6
Friday, October 6, 1978
University Daily Kansan
Play's images 'life like'
By KATHY CONKEY
Staff Reporter
Three women sat on the floor of the Lawrence Arts Center theatre discussing character problems in the script for "Vanities." Behind them on the stage, three unpainted vanity tables stood in a line.
One woman thought she should read a line about her character's sorrowly house with more cynicism. Another cast member
"Didn't you have people in your house when you were in college who were real bad asses but had a soft sash for the house?" she
"Oh. yes. I was one of them," the other replied.
The women comprise the cast for the Lawrence Community Theatre's production of "Vantitas," a play by Jack Heifner. The play will be presented at p.m. Oct. 12, 13 and the Lawrence Arts Center, 5th and Vermont streets. Admission is $2.50 per person.
Throughout rehearsals, the cast has found the play's theme unconfortably lifelike.
the development of three women from a high school cheerleaders in 1963 to a college sorority in 1968 to maturity
in 1943. ALL THESE cast members are between the ages of 28 and 34. They were in high school, college and on their own at the same times that their characters were. They all say they have experienced many of the events in "Vianites."
"We're finding this show particularly enjoyable because all of us were in high school in 1985," Mary Dovey, the play's director, says.
The show requires strong ensemble acting because there is no star among the characters, Doveton said. All three are on stage for the entire play. They even do costume and makeup changes on stage.
stage.
The set, designed by "Vanities" technical director Wavne Derw
consists of three vanity tables with huge mirrors and a few scattered boxes that function as chairs. As the audience enters the theatre the actresses will be at their vanity tables putting on their clothes. At intermission, the actresses will return to the vanities.
"The VANITIES" help to communicate the idea of these women who are in love with their reflections. The play says a lot about how much they can love each other.
"The vanities provide a link between each period because even though there is some growth in the characters, they remain very much wrapped up in themselves and how the world sees them, how their mirrors reflect them."
"If they let their energy down, the audience gets bored," Doveton said.
Dreasher has a lot of experience doing the things her character will do. She was a high school cheerleader and a sorority member
One cast member who doesn't have to worry about losing energy is Dette Dresser. She is a 34-year-old dance instructor and owner of the dance studio.
Because there are no new characters making entrances and exits, and there are few costume changes, few light cues and a few props, the layout is simple.
She said the most difficult thing for her to do in the play was to portray her character's flamboyance in the third act.
Another cast member, Dawn Murrell, also has difficulty portraying her character. Murrell plays Joanne, a character Murrell loves.
Murrell, 28, just completed her master's degree in theater at Pittsburgh State University. She is also designing costumes for
The third cast member is Pat Schmidt. She is 32 and sells real estate. She had not portrayed a leading character before she began acting.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Night Life
Lawrence Opera House, 644 Massachusetts
St.
- Pit's blue Ridim Dibim, Oct. 6, 9 p.m.
* a. $2 general admission and $15 menu
- River City Jazz Band, Oct. 6, 12:30 to 2:30 a.m., on the balcony, free.*
- Jimmie Spheris, Pat's Blue Riddim Band and Jon Paul, Oct 7, 8, 30p., $5.50
- Macks Creek, Oct. 13-14, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
a. $2 general admission and $15 memorial
- Dry Jack Jazz Band, Oct. 13-14, 12:30 to 2:30 a.m. on the balcony, free.
- Paul Gray's Jazz Place, 926 Massachusetts
SL.
- The Gaslight Gang, Oct. 6-7, 9 to 12 p.m.*
$3
Spare Time
- Jam Session, Oct. 11, 9 to 12 p.m., free.
- 11th Street and Rythm Method, Oct. 6,
8:00 a.m to midnight, $2
Great White Pospam String Company,
Oct 7, 9 to midnight $2
- Thumbs, Oct. 12-14, 8:30 to midnight,
1 on Oct. 12 and 2 on Oct. 13.
Movies
Sweet Movie, dir. by Dusan Makavej, Oct.
6; 7, 3-10; 7 and 9:30 pm. $1.50. Makavej will
discuss his film Ao 8 after the 7 p.m. show in
the Forum Room of the Kansas Union
The Virginian, with Gary Cooper, Oct. 9 7:30 p.m., $1.
I'm not one of 'Em, Home Movies, a comedy
Ski Unnatural Acts, In the Best Interest of
Chris Nolan.
The Story of O. dir, by Just Jaeckin, Oct.
13:14, midnight, $150.
Exhibits
- Reverse Paintings on Glass.
Spencer Museum
University Symphony Orchestra. Ed leaut
cello, Oct. 15, 3:30 p.m. University Theater,
New York.
Concerts
A HANDLE Holiday, Oct. 12-13, Grace and Holy Trinity, Kansas City, Mo. 8 p.m.
Student rectal Series, KU Wind ensemble, Oct. 10, 8pm. Swainback Outreach Hall, Free.
Recitals
Theater
The Recruiting Office, by George Farquhar, Oct. 13, 14, b, 8 p.m., University Theatre, free for KU students with ID, $3.25, $2.50 and $1.75 for non-students.
Odds & Ends
- Oct 6, Kansas National Guard Armory,
200 Iowa St, $7.35 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Tickets available in the German Department, 2080 Wescoe.
Okoberfest
Max Soler
Argentinian sculptor's works 'bizarre'
Bv DAN BORN
Revlewer
The creator is Max Soler, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, art-in-residence at KU's Hashing Hall during September and October.
The welded iron and bronze sculptures come in a variety of bizarre forms—a gangly ballet舞衣, a twisted rooster and aquat, monstrous female form without a face.
Some of his sculptures and ink drawings are on display at the 267 Art Gallery in Chicago.
Solar, whose introduction to the Lawrence area came last year through his sister, Martha, a local architect, worked as an attorney for 30 years. But he said he was "born a sculptor." He said he now gives full time to his art.
FIVE EXHIBITIONS of his work went into exhibition in 1978. The Bolts captured his sculpture, drawings and photography. His next exhibit is scheduled for Madrid, Spain, in 2016.
Soler, the son of a Buenos Aires real estate agent, has worked in professional photography and stained glass art, besides law. He studied ceramics, sculpture and painting. He graduated in Buenos Aires. He studied photography at the New York School of Photography.
KANSAN Review
IT IS the distortion in Solar's human, humanoid and animal figures that arrests the
"I express things by deforming what is obvious," he said, pointing to an iron figure clad in the cap and bells of a medieval jester, outlandish because of its enormous belly, buttocks and bunched back.
Soler considers himself a surrealist from the viewpoint of his technique, but a realist in the sense that he does not work with images other than either, he said, he tries to "capture" images.
He said he was usually 50 percent finished with a sculpture before he knew what it was going to be. And that idea, he said, changes again before the work is finished.
Besides the distortion in his sculptures, there is a sense of motion, which he said was a result of his "spontaneous" method of work.
He said his working ideas are not preset. Rather, they emerge through the process of welding and shaping the sculptures themselves.
His bronze "The Civilizer" is only one
piece in his show at the 7E7 Gallery which opened last week. It's a study in historical irony. A helmeted knight skins, brassianheads and a cape dangles on the armor. A mace dangles from his waist.
The figure, Soler says, hearkens to the days of the Spanish conquistadores who overran America in the name of civilization.
"Civilization with a sword and mace makes that civilization rather doubtful," he says.
In "Adolescence," a gaurt teenager buries her face in the ridiculously ballooned bosom of a headache, stumplike mairiarch. Soler contrasts the adolescent's need for freedom with a contradicting need for security.
"Preamaching in the Desert" depicts John the Baptist, as a superman—the thighs and upper torso hang massively on the lean flesh of Jesus. He uses hand made sands ready to fly from his foot.
"People who strive for peace are not weak people," Soler says, "but failure is written into the title."
"Good Old Yorc," Hamlet's jester, is a pathetic figure clutching a scepter and skull. Solar points to the crowns on which the figure sits.
"What's the use of power in the world?" he asks.
("sugar is dangerous")
starting Patricia Clementi *Carla Langer John Vernon* Anna Proctal
Written and directed by Dianne Makeham *WMR-Writers of the Organism*
Friday & Saturday, Oct. 6 & 7
"...the most beautiful film on sexual politics I've ever seen!"
-Jack Nicholson
$1.50 3:30 - 7 pm - 9:30 Woodruff Aud.
Mr. Makavejev will be available for questions and comments in the Forum Room following Friday's 7:00 show.
CANDIDATES FOR
PROOF THE BALLOTS
RATED X—Age ID's will be checked at the door
Sunday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Forum Room Kansas Union
Senate Positions and Freshman Class Officers
Funded by Student Senate
Handbags - Jewelry
Accessories
Holiday Plaza 25th & Iowa
ON LEVEL TWO
Reserve your table by calling
PRAIRIE ROOM RESERVATIONS
864-4590
Join us for our special SUNDAY BRUNCH BUFFET
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
To assure a space for your group at THE Sunday Brunch place in town, reservations in advance are appreciated.
Monday through Friday 9:30-2:30
DINE WITH US, THEN VISIT THE SPENCER MUSEUM
Sunday morning after 9:30
Friday, Saturday Balcony Act IN CONCERT
River City Jazz Band Oct 7
12:30 FREE
7th Spirit Club Jimmie Spheeris
SATURDAY WITH P.O.R. BAND