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Thursday, July 21, 1977
University Daily Kansan
Comedy, courtroom, covenequal solid theater season
The Kansas Repertory Theatre's 1977 summer season opened last week and will continue through July 31. The season features three productions.
About 30 University of Kansas students are the actors and technicians for two of the productions, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and "Dark of the Moon." For the third prize, "Inherit the Floor," are joined by members of the Lawrence community.
"Dark of the Moon" will be presented at 8 tonight, July 24 and July 29.
"Forum" will be presented at 8 p.m.
toward, July 27 and July 30 and at 8 p.m.
on Sunday.
All performances are in the University Theatre in Murphy Hall.
"Inherit the Wind" will be presented at 8
n.m. July 23, 28, and 31.
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"
If the humor in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" seems a little old at times, it's understandable. After all, most of us have been walking around for a couple of thousand years.
"Forum," the Kansas Repertory Theatre's opening production for the play, "The Lost Troubadour," is Plautus, a Roman playwright whose plays date from 200 B.C. This is Plutus, 20th century style, adapted by Burt Shevelove and Brian Hart; music and lyrics by Jenny Sandhole.
There's nothing pretentious about "Forum"-it's light, bright, slightly bawdy comedy presented with broad humor by the company, with a helping hand from Tom Rea, associate professor of speech and drama and the director.
"FORUM" ISN'T LONG on plot, but what story there is centers on a crafty slave, Pseudolus, played by Carl Packard, Lawrence graduate student. Pseudolus wants to secure his freedom, which he can earn by obtaining the beautiful slave girl Phila for his master, Hero. Before the murder of her brother, she number of twists and turns through a maze of mistaken identities, enticing courtesans and precarious unsets.
As Pseudolus, Packard is conniving, inventive and never without a new idea to win the girl for his master. He's definitely evening—but Packard doesn't do it alone.
He is able assisted by Steve Mokofsky, Lawrence senior, who plays Senex, as delightful a dirty old man as ever tripped the Vinn App, and Joe Krause, Lawrence graduate student, who plays Senex's slave, Hysterian. Krause is a pleasure to watch as he moves through a variety of roles ranging from eunuch to corpse—to the delicacy of the audience.
"Inherit the Wind"
AS HERO AND PHILIA, the young lovers,
Bruce L. Schenetz, Lawrence sophomore,
and Connie Baxter, Leavenworth graduate
student, are pleasant enough, but they were
never quite able to master the Sondeim
score, a difficult task at best.
“inherit the Wind” offers a look at an American history with implications for today.
The Kansas Repertory Theatre's production of this drama by Jerome Wheeler was a success by both audiences R. Patton, professor of speech and drama, shows very clearly why the play,
Alexander's FLOWERS 826 town
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$3.00 a dozen
with coupon
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MIDDLE OF THE WORLD (1974)
DIR. ALAIN TANNER (SUDAN) and occasionally tummy film of the anerobic French-subtitles. An erotic and occasionally tummy film of the individuals from different social positions told from a feminist novel. July 22, 7:39 p.m. $1.25
RUSH TO JUDGEMENT (1967)
DIR. EMILE DE ANTONIO.
The look at the Warren Report and
vestigation into the Kennedy
murder on Monday, July 25, 7:30
p.m. $1.00
based on the Scopes "monkey" trial, has become a modern favorite.
SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER (1960)
DIR. FRANCOIS TRUFFAULT,
(French/subtitles). A wonderful
tradic/acoustic classic. Wednesday.
July 27, 7:30 p.m. $1.00
The audience member who comes to the University Theatre will be greeted by gospel singers and transported into Hilliars, "the buckle on the Bible belt," a small town caught up in its struggles. Young teacher Darwin is given his pupil instructions in Darwin's theory of evolution.
THE THEATER IS USED as a courtroom in which the conflict of ideals is played to the
Woodruff Auditorium Kansas Union
The principals of the action are the two lawyers: the fundamentalist, Matthew Harrison Brady, played by Ken Smith, professor of performance, and the celebrated lawyer who keeps his beliefs in place, played by Charles Oldfather, emeritus professor of law.
The success of the evening rides on the performances of these two actors, and they are very appreciated.
Smith is properly bombastic, a Bible-like also-ran who relies on past glory to maintain his reputation. Oldfather is deliberate, sensing that the issue is not evolution but freedom to think. The courtroom confrontation between Smith and also-ran was often made in the two that reveals ties that bind them more closely than either might wish.
The members of the Kansas Repertory Theatre company and the community members who participate in this production provide appropriate characterizations of mughal art.
"Inherit the Wind" may be viewed as a dramatization of our past, but it effectively shows that the conflict between thought and blind faith has not been resolved completely. A placard that bears the words "Inherit the Wind" is placed on moment, but that is enough to remind us that the issue is not confined to Hillsboro or to 1925. It belongs to all of us today.
"Dark of the Moon" is perhaps the most ambitious production of the Kansas Repertory Theatre's offerings. Offering a more comedic form, it also has some stunning successes.
"Dark of the Moon"
See THREE PLAYS page 5
Now Open Sundays
Eve, 7:20, 9:45
Sat-Sun 1:45
Noon to 9:00 p.m.
RACE FOR YOUR
LIFE
CHARLIE BROWN
Daily at 3:30
7:20, 7:30
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PRESENTS:
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Call 843-8575
Upstairs
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JULY 22 & 23...
HENRY CUESTA
Clarinetist from the Lawrence Welk Show
Admission: $5.00 includes Free Beer, popcorn & soft drinks!
Open 8 p.m. - music starts 9 p.m.
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