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(04/19/07 4:00am)
Beginning tonight, the theater in the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History will feature a free, two-day event presenting a student-written play, "Entertain Me!"
Senior Tiffany Okafor, recipient of The Stone Center Undergraduate International Studies Fellowship in spring 2006, wrote the one-act play after traveling to London and Washington D.C., and exploring the cultural influence of hip hop.
"The idea behind my play is something I did not plan," Okafor said. "I had planned to write a play about women."
But Okafor's focus changed when, during her travels, she began to notice the impact of one of her greatest passions, hip hop.
"Every person blasts hip hop through their speakers," she said.
"And if hip hop is something that we are consuming, then we need to be conscious of what exactly it is we're taking in."
Drama is not a new art form for Okafor, a dramatic art major who began writing plays in high school.
And although Okafor wrote the work alone, its evolution into a dramatic production is credited to a friend, junior Stacy Towles.
Towles, the show's director, said the play, with the exception of a faculty cast member, is a wholly student production.
Some members of the six-person cast are students, such as senior Brandon Smalls, who plays two roles in "Entertain Me!"
Okafor said her inspiration for the roles largely came from interactions with students.
"In the past year, within school systems, I was really noticing how a lot of young, black boys are taking on the same roles as these rappers and causing trouble in school a lot."
But Okafor's work does not necessarily take a stance. She wants the play to be an eye-opener to the good and the bad of hip hop's influence.
"If you listen to the lyrics, some of them are positive and some are negative," she said.
"My goal is for people to just realize what it is that they are taking in, and to understand, in general, the effect things have on you."
In addition, Okafor wanted to expose parts of the hip-hop culture that has surfaced in recent years.
"Hip hop is not just music - it's more than that to a lot of different people," Smalls said.
To get that message across, Okafor had to use her creativity. The play, Towles said, contains one act interspersed with spoken word poetry.
Both Towles and Okafor said "Entertain Me!" is appealing to a range of people. While it uses hip hop as its "backdrop," Towles said its themes are universal.
"My hope for this is that more people than who are interested in hip hop come to see it," Towles said.
Okafor said that, above all, she hopes that her show is true to its title and entertains successfully.
"It's an opportunity for people to get together, learn some new things and have fun for free," she said.
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(02/16/07 5:00am)
It's no secret the UNC campus is not in short supply of dramatic theater. But for those who prefer the funnier side of life, the Carolina Comedy Festival returns for its third consecutive year. As the festival's capstone event, comedian and UNC alumnus Lewis Black will take the Memorial Hall stage for a sold-out show with Kathleen Madigan and Alonzo Bodden. UNC alumnus and "Saturday Night Live" writer Bryan Tucker will serve as the show's emcee. With four days of showcases, workshops and seminars, this year's festival, sponsored by the Carolina Union Activities Board, seeks to expand comedy-related opportunities for students. "We want to make sure as many people can go to as many different events as possible," said Mallory Cash, CUAB's fun committee chairwoman. And considering the big names CUAB has grabbed for this year's festival, maximizing possible attendance will be necessary. "Part of our mission entails putting students into contact with people they wouldn't normally meet," Cash said. In this case the festival finds strong footing in the University's alumni, particularly Black, who was instrumental in getting the project off the ground. "He wanted to help foster an academic environment for comedy," Cash said. Each year Black has found colleagues from the network he has built in the comedy industry and has brought them to UNC. "I'm really just there to kind of funnel comedians and writers I know," Black said. UNC also welcomes back Tucker, who is in his third year of involvement with the festival. During his time as an undergraduate, Tucker and some friends formed the comedy group "Selected Hilarity," which performed in the basement of Morrison Residence Hall and later toured the United States. "The environment at UNC showed me that comedy was something you could pursue," said Tucker, who went on to work for "Mad TV," "The Chris Rock Show" and "Chappelle's Show" in addition to his work with "Saturday Night Live." Among other events Tucker will headline, he will coach students in a comedy-writing workshop at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Class of 2000 Lounge. At the same event, students will have the chance to hear from Paul Feig, director of shows such as "Freaks and Geeks," "Arrested Development" and "The Office." It is Feig's first year at the festival, which last year featured British humor novelist Nick Hornby, whose lecture, Cash said, attracted an audience of about 400. Cash said she expects Feig to be equally popular with students. After studying film at the University of Southern California, Feig initially pursued an acting career. This path helped him learn about the business. Feig will impart some of his knowledge during a free screening of an episode of "The Office" at 6 p.m. today in the Union Cabaret. "The more you know and the more you've been exposed to, the more diverse take you'll have on your own work," Feig said. Feig also advised students trying to pursue a career in television to take risks. "You do what you want, and hopefully you're doing what they want," he said. Sixteen students took that risk Thursday night in entering a competition to open for Black on Saturday night. Sophomore Russell Johnson, junior Keegan de Lancie and Duke senior Damian Denoble were awarded the coveted slots, Cash said. Cash said the festival's main goal is to give students a chance to get an inside look into the comedy industry. And if knowledge is half the battle, experience and recognition is the other half, something Feig says is key in making it in the industry. "The only thing you need to do is let people see what you do," he said. "The more you are doing, the better your odds are." Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu. 2007 Carolina Comedy Festival Today Improv Workshop with Upright Citizens Brigade 2 p.m., Union Cabaret Animation Workshop with Grey Blackwell 2 p.m., Class of 2000 Lounge Class with Lewis Black 4:30 p.m., Union Auditorium "The Office" with Paul Feig 6 p.m., Union Cabaret Carolina Comedy Club 9 p.m., Union Cabaret Saturday Stand-Up Comedy Seminar with Lewis Black 1 p.m., Union Auditorium Comedy Writing Workshop 2:30 p.m., Class of 2000 Lounge Lewis Black and Friends (sold out) 7 p.m., Memorial Hall For more information, visit www.unc.edu/cuab/events.shtml
(01/19/07 5:00am)
Before "Rent" hits campus on Jan. 29, Broadway will take center stage at Memorial Hall in the form of one woman.
Barbara Cook will grace the stage today at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and can be purchased at the Memorial Hall box office.
"She is a legend," said Terry Rhodes, a University music professor.
Cook's talent has staggered audiences for more than 50 years in Broadway musicals, cabaret theater and, in her later career, solo concerts.
"We brought her here because we thought she would be a real unique addition to our series - not having ever brought a Broadway and cabaret singer here before," said Emil Kang, UNC's executive director for the arts.
And although it is the Tony and Grammy award-winning soprano's first visit to UNC, performing for an audience with students is not new for her.
"I don't think there's a big difference from my standpoint," Cook said.
"I do what I do."
And what she will do tonight reflects a repertoire she performed in November at Carnegie Hall but with some adjustments.
Cook will add a few songs especially for her Memorial Hall debut.
"I really love the freedom that I have when I work on my own," she said.
In comparison with her work in full casts, though, Cook said solo work has its setbacks.
"When you're doing a concert on your own, then you choose the songs," she said. "You really sign your name in a way that you don't when you're doing a book show."
Book shows, at the beginning of her career in the 1950s, enabled Cook to become established and reputable in New York City's competitive theater circuit.
She starred as the leads in such shows as "Showboat," "Oklahoma," "Carousel" and "The King and I" at the height of her Broadway career.
"We believe what she has done really adds a great new dimension to the artists we bring to our series," Kang said.
Cook said her extensive career is a reflection of drive and perseverance.
"I think if you want to perform - if you want to sing or act - the main thing is that it has to be something that you must do, not just something you really like to do," she said.
In addition to tonight's performance, Cook's visit to campus included her assistance in a master class in the Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre on Thursday afternoon.
In a master class, a seasoned professional gives feedback to students. While six performing arts students sang and acted for her, Cook critiqued.
"We do master classes all the time with visiting artists," Rhodes said.
"But this is really very special."
Cook's performance tonight is one Kang said won't come too often for the Carolina Performing Arts series.
"Trying to find artists like her in the future will be difficult."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(11/27/06 5:00am)
Christmas is coming early.
At least, the Trekky Yuletide Orchestra thinks it should.
The 16-piece Trekky Records ensemble will release a Christmas album Tuesday, entitled A New Old Fashioned Christmas.
But this album offers listeners something different.
"There's a pretty varied mix," said UNC sophomore Will Hackney, co-founder of Trekky Records, a Chapel Hill-based record label.
Trekky Records formed the Trekky Yuletide Orchestra specifically for the production of this Christmas album.
The orchestra features members from Trekky's stable of local bands, including The Never, Vibrant Green, Mortar and Pestle and Alvarez Painting.
Straying away from mainstream pop, the album has 12 tracks that integrate the indie-rock sound of the bands while staying loyal to classic Christmas favorites.
Jonny Tunnell, drummer for The Never, said the CD is not meant to be placed in one strict genre.
"Most of all, we wanted the songs to bleed Christmas spirit and feeling," he said.
"There's everything from kind of obscure hymnals - really ancient stuff - to songs like 'All I Want for Christmas is You,' which pretty much everyone knows," Hackney said, adding that the bands' collaborative effort was part of the project's appeal.
"Christmas music is about bringing people together, and we thought it would be a fun way to get everyone on the label together."
Tunnell and Hackney said they agreed that, despite the unusually large number of musicians, the overall sound is uniform.
"The CD has a surprisingly cohesive sound," Tunnell said.
Another goal of the project is to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
One of the Trekky Yuletide Orchestra's members, who is in Vibrant Green, has the disease, and the ensemble hopes to raise awareness by sending all of the album's profits to the National MS Society.
"It affects a ton of people, but it's not one of the big causes," Hackney said. "So we wanted to try to bring attention to it with this project."
The CD, which will sell for $12, can be purchased on the label's Web site, trekkyrecords.com.
In conjunction with the release, the Trekky Yuletide Orchestra will be performing at two different shows, one on Dec. 8 at Greensboro's The Flying Anvil and another on Dec. 18 at Cat's Cradle.
"It'll be a nice way for people to see all their favorite local bands doing something kind of different," Hackney said.
Most importantly, Hackney said, A New Old Fashioned Christmas is meant to be Trekky Records' way of paying tribute to holiday tunes using indie rock.
"We felt like this music should be framed in a substantial way," he said. "We wanted to share it with a lot of people."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(11/17/06 5:00am)
The words "night sky" bring a peaceful image to mind. But as the name of Lab! Theatre's new drama, these words prove deceptive.
"Night Sky" premieres today in the Historic Playmakers Theatre at 8:15 p.m., and will run every night at that same time through Tuesday.
Written by Susan Yankowitz, the play is the story of a female astronomy professor who is forced to learn how to communicate again after being injured in a car accident.
"It's a drama, but it's a light drama," said junior Barbara Harrison, the production's director.
With a plot about struggle and recovery, the play's themes might sound morbid. But Harrison said Yankowitz uses the frame of a sad story to introduce uplifting messages.
"This show is very much a laughter-through-the-tears type play, which I think is very relatable and has an ultimate uplifting feeling," she said.
Yankowitz was inspired to write the show after having to deal with an aphasic friend, one who had trouble communicating after a traumatic injury.
And for "Night Sky's" first ever production in New York City, the same friend directed it, a feat that further bolsters some of the optimistic ideas in the script.
"It's rather moving," said junior Kyle Beaulieu, who plays a mentor to the play's protagonist.
In addition to its universal themes, the play includes parallels between the constructs of astronomy and the brain.
"I had always loved astronomy, and I thought the meshing of the two was something very interesting to produce," Beaulieu said.
Harrison said the script powerfully intertwines elements of memory, communication and space.
"It kind of parallels the black holes in our mind and in space."
But its more poignant message deals primarily with the process of overcoming obstacles.
"The one line that sums up the play is 'Sometimes God has to hit us over the head,'" said sophomore Kaitlin Houlditch-Fair, a supporting actress in the production.
"It's about putting things in perspective and being thankful for what you have."
Stage Manager Stacy Michal, a junior, said the set design and props work well to perpetuate the play's premise.
"We've tried to do some creative things with lighting to try to support the underlying message of the show."
Humor is another way "Night Sky" might appeal to a broad audience.
"There are definitely a bunch of funny moments - in the morbid sense," Beaulieu said, adding that, ultimately, the show is short but sweet.
"It has a great message, and it wraps up its message quickly," he said.
"It really hits home."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(10/26/06 4:00am)
Company Carolina is building a wall. And this year it's not just referring to a set.
Premiering tonight and running through Monday in the Forest Theatre is the company's production of "The Wall," the play conceived by iconic rock 'n' roll band, Pink Floyd.
"The show is about a rock star figure who is burnt out from touring and the music business, his failing relationships and the hollowness of materialist world," said Nick Decell, the show's director.
Based on the 1979 rock-opera concept album, "The Wall" originally was performed by the members of the band.
But Decell said the play was the least-developed part of the movie, theater and album sequence that created the concept of "The Wall."
The show stages the despair of its conflicted protagonist.
"The main character, Pink, is modeled on several of the quintessential rock stars of the time," Decell said.
"Basically, the show is Pink's attempt to build up a wall around himself and around his emotions as a means of protection from the world and himself."
Decell said that although the show was not meant to be autobiographical, its plot and themes are based largely on the band's experiences and thoughts.
"It was conceived by Roger Waters at a time when he was reflecting on what it meant to be an iconic rock-star figure."
And that reflection involves a series of real, subconscious and surreal experiences.
"Our main focus or theme is using the idea of sort of realms of reality and consciousness," he said.
Decell and Company Carolina staff have created a set in the theater that works to convey these themes.
"We've created a kind of neutral location that allows us to travel through these different realms," Decell said.
"It's a sort of playground of the mind."
And the cast and crew said they have enjoyed creatively exploring Pink Floyd's lyrics.
"It has been wonderful just designing these worlds and telling a story that jumps time," Decell said.
But above all he said "The Wall" is a show with "phenomenal music."
"It really does draw everyone and appeals to everyone."
And for those who have never experienced "The Wall," Decell said there's no better time than the present.
"If you've never heard of Pink Floyd before, it's a great time to get acquainted."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(10/13/06 4:00am)
Lab! Theatre's latest production, "La Turista," tells a tale of two American tourists vacationing in Mexico.
But this is no normal vacation.
"It has a very complicated and surreal plot," director Ros Schwartz said. "A lot of very bizarre things happen in it."
The two-act play, with a cast of five, will perform from Oct. 13-17 at the Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre in the Center for Dramatic Art.
Written by Sam Shepard, the play is an absurdist comedy that was first performed in 1967 and won Shepard an Off-Broadway theater award that same year.
"In absurdist theater, what you often find are (a) nonlinear time structure and really exaggerated characters that pop in for no reason and then leave," Schwartz said.
When he wrote the play, Shepard was influenced by world issues of the time, such as the Vietnam War and U.S. foreign policy.
"Since it's Sam Shepard, he loves to deal with problems about America," Schwartz said.
"So, really, in the play, he is using a sort of technique to explore those problems."
And that technique thrives on dark comedy and underlying meaning.
Josh Evans, who plays the male protagonist, said the cast has spent long hours analyzing the play's text, which is filled with metaphors and subliminal themes.
"Shepard doesn't come out and tell you what the relationships are right away," Evans said.
"It's not given to you, so you have to sort of find it - you have to be a detective."
Schwartz said she was intrigued by the play's parallels with today's society.
"I thought it was really appropriate, given what was going on with the war in Iraq."
But aside from using hidden symbols and complex relationships to deliver some of Shepard's political views, the play is driven forward by its humor.
Both Evans and Mignon Arrington - who plays the female lead as Evans' wife - agreed that it's a hilarious, if bizarre, show.
"It's about so many things, and in such a convoluted and metaphorical way, that trying to describe it is really hard," Arrington said.
"But it's a very witty play."
Arrington and Evans said they are proud of the final product, which has come together recently with the advent of "crazy costumes" and a set.
"I don't often laugh out loud when I'm reading things," Schwartz said. "And this play made me laugh out loud."
Even though an American couple touring Mexico might sound like a simple, run-of-the-mill plot, Evans said the resulting play is anything but.
"The trick is all hell breaks loose."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(09/29/06 4:00am)
Art comes in all shapes and sizes. But for the Chapel Hill Public Library's newest exhibition, art will come from only one shape - the Triangle.
Thirteen featured artists from Pittsboro, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill have come together for the "Mixed Media in the Triangle" exhibition, showcasing a diverse selection of mixed-media works.
The exhibition runs from Sept. 17 to Nov. 20, and Sunday's opening reception - from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. - will give the public an opportunity to speak with 11 of the 13 featured artists about their work.
"One of the goals of this exhibition is to show the public the range of possibilities for materials in mixed media," said Luna Lee Ray, guest curator for the exhibition.
Almost all artists are well-established professionals from the Triangle who have trained individually with specific media including sculpture, found objects, paint, paper, glass, metal and ceramics.
Each artist's distinctive style is represented in the library's show, with mostly two-dimensional pieces ranging in size from as small as 6 inches to as big as 3-by-4 feet.
The exhibition is part of a larger series of judged exhibitions showcased annually. But this exhibition was coordinated by Ray instead of by the typical exhibition committee, which usually selects artists after a submission period about a year in advance.
Steve Wright, the public art coordinator for the Chapel Hill Arts Commission, said the committee generally selects about two or three artists per show, which is yet another differentiating facet of the exhibit.
"All the artists have been doing what they've been doing for a long time," Ray said.
But, she said, the works maintain a feeling of spontaneity, making them prime examples of modern mixed-media work.
"There is no common theme between the pieces in the show," she said.
The Arts Commission also is working on its search for artists for 2007's exhibitions, and the deadline for submission for any interested artists is Oct. 31.
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(09/20/06 4:00am)
John Dee Holeman puts a contemporary edge on the blues music tradition, and his style has made him famous.
Thursday afternoon, as part of the Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence's "Thursdays on the Terrace" concert series, Holeman will share his talent with students.
His performance will begin at noon and will be held on the Educational Foundation Terrace in Graham Memorial.
Holeman's unique guitar style - which combines traditional Piedmont blues with modern, electric sounds - developed primarily in North Carolina, where he has spent the majority of his life.
"John Dee Holeman is the greatest living Piedmont blues artist in the world," said Tim Duffy, president of the Music Maker Relief Foundation.
His talent ranges from singing to acoustic and electric guitar improvisations to storytelling and dancing, all of which incorporate a blend of old and new blues styles.
Duffy, a UNC graduate, started Music Maker, a Chapel Hill-based, nonprofit record company that helped Holeman accelerate his fame after he spent years practicing at Durham jukes and playing house parties and local competitions.
Duffy has been friends with Holeman since 1989 and has been supporting him as a musician since Music Maker's start in 1994.
Holeman's concert will mark his second visit to UNC - his first came in 2001. The performance is in conjunction with a southern history course taught by University professor Bill Ferris.
"Mr. Holeman is a very important part of the North Carolina Blues tradition," Ferris said. "His music and stories are part of a rich tradition that goes back over a century."
Ferris said Holeman's passion for performing is evident in his soulful style.
"He loves coming to perform for students, especially at UNC, because for over a century, this University has been closely tied to the tradition of music in North Carolina," he said.
Holeman's style, Ferris said, isn't something that students have never heard, but they might not have realized what they were hearing.
"If you like the North Mississippi Allstars or any contemporary group at Cat's Cradle, Mr. Holeman represents the musical root from which these artists draw inspiration."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.