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(08/26/08 4:00am)
You don't have to be an ex-boy band member, reality show princess or Grammy Award winner to ballroom dance.
Unlike contestants on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars," anyone can learn to dance through the UNC-Chapel Hill Ballroom Dance Club and Team.
Lauren Bailey, the club's president, said the number of students who participate has doubled in the past four years.
"Ballroom dancing isn't just for debutantes or senior citizens anymore," Bailey said.
(08/25/08 4:00am)
Masquerading as her dead brother is the least of Beatrice's woes as one of the stars of Deep Dish Theater Company's production of Carlo Goldoni's "The Servant of Two Masters."
The theater's season opener, which plays Aug. 21 to Sept. 13, is a fast-paced and humorous type of Italian comedy known as commedia dell'arte.
The clichéd plotline of doomed marriage, mistaken identity and the quest for true love is comedic when mixed with speedy entrances, witty banter and several pratfalls.
The cartoon-like characters are made to appear even more animated than their personalities. Unfortunately, some cast members are overly enthusiastic and exaggerated, forcing their jokes on the audience.
Think the 18th century version of "The Three Stooges" with far more eyeliner and tights.
The play features a broad range of stereotypes: the bully, the princess, the goof and the outcast. One might even think John Hughes, writer of the cult classic "The Breakfast Club," took a few hints from Goldoni.
The lines are comical, but the jokes aren't properly delivered. On more than one occasion cricket chirps could have filled the silence following the jokes.
Although this type of show is by no means supposed to be subtle, the amount of extreme facial expressions, overly enthusiastic laughing and obnoxious antics is enough to wear out the audience within the first 20 minutes of the performance.
The real beauty of the piece is the way in which each of these characters and their conflicting desires drives the plot forward and offers continuous surprises.
Audience members are immediately introduced to Truffaldino, a con-artist of a servant wreaking havoc along the streets of Venice, and his master Beatrice, a woman on a quest to find her lover while scamming her brother's betrothed.
Ironically, Beatrice's brother was killed by her lover, Florindo.
Florindo, a bully who is far from a genius, becomes Truffaldino's second master.
Each character's personality is unique, but only one of the actors gives a memorable performance.
Laurie Wolf, who plays the servant Truffaldino, nails her character's crafty and devious nature. Wolf's outlandish and conniving performance is the glue that holds the show together.
Physical comedy is not missing from this rendition of the show. Several talented cast members could even audition for jobs in the circus as jugglers or gymnasts.
The actors fly across the stage at such breakneck speeds it appears that they barely have a chance to breathe.
The stage is set very basically with a backdrop of a villa with an abundant amount of doors that the characters quickly pop in and out of.
The big, puffy sleeves and bright stockings appear as overdone as some of the actors' performances.
This rendition's modernization of the show does not fit the Old English-like text.
Although Goldoni revamped Italian renaissance theater with "The Servant of Two Masters" 300 years ago, the team behind this production makes the slapstick comedy seem dull.
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(08/21/08 4:00am)
Theatrical icons Lucille Ball, Mickey Rooney and "The Three Stooges" all had to find their inspiration somewhere.
These actors - and others known for their slapstick brand of humor - were inspired by playwright Carlo Goldoni and one of his most famous works, "The Servant of Two Masters."
Members of Chapel Hill's Deep Dish Theatre Company intend to inspire other theatrical hopefuls by performing Goldoni's work Aug. 21 through Sept. 13.
"The Servant of Two Masters" is an 18th-century Italian Renaissance comedy, known as commedia dell'arte, a style of street theater that involves stock characters, masks and improvisation.
Director Derrick Ivey said he plans to follow this style with a modernized slapstick comedy twist.
"A theater piece is always new, no matter how old the source material is," said Paul Frellick, artistic director of Deep Dish Theatre.
"The Servant of Two Masters" is the first performance of Deep Dish Theatre's 2008-09 season, chosen because of its unique ability to combine characteristics of different countries and different eras on stage.
"We can explore how these other worlds speak to our time and place," Frellick said. "But finding how a particular production can enable a play to speak to a new audience is one of the greatest challenges you can tackle in the theater."
The 300-year-old script follows an ensemble of fictional characters that rely heavily on cultural types or stereotypes for their personality.
Truffaldino, the servant referred to in the title, provokes most of the plot twists driven by his conflicting allegiances to two conflicting employers.
The story is a mess of characters: the bumbling authority figure, the pseudo-intellectual, the feisty ingénue, the cowardly hero, the brash bully and the beleaguered working class servants who can't get a break.
Each character adds their own twists and turns to the complex and universal tales of finding themselves, true love and overcoming social and economic boundaries.
"All of the characters brought so much life into their roles, drawing inspiration from everywhere," said Susannah Hough, who plays Beatrice. "I just hearkened back to my teenage years in order to play the role of Beatrice, a mixture of a goofy girly-girl and a strong and compassionate woman."
One of the features of commedia dell'arte is improvisation. The cast of performers will use their improvisational skills throughout the performance, in addition to juggling, miming, tumbling and singing.
"The show is silly fun while also poking a finger in society's eye," Hough said.
Although the centuries-old piece has been performed in various ways over the years, Ivey is confident his show will be different.
"Our show is unique inasmuch as our cast and designers are unique," Ivey said.
"We developed the look of the show and the performance style based on the skills and proclivities of the artists involved, much like a commedia production would have done."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(04/18/08 4:00am)
This weekend, UNC students won't have to travel out of the country or flip to reruns of "Dancing with the Stars" to experience the sensuality of salsa.
The World Music Festival, sponsored by the Carolina Seminar Program and the UNC Department of Music, will celebrate music and dance from Indonesia, Cuba and Ghana.
The festivities will be hosted from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the FedEx Global Education Center.
The festival offers salsa lessons from the UNC Ballroom Dance Team, as well as a Ghanaian drumming workshop.
In addition the festival will include musical performances by Charanga Carolina, a European and Afro-Cuban ensemble that is the only group of its kind on a college campus in the country.
Gamelan Nyai Saraswati, a central Javanese gamelan performing group, Otseden, Ghanaian drumming, and the UNC Ballroom Dance Team will also perform.
The events will emphasize interaction between performers and those who attend.
"We want the community to feel the music in their bodies and take advantage of that feeling by actively participating and dancing," said David Garcia, professor of music and director of Charanga Carolina.
The groups, many made up of mostly students, anticipate active audience participation. Members of the groups said they aren't looking for a crowd that will just listen to their music but get involved in it.
"I'm really excited to be attending," said Olivia Ramirez, a freshman who plans to attend. "There is something really passionate and soulful about studying the music of other countries."
Organizers said the focal point of the day is to have at least one person who came to the festival knowing nothing about foreign music or dance but will leave yearning for more.
"The music that will be performed on Saturday is so different than what the average Carolina student listens to," Garcia said.
"There are so many other genres of music available. Students just have to allow themselves be open to new sounds and experiences."
But attendees will not only have the chance to listen to the exotic music and watch dance performances; the festival offers the opportunity to learn to play the Ghanaian drums and to experience the moves of a salsa dance.
"Dancing takes me to an entirely different world," said Lauren Bailey, president of the UNC Ballroom Dance Team. "Hopefully everyone who comes to the lesson sticks around for the music to practice their new moves.".
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(04/11/08 4:00am)
CORRECTION: Due to a reporting error, Friday's article, "Concert to benefit Carson's fund," incorrectly states that Tau Kappa Epsilon is the newest fraternity at UNC. The fraternity is considered a colony at UNC and has yet to receive recognition from the University as an official chapter of the fraternity.
More than a month after Student Body President Eve Carson's murder, members of student government and Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity are working to fulfill one of her aspirations for the University.
(03/31/08 4:00am)
Editor's Note: Campus radio station WXYC held its annual '80s dance Friday. Staff writer Alyssa Griffith dressed the part and relived the decade at Cat's Cradle.
As I attempted to grab one last strand of pearls from my dorm room to add to the already excessive amount around my neck, my vintage lace dress ripped.
But once I got to Cat's Cradle, few around me seemed to notice as I celebrated the decade of excess with a couple hundred other '80s lovers at the venue Friday for WXYC 89.3's biannual '80s dance.
(03/28/08 4:00am)
It might be difficult to imagine a time when big hair and even bigger shoulder pads were the height of fashion and Michael Jackson was seen as a sex icon rather than a sex offender.
This infamous decade was known as the '80s, when the Brat Pack dominated the silver screen and people reveled in Madonna's antics instead of Britney's.
And beginning at 9 p.m. tonight, UNC's campus radio station, WXYC 89.3, will pay its biannual tribute to the decade as Cat's Cradle will fill with material girls, punks, metal heads and yuppies flash-dancing to stellar jams.
(02/25/08 5:00am)
Acclaimed independent filmmaker Haile Gerima travels the globe teaching cinematography workshops for interested film students.
That journey has led Gerima to Chapel Hill, where today he will begin a weeklong residency at the Sonja Haynes Stone Center.
Much of Gerima's work chronicles themes and story lines within the context of the Stone Center's film series, "Cinemas of Resistance."
"His body of work and recognition for these elements are astounding and further helps exemplify the richness and depth of film derived by the stories and depictions of people of color," said Ursula Littlejohn, program coordinator for the Stone Center.
Gerima's residency will include conducting a three-part master workshop in filmmaking open to those interested.
"The workshops are open to anyone from novice to experienced filmmakers," Littlejohn said. "We expect a kaleidoscope of faces and points of reference to join us."
Gerima's films document the human condition. He is perhaps best known as the writer, producer and director of the 1993 film "Sankofa."
The internationally acclaimed film is a historically inspired drama portraying African resistance to slavery.
"We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today," Gerima said.
Today's workshop will focus on script writing structure in the context of a person's culture. The second workshop will cover how to take a personal approach to documentary filmmaking and the final workshop will center on the relationship between directing and visual dramatics.
Gerima will also present audiovisual excerpts of his previous and upcoming films Thursday evening.
"It is my hope that the participants of this week are able to gain insight into the artistry of filmmaking, as well as acquire skills and directives that may enhance their own works," Gerima said.
Within his works, Gerima attempts to preserve culture and history without embellishments for future generations.
"I'm heavily invested in the notion that the filmmaker be engaged in a constant process of self-reflexivity and learning along with the community he serves," Gerima said.
As one of few African filmmakers who has gained international recognition, Gerima said he believes his films should counter stereotypical Hollywood films.
"I never wanted to be part of an industry that fails to represent the world as it really exists," he said.
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(01/24/08 5:00am)
For the past few months, the cast and crew of Lab! Theatre's latest production have faced their share of creative frustrations and artistic epiphanies.
(01/10/08 5:00am)
Lisa Kron's acclaimed performance in "2.5 Minute Ride" blurs the boundaries between pain and comedy.
Kron unveiled her award-winning one-woman show Wednesday for PlayMakers Repertory Company's second-stage series, PRC2, at the Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre.
The autobiographical show intertwines three separate experiences in Kron's life.
Audience members might find themselves unable to remove their eyes from Kron's smiling eyes and animated features.
(11/30/07 5:00am)
At the age of 21, Craig Peck has already familiarized himself with some of the most coveted directing secrets in Hollywood.
A first-time theater director, Peck will incorporate his film experiences into Lab! Theatre's latest and final production of the semester, Neil Simon's "Laughter on the 23rd Floor."
"I looked for a logistically simple play, as I had no idea what upstage and downstage were, with characters that I could connect with and found this one," Peck said.
The production tells the story of Jewish workers on a comedy show during the 1950s in New York.
And as a Jewish man from Brooklyn, N.Y., Craig said he immediately related to the script and noticed its potential for great success.
"It was overall extremely personal, which allowed me to draw on my life experiences to complement the writing," Peck said.
Some of the cast of "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" said they have been enthralled with Peck's new and innovative style of directing.
"He hasn't been afraid to step outside the box. I'm pretty sure he wants to be the next Steven Spielberg," said Jeb Brinkley, who acts in the production.
Peck has learned from recognized directors, actors and film crews such as director M. Night Shyamalan, actress Kate Winslet and actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
He acknowledged that the main difference between directing film and theater is the fact that he has to trust his actors to do their job flawlessly because there is no way for him to cut and edit the final product.
"It's the most painful thing for a control freak like me, but I trust this bunch with it," Peck said. "They do the material proud."
Peck said he recognized after directing "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" that there is nothing quite like live theater and the vibrancy and liveliness that comes from the audience.
"(Theater) is a communal experience happening only with the people present that one night. There's nothing like the spontaneity of a live show," Peck said. "I've grown an affinity for theater, and what I thought may be a one-time thing may have begun a lifelong love."
But Peck said performing in front of a camera or a live audience isn't what matters most. The director said he feels the most important part of a show is its story.
"('Laughter on the 23rd Floor') is a comedy meant to entertain and make people laugh until they cry," Brinkley said.
Peck said he and his cast of actors intend to focus their talents to deliver Simon's story to audience members on opening night.
"I've learned that story is king. It doesn't matter what medium I'm working in," he said. "My job is to tell a story that keeps the audience glued to their seats pleading for more."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(11/16/07 5:00am)
The enthusiasm on campus for Pauper Players' production of "The Secret Garden" is not as covert as the show's title.
The musical has been in the works for more than two months and finally opens Friday.
While the group's first production of the season comes relatively late in the school year, organizers said they think the extra rehearsal time will make for a better and more accomplished show.
"Opening night always comes, ready or not," said Lori Mannette, the show's producer. "But I do think we are ready for this one. We have had ample time to prepare, and I think the audience will appreciate how polished and rock-solid the product is."
Mannette said that "The Secret Garden" is a popular show and that its music and original vision will make it attractive to everyone.
First-time director Jessica Smith pitched the idea of "The Secret Garden" as Pauper's first production because of the creativity she believed could be unlocked with such a flexible show.
"Being a first-time director is always daunting," Smith said. "I was lucky to have a cast that was willing and very open to the ideas of a crazy new director."
Pauper Players will present the classic children's story with a gothic and almost spooky style, although the show will remain true to its family-oriented roots.
"I really wanted the actors to explore the elusive nature of home," Smith said. "The production is all about finding out who you are and defining the elusive line between childhood and adulthood."
The character development and overall feeling of "The Secret Garden" relied heavily on the show's classically styled music, intricate costumes and detailed setting.
Mannette said a longer production time was necessary for the cast members to truly hone in on their characters' personalities and the in-depth meaning behind the script.
"The music is the core and foundation of this show," said Sarah Dempsey, the student-actress who plays Lily, the show's main character.
"This is not a hobby, and these are not amateur productions. Pauper strives to create a professional experience for audiences, cast and crew members alike."
Pauper Players, who previously performed in Playmakers Theatre, have undergone a change in venue in recent years, but the cast has worked to adapt to the smaller stage of the Union Cabaret.
"'The Secret Garden' is such a difficult show, and I really think that the dedication and sheer talent of this cast and production staff is what really makes it so wonderful," Dempsey said.
"I can't stress how different and unique this production is."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(10/26/07 4:00am)
The PlayMakers Repertory Company's preview performance of the kitchen-sink drama "Crimes of the Heart" dished up more than down-home country cooking.
The Southern Gothic comedy depicts the often sordid quality of family life in the early 1970s, focusing on three sisters from Hazelhurst, Miss.
"It is my desire that the show playfully embrace the eccentricities and colorful stories of the South," director John Feltch said. "It should be funny in the richest way."
The Magrath sisters learn to cope with a world of laughter and pain when the past and present come to life.
(10/26/07 4:00am)
The PlayMakers Repertory Company's preview performance of the kitchen-sink drama "Crimes of the Heart" dished up more than down-home country cooking.
The Southern Gothic comedy depicts the often sordid quality of family life in the early 1970s, focusing on three sisters from Hazelhurst, Miss.
"It is my desire that the show playfully embrace the eccentricities and colorful stories of the South," director John Feltch said. "It should be funny in the richest way."
The Magrath sisters learn to cope with a world of laughter and pain when the past and present come to life.
(10/12/07 4:00am)
Performers in sequined dresses and flashy stilettos flounced, sashayed and entertained members of the UNC community Thursday night in the Great Hall.
All of the dancers were a part of "Transcendence," the fifth semiannual drag show presented by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender-Straight Alliance, which celebrated the finale of National Coming Out Day.
"The show presents a time for coming out in solidarity. There is strength in numbers," said Robert Wells, GLBTSA executive board member and drag show stage manager. "Drag shows present a history of gender and sexuality in a performance setting."
GLBTSA brought in four professional drag queens from Legends nightclub in Raleigh to perform - which consists of walking, sauntering and even gyrating across the stage in flashy costumes. Amateur acts were also showcased.
The amateur performers included students from UNC and one student from Duke.
"This show is a forum of celebration; we're looking to promote gender identity expression in an entertaining way," said Taylor Brown, co-chairman of GLBTSA.
Wells said some people don't understand that not everyone's gender identities match societal norms of male or female. He said GLBTSA hopes to raise this level of awareness through events like the drag show.
First-time UNC performer Erin Black said, "I'm performing as a girl dressing up as a boy dressing up as a girl."
One drag queen, decked out as a sunflower, thrilled audience members as she stepped off the stage announcing that she was "going to soak up the sun."
Just afterward, a member of the audience yelled out, "Long live the queens!"
Some amateur student performers brought audience members to their feet when they began to remove articles of clothing.
"I've been coming to the show since I was a freshman, and now I'm a second-year law student at UNC," attendee Kellie Mannette said. "I've been enticed since the beginning, and I just keep coming back for more."
In the first half of the show, there were just as many amateur performers as professionals.
"The best part of the show are the amateur acts," Black said. "They have their own spin on drag with more innovation than the professionals."
One UNC student was so moved by the drag queen from Duke's performance that he placed a dollar bill in her top as she stepped offstage during the performance.
"That was probably the best Dukie I've seen in my entire life!" host Jerin Jones said.
The show attracted a diverse crowd of all ages, genders and sexual orientations. Some audience members even dressed up in drag.
"I dressed up and came to watch the show to challenge our society's view of gender," freshman Richie Transou said.
But Brown said the drag show isn't just about glittering costumes and wild acts and emphasized an overarching message.
"We want people to have fun but leave thinking about the bigger picture with a broader political message."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(09/25/07 4:00am)
For some high school students, acting in a play can be just as stressful as preparing for a final exam.
But One Song Productions, a theater group run entirely by local high school students, aims to give students who love to entertain another opportunity to perform.
The group isn't just about acting. One Song, which doesn't hail from any particular high school, allows youth from the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area to combine their talents to produce, direct and work on the technical aspect of shows created by peers.
(09/21/07 4:00am)
Baseball star Hank Greenberg shocked fans across America when in 1934 he refused to play on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement, while his team was in the middle of a crucial pennant race.
Greenberg's famous absence is the focus of Jewish director and producer Aviva Kempner's award-winning film "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg."
The film will be screened at 4 p.m. Sunday in the auditorium of the School of Social Work's Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building as part of the 2007-08 public lecture series at the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies.
The series was created five years ago as an initiative of the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies aiming to bring in leading scholars and public intellectuals to give lectures on campus.
The work is a documentary that takes a closer look at the struggles of one of America's first Jewish baseball superstars and the inspiration that Greenberg brought the American-Jewish community.
"I was selected to speak because I do films about lesser-known Jewish heroes," Kempner said. "Hank's story demonstrates a universal story of overcoming prejudice and stereotypes."
Kempner was selected, like all the speakers in the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies' 2007-08 public lecture series, by the faculty-steering committee. It aspires to select lecturers who will present a wide variety of topics in Jewish studies.
In recent years, other baseball players have observed Jewish holidays during the season.
Current Jewish baseball players such as Shawn Green of the N.Y. Mets and Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox have faced the same dilemma.
"At a time of great playoffs in the country, this film screening is very timely," Kempner said.
Kempner's documentary film, in addition to receiving an Emmy nomination, was awarded top honors by the National Society of Film Critics, the National Board of Review, the New York Film Critics Circle and the Broadcast Film Critics Association.
In addition to the screening, Kempner will preview her current project, "Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg," a documentary about one of America's beloved radio and television stars, Gertrude Berg, on Monday in the theater in the Sonja Haynes Stone Center.
Jewish philanthropic organization, the Charles H. Revson Foundation, is sponsoring Kempner's visit with the help of UNC's Curriculum in American Studies.
"We're hoping for a large audience on both Sunday and Monday," said Jonathan M. Hess, the director at the Jewish center.
"In the past, many of our public events have brought into more than 200 people to campus, and it's wonderful to see students, faculty and members of the community to come together at these lectures."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(09/11/07 4:00am)
The UNC arts community became a united force Monday at Arts Day in the Pit, an event designed to bring together student and professional groups alike.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Pit was filled with an array of artists, performers and members of the student body who were interested in finding out more about these organizations.
"It's a great opportunity to give visibility to groups that aren't given the amount of recognition they deserve," said Meghan McNamara, who was working the Carolina Performing Arts booth.
The event, run by Harry Kaplowitz, marketing assistant for Carolina Performing Arts, was sponsored by Kaplowitz's organization, as well as Carolina Union Activities Board and the executive branch of student government.
"Most people don't recognize how many artistic groups are on campus," Kaplowitz said.
"I wanted people to realize the interconnectedness that already exists in the community and how it can only be improved."
Monday's event was the first Arts Day the University has seen, but Kaplowitz said he is interested in making it a semiannual cause.
Sophomore Sarah Stoneking arrived early to the festivities.
"I'm interested to see what other students are involved in," she said.
"It always amazes me to see how multitalented UNC students are."
Many organizations, such as the Achordants, Chips and the Carolina Swing Club performed in the Pit during the event.
"I'm not just in it for the girls. I'm here to have fun, but also to produce beautiful music," said Achordants member Patrick Massey.
The Achordants and other groups that performed also manned tables promoting their groups and upcoming shows.
As students wandered from table to table, Jerin Jones, a dancer for Blank Canvas, told those who passed by, "No skill is required, just energy and a desire to learn."
Blank Canvas is a student-run organization that seeks to give dancers of all levels and styles the chance to choreograph and perform original works.
"We try to avoid auditions so that all people have an opportunity to get involved without as much experience or time commitment," said Christine Gardenhire, public relations officer for Blank Canvas.
Pamphlets were available at many tables, giving students the opportunity to learn about the organizations open to them.
"The arts are an essential part of the Carolina experience," said junior Rebecca Bernstein, a student who attended Arts Day.
"Most every organization consists of a close-knit group of people simply having fun doing what it is they love to do."
Others said it's not just students that contribute to making the arts community at UNC successful.
"The afternoon's successes cannot only be attributed to the students and performers," Kaplowitz said, "but to a community of creative educators wishing to teach."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.