THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015
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arts & features
HOROSCOPES
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Today is a 9
You have what you need to do a good job. Keep on top of your studies. Don't cave to peer pressure. Spend minimally. Keep communications channels open. The best ideas rise to the top.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Today is a 7
Use your creative talents to generate an increase in your family kitty. Relax and enjoy the game without losing focus. Choose the ethical high road. Invest in success.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Today is an 8
Hold meetings. Have a party or gather somewhere fun. Celebrate with friends and family. Get carried away by excellent music. The social arena is where growth happens.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) Today is a 9
Today is a 5
The work you're doing grows your professional reputation.
Build your portfolio. Do as much as you can. You've got the power, and your status is rising. You see others in a new light. Love gives you strength.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Today is a 7
Travel and fun hold your focus. Get out and explore. Play with people who share your enthusiasm. You're very persuasive now. Get into something more comfortable. Look sharp. Things could get hot. Use your secret weapon.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Today is an B
Virgo (Aug. 5 pt.22)
Today is an B
Put your love, time and energy into a home improvement.
Research and get the best quality Discover another way to stretch your money. Friends and family are very helpful.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Today is a 7
Make plans with a partner.
Gather and share valuable information. Write down the possibilities that get created.
Display a fraction of your emotions. Include exotic food, fabrics, or images.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Today is a 9
Your work is really coming together. More study is required. Use existing materials. Cash flow increases with your efforts. Get out and play. Participate in a fascinating conversation.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Today is a 9
Today could get exceptionally entertaining. A lucky break lights you up. You see things differently now. Find the finances for an upgrade. Invest in your business. Play with the best players you know.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Today is a 7
Today is a 7 Nurture your health today and tomorrow. Practice meditation, yoga, or take a walk outside. Peaceful introspection recharges your spirit. Others ask your advice... don't be stingy.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Today in a 7
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Meetings, conferences, classes and social gatherings go well today. Communicate your vision.Together you can generate the funding.There's no time to kick back yet.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Today is an 8
Career opportunities come knocking. Follow through! Possibilities for increased income abound, if you put in the effort. A raise is possible. You can get whatever you need.
'Flora, the Red Menace' opens Friday
RYAN WRIGHT
@ryanwaynewright
Everybody seemingly knows someone who has a horror story about hardships in the search for employment fresh out of college. KU Theatre's latest production, "Flora, the Red Menace," tackles this issue among others.
"Flora, the Red Menace" tells the story of an out-of-work fashion illustrator who falls in love with a communist, who eventually convinces her to join the party. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 10 at Inge Theatre in Murphy Hall, 1530 Naismith Dr.
"The play is based around the time of the Depression, in the '30s, and it talks about the struggle of the worker," Music Director Ryan McCall said. "I think there's something to be said about the struggle of looking for a job and trying to find one. I think it's something that every college kid can relate to."
"I personally resonate with the fact that Flora is trying to get a job that she loves to do," McCall said. "She refuses to have anything to stand in her way. [She] will do anything possible to pursue her career."
McCall, 36, is from Salina and does music direction for all musicals within KU Theatre.
"Flora, the Red Menace" features a strong-willed female lead who stops at nothing to land her dream job, he said.
The musical features themes of romance and how to cope with loss as well. Cale Morrow, a sophomore from Dodge City, said at its heart, "the message
of the show is about being true to yourself and learning how to navigate your way through a romantic relationship while remaining true to who you are."
Morrow said the theme of "you can't be right for someone else if you aren't right for yourself" is very prominent in this show.
Morrow, 20, is a theater major with a minor in creative writing. He plays the role of Harry Toukarian, Flora's love interest.
The musical can also be related to feminism, McCall said.
"[Flora] is a strong, independent young woman who is dedicated to changing the world," Morrow said. "The character of Flora is truly the center of this classical musical, and back in the early days of musical theater this was a rare occurrence."
GRACE HEITMANN/KANSAN
- Edited by Mackenzie Clark
Many plays and musicals written in the past portray women as "damsels in distress," and female roles relied on a male character for help. Morrow said. He said this show is a nice change of pace from that stereotype — the character of Flora is far from those portrayals.
[Flora] knows what she wants and she goes after it," he said. "She wants to be treated as an equal. The musical is in the '30s, looking to get a job within a big company with equal pay. Even today we fight for equal wages for women. Flora can definitely be related to the story of feminism and what it means."
Main character Flora Meszaros, played by Jaclyn Nischbach, looks over as the men complain about the lack of opportunity. The play, "Flora, the Red Menace," will be shown April 10-16 at 7:30 p.m. at the William Inge Memorial Theatre (Black Box Theatre).
FLORA, THE RED MENACE
Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 11, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 12, 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 14, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 15, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.
Due to the intimate nature of Inge Theatre, there will be no late seating. For more information, visit kutheatre.com.
Inge Theatre in Murphy Hall 1530 Naismith Dr.
GRACE HEITMANN/KANSAN
Maggie, played by Lily Lancester, poses while her dance partner Kenny, played by Jacob Miller, pretends to take a photo of her. The play, "Flora, the Red Menace," will be shown April 10-16 at 7:30 p.m. at the William Img Memorial Theatre (Blox Box Theatre).
Rock-A-Thon offers eclectic array of local music
KELLY CORDINGLEY
@kellycordingley
The lawn of Pearson Scholarship Hall will be packed on Saturday with people dancing and music blaring from five local and regional bands that will "blow your mind", according to Tyler Daniels, social chair of Pearson Scholarship Hall. The hall will be hosting its 15th Annual Rock-A-Thon from 5-11 p.m. on Saturday.
"It's essentially a music festival open to anyone to come hang out and have a good time," Daniels said. "It brings a name to the scholarship halls because it's one of the only events the scholarship halls put on that's open to everyone."
The lineup will feature Shadow of Whales as the headliner, Bears and Company, Westerners, Paper Buffalo and
A Gecko Named Terrance. Shadow of Whales is currently competing in Vans Warped Tour's Battle of the Bands.
"There's something for everybody," Daniels said.
Charlie McCool, a senior from Lawrence, planned the event in 2013 before Daniels took over. He said he had never heard of Rock-A-Thon before visiting Pearson.
"My teacher in high school told me [Pearson Scholarship Hall] would be a great thing to be a part of," McCool said. "I had such a great time hanging out with the guys and everyone who came to the event, I wanted to put it on the next year."
Daniels said he was initially drawn to the University because of Rock-A-Thon. Held been deciding between two 0universities and happened to tour the scholarship halls
at Kansas the same day as the event.
"I knew that's what I wanted to do," he said. "That was the coolest thing to me. Concert promotion is something I'm looking to do in the future, so that really influenced my decision to come to KU and go to Pearson Hall."
McCool said this event shows off the individuality of the scholarship halls to the University and Lawrence as a whole. The concert taking place outside also adds a level of uniqueness to the event.
"It's an outdoor concert, which doesn't happen that often," McCool said. "It's a different experience playing outside, and the bands have a great time doing it."
Daniels is a DJ at KJHK and said that's where he found some of the bands that will play at Rock-A-Thon. The budget
for the event this year was $1,400.The stage alone cost $1,300.Pearson Scholarship Hall was able to raise nearly $1,600 in additional funds to pay for fees like travel expenses for out-of-town bands.
["The bands] are usually pretty easy to talk to," Daniels said. "You just have to convince them this is a place they want to play and that it'll benefit them. A lot of Lawrence bands are pretty into it. I email the Foo Fighters every year, and they just won't get back to me. Fingers crossed."
With roughly 230 people going, according to the Facebook page, Daniels said he has high hopes for the 15th Annual Rock-A-Thon.
"This year, with it being the 15th anniversary, I'm trying to get it as big as possible," Daniels said. "I'm trying to make it a big deal. I just want to
make this the best there's ever been. I've been doing a lot of promotion for it. We have a lot of really quality bands coming in."
Since the concert is free, Daniels said he anticipates both students and Lawrence residents to be drawn to the event.
"Lawrence loves their music. That's one of the best things about this town, especially local music," Daniels said. "It's an amazing, totally rad environment with some of the best music Lawrence, and the region, has to offer. Each band will blow your mind one after another. It's an easy place to go to find some really awesome music. Some day you can say 'I saw that band at Rock-A-Thon before they were playing at the Sprint Center.'"
Edited by Emma Seiwert
Alum Lucas Parker becomes popular local musician
RYAN WRIGHT
@ryanwaynewright
Lucas Parker isn't your average University alumnus. He is an artist of many genres, including hip-hop, rock and jazz, and has been performing in Lawrence since he was young.
Parker's next show in Lawrence is with one of his bands, "Hearts of Darkness," at the Bottleneck on Friday.
While growing up in Lawrence, Parker said his family appreciated music. His parents never played an instrument, but both his brothers do. His parents had a large role in shaping his taste in music.
"The Beatles' 'Help!' movie was my 'jungle Book,' so to speak," Parker said. "I was listening to Led Zeppelin while all my friends were listening to Eminem. My dad took me to see Metallica, Rush, and my first music festival all when I was in my early teens."
Shortly after graduating in 2013, Parker began to work
Parker is currently involved with a number of music projects, including a funk band named "Mouth," a hiphop collective named "Hearts of Darkness" and "Toy Cartel," which is Parker's solo jazz/ rock project.
for several different recording studios and artists, including Tech N9ne's Strange Music Inc.
"I have been working with their producer, Seven, on a number of tracks including a few on Tech's upcoming album 'Special Effects,' Parker said. "Special Effects" currently doesn't have a release date.
Aside from working with Tech N9ne, Parker has a choice list of musical inspirations he developed as he aged and discovered other artists and bands.
"When I was 12 to 13 I loved Metallica more than any other band in the world, and that's kind of the reason I picked up the guitar," Parker said. "A couple years later I learned to appreciate the rich textures and dreamy approach of Pink Floyd. David Gilmour is an
Parker has not only been inspired by artists, but he's also been inspired by the annual Wakarusa music festival. He said he started attending the festival back when it was held in Lawrence and that he was astounded by the scene.
[Lucas has] always stood out as nothing short of exceptional..."
amazing guitar player and will always be one of my favorites."
DYLAN GUTHRIE
Pink Royal
"I was so pleased to discover that there was a market for non-mainstream genres of music, and that's when it first dawned on me that I could have a future playing the style music that I loved," Parker said.
After performing at friends' birthday parties and open jams as a child, Parker began performing weekly at the age of 17, starting at a now-closed
restaurant called "Stone Creek," which was located at 3801 W 6th St. in Lawrence. Since then he's performed at numerous venues throughout Lawrence and Kansas City, including "Five Bar and Tables," which is attached to Ingredient located at 947 Massachusetts St.
Parker's journey at Kansas began before he finished high school. As a teen, he began to attend the University's summer jazz workshops, which allowed him to approach guitar at the college level. Once Parker started attending Kansas in 2010, he began his development into becoming a professional musician.
"The demand for
"KU was integral in forming me into the player I am today," he said. He said he built many relationships and made some of his best friends in the jazz department at Kansas. Parker also said the director, Dan Gailey, has such a strong vision and doesn't settle for anything less than excellence.
preparedness and professionalism on and off the bandstand is one of the hallmarks of Gailey's program, and that pushed me to be a much better musician than I would have ever become had I not gone to KU," he said.
If Parker isn't performing, he'll probably be found at the concert of a friend or another musician. He said he often goes to see a friend's gig or another professional touring band even if he isn't necessarily a fan because he enjoys seeing how they do their job.
Dylan Guthrie of Lawrencebased band Pink Royal has fond memories with Parker.
"Lucas has always been an incredibly gifted player," Guthrie said. "From our first band together in sixth grade to jazz camp in junior high to playing in the combos at KU to joining some of the most awesome KC/Lawrence groups, he's always stood out as nothing short of exceptional."
Edited by Laura Kubicki