Page 4
University Daily Kansan, June 19, 1980
Entertainment
Repertory members happy to endure long hours
RvSHAWN MeKAV
Staff Reporter
Over the din of hammers and drills, there was a loud crush as a wooden flat hit the ground. The woman who had been working on the flat stepped backward, her hammer gripped in her hand.
"it's taking a lot more room than I realized," she shouted over the noise. In the next room, an actor sang out of key and was told to begin the song again.
THE STAGEHAND and the singer were tired, nevertheless they continued because opening night of the Kansas Theater was only three weeks away.
THE CURTAIN opens for the first time on July 10 when Meredith Willson's "The Music Man" can be the stage. It also will be performed July 18, 26 and 27. "Hotel Paradiso" by George Paydeau will be presented by July 19. "A Dance with the Lovery Oberlander" by Presson Jones will be presented July 12, 17, 23 and 25.
The 23 members of the repertory began the day at 8:45 a.m. with a group movement and exercise class. Students were instructed to break before the first rehearsal began.
"I really was tired my first three days and now I'm totally exhausted," said Kelli Murphy, a graduate student
who is completing her second degree from the University of Kansas. "Seriously, I'm learning how to use my more widely and to live on less sleep."
"Honey, anybody who can get me to do cartwheels at eight in the morning has my vote."
EDWARD HOUSER, technical director for KRT, said students were not the only ones required to work long hours to bring the shows together.
"We are working the same schedule as everyone else," he said. "We are here from eight to 10 hours each day, sometimes until way after 10 p.m. I never make it home for lunch and sometimes not for dinner."
Houser said he was willing to spend many hours in the theater because he gained satisfaction from seeing a production molded into a work of art.
"Most of us who have chosen the theater as a profession get hooked on the magic of it at some point. Once you have experienced that magic, its worth an awful lot of long hours to make it happen again." he said.
In the afternoon and evenings students rehearsed and constructed sets for the three productions.
"We spend a lot of time in the costume and set shops, especially if you don't have a major acting role," said Eleanor Hardin, Lawrence sophomore.
DAVID SIEGEL, St. Louis, Mo
senior, he said he enjoyed devoting the day
entirely to theater work.
"You enjoy it a great deal more than productions during the normal school year," he said. "It’s often hard to decide what is infringing upon what—whether your classes are infringing other parts of your classes. KRT is a job and you don’t think in terms of it hurtting other parts of your life," he said.
Physically the work was harder than it was during the year, Siegel said, but the cast was becoming closer.
"KRT gives us a greater opportunity to develop a strong bond among the cast. You become more sensitive to the pain and tear that can be able to get your juices flowing even when the alarm goes off at eight and you've only had three hours sleep," he said.
THE LONG HOURS leave little time for anything besides theater.
"My social life was on hold when I got here and I kept it that way." Siegel said. "You're so tired at night that you wake up in the morning absolutely gray. And when you do have a day off, all you do is sleep.
"Five hours we spend communing with a television set. If we can keep our eyes open."
Daneers in the Kansas Repertory Theatre production of the "Music Man" practice a routine. The theater company will present three shows next month.
2-FER SALE
[Today through Sunday only]
WHEN YOU BUY TWO AT
KING OF JEANS
2-fer $15
SAVE
★ LEVIS RECYCLED JEANS
(29 length & Shorter only)
★ LEVIS RECYCLED CORDUROYS
★ ELY PAINTER'S PANTS
★ WOMENS TOPS
- WOMENS TOU
Values to $20 Each
★ ALL BELTS
2-fer $25
★ LEVIS IRREGULAR
All colors in Bells & Straight Legs
★ DEE CEE PAINTER'S PANTS
(white ★ lt. blue ★ yellow
★ khaki)
★ LEVIS "MOVIN ON" JEANS
not available in navy
2-fer $20
★ LEVIS RECYCLED JEANS
All Sizes
Bells, Big Bells, Boot
Cuts, St. Legs
★ MEN'S SHORT SLEEVE
SHIRTS
★ Kennington ★ Campus
★ Levis
★ ALL WOMAN'S TOPS Values to $26 ea.
★ MEN'S WESTERN SHIRTS
2-fer $30
★ LEVIS IRREGULAR JEANS St. leg, Boot Cut, Flares, Big Bells
★ CHINO (Wally Cleaver) PANTS
★ ALL LEVIS SHIRTS
★ LEVIS CORDUROY BELLS
Lawrence's Largest and Most complete jeans store