Thursday, March 30, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B • Page 3
performance
Brian Brooks, from Donald Byrd/The Group dancers,
a workshop-style class for students last night at
Robinson Center. The Group will perform next weekend at the Lied Center. Photo by J.M.Daiy/Kansan
JazzTrain chugs onstage at Lied Center next week
By Sindy Greenfield
joyplay@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Culture literally has taken center stage at the Lied Center since the Millennium Project began last fall.
At 8 p.m, April 7 and 8, the center will begin winding up this semester's African American-themed events with JazzTrain.
JazzTrain is a traveling dance program choreographed by Donald Byrd and performed in more than 40 cities. The three-part production follows the development of jazz music.
next weekend composer/drummer Max Roach, former Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid and composer/pianist Geri Allen will perform the JazzTrain music live as part of the performance for only the fourth time. Their compositions were created specifically for JazzTrain.
This is the third year Byrd and his dance company, The Group.
have come to Lawrence. In 1997 the company performed The Beast, a show about domestic violence. But Byrd said his goal is not to tell a story or deal with cliched tragedies.
"What I do in the dances that I make and the choreography I do is to find away to pull people in to it," Byrd said. "They either respond to it, or they don't respond to it."
Byrd has been a choreographer for more than 21 years and has produced more than 80 works. The Donald Byrd Dance Foundation in Brooklyn, N.Y., employs 12 dancers who will be interacting with the University of Kansas Dance Company.
"The activity of dancing is powerful," Byrd said. "It doesn't have to be dancing about something, but it is just that the human body moving in time and space is a really powerful thing."
Jennifer Shoreman, Leawood Junior, said she felt lucky to have been chosen to perform.
Twelve of the KU Dance Company's 25 members will perform a ballet choreographed by
Brian Brooks, member of The Group. May 4 and 5.
"They're muscular, welltrained and have great technique," she said. "And they want to be involved in the community."
Last semester, the Lied Center kicked off the Millennium Project with a series of Latino acts. The project will center on Asian acts this fall. The goal of the project is to focus on different regions each semester to raise awareness about various cultures.
Tickets for JazzTrain are $19 and $10 for KU and Haskell Indian Nations University students and children ages 0-18; $38 and $20 for the public; and $77 and $19 for senior citizens. Tickets are available at the Lied Center, Murphy Hall and SUA box offices, the University of Kansas Medical Center bookstore and at any Ticketmaster outlet.
Former student in TV spotlight
KU grad lands star role in new ABC comedy
By BriAnne Hess
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Not many people who pack up and move to Los Angeles to act ever make a living out of it. Thomas Newton, a 1996 KU graduate in theater and film, is becoming an exception.
Then Came You, the situational comedy in which Newton co-stars, aired its second episode at 7:30 last night on ABC. The sitcom debuted last week and will continue for at least 11 more episodes.
Newton said he moved to Los Angeles more than three years ago and worked as a bartender when he got picked up for the pilot by ABC last year. He said that since then, he'd finally been able to earn a living as an actor.
The show is about a 33-year-old divorced book editor, Susan Flovd, and her relationship with Newton's character, Aiden, who is 10 years younger than she.
Corey Koester, 1997 graduate, said he was a family friend of the Newtons and had watched the debut.
"It was goofy-funny," Koester said. "I enjoyed seeing him more than anything. It's always fun to see someone you know on television."
Newton, who has performed on stage for most of his life, said he enjoyed the change from theater to television.
"There is a whole new set of rules," Newton said. "I learn 50 new things a day. It's not like the theater. You don't have three weeks to rehearse it."
Newton said the cast and crew rehearsed one week for each episode. He said they got the scripts on Wednesdays and rehearsed Thursdays and Fridays. Writers rework the script constantly and shoot the episode on Tuesday.
"You can't really memorize the script until on Monday, because 10 to 12 pages could be different," Newton said.
Newton's father, Barry Newton, professor of architecture and urban design, said that he had seen the pilot and that the family went to California in August to watch the shooting of the second episode.
Thomas Newton, a 1996 KU graduate, stars in the new ABC comedy *Then Came You*, which airs Wednesday nights. Contributed photo
"I thought it was fine," Barry Newton said. "I did explain to him
that I was glad that it was not up against something else I watch."
Barry Newton said that his son had done a small television stint in England when he was 5 or 6 years old. He said that they had always encouraged Thomas Newton to pursue his dreams.
"I think people should do what they want to do." Barry Newton said. "We've always encouraged our children to be adventurous."
Thomas Newton said he originally moved to San Diego, Calif., looking for something to occupy his time. He worked as a carpenter at the Old Globe Theater for eight months before deciding that he missed acting.
"It it was something I went to college to do," Newton said. "You have to pursue it the best you can before you give it up, or you'll always wonder, 'What if?' "
Newton said he had started acting by appearing in five or six commercials, then moved on to guest-starring roles in the TV shows V.I.P., U.S.A. High, The Visitor and Sweet Valley High.
In February, he finished shooting a low-budget suspend/thriller, *Lying in Wait*. The plot follows his character's mental deterioration into a serial killer. Newton co-stars with Rutger Hauer and Virginia Madsen.
John Gronbeck-Tedesco, professor of theater and film, taught Newton in his directing class. He said Newton had been a meticulous student.
He said that ideas for the film were still up in the air but that it would probably be released at a festival.
"Nobody plans to be a movie star," Gronbeck-Tedesco said. "At the time, he was planning on going to the West Coat and becoming the best actor he could be and work in the profession."
performing arts
tomorrow;
Saturday:
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, B 8, p. at m. aten Theater in Murphy Hall.
$4, students. $8, public. $7, senior citizens.
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, 8 p.m. at Inge Theater in Murphy Hall. $4, students. $8, public. $7, senior citizens.
Sunday:
"An Anglo-French Evening" with the University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center. $4, students and senior citizens. $5, public.
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, b. p.m. at Inge Theater in Murphy Hall. $4, students. $8, public. $7 senior citizens.
Trombonanza, 1 p.m.
at Swarthout Recital
Hall. Free.
Australian Chamber Orchestra; 3:30 p.m. at the Lied Center. $11. $13.50, all ages.
Tuesday:
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, 8 p.m., at Inge Theater in Murphy Hall. $4, students. $8, public. $7, senior citizens.
Wednesday:
The Woolgatherer, 8 p.m. at Inge Theater in Murphy Hall. $4, students. $8, public. $7, senior citizens.
Events
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Undergraduate honor recitals, 7:30 p.m. at Swartch Recital Hall in Murphy Hall. Free.
Poetry slam, 10 p.m. at The Jazzhaus, 9261/2 Massachusetts St. $3, 21 and old.
Graduate honor recitals, 7:30 p.m. at Swarthout Recital Hall in Murphy Hall. Free.
Registered Student Organizations
A minimum of one workstation will be available in the Student Organizations and Leadership Development Center for the 200-2001-year.
Applications are at SUA, O&L, and in 133 Strong Hall.
Applications are due by noon on April 12, 2000.
Questions: Bill Nelson, O&L Center, 864-4861
Questions: Bill Nelson, O&L Center, 864-700 Jane Tuttle, Dean of Students Office, 864-4060