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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 31, 1988)
Kevin Paul Hofeditz as Ben and Karen Zrust as Sally are ‘Lovers’ in ‘Broadway Melodies’ WC.*3 ' Thursday NtgM Spe^aJ Domestic Lon30ec<CS \nf. Cls Dawnipu^n Broadway clips to be performed By John Heuertz Staff Reporter “Broadway Melodies,” playing this weekend in the Temple Building ’ s S tudio Theater, is acollec tion of songs, dance and movement which exhibit the specific talents cultivated in the University of Ne braska-Lincoln’s musical theater program. The show is divided into four parts. The first part, called “Lovers,” fea tures songs from “I Do I Do” by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, and Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies.” The director, Keith Grant, describes “Lovers”as traditional and romantic. The two lovers are played by Kevin Hofeditz and Karen Zrust. Hofeditz is a faculty member in the UNL theater department. Not only is his the only performance this semes ter by a faculty member, but Hofeditz is an Equity actor, which means that his performance is also the only one this semester by a professional union member. Zrust is a graduate student majoring in voice. Part two is based on Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George.” Sondheim based his play on the French neo-impressionist painter Georges Seurat. Grant has taken the rather esoteric subject matter and created “an abstract movement piece with sung text.” The role of George will be sung by Todd Brooks with Craig Ellison danc ing as his alter ego. Both Brooks and Ellison arc pari ol the musical theater program. Kim Walker, a graduate student trained in both voice and dance, dances the role of Dot, and Zrust sings the role. The third part goes back to the traditions of the popular romantic musical, featuring numbers from Sondheim and Bernstein’s “West Side Story.” Vince Learned portrays Tony and Shaun Harner portrays Maria. These two musical theater majors are joined by Walker, Ellison, and Yvonne Anderson for the “Gee, Officer Krupkie” number. The last part of the show again features Hofeditz. This time he plays the title role in selections from “Sweeney Todd.” Anderson, the fifth musical theater major out of a cast of eight, plays Ms. Lovett. The cast for the “Sweeney Todd” segment will wear army fatigues and combat boots. Grant, the director, said the piece i ...... takes on the form of a violent dance. Grant likes to put his shows to gether after the cast is assembled. “Once I know the people, I select a piece,” he said. This allows him to capitalize on the different talents floating around the department, he said. It helps to keep talented people from being stuck in chorus roles just because they are a certain type. Grant always has a few shows tentatively planned. In fact, one of the reasons he’s doing “Sweeney Todd” in “Broadway Melodies” is because he’s thinking of doing the entire show next fall. “Broadway Melodies” opens to day and plays through Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Admission is SI for stu dents and S2 for the public. Majors in musical theater By John Heuertz Staff Reporter Open up the entertainment sec tion of a New York Times and check out the Broadway shows. Get an almanac and look up the longest running shows of alUime. The vast majority of them are musicals. Until a very few years ago, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln lacked a program that really pre pared performers for the working world. I ast fall saw the first gradu ales of that program. “To train (performers) in musi cal theater is to train them to work. If you can act, but can’t sing or dance, your marketability is lim ited, ” said Keith Grant, interim head of the UNL musical theater program. The musical theater m«uor of fers student performers a program designed to expand the range of their stage talents. The program is set up to develop skills from three departments. A student majors in either music, theater or dance and chooses a minor from ode of the other two areas. Classes, however, are required from all three depart ments toobtain adegree in musical theater. For example, music stu dents takes classes in stage move ment, while dancers are required I to learn about their voices. The coordinators of the pro gram arc Chip Smith from the music department, Jerry Bcving ton for dance and Grant for theater. --- Remember the fun of dressing up in Grandma 's clothes? Relive the excitement at.. . ‘Top (Drawer Vintage Clothing & Accessories I .Comer of 27th and Vine f ?orma[wear } \Timi Sii I0*.m.6 p.m. J L ... .to funwearf (\ ASUN | UN-L STUDENT GOVERNMENT CAMPUS WIDE VACANCIES Parking Appeals Parting Advisory Committee Government Liaison Committee Intercollegiate Athletics Calendar .& Examinations Convocations Committee Student Employee Rights Commencement Committee Academic Planning Committee Central Planning Committee Recreation Advisory Council Scholarship & Financial Aid Teaching Owned University Judiciary & Appeals Electoral Commission Curriculum Grading Computational Services & Facilities Publications Board UN-L Police Committee University Libraries Scholastic or Academic Commission Honors Convocation information and applications are available in 115 Nebraska Union Deadline April 14, 1988 at 4:00 p.m. ^Jj