Daily Nebraskan
Wednesday, February 5, 1986 -
(9
Btmmmem.
Page 6
A
Professor's jazz work
picked for symposium
A composition by Robert Beadell,
professor of theory and composition
in the UNL School of Music, has
been chosen in a national competi
tion as one of eight works to be
. performed at a symposium at Rad
ford University in Virginia. .
The work will be performed at the
Symposium XI for New Band Music
at Radford on Saturday by the Virgi
nia Intercollegiate Band.
Beadell's composition is titled
"Chicago Dance No. 2." It is a three
sect ion, jazz-oriented piece, reflect
ing the composer's Chicago roots. It
is intentionally "mainstream" in
style, giving its performers an
opportunity to realize a non-nostalgic
but integral jazz style.
Beadell, who served in the U.S.
Marine Corps from 1942 to 1945
received his bachelor's and mas
ter's of music degrees from North
western University, where he stu
died under Anthony Donato. In 1951,
he studied with Leo Sowerby and from
1962 to 1963, he studied under
Darius Milhaud. He has been a pro-,
fessor of music at UNL since 1054.
Beadell has written works for
orchestra, band, choru3, four ope
ras, solo and chamber works, j 3zs
ensemble pieces and arrangements
and film scores for educational TV.
His numerous awards and grants
include the Thor Johnson Prize, a
Ford Foundation Grant -for Visiting
ComposerAmerican Opera Season
at the New York City Center, two
National Endowment for the Arts
Composer Fellowships for "Chicago
Dance No. 1" and annual ASCAP
awards for Creativity and Advance
ment of American Music each year
since 1967.
"Chicago Dance No. 2" premiered
in 1985 and performed by the UNL
Symphony Band and Faculty Jazz trio.
His work, "Evocations," settings of
poems by Ted Kooser, will be per
formed on March 6 at UNL as part of
the Kimball Faculty Composers concert.
The Best of Times' works well
despite predictability of game
By Geoff Goodwin
Staff Reporter
Band's unique sound
recalls the late '60s
At one time or another everyone has
an experience that, given the chance,
they would gladly change the outcome
of.
Movie Review
"The Best of Times," a new film
showing at the Plaza Four, 12th and P
Streets, is based on this premise.
Jack Dundee, played by Robin Willi
ams, is haunted by the memory of
dropping a pass against the archrival,
Bakersfield, 13 years ago. Had he caught
it, it would have given his team, Taft,
its first win over Bakersfield in more
than 50 years. Instead the game ended
in a scoreless tie.
Dundee is tortured by the memory of
his mistake. He constantly watches
films of the play. If that wasn't enough
to remind him, his father-in-law, a fan
atical Bakersfield fan, is always re
minding him of the game.
As a way of purging his guilt, Dundee
conceives the idea of replaying the
game. He tries to convince Taft's former
quarterback, Reno Hightower, to play
the game. Hightower is reluctant.
Hightower, played by Kurt Russell, is
the greatest quarterback not only in
Taft history, but in the history "of
southern Kern County." He threw,
depending on whose account you listen
to, anywhere from three to eight touch
down passes against Porterville.
As Hightower notes, "The number
keeps going up every year."
Hightower, who was injured in the
game, is now a mechanic and van cus
tomizer. For him, high school was the
highlight of his life. He wants to
remember his skills as they were.
Finally, with the help of a little sab
otage by Dundee, Hightower and the
other members of the team agree to
play the game.
The problem is that Bakersfield looks
like the Chicago Bears and Taft looks
like an adult version of the Bad News
Bears.
As if Jack and Reno didn't have
enough problems already, their wives,
fed up with their infatuation with foot
ball, have left them.
The game itself, as in most movies of
this type, is predictable. If you can't
guess how it comes out, you shouldn't
be enrolled in this institution.
In spite of this the film works. There
are some funny scenes, especially
towards the end.
Williams and Russell both perform
well. Williams isn't as funny in this film
as he has been in earlier movies, but
that's mainly because the script gives
him less room to freelance.
It's almost impossible not to like
this film because it appeals to sorry,
Robert Frost the road not taken in
each of us.
We want Jack to catch that ball and
even though we know he's going to
(Oops!) it doesn't detract from the
moment. And it's a helluva catch.
"The Best of Times" isn't the best of
films, but it is worth seeing.
'1888' voices appear tonight
By Randy Schummer
Staff Reporter
The Dream Academy, "The
Dream Academy," Warner Bro
thers. The Dream Academy's album is one
of the biggest surprises of 1985-86.
Taking a huge risk, the band plays
music resembling the mid- to late-60s
sound.
Record Review
The Academy consists of only three
band members Gilbert Gabriel,
Nick Laird-Clowes and Kate St. John
but the complicated music also required
many studio musicians. The band doesn't
have many electric guitars, but rather
timpani, cellos, and harmonicas,
"Life in a Northern Town," the al
bum's first release, is doing remarkably
well on the charts. This album should
have many hit singles. "(Johnny), New
Light," is almost an exact duplicate of
what the Mamas and the Papas would
do, but has The Dream Academy's
sound. "The Party" is more of an
upbeat, bouncy song destined for a
place in the top 40.
The lead vocalist, Gabriel, does not
have a melodic voice, but the two
female backup singers have excellent
voices. Gabriel's voice really doesn't
hurt the album that much, but I would
like to see one of the background sin
gers sing lead on a song.
After listening to so many albums
that can only be labeled generic trash,
this was a breath of fresh air. The music
is not meant to be danceable or trendy,
just different. Finally a band pulls off
that task, flawlessly.
A dramatic reading of "Blizzard Voi
ces," a play by poet Ted Kooser, will
take place today at 7:30 p.m. in the
Heritage Room on the third floor of
Bennett Martin Public Library, 14th
and N streets.
Based on true personal accounts of
the blizzard of 1888, this play is spoken
in four interweaving voices to create
the overall picture of the blizzard, its
victims, and its survivors.
The play is read by Alan Drees, Bar
bara Frank, Susan Cross Helms and
Sam Ridge, all of whom have appeared
on stage at the Lincoln Community
Playhouse. Also, Alan Drees has ap
peared in several roles with the Lincoln
Mellerdrammers and the Star City Din
ner Theater.
Barbara Frank is a member of Clowns
of America, was county-outreach story
teller for Lincoln City Libraries and has
appeared in many college and com
munity theater productions.
Sam Ridge has been a puppeteer for
more than 19 years and has more than
130 puppet plays, TV shows, local
movies and commercials to his credit.
This program is the last in a series of
four, made possible in part by a grant
from the Lincoln Community Arts Coun
cil. It is also part of a series of events
scheduled in the Heritage Room to
increase the public awareness of the
literary and artistic heritage of Ne
braska. For more information, contact the
Heritage Room, 435-2146.
Starship to hit Omaha
Grace Slick and Starship will appear
in concert March 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the
Omaha Civic Auditorium Arena.
Starship, formerly known as Jeffer
son Starship, last appeared in concert
at the auditorium May 11, 1978.
"Knee Deep In The Hoopla," the
Starship's latest album, is a new
beginning for the band.
The "Gavin Report" recently reported
that the hit single "We Built This City"
exhibits "a modern, superhot mix of
great 1980s style rock. This is not '70s
rehash."
Outfield will open the concert. The
group's LP, "Play Deep," features the
single "Say It Isn't So."
General admission tickets are on
sale now at the auditorum, Brandeis
ticket outlets, TIX and Pickles Records.
Advance tickets are $13.75, day of
show, $14.75.
I errorism could end Nebraska's woes
E
veryone knows that Nebraska's
economy is in the dumpster.
State senators are running
Stew
Magnuson
around the Capitol trying to pull our
state out of this economic dedine.
But if Nebraskans will follow the
simple plan suggested here, I guaran
tee prosperity for all of them.
The first thing Nebraska must do to
improve its economy is to secede from
the Union.
How to secede from the Union
without really trying
Nebraska's revolution must have a
terrorist group. Terrorists are a great
way to -get people involved in an issue
and are a great source of free publicity.
So we must form the Nebraska Separa
tists Front. Since Nebraskans tend to
shy away from violence, the NSF must
pick out targets that won't harm any
one, instead endearing the group to the
people's hearts.
Things to blow up
All terrorists must blow things up.
I suggest the model of the Lied Cen
ter for the Performing Arts. It may take
some intelligence-gathering to find out
where the Nil Foundation is displaying
the model this week. Casualties should
SEE WHAT
THE
CHOP SHOP
CAN DO
FOR
BEFORE
YOU!
AFTER
fr
CLOCKTOWER PLAZA
70TH AND "A"
4S9-S352
NiOt.. TUES., FRI. 8:00-5:00
WED., THURS. 8:00-7:00
SATURDAYS 7:00-3:00
be non-existent since few people take
enough interest in the thing to stand
close to it.
Blow up the KOLN antenna. When
Nebraskans realize that the NSF is
responsible for taking Mel Mains, Linda
Beerman and Dick Janda off the air,
wide-scale support will follow.
Kidnap Herbie Husker
Everytime the ugly, fleabag, moth
eaten mascot appears on national TV,
he is a disgrace to the state. The terror
ists can rid the state of this costume
forever by kidnapping Herbie, making
impossible demands, releasing in good
faith the poor person who has to wear
the costume and burning the wretched
frock.
After Nebraskans realize that Herbie
and Mains are finally gone, the Legisla:
ture will be forced to declare the State
of Nebraska independent from the Uni
ted States.
Wasn't the bloodiest war in U.S. his
tory fought when the South tried to
quit the Union? Yes, but those were
different times. We're living in the
modern age, a nuclear age, you might
say. We have the bomb now, and
Nebraska just happens to have gobs of
them out in the Panhandle.
But how will this help Nebraska's
lagging economy?
Banking
Nebraska will quickly set up a Swiss
style banking system where people will
give a number instead of names and
they will be able to deposit all sorts of
money, tax free. Unbelievable sums of
cash will come flowing into our banks
from all over the world. Nebraska will
rank right up there with Switzerland
and the Isle of Mann as places to dump
large secret stores of cash.
Tourism
All those Japanese, German and
French tourists who usually just visit
New York City, Los Angeles and the
Grand Canyon will flock to visit our
Republic out in the middle of the Uni
ted States. Europe is full of just such
places, tiny countries where tourists
love to buy duty-free items and unique
postage stamps.
Agriculture
Forget this feed corn business.
Nebraska's farmers will start to diver
sify by growing cash crops like alfalfa
sprouts, garbonzo beans and bacon
bits. Soon Nebraska's name will be
synonymous with salad bars through
out the world.
Who will lead?
Naturally the name Tom Osborne
will come up. He would be a great and
popular leader. But we all know
Osborne is dedicated to his profession
and would never quit coaching.
The second choice would have to be
me. This whole revolution thing was my
idea! So why can't I be president of
Nebraska? Actually, I would prefer the
title President-For-Life Stew Magnu
son, or better yet, Absolute Dictator
Stew Magnuson.
Soon after the NSF installs me as the
absolute, yet benevolent leader, movie
starlets will come here to mate me.
Eventually, the girl of my dreams, Vana
White, hostess of America's favorite
game show, "WTieel of Fortune," finally
will go out with me'.
And you thought I was going to help
our economy.
