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University Daily Kansan
Arts/Entertainment
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Wednesday, July 9, 1986
Priscilla Gibbons (played by Jan Chapman) auditions for Lou Cohn (Wes Winters).
Priscilla Gilbons (played by Jan Chapman) auditions for Lou Cohn Geneva Lee Browne (Jeannette Bonjour) rehearses a number while B.J. Gibson (Scott Reeves), left, and Connie Miller (Alice Kinsella) look on.
Theater group revives golden days of live radio
Rv Dana Snoor
"The 1940's Radio Hour," a musical about the early days of live radio. Written by Walton Jones. Presented by the University of Kansas Summer Theatre. Performances include the first half of July and July 18 and 19 in Crafton-Preeyer Theatre in Murphy Hall. tickets $6, $8 and $4 for the general public; $7, $5, and $3 for students. All seats are reserved. Various prices are due to location of the seats. They can be purchased at Murphy Hall.
There are few places where you can see a Pepsi commercial with the actors dancing Coca-Cola, or see tap shoes dancing in front of a microphone, moved by a man's hands instead of a dancer's feet.
But at the University of Kansas, the production of "The 1940's Radio Hour" will take the audience back to the 'good ole days' back to a time when mistakes were hidden from the listeners.
"Mistakes happened when you
were doing shows live, and the people involved had to do what they could to cover for the problems." said Jack Wright, professor of theater and media arts and artistic director of the University Theatre.
"That's part of the fun of this show, seeing what all went on that the radio audience couldn't see."
Being heard but not seen allowed radio performers to mask their lover's spats, drink spills, and playful dancing.
During a broadcast, one actress performs wearing a slip and high-heeled shoes while another dons her busy-doll dress and bow-tied skirt.
The production, which takes place around Christmas 1942, features an 18-member cast made up of KU students and community actors and a 12-piece on-stage band, conducted by Zoot Doubleman, portrayed by George Boberg, professor of music.
The players have been rehearsing since June 1. Auditions were held in late April.
The stage is set for the show. Air
'That's part of the fun of this show, seeing what all went on that the radio audience couldn't see.'
Jack Wright artistic director University Theatre
time is in 22 minutes. The tension is running high.
The producer, Clifton A. Feddington, played by Mike Cormack, a teacher at Central Junior High School, comes down the stairs and
vells at the crew, "Get to work."
Actors are running around the radio stage, which is cluttered with an antique pop machine, an old telephone and music stands, a fire alarm, and a camera from the cold. To the right, the audience can see snow falling.
The chairs are in place. The orchestra begins to stumble in out of the cold. The actors, almost all of them, sit calmly in its screens of "You're late."
Five, four, three, two, one.
"Good evening folks. Welcome to New York's own WOV radio show."
With the opening strains of
"Chattanooga Choo-Choo," the
show begins. The lights are dim,
and the actors and actresses are in
Johnny Cantone, played by Mark Rector, Lawrence junior, is the young maidens' heartthrob. He enters the radio station, girls
scream at his feet and tear off his scarf. To the audience he may seem to have it all, but his pocket-book is running thin.
The news gets around that Cantone is paying his admirers, which is why his pocketbook is getting thin. Two bucks will buy Cantone a pat on the back and a "We love you Johnny."
The show reveals what happened in radio when last-minute details had to be ironed out quickly. Wally Ferguson, played by Jason Gray, Olathe North High School junior, is the local delivery boy. He lives for the small amount of attention he gets from the cast.
Ferguson is always looking for his big break and gets in the way of the actresses and actors. Finally he gets his break. He will hear his voice broadcast to the young men on television, "I'm going on," he screams.
confined to the stage, but spills in to the audience. Applause signs flash periodically and radio stars respond. Students shake hands with the audience.
The action in the musical is not
"We have pretty good summer crowds," Wright said about the summer theatre productions.
When directions are made for the audience to be brought in, actors walk down the stairs and begin shaking hands. Cantone, walks offstage during a break in his solo, unknown to Lou Cohen, played by Wes McGee. When Montclair quickly pick up an extra microphone and runs to meet Cantone when he must begin singing again.
The applause lights keep flashing and the singers keep churning out songs, but when the broadcast ends and the lights dim, the golden days of radio become memories.
Art center gains popularity
By Rachelle Worrall
Staff writer
The walls of the cavernous Lawrence Arts Center are beginning to bulge as its nonlularity increases
Summer enrollment for children at the center, 845 Vermont St., has doubled since 1984.
This summer, 200 adults and 450 children are taking classes, and more than 70 children are enrolled in the center's Summer Youth Theater, which will perform three plays before the end of summer.
Classes in music, writing,
ceramics, yoga, theater and
photography are some of the one-to
eight-week classes offered. A one-day workshop titled "Surprise Father's Day Gifts for Mom and Kids" was offered June 14, the day before Father's Day.
In "Shirts and Silk Scarves," July 15-28, children will be taught to paint and dye fabrics, said Candi Baker, arts coordinator and performing arts coordinator.
"I wear the scarf my daughter made frequently," she said.
Laura Katicch, 3211 Clinton Parkway, said she had been taking her daughters to the center for more classes and had not taken any classes herself
"I spend my budget on my kids. Maybe in a few years," she said.
Katich said the classes allowed her 3-year-old to come in contact with children her own age and also gave them the opportunity to meet kids from all over Lawrence.
"I think it gives them valuable foundations for school," she said.
The center is a non-profit organization and is supported by money earned from its classes, grants and fundraisers. Baker said One-day materials are made of one-day materials. One-and eight-week classes vary in cost from $18 to $40.
More classes are offered now than three years ago when enrollment was lower, and most classes are now a week long. The change in format also was accompanied with a better teaching staff. Baker said.
A new photography laboratory has helped the center's photography program grow, she said. The photography classes and the Summer Youth Theater are some of the classes that are offered in coopera
"There's always been an attempt to get really good quality here, but I think we're stressing that more now," Baker said. "I think we're attempting to put together a really consistent program."
tion with the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department.
Beverly Morgan, Route 6, said she had taken quintet classes at the center in the past and her daughter was taking classes now. She said she had noticed an increase in the number of classes offered.
"It just becomes more extensive all the time." she said.
Working in cooperation with other organizations allows the center to offer a wider variety of classes, Baker said.
Because of the wider variety, Baker is busy between classes as she tries to accomplish what there are not enough hours in the day to do.
"As long as you can work 75 hours a week, we have enough staff," she said. "This year has been a really full year."
Baker said she and Michael Bradley, visual coordinator for the center, worked as an administrative team as well as teachers.
The increase in enrollment has brought the need for more space to handle the growth, Baker said. Places to expand are being analyzed.
"We both teach and administrate, and when teachers are sick, we teach their classes," she said.
Sights and sounds
Today
*Student Union Activities will show the film "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" at 7 p.m.*
*and the movie "Tiger King" at Kangaroo Tickets are $1.90*
Mark Holmberg, assistant University carillonneur, will give a free carillon recital at 8 p.m. at the Memorial Campanile.
The Midwestern Music Camp honor recital will be at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall. Admission is free.
Friday
Thursday
Student Union Activities will show the film "Fast Times at Ridgement High" at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Center at Kansas Union. Tickets are $1.50.
The Midwestern Music Camp jerz concert will be at 7:30 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall. Admission is free.
**Kansas Summer Theatre,**
"The 1940's Radio Hour," will be at 8 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday in Crafton-Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall. Tickets are $4, $6 and $8.
Saturday
The Midwestern Music Camp piano recital will be at 10 a.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall. It is free and open to the public.
■ The Midwestern Music Camp concert will be at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Crafton-Preyer Theatre. It is free and open to the public.
Sunday
■ Mark Holmberg, assistant University carilloner, will give a free carillon recital at 3 p.m. at the Memorial Campanile.
KU cellists perform at Indiana University
The third American Cello Congress and other activities, at Indiana University at Bloomington in June, gave two KU students and an associate professor a chance to show their skills.
Edward Laut, associate professor of cell, gave private and public performances during the five-day conference on the importance of the Kodahay Solo Sonata for
Cello with the 21st Century Be-Bop Band for students.
In a private session with Gabor Rejo, cellist with the Alma Trio, and Daniel Rothmuller, associate principal cellist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Laud was given the operatic cello instrument, the Stradivarius.
The congress was attended by about 600 cellists, teachers and
students from around the world. The congress offers members from all facets of the profession the chance to participate in competitions, competitions and scholarship.
Emily Powell, Salina graduate student, performed at the congress. A week earlier, Powell and Kaia Skaggs, Louisville, Ky., graduate student, performed at the National Women's Music Festival.
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