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Gary Boham and Bill Ostby...in the Free Theatre
production of Waiting for Godot.
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2000 ALBUMS TOP ARTISTS
MAIN FLOOR NEBRASKA UNION
, 7 - s-
Free Theatre
strives for
artistic worth
Free Theatre has changed. When formed a
year ago, its main concern was to stay alive. It
found it could stay live. Now it wants to prove
it can do things which are critically and
artistically worthwhile.
In addition, it wants to open people's minds
and set them to thinking. Paul Baker, who was
one of the co-founders of Free Theatre, but
who now claims he is only one of many
members of the group, said he hopes "Free
Theatre will help to force a change in society
and establish working relationships with people,
such as the Food Co-op and the Lincoln
Gazette are trying to do."
Baker said he wants people to get off their
rears and think about things, because when you
think, you find out you can be wrong. This is
one of the reasons Free Theatre won't be doing
any plays exclusively for entertainment, such
asGuys and Dolls, he added.
Baker said he believes ticket prices for other
theaters around town have gotten out of hand.
An audience "shouldn't have to put up bucks
to see a play," he said. 'Theatre has become
like a prostitute-charging too much and not
delivering enough pleasure."
Opening the Free Theatre season Waiting
for Godot by Samuel Beckett. It is directed by
Baker. After having directed four or five
previous plays. Baker says this is the first play
he has really "directed."
Also, the actors in the play are "stronger in
their dedication. The actor's emphasis is not on
'how well am I doing,' rather, 'how well am I
serving Bsckett,' " Baker explained.
What does the future hold for Free Theatre?
It has two more productions coming up this fall
semester. The Green Cockatoo, followed by
The Tower. Tryouts for The Green Cockatoo
will be Oct. 13 in the Hungry Id at 7 p.m.
Anyone who would like to participate,
regardless of experience, may tryout.
There is also a very definite possibility that
a Free Theatre class will be set up through Free
University. The class will be taught by Baker,
but its structure will remain fluid so that he can
organize the class around its participants'
interests.
As a graduate student in Theatre Arts, and a
past participant in Free Theatre, I sympathize
with much of what Free Theatre is saying, but
also disagree on some points. However, it is not
my right to condemn an entire concept . . . and
I don't even know if I want.
Waiting for Godot will be performed Friday,
Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. in the Hungry
Id, in the basement of the Wesley Foundation,
640 North 16th Street. The cast includes Bill
Ostby as Vladimir, Gary Boham as Estragon, E.
Mike Dobbins as Pozzo, Tom Bredenburg as
Lucky and Dan Newton as the boy.
Go to it and think. Chances are it'll be good
theatre and like Baker says, "it's free."
Last Friday, I was one of the few who
made it to Pershing Auditorium to see Roberta
Flack. Suffice it to say the crowd of about
3,000 was disappointingly small.
Perhaps many people were expecting Flack
to give a nice romantic concert. Well, were they
mistaken. She is primarily a blues-jazz -gospel
singer, and that's exactly what she did.
Oh yes, she did some contemporary things
like "Love the One You're With," "Suzanne,"
complete with tambourines on top of the piano
strings, and an especially nice 'The First Time
Ever I Saw Your Face." But then, I happen to
like that song a lot.
However, it was on the down-in-the-dirt
numbers that Flack's bouncing, almost-girlish
charm and enthusiasm came through.
"Reverend Lee" and "Mr. Magic" were two
examples of this, but it was a Les McCann tune,
"Compared To What" that was the highlight of
the show, both for the audience and Flack.
Preceding Flack, and then joining her for a
couple of numbers later was pianistvocalist
Wayne Davis, who did a commendable job.
Events coming up, find Gordon MacRae
(remember Oklahoma!) presenting his
"Spotlight on Nebraska No. I" show at Pershing
Auditorium. Appearing with MacRae will be his
daughter Meredith, comic Marty Brill, the
Ail-American Singers, and Bob Devaney and the
football team.
For cinematic relief, the Nebraska Union
Weekend Films is offering Little Big Man on
Friday and Saturday in the Union Small
Auditorium at 7 and 10 p.m., and again on
Sunday at 7 p.m. in the East Union.
Friday at 3:30 p.m. finds the Nebraska
Union South Crib hoppin' to the sounds of the
Star Spangled Wranglers. From some reports
they should be really good.
A week away, Sept. 22, finds Pershing
Auditorium blessed with another concert, only
this time it's a comedy concert with Cheech
and Chong, "the only Chica no-Chinese comedy
duo working." With the recent release of their
latest album, Big Bambu, the duo should
provide an evening of "high" frivolity.
The Lincoln Broadway League has
announced their season for the up-coming year.
They open with Shelley Berman in the musical
about Noah's Ark, 7Wo By Two, followed by
Paul Sills Story Theatre, closing with Kim
Hunter in And Miss Reardon Drinks A little.
Season tickets, with which you save $$$, are
available. For further information call
434-4314.
Not to be left out, the Lincoln Community
Concerts is opening its membership campaign.
Shows for the series are Mitch Miller and His
Orchestra, Wittemore & Lowe, duo pianists, the
Tony Award winning musical Applause, Frula,
Yugoslavian folk dancers and the singing Young
Americans.
Only season members can attend the
concerts. For further information call
423-3254.
Comedians roll to new highs
by Larry Kubert
Reviewing comedy albums is often
difficult. In comedy, what one person finds
funny is not necessarily what someone else
finds amusing. Also, oe wonders how
intense the comedy woo.d be if you could
see the act in person.
On Cheech Marin's and Thomas Chong's
newest Ode Records album, Big Bambu, the
duo provides some very funny material.
As for the visual aspect, this can be solved
by catching Cheech and Chong at Pershing
Auditorium on Sept. 22.
When their first album was released early
this year their act was as the first hard rock
comedy. After several months of playing
second and third bill to the likes of Alice
Cooper, they've now apparently built up
enough of a following of dope-smoking
gigglers to headline their own show.
With the exception of "Ralph and
Herbie" and 'The Continuing Adventures of
Pedro de Pacas and Man," side one is not
that outstanding. Good for a couple of yuks,
but that's about it. In fact, "Sister Mary
Elephant" is pretty disappointing.
However, the exceptions are beauts. For
example, Ralph and Herbie, two dogs,
discussing getting high on car exhaust fumes
and its possible effect on their brains, plus a
nice comment about corn providing texture,
or Man asking for help from the police by
yelling, "Hey, can you PIGS give us a push?"
Side two, as a whole, is better. It's
dominated by a television medley featuring
'Tortured Old Man," "Empire Hancock,"
"Let's Make a Dope Deal" and
"Un-American Bandstand," that has one
gasping for breath by the time they finish.
Cheech and Chong make good use of
dialects to play various characters, j. e.,
chicanos, freaks, blacks, straights.
Cheech and Chong specialize in a type of
comedy tfiat's definitely not for younger
ears or, if may make a
generalization-conservatives. But for old
liberals . . . hotlamn it's bloody
entertaining.
oaae 10
daily nebraskan
friday, September 15, 1972