ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER AND TIM RICE
lifestyles
University Theatre and the Lied Center present the stories of a hero and a heroine
Matt Palubicki, Wichita senior, performs the role of Simone Gealotes. Gealotes is a religious fanatic who tries to convince Jesus to kill Roman soldiers.
Craig Kenkel takes his role as Jesus Christ in the musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar' very seriously.
Susanna Lööf
Special to the Kansan
Photos by Yumi Chikamori
For almost seven weeks, he has been Jesus. But when the curtains at the Crafton-Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall go down after the last performance of "Jesus Christ Superstar" on Oct. 22, he will be just a student again.
Craig Kenkel, Buckgrove, Iowa, junior, said he did not mind his temporary pseudo-identity.
"I love being Jesus," he said. "It is an incredible feeling. People listen to me."
Since the preparations for "Jesus Christ Superstar" began, Kenkel has changed his lifestyle.
**Above:** Craig Kenkel, Buckgrove, Iowa, sophomore, is hung on the cross to be crucified at the end of University Theatre's production of the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice Kenkel is Jesus in the play.
**Right:** Kenkel laments for his believers before being crucified.
"I am trying to live my life as a Christian without being narrow-minded and without being oppressed by it," he said.
Kenkel is one of 38 students performing in University Theatre's production of the rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice about the last three days of Jesus' life.
Kenkel said he really enjoyed performing the role of Jesus, even though it took most of his time.
"I would not replace it with anything else," he said. "I think I was meant to be here at this time to do this role."
He said that he was not sure if he wanted to come back to the University this summer, but he thought an unknown force brought him back.
"I could easily have stayed in New York where I was, but something drew me back," he said.
The role of Jesus might have been what brought him back to the University, he said, even though he did not know about University Theatre's plans to
Play Times
"Jesus Christ Superstar" will be performed at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and on Oct. 20, 21 and 22 and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Crafton-Prever Theatre in Mumbhv Hall.
Tickets are $4.2 for the general public, $6 for KU students with an I.D. and $1.1 for senior citizens and all other students. Tickets can be purchased at the Murphy Hall box office, 864-3982; the Lied Center box office, 864 ARTS; and at Student Union Activities in the Kansas Union, 864-3477.
cast "Jesus Christ Superstar" when he decided to return.
Judas, one of the main characters, is performed by Kurtis Armstrong, a professional actor from Kansas City, Mo. Armstrong has performed in several shows at Kansas City theaters, such as Starlight Theatre, Shawnee Theatre in the Park and the American Heartland Theatre. His other university guest appearance was in "Once On This Island" at Washburn University in Topeka.
Armstrong said that he enjoyed guest starring at universities. "It feels like I am giving something back to the arts," he said. "I can help the
students by giving them a practical application of what they learn in class." Armstrong said that even though he was a professional he learned from working with students.
Armstrong, who has performed in productions of "Jesus Christ Superstar" twice before, said that he liked working with the actors in the KU production because of their youth.
"Everybody brings a little bit of themselves into the roles, and they bring a
"Jesus Christ Superstar" is a unique show because people in the audience interpret it differently depending on their backgrounds, Armstrong said.
"It can always connect to the audience on some level." he said.
fresh view to their roles," he said.
Paul Meier, associate professor of theatre and film and stage director of the production, said the show was chosen to open the 1994-95 season for the University of Kansas Theatre mainly because it was a great show, but also because it is important.
"The subject, the birth of Christianity, is very important," he said. "It is also an important theater piece because it is the first rock opera."
The fact that "Eva," another Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical, was being performed at
the Lied Center within days of the rock opera's opening was a coincidence, Meier said.
Kenkel said he liked "Jesus Christ Superstar" because of the its questions. "God and religion are major issues that underlie the basic foundations of our lives, and we need to talk about them," he said.
Kenkel said that the rock opera raises questions about the characters in it. "It shows that they were normal people," he said. "But it does not degrade Christianity. In fact, I have gained more respect for Christianity since I started working with the show."
Because of the 1970s image of the movie "Jesus Christ Superstar," many might expect KU's production to have a 70s style.
But according to Christen Bourgeois, Junction City senior and part of the ensemble in the show, KU's production does not highlight any speed.
going to Christen Bourgeois, sanction City senior and part of the ensemble in the show, KU's production does not highlight any specific decade. "It is more generalized than the movie," she said. "It is not specific to any one time period."
Webber and Rice's "Evita" opens Broadway Series at the Lied Center Musical offers interpretation of Argentine Eva Peron's life
By Umut Bayramoglu Kansan correspondent
When Eva Peron sings the hit song "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" Monday at the Lied Center, it may be hard to hold back the tears.
Winner of the Best Musical of the 1980 Tony Awards, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote the music and lyrics for "Evita." Together they have created Broadway shows such as "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Evita," which first hit Broadway Sept. 25, 1979, will be performed at the center by Mini Mac, Inc., an acting company based out of Indiana.
Nancy Kaiser-Caplain, director of public relations at the center, said that after the center brought "The Secret Garden" to campus last year, students requested more Broadway show. Those requests led the center to put on a Broadway Series this year.
The Tony Award Winning Broadway musical opens the Lied Center Broadway Series with one production of "Evita" at 8 p.m.
"We polled the Student Senate after 'Secret Garden,' and they said that they wanted to see more Broadway shows," she said.
The musical opens with the dramatic announcement of Eva Peron's death from cancer at age 33, and then launches into a fast-paced musical biography of Argentina's charismatic first lady. Latin rhythms and fiery dances punctuate Eva's meteoric rise from poverty to one of the richest and most powerful women in the world.
"Evita" is the story of Eva Peron (1919-1952), wife of Argentine dictator Juan Peron.
In Europe she attained star status. At home in Argentina she was loved and hated, feared and worshiped. The student revolutionary Che, an anti-Peronista commentator, serves as the antagonist as he challenges Eva to justify her lifestyle and actions.
Carrie Jill Garbis is the actress who plays Eva Peron. Garbis is a graduate of the Baltimore School of Arts.
"We had to move curtains around and remove lights since they are bringing their own lights," said Lee Sailor, technical director.
Like many other theater observers, Kaiser-Caplan said she thought "Evita" was one of Webber's best productions.
The center had to go through some changes to accommodate "Evita."
"I saw the original L.A. production, and I became a big fan of the show," she said.
It will take eight hours to set the stage for "Evita" and six hours to break it down after the performance, he said.
Kaiser-Caplan said the increased interest in Webber's works encouraged the center to bring "Evita" to Lawrence. But it won't be the last time the center sees one of Webber's productions.
Sailor had to gather 46 people to set the stage for "Evita," in addition to the Mini Mac, set crew.
The Broadway Series show, "Cats," another musical by Webber, is coming to the center May 5,6 and 7.
"I hope Broadway Series becomes a yearly tradition," Kaiser-Caplan said.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" will also be performed at the University Theatre until Oct. 22.
Photo courtesy of Cliff Lipson
Photo courtesy of Cliff Lipson
Carrie Jill Garbis is Eva Peron in "Evita."
"Phantom of The Opera," another Webber mega-hit, will stop at the Kansas City Music Hall between Nov. 11 and Dec. 24 as a part of its nationwide tour.
Limited seating was available Tuesday. Tickets can be purchased at the Lied Center box office, 864-ARTS; the Murphy Hall box office, 864-3932; and any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets cost $30 and $25 for the public and $23 and $19 for students. KU student tickets are also available through the Student Union Activities office and the Kansas Union.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Cultural Calendar
EXHIBITIONS AND LECTURES
Exhibition — "Native American Ceramics from the Southwest Pueblos," Sept. 10-Oct. 23 at the Spencer Museum of Art.
Exhibition — "Shuttlecocks: The Making of a Sculpture," ends Sunday at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, Mo Festival Heart of America Marching Band Festival,10 a.m. Saturday in Memorial Stadium.
Exhibition — "Wayne Wildcat: Historical Murals and Portraits," Oct. 7-Nov. 9 at The Lawrence Arts Center, 200 W. 9th St.
Exhibition — "Recent Work" by The Lawrence Photo Alliance, Oct. 1-30 at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.
Exhibition — Visual Art Education Student Exhibition, Oct. 9-14 at the Art and Design Building Gallery.
Exhibition — Land and Its Uses: Photographs from the Collection, Sept. 3-Dec. 31 at the Spencer Museum of Art.
Lecture — Sheldon Hackney, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Spencer Museum of Art auditorium.
PERFORMANCES
Recital — Fall Tuba-Euphonium Fest "Grand Recital," 7:30 tonight in Swarthout Recital Hall.
Concert United States Marine Band, 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Lied Center. All available tickets have been distributed, but seats still empty at 7:45 p.m. will be filled by waiting patrons without tickets.
University Theatre presents "Jesus Christ Superstar," 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Crafton-Preyer Theatre. Tickets are $12 public, $6 KU students, $11 other students and senior citizens.
Topeka Performing Arts Center presents
"Meteilitsa," the official folk orchestra of the Russian state of Leningrad, 8 p.m. Saturday at the Georgia Neese Gray Performance Hall in the Topeka Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 and $8 for the public.
Lied Center presents "Evita." 8 p.m. Monday at the Lied Center. Tickets are $30, $25 public,
$15, $12.50 students
Faculty Recital — Larry Maxey, clarinet, and Linda Maxey, marimba, 7:30 p.m. Monday in Swarthownt Recital Hall.
Doctoral Recital — Nobuko Amemiya, piano,
7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Swarthout Recital
Hall.