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Entertainment
University Daily Kansan, August 31, 1962
Page 6
Tryouts, enrollment start theatre, arts season
By VINCE HESS
Staff Reporter
The prospective actor and actress stood at the front of the room in Murphy Hall portraying parts from the play "The Children's Hour" after reviewing the script just a few minutes before.
At a desk near the middle of the room sat Ronald Willis, director of the University Theatre and Music.
"Remember, there's a revelation here," he told the actress, "little hints from what he says."
At the back of the room sat 12 other actors and actresses, reading their parts or watching the pair currently at center stage.
And so it went during call-back auditions Wednesday night.
The students were selected from more than 150 students who attended general auditions Aug. 23 and 24 for the three plays and one musical being produced this season in the University Theatre Series. Auditions for vocalist parts in the opera in the series will take place Sept. 22.
The call-back auditions Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights took place along with enrollment for students who want to participate in other activities related to the arts.
Turnout for the University Theatre general auditions was "fine," Willis said. He scheduled about 100 students for the call-back auditions, but only 15 roles were available. The directors of the productions watched the general auditions, and chose the students they wanted to see again.
Wills writes the names and characteristics or identifications of the play's characters on a blackboard at the front of the call-back room. He takes them up on the screen on which the character had a speaking part.
As students filtered into the room, they turned in their call-back cards, necessary for them to participate in the sessions. Willis distributed the cards, and students selected each character and scene students should prepare.
The first students to attend the session enacted a lover's confrontation. Next, three other students performed a scene involving two women and a delivery boy. Willis occasionally
interrupted the performers, reminding them of the development of the plot and offering advice on motions or voice inflections.
Wills suggested that the delivery boy be a leering, menacing figure to the women.
"Let's try some different things," he said. "I really don't know what I want to do."
After the third enactment of the scene, Willis said with a grin to the delivery boy, "OK, you're a pleasant guy."
"The Children's Hour" will be the first production in the University Theatre series.
Other productions in the series are the musical "A Little Night Music," "Much Abo About Nothing." the opera "The Magic Flute" and "The Sea Gull."
Wills then suggested that the performers attend any other call-back sessions they were scheduled for and return later to "The Children's Hour" session to try out other parts.
In other arts-related activities, classes for children and adults began yesterday at the Lawrence School of Ballet, 2051/2 W. Eighth and 482 Massachusetts St. the classes, which
have from one to four meetings a week, end Dec. 18. Tuition for the classes ranges from $67.50 to $28 and can be paid in one or two institutions. Registration began Thursday at the studio.
Enrollment for adult and children's classes and workshops at the Lawrence Arts Center, Ninth and Vermont streets, began Sunday at the Meyer Library until classes start Sept. 7. Class sizes are limited.
Classes are conducted at both studios. Adults may take classes in ballet at five levels, body alignment, early morning exercise and jazz. Children's classes start with preparatory dance classes or a Higher level courses are arranged by age. The highest course is jazz dancing for 15-year-olds.
Most of the classes will meet once a week for eight weeks, ending Oct. 30. Adult classes include calligraphy, drawing, folk clothing design and construction, beginning and intermediate guitar, watercolor painting, creative writing, pottery I and II and yoga. Children's classes include acrobatics, acting, film animation and pottery.
Fees for adult classes range from $20 to $30 and for children's classes from $17 to $30. Materials cost extra.
Most of the adult workshops will meet for one session lasting between 2 1/2 and six hours. Workshop topics include candle making, clogging and construction of woven wheat ornaments. Children's workshops will also meet for one session and will last from 45 minutes to 2 hours. Acting, acting, auditioning, pumpkin carving and baking puppet puppets. Adult fees range from $7 to $18 and children's from $4 to $9, with materials extra.
By the time the classes and workshops meet, rehearsal for "The Children's Hour" will have begun. Casts for all University Theatre plays were announced Saturday, Willis said, and, "The Children's Hour" cast had its first rehearsal yesterday.
"OK, that's it," Willis said when the performers at the call-back session finished the scene. As they returned their copies of the script they had to attend other sessions, he asked, "Who's next?"
Kansas City comedian Aurie Maramalad was one of the stand-up comics at the Moody's Comedy Shop show Sunday night. 701 Massachusetts St., plans to put on the comedy performances using area talent each Sunday.
BEN BIOLIE/Raven Star
KU cuts back Visiting Artists Program
292
Bv CASSIE McQUEENY
Staff Reporter
Famous dancers, musicians and actors have performed at the University of Kansas over the years.
But this year, because of budget cuts, fewer visiting artists will perform at KU.
"The budget cuts have hit the arts just like everywhere else," Ronald Willis, University Theatre director, said recently "It's sad, but it's realy."
University Theatre will not be able to afford its Visiting Artists Program this year. Wills said,
the "University" theatre cannot afford the
few words that will be missed in the
gram when we are facing cutbacks, he said.
There won't be as many visiting dancers this year either, and the music department is also capped off.
The department is operating on half of its last year's budget, Stan Shumway, chairman of the music department, said. Cutting visiting artists is one way they have cut costs.
The University Concert Series funds visiting artists in both dance and music, and is separate from the music and dance departments. There will be fewer performances because its budget has been cut. Jackie Davis, director of Concert Series, said.
Some students said they felt the University would not have its excellent reputation if there were less students.
"I think its degrading that a University this size and caliber cannot bring in top-note performers," Beeky Waters, Olathe senior in music education, said. "I believe aesthetic education is just as important as academic education."
Past visiting artists have included Jeanne pierre Rampal and the Paul Tian Dance Cancen
"We will see fewer of these great performers," Davis said.
But there will still be some musical visiting artists.
"We have an excellent Concert Series and
Chamber Series, so students will still have good
classes."
However, chances are that there will not be any visiting artists in theater this year.
"We hate to rule out any possibilities, but it is highly unlikely the program will continue this year."
"The biggest advantage of the program is the fact that you could say you studied with the artist, even if it was only for a week or a day or a music major, said
The theater's visiting artists have included in the past opera singer Ruth Michaelis, character actor Pat Hingle and actress Estelle Parsons. In addition, some artists offered workshops
Another aspect of the Visiting Artist Program is that theater students have a chance to see what the real world of acting is like. Charla University Theatre Public Relations director, said.
"Students need to realize they don't go from University Theatre leading role to an academy year," Jenkins said. "The Visiting Artists Program will be a big loss because students got to see what it was really like out there. They there was a future but it would be a struggle."
Besides the Visiting Artists Program cuts, the University Theatre has also cut the International Theatre Program. Six to eight performers will be shown this year. This said 'The only year one artist will perform.
"How can we offer an international (theatre) major when we can't expose students to international actors?" Jenkins asked. "They need exposure, especially to eastern cultures."
Cutting the visiting artists program would be a great loss to the University, Willis said.
Wills said the University Theatre budget included supply and maintenance costs and faculty and administrative salaries. When university budget cuts became effective, he and other department heads adjusted the budget to compensate.
"We hated to cut the program. And we are going to try to curtail it, where else so we could learn the programming basics."
High long distance phone bills seemed like a logical place to begin cutting costs, Willis said. But operating a theater requires communication outside of Kansas.
"We surveyed the telephone service and tried to divert costs," he said. "It's a question of priorities and there are some things we just couldn't cut."
The University Theatre is also making plans for a ticket sales campaign. Increased ticket sales might mean a returning Visiting Artists Council and an increase in the university's charity Theatre's budget comes from ticket sales.
"But we will economize in every way possible, we won't have to increase ticker prices," he said. "We're not going to pay for it."
Tick sales are expected to decline because of the country's economic climate. This, too, will affect the number of visiting artists KU can afford to bring in. Davies said.
"We hated to do it," Shimway said. "But instrument maintenance and plane tanding and plumbing were done."
But despite budget cuts in all areas of University fine arts, directors say they will sustain.
The music department also tried to cut back on other expenses to leave some money to bring in.
"It will be a struggle, but we will continue to strive for excellence." Willis said.
Nightclub brings comedians to town
By VINCE HESS Staff Reporter
“Is anybody from out of town?” asked the per-
former on the stage Sunday night at Moody's.
"Yeah," yelled a person sitting at a front table.
"Where?"
"Do you know Bob?"
The laughter from the person at the table and the rest of the crowd seemed to indicate that none of them knew "Bob." But the crowd of about 125 people got to know the comedian on stage, Elliott Threatt, as well as four other comedians. In fact, all City area but a weekly train to Lawrence
The comedians — Lane Luca, Aurie Maramaldi, Wayne Owens, Jerry Rapp, and Brentle were part of the Comedy Show at a Sunday event that occurred Aug. 22 at the night club at 710 Massachusetts Avenue.
Homayoun Moshir, manager of Moody's, said the program was designed to give people the freedom to explore.
"There were too many people in there," Moshiir said. "It was a little too young of a child."
For a $1 cover charge, Moshir said, members of Moody's and their guests can sat free pizza, drinks at a discount, to comedians and b. p.m. every Sunday.
Comedians Owens and Threatt agreed the crowd was too crowded and not prepared to listen to
The opening night of the program attracted 95-100 people, Mohmiri said, but Sunday's show had a crowd capacity. A private party was larger than expected, he said. About 75 people attended, and three others came. In the future, private parties on Sundays will take place before or after the show, he said.
"The audience didn't expect this kind of show. Owens said, describing the program as "exciting."
Threatt, who helped coordinate the program, said he was optimistic about its future.
"Last week was our first week, and it was real-ly great," he said.
Threatt, no newcomer to Lawrence, has performed for the Association of University Residence Halls and at the Lawrence Opera House, 2 E. 7th St. He also performed regularly at the Thursday comedy night at the now-closed Ichabod's.
Threatt contacted several bars and clubs in Lawrence in early August, seeking a location for a regular comedy show which he thinks Lawrence is ready for.
"This town's really been good to me," he said.
"I've gotten more compliments here than
any other town."
Threatt said future programs would include not only stand-up performances but also improvisation routines similar to those on television comedy shows. The five comedians who performed Sunday and others who are based in the Kansas City area would do the routines.
Threatt said he also wanted to have comedians traveling through Kansas City or Chicago app
The Sunday night program could also be a showcase for young comedians in Lawrence, Threatt said. They would have five minutes at the microphone to entertain the crowd. Successful comedians might be invited back to perform for pay, he said, and some of the "open-mike night" comedians at Ichabod's will be invited to Moody's.
Maramaldi, on the stage, as asked a woman seated nearby to walk onto the stage. Then he bet her $1, saying he could kiss her without touching her.
"We want the people to start coming in and
trump out. That's how all we got started,"
The woman appeared reluctant, but Maramaldi, waving a $1 bill in his hand, told her to face him. He bent forward and kissed her. "Here's your dollar," he said.
The ages of the comedians who performed Sunday — Rapp and Threatt were the youngest at 20 and Owens the oldest at 30 — reveal one of the hazards of the life of comedians, Threatt said. Family and financial obligations make it difficult for him to take a limb* and travel across the country, he said.
For example, Rapp, who wanted to be a comedian since junior high school, returned to Kansas Aug. 22 after spending the summer at the University of Maryland of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, Calif.
"I just decided on a whim to do it," he said. He had attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City for one year. He has plans to perform at Moody's as well as at clubs in the Kansas City area. He also is writing a musical revue show to perform on tour.
"That's what got me used to moving around for comedy," he said.
Owens said he did not grow up in one place but moved around the country with his family.
As a child, he was an extra on these television shows as "Leave It to Beaver" and "My Three Sons." He continued to move around when he was older. He attended eight different colleges, never earning a degree but gaining acting and writing experience along the way.
He is signed to perform at the Renaissance Festival that starts in Kansas City this weekend and is promoting a play he wrote, "The Last American Tour by Gilbert and Sullivan."
Owens said there was a simple reason for the demand for comedians.
"The time people are laughing they can't be worring about anything else," he said.
"I've had some real rough nights, but I don't think I ever left a壁 with people sorry I knew."
Threatt has also traveled frequently. A communications major at UMKC, he won a talent contest, "The Midwest Comedy Search," earlier this year in Springfield, M., and competed in the "Big Laugh Off" in San Francisco. He has been performed at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
Maramalid out across the crowd from the stage and pointed at a man sitting near the door.
Outdoor skate rental spices nightlife
"What's your major?" he asked.
Bv CHRIS COURTWRIGHT
The man count not hear Maramaldi because of the noisy crowd.
Outdoor roller skaters — they are bar-hopping, dating and exercising on the streets and parks.
Blake Morgan, owner of River City Rollers, has run an outdoor skate-rental operation in Lawrence for nearly three years. Morgan, who operates out of his truck, said recently that he decided to start his business because he had always enjoyed outdoor skating.
Staff Reporter
Morgan, who can be found at 10th and Massachusetts streets on weekends, began operating last weekend at 13th and Oread streets next to campus, his hang-out on weekends. His rental fee is $15 an hour, and he is open until at least midnight every night.
"When I was growing up, the big thing was to go to a skating rink," Morgan said. "But I absolutely hated it. There were always 300 people trained in there who were going around in ice."
"Huh?" he said.
"Oh, speech therapy?"
Outdoor skating is fun and challenging because outdoor skaters are not as restricted as indoor skaters. Morgan said. It is also a good way for beginners to learn how to skate.
"Skating outdoors really helps your mind relax, and even if you're just taking a 15-minute study break, you know you've had enough training that you've improved your muscle tone." Hill said.
"Joggers are doing absolutely terrible things to their feet and ankles," he said. "But they could be getting better exercise and coordination training by skating."
Morgan also emphasized that outdoor skating was a good source of exercise.
"I've always gotten a lot of beginners," he said. "They like it because they don't have to make a fool of themselves in front of a whole rink of people. I also offer free lessons."
Rusty Hill, Lawrence sophomore, agreed.
Hill, a frequent customer of River City Rollers, sees other advantages, as well.
"I've taken a lot of girls out on roller-skating dates, and it impresses them every time," he said. "Some people also like to skate around downtown here to some of the different 'bars.'"
"There are just so many things you can do when you're not confined to a rink," Morgan said. "I like to play Frisbee on skates.
"If you skate around some and get used to the campus, you can figure out ways to get around without having to go on steep hills or too many steps," he said. "These are fast, professional and smooth-riding skates, and cruising along outdoors is a whole different experience."
"The other day I raced a girl across town. She was on a bike, and I was on skates. I won. Believe it or not, it was a lot easier for me to top on skates than it was for her on her bike."
"That's really a good way to learn how to stop and turn quick, too."
Many people skate on Wescow Beach and other level areas on campus. Hill said.
on campus
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TODAY
Public Relations Student Society of America
meet at 3 p.m. in the Kansas Room in the
Kansas Building.
Campus Crusade for Christ will meet at 7 p.m. in the Big Eight Room in the Union.
KU Student Assistance Center Resource
ability Training for Students will be at 6:18 p.m.
on Monday, January 24.
The KU Science Fiction Society will meet at 7 p.m. in the Council Room in the Union.
Intermediate time-sharing workshop will be at 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Computer Science Department.
Campus Christian Fellowship's Bible study and Fellowship will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Union.
Contemplative Prayer Session will be at 7:45 am at the Ecumenical Christian Minister's
Adult Life Resource Center Turning Point Program "Life Coping Skills" workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 14th from 9am to 5pm at the Library.