Entertainment
University Daily Kansan, September 27, 1980 Page 3
Bernie (Bart Ewing) puts the move on Joan (Robin Manzano) in a scene from "Sexual Perversity in Chicago."
'Sexual Perversion' opens Inge series
By JANE NEUFELD
Staff reporter
From its opening discussion on the merits of wearing World War II flak suits during sex to its closing anatomical rating of the female body by the two male characters, the one-act play "Sexual Perversion in Chicago" explores sexual mores.
The play is one of three short plays by contemporary playwright David Mamet that will be presented at 8 p.m., Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, in the Theatre of Washington. The play. The plays are the first of the fall issue series.
"Sexual Perversity" maps the relationship between four people, Bernie, Danny, Deborah and Joan. The two men are roommates and best friends, two women. Danny and Deborah become lovers.
Weaver said "Sexual Perversion" explores the problems everyone faces in dealing with sex.
"Danny and Deborah meet at a library, fall into bed, then fall into love, have a relationship that falls, and then go back to their school," said Amy Foster. Mich., senior and director of the three plays.
"Everyone has to go through the time when they say, 'Well, do I want to get laid, do I not?' "
anyone who's looking for and trying to figure out sex."
The characters in the play have their problems figuring out sex. As Danny and Deborah drift apart, she tells him, "You're trying to uncover what happens and I'm confusing you with information."
"We got baby seals dying in Alaska, and we write amendments for bands," Bernie says. "We've been doing that for years."
"Nobody does it normally anymore," Danny says after Bernie's description of a night out with a girl, a flak suit, a five-gallon can of gasoline and a Zippo lighter.
The language of the play is sexually explicit, Weaver said, and is not suitable for children
"The play itself is obscene," he said. "It's fast, it's funny, it's sad, it's terribly dirty."
"Sexual Perversion" is set in Chicago in 1973. The play has 34 short scenes, which Weaver separates by changing the lighting and using music from 1973.
"I chose 73 on purpose," Weaver said. "It was disco for one thing, and the sexual revolution."
The props for the play were sparse, Weaver and audience members would use their imagination.
"For an office, we have a desk. For the bedroom, we have a bed," he said. "We give the
Barbara Bald, Lawrence junior, plays Deborah in "Sexual Perversion"; Mack Rector, Lawrence sophomore, plays Danny; Bart Miller, Sophomore; John Leaf, Manzano, Chevy Chase. Md.季, plays joan.
Two other one-act plays by Mamet also will be performed, "Reunion" and "Mr. Happiness."
"The they go from clichés and not knowing what to say to each other to understanding," he said. "It's a touching, touching little piece. It's a nice counterpoint to 'Sexual Persuasion.'"
Weaver said "Reunion" was about the meeting of a father and daughter after 20 years apart.
"Mr. Happiness" is about a radio announcer who gives advice to people with various problems.
"He's a Paul Harvey, Ann Landers, a Joyce Brothers," Weaver said. "He ties the other two plays together and yet has something to say on his own."
"An Evening of David Mamet" will run nightly from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5. Curtain time is 8 a.m.
Tickets are on sale in the Murphy Hall Box Office. All seats are general admission and are $2 KU students with valid ID's will be admitted who may be reserved in advance due to limited seating.
By KEVIN MILLS
'Act your age'rebutted in 'The Silver Whistle'
Entertainment editor
Being old is a physical fact but feeling old is a state of mind. That's the assertion of Robert E. McEnroe's 1948 play, "The Silver Whistle," from which he has created a community Theatre at the Lawrence Arts Center.
The play opened last night, and will run
twice on the night at 8. The Sunday
matches are in 12:30
Director Bobby Patton, chairman of speech and drama, said the play is about "what can happen when people allow themselves to step out of roles."
"It's not social commentary, per se," Patten says. "It's all hilarious funny, and that's the feeling that I get."
The plot revolves around the appearance of a new resident at a charity home for the elderly. The resident says he is 77 but is subsequently revealed to be a 47-year-old hobo.
The hobo induces the residents to reject the type of old age by offering them the 'secret' house.
"He uses various ploys," said Patton, "such as a secret potion that, when coupled with Scotch whiskey, has a profound effect on the residents."
Jose Ferrer played the hobo in the 1948 Broadway premiere. Peter Dart, professor of radio/TV/film, recreates the role in the Lawrence production.
Charles Oldfather, retired law professor and University counsel, Ambrose Saricks, professor of history, Gerhard Zuther, chairman of the English department, Susan Kelso Zuther, assistant instructor of English, Nan Scott, lecturer in English, and Wayne Deryx, of
facilities and operations, also have roles in the play.
In addition, several elderly Lawrence's patients have been cast, many of whom had no one to replace them.
"Two things I had in mind," Patton said, "One, to involve these people. And two, to do a play that older persons would like to see.
"I've never worked with such a receptive cast. They had a lot of creative energy that was based on their life experiences. It also allowed them to play people playing roles close to their own age."
"The Silver Whistle" already has been presented to various local nursing homes. Wednesday night's dress rehearsal was free for the elderly.
Patton said there were several similarities in today's social climate and the one depicted in the 1948 play. Then, as now, a Democratic incumbent president was faced with questions about his future role in military involvement in a foreign nation are in today's headlines, as they were in 1948.
"The play is not well known and it hasn't been done that much," Patton said. "But it's my own feeling that it's somewhat ahead of its time.
"We have made real progress since 1948 in regards to our social perspective of the
The set, designed and built by Ed Kirkman,
features period pieces and props, Patton said.
One of the props, Omar the rooster, is a live
dog owned by cast member Howard Durkin.
Tickets are $3 on a reserved basis. There
Reservations can be made by calling 843-0444.
Reservations can be made by calling 843-0444.
Mr. Beebe (Ambrose Saricks), right, discusses institutional living with Older Citizens Sampler (Reese Saricks), Mr. Cherry (Charley Oldfather), and Mrs. Hamm (Bernice Pallman).
Spare Time
TODAY        MUSIC: John Hartford, with Alan Weiss, 9 p.m. at the Lawrence Opera House
Plain Jane, 9 p.m. at G.P. Loyd's West
Liquid Fire, 8:45 p.m. at The Pladium
THEATER: "The Silver Whistle," presented by the Lawrence Community Theatre, 8 p.m. at the Lawrence Arts Center
ART: Mark Goodwin, sculpture, and Bhakti Ziek, weaving, at the Lawrence Arts Center
Coilet S. Bangert, painting, and Vernon Briecha, sculpture, at Kellas/7E7 Gallery
"Americana from the Collection" and "From Drawings to Sculpture: The Creative Process," at the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art
MOVIES: "Allen," with "Birth of a Notion," 3:30, 7 and 9 p.m. at the Union
SATURDAY        MUSIC: Alchemny, 9 p.m. at the Lawrence Opera House
Plain Jane, 9 p.m. at G.P. Loyd's West
Liquid Fire, 8:45 p.m. at The Pladium
Henry Cuesta, clarinet, 9 p.m. at Paul Gray's Jazz Place
Band Day parade, 9 a.m., Mass. St.
THEATER: "A Toby Show," children's theater, 10:30 a.m. at the University Theatre, Murphy Hall
"The Silver Whistle," 8 p.m. at the Lawrence Arts Center
MOVIES: Same listing as Friday
SUNDAY        THEATER: "The Silver Whistle," 2:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Arts Center
ART: "The New World: Masters of Modern Sculpture," a film at 3 p.m., Spencer Museum Auditorium
MONDAY        MUSIC: Ultravox, 9 p.m. at the Lawrence Opera House
Larry Maxey, clarinet, faculty recital at 8 p.m., Swarthout Recita Hall, Murphy Hall
THEATER: Michael Dorn Moody, playwright, presents a slide program about "The Fool," 7 p.m., Conference room of the Satellite Union
TUESDAY        MUSIC: Allen Ginsberg, poet, and William Burroughs, writer, read from their works. Also, Thumbs, new wave music, 9 p.m. at the Lawrence Opera House
Johnny, 9 p.m. at G.P. Loyd's West
KU Jazz Ensemble I, Gary Foster, guest soloist, 8 p.m., Swarthout Recita Hall, Murphy Hall
THEATER: "An Evening of David Mamet," including "Sexual Perversion in Chicago," "Reunion" and "Mr. Happiness," 8 p.m. in the William Inge Theater, Murphy Hall
ART: "The New World: Masters of Modern Sculpture," film, 1 p., Spencer Museum Auditorium
WEDNESDAY        MUSIC: Janet Jameson, 9 p.m. at G.P. Loyd's West
John Boulton, flute, faculty recital at 8 p.m., Swarthout Rectal Hall
THEATER: "An Evening of David Mamet," 8 p.m., William Inge Theater
THURSDAY        MUSIC: Elvin Bishop, with Larry Raspberry and the Highstepers, 9 p.m., Lawrence Opera House
Janel Jameson, 9 p.m., G.P. Loyd's West
'A Toby Show' recreates circus hero
By SHAWN McKAY
Staff Writer
Far removed from the bright lights and
the large stage were the traveling tent shows of the Midwest.
Lacking the comfortable housing of a New York theater, they erected circus tents and hardwood benches Lacking an audience accustomed to the violence, "they chose the character 'Toby' as their hero.
"The Toby Show," a play based on the hero of old-time TV shows, will be presented at 10:30 at the University's Theater in the University Building.
"The character that evolved in the tent shows of the early 1900s was Toby, a red-haired, freecleed, country bumpkin," said Aurand the theater production.
During his research of turn of the century tent shows, Harns found that Toby was the reason for his success.
"He was so popular that every company had a Toby character," he said. "There were old Tobs, young Tobs, stuttering Tobs, girl Tobys - You were the star."
"With his red wig and freckled face. Toby was
the image of the country boy. He was funny and helpful, he always outsmarted the city-slickers and was a nice man.
Using the rural American character, Harris accepted a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and undertook the research and study of a children's play in "classical Toby style."
Harris took the familiar fairy tale "Cinderella" in the unlikely position of Cinderella (fairy tale) or
"Children accept the Toby version of Cinderella," Harris said. "They are open to truthful, legitimate suggestions or ideas. They are willing to talk about what they mean that you can use any style—even Toby."
The show employs all the characteristics of early tent shows,
"I used a farcical plot with lots of corry, vaudevillian jokes," Harris said. "The tent plays also demanded three acts with short skits and entertainment in between."
Harris said much of the appeal of the report is that American farmers' fear of increasing urbanization
"At the time tent shows were at their peak, most of the young people were leaving their families," he said.
"People who stayed behind felt a little inferior, but Toby always managed to outsmart the city slacker. He appealed to the populace because he made sure they and brought about the triumph of good over evil."
The impact of the tent show on American
treatments cannot be underestimated, according
Hardy.
In the early 1900s, over 20,000 actors left Kakuma and the other wonders every summer – many of them to play Toyo.
"More actors were employed in the tent shows in the Midwest than ever appeared on Broadway," Harris said. "But with the advent of radio and television, the tent shows died. The few that managed to survive could only attract people if they gave them Toby.
"It was the American comedia dartle 'art.' it was native american, and we had it right here and there," he said.
Harris, who has produced many children's
painting, the discovered children's theater
when he discovers it.
"I discovered that I like children, I like theater and I like what children appreciate in theater," he said. "They like excitement, movement, color and energy." He added that "theater and that's what a 'Toby Toy' creates."