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University Daily Kansar
Arts/Entertainment
Thursday, March 20, 1986
KU students produce first large-scale film
By Grant W. Butler
Staff writer
The old house being used for a film set in "Silences Shared" was cold because it had no heating. The student actors and people in charge of
make-up, costuming and sounds rubbed their hands and moved around to keep warm.
"Silences Shared" is the first large-scale film production that theater and film students have worked on together since the departments were combined in 1985.
Above, Ev Corum, Lawrence graduate student, and Eleanor Lind, Kansas City, Kan., senior, practice their parts as Walter Crandell and Katherine Crandell in the telefilm "Silence Shared."
Right, Michael Burks, a teaching assistant in the theatre and media arts department, spent last week directing the telefilm "Silence Shared." The film is a story about how a turn of the century country family deals with a handicapped child.
Props are simple, but effective, and include overhead lights illuminating the front parlor, antique furniture, wall hangings and a coffin. In the kitchen, a video tape recorder and a large television monitor hum on top of an antique iron stove.
"Ask him if you know where he is," said Eleanor Linder, Kansas City, Kan., senior who played Katherine Crandell. "He left the house as soon as Bess came, when he heard the news about mother. He's never been very good at anything difficult. But
"I guess Edward won't come?" said Ev Corum, Lawrence graduate student, who played Walter Crandell, one of the main characters.
Two actors dressed in vintage clothes bein the scene.
Corum said, "I remember telling you that three years ago."
you already know that."
"Silences Shared," a story about how a turn-of-the-century country family deals with a handicapped child, needs to be told regardless of its setting, Michael Burks, the director and a teaching assistant in theatre and media arts, said last week.
"It happens to be a story that "i believe is important to hear." Burks said. "It's about a family with a handicapped child, and that's a similar
The director interrupted, "Cut.
The boom came in the shot."
"And everytime you've seen me since," Lind said. "Why don't we talk about something else. Something besides all the mistakes I've made in my life."
situation one too many families today have but not many people know about.
"It's really about family relations and the way people relate to each other. Anytime you can do something with that on television, you should."
The film, which is based on a short story by Thomas Averill, was filmed last week at the Old Jefferson Town in Oksalkoa. The film is being financed by the University Theatre and is part of the Pot-Pourri Productions sponsored by the School of Fine Arts.
The story is about a country doctor who, while delivering his wife's daughter, makes medical decisions that leave the child with brain damage. After her wives die, the guilt harms her husband. He also has his daughter institutionalized.
Benton won the Academy Award for best director in 1979 for "Kramer vs. Kramer" and the Academy Award for best original screenplay last year for "Places in the Heart."
Benton's presentation, which will include the showing of "Places in the Heart" and a discussion of it afterwards, is presented as part of the Hallmark Symposium Series of lectures in visual communications.
The Bella Lewitzky Dance Company will conduct two master classes and a demonstration tomorrow evening at the University of Kansas.
Robert Benton, the director of the films "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Places in the Heart," will speak at 6 p.m. Monday in the Spencer Museum of Art auditorium.
The company performs conventional and experimental forms of modern dance using varied types of music. It was featured in the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival in Los Angeles, which attracted more than 1,000 dancers from all over the world.
Snapshots
Reserved tickets for the 7 p.m. demonstration in Hoch Auditorium are available at the Murphy Hall box office and cost $5 for the general public and $2.50 for KU students.
A KU sophomore received an $9,000 scholarship for winning the first Raymond Cerf String Competition.
Lewitzky to perform
Rebecca Parks, Lawrence sophomore, will receive $4,000 per year for the next two academic years and will be bachelor of music degree in violin
Music student wins first Cerf scholarship
The scholarship was established through the estate of the late Raymond Cerf, professor of violin and chairman of the string department at the University of Kansas from 1949 until he retired in 1966.
University Singers to perform concert
The University Singers will present its spring concert at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Swarthout Recital Hall in Murphy Hall. Admission is free.
The concert, directed by James Ralston, will feature musical selections from a variety of composers including Alessandro Scarletti, Joseph Haydn, Houston Bright, Kira Kmeche, Francis Poulenc, Norman Dello Joio and Pablo Casals.
Benton speaks at KU
stage make-up.
Committee to ease conflicts
Staff writers
By Grant W. Butler
and Frank Ybarra Staff writers
The success of recent films set in a rural environment is part of a movement to get away from teenage exploitation films, Burks said. Directors are becoming more interested in adult themes and the rural settings make it easier for directors to focus on emotions.
"A character that's 45 one day had better look 45 the next."
"Everyday we do a scene where the make-up has to be the same as the day before. You don't have to do that with the theater," Rebman said.
"There are some things I would have liked to have done that we couldn't afford. We could have taken care of some details with a larger budget," Burks said.
Smith is the chairman of a calendar committee set up last fall by Robert Cobb, executive vice chancellor, to look at possible solutions to scheduling conflicts of University events.
Conflicts arising because of events being scheduled at the same time are causing members of the University of Kansas administration to re-evaluate the scheduling process.
'The filming of "Silences Shared" presents a challenge for the 30 students who make up the cast and crew, Burks said. But the process of condensing five and a half days of location shooting into a 30 minute broadcast is good experience. Theater students get to try new acting techniques and film students get to work on a drama.
Burks said the emphasis in making the film was educational, but the film probably would be shown on area television or cable stations.
"I came from a stage background, and there you act for people 500 feet away and here it's much more internalized," Corum said. "The first time I was ever on TV I was acting, and now I'm working with children looking really grotesque. Now I'm trying to underplay things so it will come out right."
tor, tried to honor requests from the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation for several date changes. He was not aware of any potential conflict with the music series.
"When we saw the schedule we called and said 'This is a problem. We share parking. We share patrons.' " Davis said. "If you have to make a choice between this year's people or that year's, most people are going to choose to go to the basketball game."
But getting enough money for the production was the largest problem, he said. More money would not have meant flashy special effects or sophisticated settings because the film was striving for simplicity.
"Every time an event is scheduled and a facility is scheduled to be used you're getting people together, and they have transportation, time and facility needs," Caryl Smith, dean of student life, said Monday.
"It's a very different process acting for camera rather than acting for camera."
In the past, alumni of the theater program have said they need more television experience. Burks said.
Corum said television actors had to make sure they weren't overacting.
Jackie Davis, director of the music series, said the conflict occurred when Gavr Hurt, assistant athletic direc-
"It's very complicated, and these complications have gotten in the way of each other enough times in the past to make it very difficult."
the KU-Southern Illinois University basketball game was scheduled for Dec. 3, the same night as the presentation of "A Christmas Story" by the Waverly Consort. And the KU-University of Missouri basketball game was scheduled for Feb. 11, the same night as a concert by the Canadian Brass.
Hunter said it was difficult for the Athletic Department to make changes in the schedule because one change in a game date could result in changes for several other games.
The committee was formed in response to problems caused by scheduling men's basketball games on the same dates as events scheduled earlier in the Concert and Chamber Music Series.
The committee consists of representatives from University Theater, the Concert and Chamber Music Series, the Athletic Department, University Relations, the University Events Committee and the Chancellor's office.
"We're not looking at marketing that much," he said. "We do want to get it shown, but we're not going to charge stations for it."
Also, he said, the department had to consider television contracts for the games. Since the Big Eight Conference
Tim Rebman, Republican City, Neb., graduate student, who was in charge of make-up for the production, said greater subtlety was needed in television make-up compared to
— and not the University — directly receives revenue from television games, the department had to accommodate.
There were difficulties in making the film, Burks said.
The Athletic Department usually tries to consider other schedules, Hunter said, but he thought the calendar committee would be successful because it would centrally coordinate campus events.
Rain in the early part of last week forced Burks to change the shooting schedule and many scenes had to be reshot because of outside traffic noise or equipment problems.
Davis said the music series had to look for alternate dates or hold the events at the same time as the games because the Athletic Department could not change the dates of the two games.
A television film set in the country, in the past allows the characterizations to be full and vital, he said. The simple way of life provides fewer distractions for the viewer and leaves the characters more exposed.
"In the case of the Canadian Brussel I was able to change the date," Davis said. "But there's an irony to it because it's now going to be on March 31, which is the finals of the NCAA."
"In the case of Waverly Consort we ended up with no way to change our date," she said. "I couldn't drop out because I would have been violating a contract."
Smith said the calendar committee would consider all possible conflicts, not just those between athletic and fine arts events.
"Walter doesn't have a video game to set his daughter at while he's being a doctor, so he has to cope with the situation without the trappings that contemporary society relies on," Burks said.
Alarm to sound at KU
By Monique O'Donnell
The Alarm. 8 a.m. to tomorrow in the Kansas Union Ball Room. Tickets are on sale at the SUA Box Office in the Kansas Union for $10. $1 off with KU LD.
The Alarm will sound at the University of Kansas this weekend, but students shouldn't hide. It's just music.
Critics have found it difficult to classify the band's style, but have compared it to musicians and bands such as Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar Mellencamp and U2.
Nigel Twist, the band's drummer, said in a telephone interview last week that although the band was honored by the noble comparisons, its own style was very distinct.
"Of course we're flattered," Twist said. "But actually we don't sound like anybody. We're the Alarm."
Mike Petes' raspy vocals have been one of the things adding to the band's burgeoning reputation among critics. On their latest album, "Strength," Peters belts out his songs with a vigor that makes listeners anticipate his sudden gasps for air.
Although the band sounds like a mix of hard rock and new wave, it often softens its thundering rhythms with sporadic vocal harmonies. At times the harmonies converge into a solemn anthem.
Peters also plays the harmonica, adding a blues undertone to songs. Dave Sharp's guitar, Eddie Macdonald's bass and Twist's subtle tensions provide the backdrop and accentuate stylistic differences.
Student Union Activities is bringing the Alarm back to KU as part of its Standing Room Only concert series. The band played at KU in 1983.
The four-member band from Wales has been touring the United States for almost four months to support its new album. For several weeks the band has been opening 'or Pat Benatar's concerts.
Critics have also praised the band for its rapport with the audience.
"When we're in concert we try to involve the whole audience," Iwist said. "Then the energy just spreads, like electricity. We want people to listen to the music and enjoy it."
Beatnik era remembered by KU poets
By Monique O'Donnell
Staff writer
Back when chicks always wore black turtlenecks and poetry reading sessions where 'in', "starring blankly into another person's eyes" had abstract meanings that only the beat of the bongo drums could unravel.
Dim lights glowed as three dancers roamed the small stage gesturing freely to their own interpretations of the drum's beat. More than 50 people filled a room not nearly large enough for 40 people.
Tony Vourax/KANSAN
Moving to the beat of the bongos these dancers express themselves through their own style. They took part in the poetry reading Monday night at Hoch Auditorium. The dancers are, from left, Lorraine Mill伯恩, Olathe senior, Katie Stolz, Lawrence freshman, Mark Camacho, Toneke freshman, and Christi Wolf, Overland park freshman.
The smell of incense and cigarette smoke soon blended, filling the room with an odor appropriate for the night's entertainment. The audience settled in its seats. The drums became quiet and dancers' gesturing ceased, giving the first poet a chance to speak.
Michael Johnson, chairman of the English department, opened the poetry reading, "Fear and Lovinghood," where he was one of the first poems he read.
"not tired late July enter into this culture warp and tight center of an Edward-Munch scream sucked into exploding out from imploding neon huge plastic dinosaur metastastic disease."
The beatnik era refers to the '40s and '50s when a number of writers and artists began to bluntly portray the decadence found in society.
Because beat poets tried to be free and unrestricted, Monday night's event tried to achieve the same ad-libbing by affirming the poetry to a certain style.
Steve Callahan, Parsons senior.
and Robin Stevens, Fort Scott senior, organized the event, which was sponsored by Student Union Activities.
Callahan said he had received a favorable response from people when he began planning the event last January. And he thought the beat era needed to be re-examined because society was moving in the same ultra-conservative direction of the '40s and '50s when the beatnik subculture began.
"When there's a real conservative atmosphere like during the Reagan
Cathi Chappelow, a 1985 KU graduate, read 10 of her poems.
After the second group of poets finished reading, inspired members of the audience discarded their inhibitions and read a few lines of their
administration you need some sort of creative subculture to balance it all out," Callahan said.
"I think it's good for people who want to read and for people who just want to come and listen," Chappelow said.
Students present spring musical
The show, just over an hour in length, tells the story entirely in music and includes a wide variety of musical styles including country, rock 'n' roll, calypso and a French cabaret ballad.
Hashinger Hall residents will present "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" for their annual spring musical at 8 p.m. tomorrow through Sunday at the Hashinger Hall Theatre, 1632 Engel Road.
The musical is the Biblical tale of Joseph and his coat of many colors, how he was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and later rose to power in Egypt and was able to forgive his family and save their lives.
Harry Parker, an Oklahoma City graduate student and director of the production, said he chose "Joseph" for this year's musical because it was unique to many of the students.
"It's a little off the beaten track," he said. "It hasn't been produced as often as something like 'Godspell' or 'You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.'"
Colin Holman, Basingstoke, Great Britain, graduate student and music director and conductor for the show, said, "One of the great appeals of the show is that the music is so good. It's enjoyable for the audience, and it's enjoyable to perform."
The Hashinger production features a cast of 19 Hashinger residents Laurann Fuk, Platte Mo., senior plays the leading role of the narrator Greg Schlotthauer, Overland Park freshman, plays the title role of Joseph.