University Daily Kansan / Friday, April 7, 1989
11
Arts/Entertainment
Comedian gets laughs through self-related religion
'Wacky' Judy Tenuta will perform tonight in Kansas Union
Courtesy of Carol Bobolts/Elektra
Judv Tenuta
by Christine Winner Kansan staff writer
Judy Tenuta, a self-described petite flower,
giver-goddess, fashion plate and saint, will appear before both faithful worshipers and the uninhibited tonite.
Even if you don't subscribe to her self-created religion of Judy-ism, you might still enjoy her unique sense of humor at 8 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom.
Tenuta, who has wisercracked her way through Diet Dr Pepper commercials and late-night television talk shows, is appearing tonight touring with the American Union Activities, HBO's x21 american Express.
It is difficult to get a straight answer out of Tenuta, whose background is a strange mix of fact and fiction. In telephone interview from 1970, Ms. Tenuta said she had been touring since she was an embryo.
During the interview, she munched on a side of beef, which she said was a popular snack out in the city.
The center uses a bird-sock. Life according to Judy began on Mount Olympus, which is the birthplace of all giver-goddesses. She grew up, however, in Oak Park, Ill.
"It's called bison-on-a-stick."
'Oak Park is the birthplace of Ernest Hemingway and Frank Lloyd Wright, which is why I like it. It's a pretty simple place."
At age four, she accepted her destiny when she realized that she had to establish her own real estate.
"Elviz appeared to me in my Cheez Whiz and told me that I should become the giver-goddess of my own religion. He said that he was too fat to tour himself."
Life remained relatively normal for years as she grew up with seven brothers and one sister and attended Catholic school, where she learned athletics had their own version of aerobic workouts.
"We stand, sit, kneel, eat something, feel guilty the burn in hell. That's how Catholics stay in barn."
Tenuta studied theater at the University of Illinois but became frustrated because "they were not well prepared."
She said they weren't crazy about her idea to play Lady MacBeth on roller skates.
"I majored in pre-Columbian taxidermy, which is real useful if you want to stuff a statue."
Some part-time jobs, such as wombat groomer and yogurt tester followed her college graduation, until she decided she could not remain an underground goddess.
"Just because I haven't been caught in a hotel
about my religion doesn't mean I'm not serious
about my religion."
She vehemently denies any allegations that she is not serious about, Judy-isp.
But touring the country to find converts to Judy-sm does have its downside.
"I have to wake up at 8 p.m. just to verbally abuse a burglar of mortal swine," she said.
Tenuta's performances are always punctuated
by accordian arpeggios while she strolls about in a thrift-store Grecian gown. She said she took accordian lessons as a child, but it was a natural talent, evident at birth.
"I popped out playing it. It was my mom's IUD."
And her faithful converts help her in the wardrobe department
**people give me things, like used underwear.** i add a little lace and lame, and come up with something that LaToya Jackson would wear," she said.
Finding material for her performances also comes easily.
“There’s never any lack of human suffering,” she said. Tenuta likes to focus on day-to-day events, such as going to the refrigerator, opening the freezer to get a pizza and finding an uncle’s decapitated head — something everyone can relate to.
A lot of Tenita's humor focuses on her college years, including dorm life and roommates. [kjv]
Dennis Butler, Cleveland comedian, will open the show. Tickets are $5, and student American Express Cardmembers will be admitted free. Tickets are available at the SUA Box Office.
"She's able to relate to college life and poke fun at it too," she said.
EVENTS
C A L E N D A R
FRIDAY
**Comedian Judy Tenuta will perform at 8 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Tickets are $5. Call Student Activity For more information**
The Midwestern Horn Workshop begins today in Murphy Hall. At 8 p.m. in Swanthock Reital Hall, the Midwest Professors will give a free concert.
- Tony Brown and the Landing Crew will play at the Jazzhaus, 926½ Massachusetts St. Call the Jazzhaus for more information
SATURDAY
Trip Shakespeare will play at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. Call the Bottleneck for more information.
SUNDAY
The Midwestern Horn Workshop ends at 3 p.m.
- The KU Saxophone Quartet will perform at 3:30 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall.
MONDAY
- Karla Tull, Lawrence graduate student * will give a master's recital on the piano at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall.
TUESDAY
Trip Shakespeare will play at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. Call the Bottleneck for more information.
■ The Midwestern Horn Workshop continues in Murphy Hall. Froylee Rewke will give a horn recital at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall. Tickets are $5, and all seats are general admission.
■ Rhonda May, instructor in oboe,
will give a faculty recital on the oboe at
8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall.
WEDNESDAY
Alexandra David, Lisbon, Portugal graduate student, will give a master's recital on the piano at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall.
■ The University of Kansas College Museum will give its spring concert, "Bird in Springtime" at 2 p.m. at the m.p. Museum of Art. Daniel T. Poltaske, professor of music will direct the early music ensemble.
THURSDAY
Valentina Alexander and Norwood Pennewell of Garth Fagan's Bucket Dance Theatre perform in "'Traipsing Through the May." Wednesday's show is in Hoch Auditorium.
Hoi-Ming Leung, Macau, Macau,
graduate student, will give a master's
recital on the piano at 8 p.m. in
Swarthout Recital Hall.
■ The KU Concert Series presents the Garth Fagin Bucket Dance Theatre at 8 p.m. in Hoch Auditorium.
Tickets are $12 and $10 for the public; $6 and $5 for KU and K-12 students.
Please call the other students. All seats are reserved.
Call the Murphy Hall Box Office for more information.
1989-90 concerts announced
Award-winning winning Leontyne Price will open the 1989-90 KU Concert Series with a solo concert on the Talladega Theatre, the series announced today.
Highlights of the 7th season also will include performances by the Warsaw Philharmonic, the David C. Moore Company and the New York City Opera General Company
The KU Chamber Music Series 43rd season will feature the King's Singers in December and the Kronos Quartet in January. The series also will include the Alexander String Quartet with flutist Eugenia Zukerman, the Bach Ensemble directed by Joshua Rifkin.
in "La Boheme" and the Music Theatre Group in "West Side Story."
KU to have cultural dances performed
by Christine Winner Kansan staff writer
The choreographer will bring a visual statement of his beliefs to KU when his Bucket Dance Theatre performs Wednesday in Hoch Auditorium, closing the 1988-89 KU Concert Series.
Garth Fagan once described dance as a testament to people.
Fagan was a professor at the State University of New York at Brockport when he started working at the university-affiliated Educational Opportunities Center in Reed College, N.Y., with untrained dancers.
In 1970, the dancers formed a company, which Fagan named Bottom of the Bucket But . . . Dance Theatre. In 1981 he changed his name to Bucket Dance Theatre to recognize their progress.
The Bucket Dance Theatre has performed in Europe, Africa, the Near East and throughout the United States. It celebrated its 15th anniversary while on a five-nation tour for the U.S. Information Agency
Fagan danced with the Jamaican National Dance Theatre as a teenager and later studied with Martha Johnson, Jose Limon and Alvin Ailey.
Janet Hamburg, associate professor of dance, said his work reflected various cultural influences, such as African dance with its rebounding jumps, cycling arms, and syncopated footwork. Afro-Caribbean dance with its undulating torso; and modern dance with its sense of weight, quick changes of direction and dynamic variations.
"The material was innovative and beautiful," she said. "The dancers were finely trained and could do
Hamburg saw the company in an episode of public television's "Great Performances" and said it really satisfied the other troupes that performed
extraordinary things."
The company will perform "Prelude (Discipline Is Freedom)," "Oatka Trail," "Touring Jubilee 1924," "Sojorn," and "Traipsing Through the May," a dance feature ing the entire company.
Principal dancers in the troupe are Steve Humphrey, Norwood Pennewell, Bit Knighton, A. Roger Smith, ValentinaAlexander, Mark Luther and Richard Boydston. Other company members are Juel
Bedford, Leslie K. Smith, Susan Kirwin, Rebecca Gose, Sharon Skenle and Errol Grimes.
The troupe also will present a special performance for Topeka, Kansas City and Lawrence high schools at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Hoch.
Jacqueline Davis, director of the Concert Series, said that the company was recommended to her by her husband, Christopher, who lived around the country. She said she
was glad that the troupe was interested in working with students as well as performing for the public
"The company is perfect for closing out the Concert Series because it leaves us with a feeling of high quality and has a wonderful dance can communicate," she said.
Tickets for the performance are on sale at the Murphy Hall Box Office for $12 and $10 for the public; for $45, $60, $75, and $5 for KU and K12 students.