Theater and Music
MOTHERS·DAUGHTERS·GRANDDAUGHTERS
Top photo: Erin Kessler (left), Palatine, ill., junior, plays a woman who has Alzheimer's disease in the play "Daytrips." Laura Zabel, Manhattan sophomore, plays Kessler's daughter and caregiver. Bottom photo: Amy Steinhaus (left), San Pedro, Calif., senior, is made up to be a 70-year-old woman for a dress rehearsal with the help of John Garretson, Overland Park sophomore. Steinhaus plays a woman with dementia. Photos by Yumi Chikagori
University Theatre presents "Daytrips," a play about age-related diseases and family
By Casey Barnes Kansan staff writer
Rose is 70 years old. At night her mind is full of delusions of her dead daughter. She remembers her father and how she shoved her, but who
does not remember her grand-
daughter's name.
Rose (played by Amy Steinhaus, San Pedro, Calif., senior) suffers from dementia, a disease that causes the loss of mental abilities such as thinking, reasoning and remembering.
The University Theatre is addressing the frustrations of caring for loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in "Daytrips," a contemporary play by Jo Carson that opens Friday in the 1994-95 Inge Theatre Series at the University of Kansas.
In a drama about duty, commitment and old-fashioned love, three generations of Southern women struggle with family life after tragedy strikes.
The story is told through the eyes of a woman who takes care of her mother, who has Alzheimer's disease, and her grandmother, who suffers from dementia. Sally Shedd, Ozark, Ark., doctoral student, is directing the cast of four women in a drama she calls beautiful.
"It's about conflict," Shedd said. "It's about
people struggling with a way of life, which is not pleasant. It's about loving what used to be your mother, and now she is gone. You have to say 'My mother is dead, and now I am caring for a shell that used to be my mother.'
Shedd said the drama had been a learning experience for herself and the cast.
During the rehearsal process, they met with local caregivers and Alzheimer's patients to ask questions about euthanasia and depression.
Erin Kessler, Palatine, III, senior, plays the mother who has Alzheimer's disease.
Kessler said that after meeting an
Alzheimer's patient, the disease was not as depressing as she thought it would be.
"It's depressing that old people can be such little kids, but it is nice to see the sparks of happiness in their eyes," she said.
Shedd said that caregivers often experienced fatigue, guilt and frustration when dealing with the effects of these diseases on their loved ones.
There are scenes in the play when these emotions cause all-out fights, she said, but the play is not depressing.
Lark Oxler, Lenexa junior, is part of the makeup crew and has seen the play during rehearsals.
"There is humor in the play because there has to be a break in the absurdity to enjoy their childlikeness," Oxler said.
The actresses also studied relationships between mothers and daughters, including their own.
"There is something special about the link between mothers and daughters," Shedd said. "It makes me appreciate my own mother a lot more."
Shedd said the playwright, Carson, was also a caregiver, which helped her write about Alzheimer's and dementia and the nature of caregiving from personal experience.
THE MARIMBA
Linda Maxey practices the marimba for tomorrow night's concert at the Lied Center. Maxey will be playing with the University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra in its season debut performance.
A Lawrence marimbist will play at the KU Symphony Orchestra's season debut
By Casey Barnes
Kansan staff writer
Linda Maxey plays her music with emotion.
The concert marimbist and Lawrence resident said that making people feel her music was important to her.
"If you can relate to the emotions of your audience and involve the human element, that is what people will remember about your performance," Maxey said.
She plays the marimba, which is a unique percussion instrument made of a wooden keyboard and pipes. Many people compare it to the xylophone, Maxey said, but it is higher in pitch and more mellow in timbre.
What they might also remember is her instrument.
Maxey will play her marimba in the season debut of the University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra. She will join the 81-piece student symphony at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Lied Center.
"Linda is a wonderful marimbist," he said. "She is marvelous to work with, and she learned the whole piece by heart, which defies my imagination."
Maxey began playing the marimba at 6 and is now known as one of the foremost marimbala players in the world, said Brian Priestman, conductor of the orchestra.
Maxey will be featured in "Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra," by Peter Katzlow, one of three acts to be performed by the orchestra tomorrow.
Because of the amount of pieces that have been written for the marimba, Priestman said that the instrument had suddenly achieved great importance in the musical world.
And so has Maxey.
Her first major performance was in New York at the age of 11. She also was the first marimbist to be signed by Columbia Artists Management Inc.
"I am well known as a concert marimbist because I am unique in my profession," Maxey said. "Very few people can make a living, just playing the marimba. Most people play it, just as a percussion instrument."
Maxey spent the summer playing the marimba in Portugal and has also released her first compact disc.
Although she has played with orchestras worldwide, she said that she enjoyed working with the University's orchestra and attributed its high quality and level of artistry to Priestman.
"Brian makes a difference," Maxey said. "He brings a level of professionalism to the orchestra because of his ability."
Priestman, who is known as a musicologist, lecturer, teacher and television personality in several parts of the world, said that other universities in the Midwest offer no real competition for the orchestra.
"It is a University-wide organization that involves all students from all over the University, not just music students," Priestman said. "The orchestra is getting a wider reputation all over the Midwest"
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Lawrence Nightlife Calendar
The Bottleneck
737 New Hampshire St.
NOTE Music Showcase with The Lupins, James Graurrholtz and The Brandos, 10 tonight, $5.
Stick with Action Man, 10 p.m. tomorrow, $6 or $7 for 18 and over.
Open Mike Night, Monday, no cover charge
Waterson 10 n m Tuesday $3
Sebadoh, Butter Glory and Doo Rag, 10 p.m. Saturday, advanced tickets $7 (18 and over). Omar Mike Alight
Hellos Creed, Amputatoate and Love 666, 10 p.m.
Wednesday, $6.
Truckstop Love and Smudge, 10 p.m. Thursday,
$4 (18 and over).
1601 W. 23rd St.
River Valley Music Cafe 1601 W.23rd St.
Bon Ton Sol Accordian Band, 10:30 tonight, cover charge.
Cosmic Freeway, 10:30 p.m. tomorrow, cover charge.
Ozeric Tentacles and Salty Iguanas, 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, cover charge.
That Statue Moved, 9 p.m. Sunday, cover charge Mango Jam, 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, cover charge
Squibcakes, 10:30 p.m. Thursday, cover charge
Full Moon Cafe
803 Massachusetts St.
Beth Scalet, 8 tonight, no cover charge. Blue Grass Night, 8 p.m. Wednesday,no cover charge.
The Jazzhaus of Lawrence
9261/2 Massachusetts St.
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, 10 tonight, $5.
Floyd's Funk Revival, 10 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday. $4.
Monkey Meet, 10 p.m. Thursday, $4.
Mulligan's
1016 Massachusetts St.
Dan Bliss and Kurt Stockhammer, 10 tonight, $2.
Lonesome Hounddogs, 10 p.m. tomorrow, $2.
The Bindlestiffs, 10 p.m. Saturday, $2.
Live Jazz Night, 9 p.m. Tuesday, no cover charge.
Acoustic Open Mike Night, 9 p.m. Wednesday, no cover charge.
Granada Theater
1020 Massachusetts St.
Urban Safari Reggae, 9:30 tonight, cover charge. Harvest of the Arts Film Festival, 7 p.m. tomorrow, no cover charge.
Mondo Disco with D.J. Ray, 9 p.m. tomorrow, $4-5
Club 7, 9 p.m. Sunday, $4-5.
80's Night, 9 p.m. Wednesday, $4-5.