6
University Daily Kansan
Arts/Entertainment
Wednesday, June 25, 1986
Shows reveal emotions
By Rachelle Worrell
Staff writer
The Harmfulness of Tobacco and the Golden Flame, two one-act plays presented by the University of Kansas Theatre. Performances are at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Friday and Saturday in Swarthout Rectal Hall in Murphy Hall Office Box, 1205 North Murphy Hall Office Box, and $1.50 for KU students. $3 for the general public and $2 for senior citizens and other students.
The stage is desolate. The most important props are the emotions vented during the double bill of one-hour presentations led by the University of Kansas, Thesis.
"The Harmfulness of Tobacco," by Anton Chekov, and "The Golden Fleece," by A.R. Gurney, are directed by Ronald Wilson, chairman of department of theatre and media director of the University Theatre.
Although both plays are comedies, their underlying messages concern some of man's basic conflicts.
"The first is more about the man's confrontation in relation to his own life." Willis said. "The second play in particular provokes thought about the relationship between sexes in the modern world."
The one-member cast in "The Harmfulness of Tobacco," is Henry T. Hardy, played by Charles Neuringer, KU professor of psychology
Hardy is a rumped and stodgy man, frustrated by the control his wife has over his life. He finds himself giving a speech over the harmfulness of tobacco, but when he meets the president, auditorium to hear what he says, he bitterly expounds on what has become of his life.
There is no scenery, and the only prop is a podium. Hardy's 30-minute monologue reveals anguish and punishment over the outcome of his life.
Hardy says of his wife, "I'm afraid of her. When she looks at me, I'm terrified."
Once Hardy realizes his wife has arrived, he collects himself and makes a dignified exit.
"The Golden Fleece' will knock your socks off," Willis said.
The two cast members are Betty, played by Robin Ellis, and Bill, played by David Montee, who are husband and wife on stage and off. The other two students are graduate student, and Montee is a Bartlesville, Oka., doctoral student.
Betty and Bill mix the Greek myth of Jason and Medea and the golden fleece with their own stormy marriage.
They become involved with the marital conflict between Jason and Medea, two off-stage characters essential to the plot. Jason is leaving Medea for another woman, but finalizes his wife's marriage as his wife because of the golden fleece.
Betty and Bill have different ideas about what the golden fireie is. Betty believes it is the love for Meda, and the love is that it is Jason's love for his children.
The separation and marital struggle between Jason and Medea
"If those two big beautiful people can't make it, we're all in big trouble," said Betty.
parallels that of Betty and Bill. Their fights are both physical and verbal.
The play is enhanced by audience participation. Designated audience members have questions to ask Betty and Bill during their monologues.
A problem that Willis said might arise from the program listing audience members as cast members is that they may think it is alright for any audience member to say something.
The absence of scenery and props does not leave anything up to the audience's imagination. Willis said.
David Montee, Bartlesville, Okla., doctoral student, and Robin Ellis, Haslett, Mich., graduate student, right, portray Bill and Betty, a couple who try to show off the golden fleece and end up fighting in "The Golden Fleece."
Charles Neuringer, below, KU professor of psychology, portrays Henry T. Hardy, who finds himself giving more than just a speech on the effects of tobacco in "The Harmfulness of Tobacco."
Sights and sounds
Today
*Student Union Activities will show the film "Breaking Away" at 7 p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium of the Kansas University. Tickets are $15.*
*Mark Holmberg, assistant University carillonier, will give a free carillon recorded at 8 o'clock at the Mercer Community.
Thursday
■ Kansas Summer Theatre's "The Golden Fleece" and "The Harmfulness of Tobacco" will be shown today, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at Swarthout Recital Hall in Murphy Hall. All tickets are general admission and are on sale at Murphy Hall box office. Tickets are $1.50 for KU students, $2 for senior citizens and other students, and $3 for the public.
Friday
A free film, "Paris, Texas," will be shown at 7:30 p.m. at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave. Popcorn and drinks will be served.
*Student Union Activities will show the film "Bachelor Party" in p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium of the Kansas University. Tickets are $1.50.
■ The Clyde W. Tombaugh Observatory in 500 Lindley Hall will have a
free open house at 9 p.m. if the sky is clear. Call 864-3166 for information.
The Midwestern Music Camp Jazz recital will be at 7:30 p.m. in the lobby of Olive hall. Admission is free.
Saturday
The Midwestern Music Camp piano recital will be at 9:30 a.m. in Swarthout Recall Hall of Murphy Hall. It is free and open to the public.
The Midwestern Music Camp concert will be at 10 a.m. in Hoch Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.
Albert Gerken, University carillonneur, will give a free carillon recital at 3 p.m. at the Memorial Campanile.
Video specialty stores and other stores that sell and rent video cassette movies are found on almost every streetcourtern in Lawrence
Stores cater to video trend
By DeAnn Thomas Staff writer
Some store owners said last week that they thought they had the style, location and rates that would make them successful in the competitive market.
"Each store has its own personality." Jon Kay Murphy, owner of Adventureland Video, 925 Iowa St., said last week.
Murphy said she did not expect any problems from the growing video market because of the different applications and rental rates at each store.
Sunday
Murphy said that because her store was next to Hillier Theatres, 925 Iowa St. she selected movies according to the indications of the movie-giving customers.
"Sometimes stores that have 99 cent sales run out of the popular tapes." Murphy said. "But people can easily go to another video store."
"People go to the theater to see the movie and will come in to rent the movie so they can see it again," Murphy said.
Murphy said the video business also helped large families save money by renting a video rather than going to a theater.
"Sometimes a couple of members of the family will pay to see a show, and if they like it, will come here and rent it for the whole family to see." Murphy said. "There will always be a market for video tapes."
Several videotape store managers and the district manager of a local theater said they did not expect contact between taped and theater movies.
"I think the businesses complement each other." Murphy said.
Elden Harwood, district manager for Commonwealth Theatres, said videotapes stimulated interest in movies.
"People go to the theater to see what a movie is about and if they like it they will rent the video," Harwood said.
"The movie going public is no different now than it's ever been," he said. "If people are going to stay at home to see a movie on cable or videotape, they would have stayed at 'home anew.'"
"Videotate rental gives movie producers a new source of revenue and more money to make pictures," Harwood said.
Harwood said he did not see the theater losing any money.
Gary Mackender, manager of Liberty Hall Video, 646 Massachusetts Avenue, tape would be a long-term business because people would
always want to be entertained and to watch movies.
Mackender said he thought the videotape business would be long-lived, although the business was spreading itself too thin.
"Liberty won't be solely relying on videotapes," Mackender said.
Liberty Hall is one of several new video stores that opened in December. Mackender said that when Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St., becomes a 5mm store, the video sales and rentals would be an accessory business to customers who come to see shows.
Mackendier said he planned to have a large market of videos ranging from classical literature, silent films or foreign language to current movies.
"Liberty is not like some stores that only sell the top 40 popular tapes." Mackender said, "I'd like to gear it for the use of KU faculty and students and toward educated audiences."
Mackender compared his store's selection to that of a library. He said he would like to have a selection that responds to a wide variety people.
But the Kansas Union Bookstore, which began selling videotapes in December, mainly offers the currently popular movies.
Racers to see end of days in fast lane
By Rachelle Worrall
Staff writer
A deafening rear explodes through the air. Two cars race down the dragstrip, their chrome fenders flashing
About 600 spectators and racers pack the Lawrence Drawgway every Saturday night. The strip, 1111 Dragstrip Road, is just northwest of 15th Street and Kasid Drive. The gates open at 4 p.m. on Sundays in late spring to early fall, said Delon Joseph, owner.
But after the last car speeds over the finish line in October, the dragway will close its gates forever, Joseph said.
"There's a lot neater tracks around, but there's a lot of nostalgia here," he said.
After 29 years of providing entertainment to motor sport enthusiasts, the dragway will be replaced by an industrial complex, he said.
The dragway is reminiscent of a family picnic by the lake, except the lake is replaced by loud and colorful cars. Coolers rest in the beds of the boat or in a covered fence that surrounds the dragstrip. A pl ayen stands by one car.
"There's never any trouble out here," Joseph said. "There're really a pretty good bunch of people that come out here. When this place goes, there's not going to be any track they can race at on a regular basis."
Errol Kampschroeder, Lecompton, said he had been coming to the dragway since 1859. He had to count the cars numbered of the cars he had raced
"I guess eight cars," he said. "It's something I've always enjoyed doing. When my younger son raced, we'd run three cars.
"I'll probably keep racing until I can't beat these young boys at the lights anymore. There are people that race down here, when this strip is closed, that will actually end their racing."
Dennis Wiley. Tonganoxie freshman, said, "I've been racing every since I got my driver's license."
Wiley races a 1970 Camaro in the Selectra division. He placed second at the June 14 race. Before Saturdays, he had said, "I'm going to win it all."
The dragstrap is an eighth of a mile long. Races are timed, and are not clocked by miles per hour, said Joseph. There are three divisions — Selectra, Street and Super Stock. Selectras are street cars, and the Streets are semi-professional racers, he said. Cars in the Super Stock division fall somewhere between the other two categories.
An average of 90 cars race each week, Joseph said. Most races race for the sport and competition since 1985, when he win back what they put into the car.
Kampschroeder said that it cost an average of $30 wear on the car for each run, and that drivers often spend over $2,000 on their cars.
"But they take it seriously, believe me." he said.
Joseph said he and his partner, Charlie Huff, purchased the track in 1979.
"It's profitable sometimes and sometimes it's not," Joseph said. "It'd probably do it anyway if it didn't make money because it does get old.
"Whether we've been a success at it, I don't know. I guess you'd have to gauge that by how many people are here."
Racing entrance fees are $20, ad mission to the pit area is $6.
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