University Daily Kansan / Friday, September 29, 1989
Arts/Entertainment
11
Stage is set for 'I am a Bear!'
Amanda Clark, left, and Sean Gutteridge, both sophomores, act in the play's first U.S. production
Play entertains schoolchildren in local debut
- By Jennifer Reynolds Kansan staff writer
What do you do when the truth, as you perceive it, is no longer accepted as the truth?
The University of Kansas Theatre for Young People will explore that question in its presentation of "I Am A Bear!" at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Crafton-Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall.
The play, adapted from a Canadian children's book titled "The Bear That Wasn't," is about a bear who wakes from his winter sleep and finds a factory built over his cave. Factory employees persuade the bear that he must leave the cave to bear. The bear finally believes them and conforms to his factory job.
When winter comes, he is fired for sleeping on the job, and he goes to a hotel. The hotel manager won't let him stay because he is a bear. Through that experience, the bear is able to rediscover his true identity.
The play is geared toward fourth-fifth- and sixth-graders," said Amy Dorsey, Lawrence junior and cast member. "But adults can see into it a little deeper and ask themselves the question of what do when the truth, as they know it, is suddenly not accepted as truth."
Jeanne Klein, assistant professor of theater and film and director of the play, called the play a magical production.
"It can appeal to children and to college students in a powerful way," she said. "It's not your usual stereotypical children's play with slapstick and silliness. It can touch the hearts of children and adults alike."
This week, the cast presented the play to area elementary schoolchildren.
"The children really reacted well," Dorsey said. "One said it was kind of strange, but they really enjoyed it."
Dorsay, who is performing in her first main-stage production at KU.
"They laughed at some sad parts," she said. "They really enjoyed it when it snowed, though."
said the play had an especially interesting theme for children.
"So many people tell children what they should do and how they should act," she said. "The play teaches them how to deal with that."
Dorsay said the play was entertaining and helpful for the children, but they might not have understood the entire message of the play.
Klein said the cast and crew had only three weeks to prepare for the play.
"A children's play is the same amount of work as a regular play," she said. "Three weeks wasn't a whole lot of time."
Artwork a weapon for Indian painter
By Jennifer Metz Kansan staff writer
Hachivi Edgar Heap of Birds, a 1978 University of Kansas graduate, hopes that his artwork exhibited at the Lawrence Arts Center will provide more than a one-dimensional perspective of the Indian.
"Claim Your Color," the title of Heap of Birds' exhibit, will be displayed tomorrow through Oct. 19 as one part of the first Lawrence Indian Arts Show. The show is sponsored by Haskell Indian Junior College, KU Museum of Anthropology and the arts center.
"The theme refers to Indians claiming their ethnicity, individuality and their distinct differences from white people," said Heap of Birds, a Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian artist from Geary, Okla.
The collection will contain drawings, paintings and public signs. The art serves as a form of communica- tion not as pure entertainment, he said.
"The work itself is very contemporary and is a lot on the political side," Heap of Birds said.
"The art tries to explain that this is not something to celebrate." Heap of Birds said.
Oklahoma's 100-year anniversary and the many years of white domination of Indians in Oklahoma is a major theme of his work, he said.
He said few people realize that Oklahoma was designated as an Indian territory more than 100 years ago. Tribes were sent to Oklahoma as refugees from across the country.
"A recurring theme in my art is reclaiming Indian territory," he said.
He said that traditionally Oneyen artists were also warriors. In the 1800s, art work was a type of weapon used for expression.
Heap of Birds said Native American artists still used art as a form of weapon, such as the use of signs to reclaim their territory.
One such sign will hang from the arts center tomorrow with the message, "Sooners Run Over Indian Nations Apartheid Oklahoma."
Another goal of his art is to provide a true picture of the Indian. he said.
He said the Indian image many people thought of was a fictional or romantic idea
"We really have to fight the image of the white man's Indian," Heap of Birds said.
"Since we are in Lawrence, we hope to encourage some other younger Native American artists to engage in challenging issues." Heap of Birds said.
The collection, which will travel nationally, will make its first stop in Lawrence, he said.
Ann Evans, director of the arts center, said the center contacted Heap of Birds to exhibit his work because it wanted to display an exhibit by someone who had a relationship with Lawrence and KU.
Heap of Birds received a bachelor in painting from KU in he, he said.
"He was a natural choice to ask to come here at this time," Evans said.
A reception will be at 8 p.m. for Heap of Birds at the arts center. The artist will present a lecture on his work at the reception.
"The fact that we have a strong Native American community shows that we should be doing something to focus on this culture," Evans said.
Lack of direction destroys promising plot in 'Black Rain'
Kansan movie reviewer
By Marc Parillo
a dirty and corrupt big city most of us would find depressing.
Ridley Scott has returned to the silver screen with "Black Rain" in the hopes of returning to the spotlight, which faded for him because of the financial failure of "Someone To Watch Over Me."
Scott brings to his new film a supply of eye-watering, suffocating, on-screen smoke and a story that could probably win a national pessimist award for "most deprivation in two hours," coming in second only to Scott's earlier film "Blade Runner." This quality doesn't necessarily make the picture poor but "Black Rain" does present a side of
"Black Rain" makes a strong effort at good plot structure, but in attempting to load a complex story into a feature-length film, Scott loses his focus.
Michael Douglas is Nick Conklin, an underpaid and overly motivated New York cop who has captured a Japanese Mafia member involved in a massive American counterfeit operation, Andy Garcia, who played the sharpshooter in "The Untouchables," is Nick's companion and the film's comic relief, Charlie Vincent. Nick and Charlie are assigned to deliver the Japanese malfosso back to the authorities in Osaka,
Japan. But when Nick mistakenly hands over his crook to the Mafia, who are disguised as Osaka police, Nick's attempt to recapture him is further complicated by his struggle to adjust to the Japanese culture.
A part of this struggle comes from a Japanese detective played by Ken Takata. Detective Makahiro is assigned to Nick a Cray to help uncover the counterfeit operation.
The conflicts between the American and Japanese detectives represent the role that ethnocentric plays in the lack of understanding between East and West. Masahiro exemplifies this lack of unity when he yells, "Music and movies--that's all you Americans are good for." By the end of the movie Masahiro learns that America is not just for movies and music, and likewise, Nick and Charlie learn that Japan is not just for cars and stereos.
It is disappointing that Scott decided to focus all his energy on developing the investigation angle, at the expense of the more compelling drama of overcoming cultural differences and learning to assimilate. Scott was handed this opportunity on a silver platter but instead created "Black Rain."
▶ Mare Parilio is a Lenexa sophomore majoring in English and film studies.
Music deadline approaches
The concert is sponsored by the Kaw Valley Songwriters Association.
Sunday is the entry deadline for the 7th Annual Kaw Valley Festival of Song featuring Texas songwriters Townes van Zandt, Robert Earl Keen and Guy Clark.
Kaw Valley Songwriters Association. The top 20 contestants will perform their submitted songs from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 22 at Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St.
The entries must have two original songs recorded on a cassette tape, not exceeding a total of ten minutes. One copy of the lyrics must accompany the tapes. Contestants will be picked at any contest status. A copy of the contest rules can be picked up at any music store in downtown Lawrence.
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