates music from outside the Western tradition. Goetze said the public is welcome to attend this class meeting, which will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday in Sweeney Hall, Room MU015 in the Simon Center. Afterward, choir members will answer questions and talk to those in attendance.\n"We're looking very forward to interacting with (the choir) on a personal level," Goetze said.\nThe UNAM Choir will also visit the African American Choral Ensemble, directed by James Mumford, Tuesday.\nMumford said he believes this will be an opportunity for his students to hear African music fused with the Western tradition, which came from the European influences that reached Namibia in the last few centuries.\nLocated in southwestern Africa, Namibia was annexed by Germany in the late 19th century, and remained under German rule until the end of World War I, when the League of Nations transferred leadership of Namibia to South Africa. Namibia received further European influence from missionaries who taught the people to sing in harmonies in the Western tradition, Goetze said.\nMumford said he believes the UNAM choir will show a mix of both indigenous African music and European influence.\n"They will probably sing gospel or spirituals, but of course their singing styles are different from the way that African-Americans do it in this country," Mumford said. "But, it's still indicative of African influence. (My students) will be able to see things from the African-American style that derive from the way the Africans sing," \nThe choir, which mainly sings four-voice pieces a capella, or without instrumental accompaniment, will greet the public Monday after the show. Audience members will have the opportunity to meet with choir members, who will answer questions about their music, their country and various other topics.\n"It's an opportunity for people of different cultures to learn about each other through their music," Mumford said.\nBoth Mumford and Goetze expressed enthusiasm about the show.\n"I just think it will be a treat for everyone to hear the group," Goetze said.\nFor more information about the event contact The Indiana University Honors College at 855-3555. \n-- Contact Staff writer Melissa Harrold at mejharro@indiana.edu.
(09/20/04 4:02am)
Saturday night, the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi performed the revolving Sema ritual to a packed house at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater as part of the Lotus Festival, the international music festival that drew a numerous spectators and world renowned artists to Bloomington this weekend.\nThe audience filed into the theater and filled nearly every seat after lining up around the block and down Walnut Street for half an hour before the show. The stage was set for the initial part of a ritual that has been performed in much the same way since its inception more than 700 years ago by a Turkish poet and scholar named Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi.\nAfter being introduced by Bloomington Muslim Dialog Group president Ali Korkmaz, nine semazen, or dervishes, took the stage.\nPlayed on traditional Turkish instruments, the ritual began with mood-setting notes from the ud, an 11-string guitar-like instrument. This melodic, haunting music was soon joined by the low, deep tones of the ney, a Turkish reed flute, other instruments and the voices of several of the semazen. \n"I don't know much about what they were singing about, but it was coming from the soul," Bloomington resident Trudy Kaufman said.\nThe song lasted several minutes, with solos from the ney, ud and singers. \n"It was really eerie, the warbling and the way they would attenuate the notes at the end," Clint Wolfe of Evansville, said.\nAt the songs climax, one of the semazen sang, in heartfelt tones, a highly varied and complex melody.\n"It is really neat how you can hear the cyclical form of the music," senior Molly Mitchell said.\nAfter an intermission, the nine musicians returned to the stage accompanied by five dancers. In this second part of the ritual, all 14 men wore tall, cylindrical hats. According to the pamphlet distributed at the door, written by Dr. Celalettin Celebi, this "camel's hair hat (sikke) represents the tombstone of the ego." \nThe "cyclical" music began again, and the five dancers stood and removed their black cloaks, an action that represents their spiritual rebirth to the truth, according to the pamphlet. \nAs they began their spinning dance, the semazen's white skirts, representing the ego's shroud, billowed around them. \n"While whirling, (the semazen's) arms are open: his right arm is directed to the sky, ready to receive God's beneficence; his left hand, upon which his eyes are fastened, is turned toward the earth," Celebi's pamphlet read.\nEach dancer's white costume turned red, pink, green or yellow as he revolved under the stage's colored lights.\n"The flowing of the robes was circular, as it billowed out. They were almost like flowers," Bloomington resident Julia Karr said.\nAt the conclusion of their deliberate, precise whirling and the musicians' spinning, lilting melodies, the dancers resumed their dark cloaks and bowed, thus ending the ritual. \nWolfe said that the presentation was not what he anticipated\n"I guess I expected it to be more high-energy than that. It was pretty low-key," Wolfe said.\nAlthough the performance may not have been what some members of the Bloomington audience expected, Kaufman said she enjoyed it.\n"It was hypnotic, entrancing; beautiful, just beautiful," Kaufman said.\n-- Contact staff writer Melissa Harrold at mejharro@indiana.edu.
(09/17/04 5:18am)
This weekend the Lotus Festival will present a mix of entertainment and spirituality. The Whirling Dervishes of Rumi will whirl Bloomington at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. \nThe Dervishes are being brought to town by the Bloomington Muslim Dialog Group, an organization of Muslim individuals who wish to spread understanding and respect among people of all faiths. The BMDG also teamed up with the Niagara Foundation, a Chicago-based organization that pursues similar goals, and the Lotus Festival to bring the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi to Bloomington, BMDG President Ali Korkmaz said. \nAccording to information provided by the BMDG and the Niagara Foundation, whirling dervishes perform a 700-year-old ritual called "Sema," involving traditional music, dance and costumes. A Turkish poet and teacher named Mevlana Jalaluddin al-Rumi, known simply as Rumi, began the practice that has been observed in much the same way throughout the centuries. \nThe Whirling Dervishes' Web site explained that, "by revolving in harmony with all things in nature, the semazen testifies to the existence and the majesty of the Creator, thinks of Him, gives thanks to Him and prays to Him."\nHakan Berberoglu, a Turkish Musician, explained that this revolving ritual is comprised of two parts. During the first section of the performance, the Dervishes perform what Berberoglu called "interesting, mesmerizing" music on traditional Turkish instruments. Then, during the Sema ceremony, five dervishes come to the stage to perform the movements that comprise the spiritual worship, Berberoglu said. Each aspect of the show, including the costumes, music and minute details of movement, has a specific meaning, Korkmaz said.\nKorkmaz said that people do not have to know all of the intricate details before coming to the show. An informative pamphlet will be distributed at the door, and the first 500 people will receive a DVD describing the life of Rumi and the history of the Sema ritual, Korkmaz said. \nWhether audience members' curiosity or the reputation of the Whirling Dervishes prompts them to attend the show, Lotus Festival Director Lee Williams said he believes the performance will have a wide appeal.\n"They're well known. If you ask somebody what a whirling dervish is, even if they've never been out of the country, they'll have an image of the men with the hats and the costumes," Williams said.\nWhile the practitioners of the Sema ritual are traditionally followers of Islam, Berberoglu said the ritual is more a spiritual than a religious practice and embraces all faiths.\n"This is beyond being a Muslim. (The dancers) will always be Muslim and practice the five pillars of Islam. But this is beyond religion. They are trying to be closer to God. It doesn't matter what they are. They can be Christian, Jewish, whatever," Berberoglu said.\nKorkmaz, too, emphasized the universal appeal of the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi.\n"Everybody thinks about how to achieve inner peace and get closer to God. Everybody sees it from a different perspective," Korkmaz said.\nFor further information, visit The Bloomington Muslim Dialog Group at http://www.bmdg.org , the Lotus Festival at http://www.lotusfest.org or The Whirling Dervishes of Rumi at http://www.sufinight.com.\n-- Contact staff writer Melissa Harrold at mejharro@indiana.edu.
(09/16/04 4:00am)
They've been out of the game for a while, but '80s synth-pop group Tears for Fears have broken out of their hiatus with an album that's as "sweet as homemade apple pie," as they call one song in their liner notes.\nEverybody Loves A Happy Ending, the first effort from English duo Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith since 1996, is a pleasure to listen to. While every band to come out of Britain since the mid-1960s has probably been compared to the Beatles in some way, this complex, artsy album has distinct echoes of the Fab Four's work. For example, the alarm clock sounds, vocal timbre, harmonies and lyrics of the album-opening title track bring to mind Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band songs, "A Day in the Life" and possibly "Good Morning, Good Morning." \nBeyond these surface Beatles resemblances, however, is an evolved album full of textured, artsy songs that will make you tap your toe and sing under your breath, even the first time you hear them. \nIn their first album of the new millennium, Tears for Fears has shown they can still produce songs to stick in your head all day, like their '80s hits "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" once did. Standout tracks on Everybody Loves A Happy Ending include "Closest Thing To Heaven," "Killing With Kindness" and "Who Killed Tangerine"
(09/15/04 4:49pm)
They've been out of the game for a while, but '80s synth-pop group Tears for Fears have broken out of their hiatus with an album that's as "sweet as homemade apple pie," as they call one song in their liner notes.\nEverybody Loves A Happy Ending, the first effort from English duo Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith since 1996, is a pleasure to listen to. While every band to come out of Britain since the mid-1960s has probably been compared to the Beatles in some way, this complex, artsy album has distinct echoes of the Fab Four's work. For example, the alarm clock sounds, vocal timbre, harmonies and lyrics of the album-opening title track bring to mind Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band songs, "A Day in the Life" and possibly "Good Morning, Good Morning." \nBeyond these surface Beatles resemblances, however, is an evolved album full of textured, artsy songs that will make you tap your toe and sing under your breath, even the first time you hear them. \nIn their first album of the new millennium, Tears for Fears has shown they can still produce songs to stick in your head all day, like their '80s hits "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" once did. Standout tracks on Everybody Loves A Happy Ending include "Closest Thing To Heaven," "Killing With Kindness" and "Who Killed Tangerine"
(04/08/04 5:01am)
Blonde Redhead have succeeded in creating another collection of moody, somber tunes on their newest album, Misery Is a Butterfly. This most recent effort suggests an artistic step forward for the band, from their previous minimalism to Misery Is a Butterfly's more complex arrangements.\nBlonde Redhead is Kazu Makino (vocals/guitar) and Italian twin brothers Amedeo (vocals/guitar) and Simone Pace (drums). On Misery, they create a somewhat mellowed alternation between delicate, pained vocals and loud, angry songs than was apparent on their last album, Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons. \nWhile the band's previous music could be called arty or melancholy as well, the instrumentation and arrangements of Misery, such as the synthesizers on "Elephant Woman," take it to a new level of artistry. Highlights include "Falling Man," "Maddening Cloud" and "Magic Mountain," in addition to the title track.\nWhile some might find the vocals whiny or grating, on this album Kazu and Amadeo's voices work beautifully with the exquisite arrangements and synthesizers to create a haunting, sweetly melancholic mood.\nIf you have never been exposed to Blonde Redhead, Misery Is a Butterfly is a good place to start in this eccentric band's catalogue.
(04/08/04 4:00am)
Blonde Redhead have succeeded in creating another collection of moody, somber tunes on their newest album, Misery Is a Butterfly. This most recent effort suggests an artistic step forward for the band, from their previous minimalism to Misery Is a Butterfly's more complex arrangements.\nBlonde Redhead is Kazu Makino (vocals/guitar) and Italian twin brothers Amedeo (vocals/guitar) and Simone Pace (drums). On Misery, they create a somewhat mellowed alternation between delicate, pained vocals and loud, angry songs than was apparent on their last album, Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons. \nWhile the band's previous music could be called arty or melancholy as well, the instrumentation and arrangements of Misery, such as the synthesizers on "Elephant Woman," take it to a new level of artistry. Highlights include "Falling Man," "Maddening Cloud" and "Magic Mountain," in addition to the title track.\nWhile some might find the vocals whiny or grating, on this album Kazu and Amadeo's voices work beautifully with the exquisite arrangements and synthesizers to create a haunting, sweetly melancholic mood.\nIf you have never been exposed to Blonde Redhead, Misery Is a Butterfly is a good place to start in this eccentric band's catalogue.
(02/12/04 5:00am)
Nominated for four Academy Awards and winner of the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) and Best Screenplay, "Lost in Translation" has generated a lot of buzz lately, and it does not disappoint. \nThis bittersweet film details the relationship between Bob Harris (a quintessentially comical yet world-weary Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), as they each battle jetlag-motivated sleeplessness in an upscale Tokyo hotel. Bob, a middle-aged movie star, is in Tokyo half-heartedly shooting whiskey endorsements. Charlotte spends her days and evenings confined in the hotel room, while her hotshot photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi) spends every waking moment working. Lonely and bored, Bob and Charlotte find companionship in each other. Their relationship poignantly portrays the instant and intense intimacy that develops between lonely travelers in a strange country who will never meet again in their ordinary lives.\nMurray basically makes the film with his performance. He brings a perfect mix of humor and sadness to his role, making him thoroughly endearing as an aging action star singing karaoke in an orange camouflage t-shirt.\n"Lost in Translation" is aesthetically beautiful, with lush garden scenes sharply contrasting cityscapes emphasizing Bob and Charlotte's loneliness. Many of the most memorable scenes, however, come from the characters' exploration of Tokyo, from karaoke bars to arcades.\nSpecial features on the DVD include a home video-like behind-the-scenes documentary (made very entertaining by Murray's antics), an interview with Murray and Coppola, a music video and some deleted scenes, including Bob Harris' extended appearance on a wacky Japanese talk show. If you missed it in theaters, the "Lost in Translation" DVD is well worth checking out.
(02/11/04 9:03pm)
Nominated for four Academy Awards and winner of the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) and Best Screenplay, "Lost in Translation" has generated a lot of buzz lately, and it does not disappoint. \nThis bittersweet film details the relationship between Bob Harris (a quintessentially comical yet world-weary Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), as they each battle jetlag-motivated sleeplessness in an upscale Tokyo hotel. Bob, a middle-aged movie star, is in Tokyo half-heartedly shooting whiskey endorsements. Charlotte spends her days and evenings confined in the hotel room, while her hotshot photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi) spends every waking moment working. Lonely and bored, Bob and Charlotte find companionship in each other. Their relationship poignantly portrays the instant and intense intimacy that develops between lonely travelers in a strange country who will never meet again in their ordinary lives.\nMurray basically makes the film with his performance. He brings a perfect mix of humor and sadness to his role, making him thoroughly endearing as an aging action star singing karaoke in an orange camouflage t-shirt.\n"Lost in Translation" is aesthetically beautiful, with lush garden scenes sharply contrasting cityscapes emphasizing Bob and Charlotte's loneliness. Many of the most memorable scenes, however, come from the characters' exploration of Tokyo, from karaoke bars to arcades.\nSpecial features on the DVD include a home video-like behind-the-scenes documentary (made very entertaining by Murray's antics), an interview with Murray and Coppola, a music video and some deleted scenes, including Bob Harris' extended appearance on a wacky Japanese talk show. If you missed it in theaters, the "Lost in Translation" DVD is well worth checking out.
(01/23/04 9:00am)
Intricately woven and imaginative, Edward Bloom's stories are of questionable truth. Through them, Edward (Albert Finney) has created a mythology of his past, which he shares with his family, friends and anyone who will listen. As his health deteriorates, Edward's son Will (Billy Crudup) attempts to disentangle his father's fabrications to discover the reality beneath. \nWith Big Fish, based on a novel by Daniel Wallace, director Tim Burton creates the breathtaking scenes of Edward's stories, presenting us with the distinctive characters and events of his life. True to form, Burton's scenes are each visually impressive, making the film beautiful to look at in addition to its star-studded cast and intriguing plot.\nScottish actor Ewan McGregor, complete with a believable Southern accent, lends his magnetism and charisma to the role of the young Edward Bloom, protagonist of the mystical tales. McGregor's innocent, boyish charm makes him the perfect hero: a hopeless romantic, a fearless wanderer and a man who is always in the right place at the right time (or a little early). Whether the tales are fact or fiction, you want to root for him either way.\nEdward's narratives are peopled with colorful characters, from a giant (Matthew McGrory), to a wheeling and dealing circus manager (Danny DeVito) to a barefooted poet (Steve Buscemi). Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham-Carter also appear in supporting roles as the women in Edward's life. Each of these characters lends color to the fabric of Edward's tall tales.\nBeyond the colorful stories, however, this movie is at its most basic level about Will's quest to understand his father's true nature. Finney is striking and charming as the elder Edward, and plays well against Crudup's solid performance as the more level-headed Will. The narrative deftly weaves between the past and present, making the story easy to follow, even in its complexity.\nThis film brilliantly explores the fundamentals of human relationships by attempting to answer the following questions: Who is Edward Bloom, really? Is there an absolute truth beneath his embellished tales of the past? Does it really matter? \nA tall tale and its opposite -- the most grounded of stories -- Big Fish's appeal lies in the human desire to believe the unbelievable. Whether you are skeptical or gullible, this film is a touching family story, with stellar performances, fairytale sensibilities and sensible reality. It's an enjoyable and wondrous journey into one man's vivid imagination and relationships.
(01/15/04 5:00am)
Intricately woven and imaginative, Edward Bloom's stories are of questionable truth. Through them, Edward (Albert Finney) has created a mythology of his past, which he shares with his family, friends and anyone who will listen. As his health deteriorates, Edward's son Will (Billy Crudup) attempts to disentangle his father's fabrications to discover the reality beneath. \nWith Big Fish, based on a novel by Daniel Wallace, director Tim Burton creates the breathtaking scenes of Edward's stories, presenting us with the distinctive characters and events of his life. True to form, Burton's scenes are each visually impressive, making the film beautiful to look at in addition to its star-studded cast and intriguing plot.\nScottish actor Ewan McGregor, complete with a believable Southern accent, lends his magnetism and charisma to the role of the young Edward Bloom, protagonist of the mystical tales. McGregor's innocent, boyish charm makes him the perfect hero: a hopeless romantic, a fearless wanderer and a man who is always in the right place at the right time (or a little early). Whether the tales are fact or fiction, you want to root for him either way.\nEdward's narratives are peopled with colorful characters, from a giant (Matthew McGrory), to a wheeling and dealing circus manager (Danny DeVito) to a barefooted poet (Steve Buscemi). Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham-Carter also appear in supporting roles as the women in Edward's life. Each of these characters lends color to the fabric of Edward's tall tales.\nBeyond the colorful stories, however, this movie is at its most basic level about Will's quest to understand his father's true nature. Finney is striking and charming as the elder Edward, and plays well against Crudup's solid performance as the more level-headed Will. The narrative deftly weaves between the past and present, making the story easy to follow, even in its complexity.\nThis film brilliantly explores the fundamentals of human relationships by attempting to answer the following questions: Who is Edward Bloom, really? Is there an absolute truth beneath his embellished tales of the past? Does it really matter? \nA tall tale and its opposite -- the most grounded of stories -- Big Fish's appeal lies in the human desire to believe the unbelievable. Whether you are skeptical or gullible, this film is a touching family story, with stellar performances, fairytale sensibilities and sensible reality. It's an enjoyable and wondrous journey into one man's vivid imagination and relationships.
(12/11/03 5:00am)
If you haven't heard of Rocket from the Tombs, you might know the two punk bands that its members went on to form: Pere Ubu and The Dead Boys. While RFTT lived and died in mid-'70s Cleveland before anyone had heard of The Ramones, their intense guitar-driven rock is generally considered a major influence on later punk bands.\nThe Dec. 1 show at the Bluebird was perhaps not what punk fans regaled with myths of mid-'70s pre-punk legends Rocket from the Tombs would expect. \nWithout ceremony or introduction, a large, bearded man wearing a mauve jacket and an aloof air took his place at the center microphone. This was David Thomas, formerly known in the Cleveland pre-punk scene as Crocus Behemoth. \nWhile no one would expect a screaming, moshing, out-of-control performance at a RFTT concert, this show was perhaps even more laid-back than anticipated. Thomas did not provide much showmanship, speaking little and sitting on a chair at center stage between his singing parts, resting his hands on a cane, his eyes closed.\nBut fans did not need witty between-songs banter or theatrics to be enthusiastic about this show. What Thomas and the rest of RFTT did provide was solid, straight-to-the-chase rock and roll. \nAlthough the crowd was small at no more than around 80 people, it was apparent every person at the Bluebird that night had long anticipated this reunion tour. A few danced at the front of the stage, punching their fists into the air during choruses. Most, however, stood and enjoyed hearing the pre-punk legends' songs live for the first time.\nAccompanying Thomas' tenor vocals were original RFTT guitarist Cheetah Chrome (Gene O'Connor) and bassist Craig Bell, who also switched off on vocals. The void left by late members Peter Laughner and John Madansky was filled by the unhinged solos of Television guitarist Richard Lloyd and chest-rattling drumming from Pere Ubu's Steve Mehlman.\nThis new incarnation of Rocket from the Tombs is touring in support of the first official album release of their only studio recordings, Rocket Redux, due early next year. Before this new project, the world could only hear RFTT on bootleg demos and two rare compilations of demos and radio broadcasts. \nWith the inclusion of RFTT songs later released by Pere Ubu as well as tracks previously available only as bootlegs, Monday night's show was a rare treat for '70s rock aficionados and new fans alike.
(12/10/03 10:25pm)
If you haven't heard of Rocket from the Tombs, you might know the two punk bands that its members went on to form: Pere Ubu and The Dead Boys. While RFTT lived and died in mid-'70s Cleveland before anyone had heard of The Ramones, their intense guitar-driven rock is generally considered a major influence on later punk bands.\nThe Dec. 1 show at the Bluebird was perhaps not what punk fans regaled with myths of mid-'70s pre-punk legends Rocket from the Tombs would expect. \nWithout ceremony or introduction, a large, bearded man wearing a mauve jacket and an aloof air took his place at the center microphone. This was David Thomas, formerly known in the Cleveland pre-punk scene as Crocus Behemoth. \nWhile no one would expect a screaming, moshing, out-of-control performance at a RFTT concert, this show was perhaps even more laid-back than anticipated. Thomas did not provide much showmanship, speaking little and sitting on a chair at center stage between his singing parts, resting his hands on a cane, his eyes closed.\nBut fans did not need witty between-songs banter or theatrics to be enthusiastic about this show. What Thomas and the rest of RFTT did provide was solid, straight-to-the-chase rock and roll. \nAlthough the crowd was small at no more than around 80 people, it was apparent every person at the Bluebird that night had long anticipated this reunion tour. A few danced at the front of the stage, punching their fists into the air during choruses. Most, however, stood and enjoyed hearing the pre-punk legends' songs live for the first time.\nAccompanying Thomas' tenor vocals were original RFTT guitarist Cheetah Chrome (Gene O'Connor) and bassist Craig Bell, who also switched off on vocals. The void left by late members Peter Laughner and John Madansky was filled by the unhinged solos of Television guitarist Richard Lloyd and chest-rattling drumming from Pere Ubu's Steve Mehlman.\nThis new incarnation of Rocket from the Tombs is touring in support of the first official album release of their only studio recordings, Rocket Redux, due early next year. Before this new project, the world could only hear RFTT on bootleg demos and two rare compilations of demos and radio broadcasts. \nWith the inclusion of RFTT songs later released by Pere Ubu as well as tracks previously available only as bootlegs, Monday night's show was a rare treat for '70s rock aficionados and new fans alike.