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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 29, 1994)
Arts ©Entertainment Thursday, September 29,1994 Page 12 Jay Calderon/DN UNL senior directs play, hopes to teach theater Theatrix production provides experience for student director By Jotl Struct! __ Senior Reporter The opportunity to direct a full-length play is something for which most theater majors have to wait until after graduation. But Jeff Knoedler, a senior secondary education major concentrating on English and theater, will be directing the Theatrix play “Boys’ Life” this weekend. “Directing a Theatrix play is pretty much an outlet for graduate directing students,” Knoedler said. “Once in a while, an undergrad will do one of them. “I am taking an independent study class and directing this play for that course.” Theatrix is part of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance in the College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “It’s great. I’ve done a lot of acting in Theatrix,” he said. The program allows graduate and under graduate students another level of perfor mance opportunity to provide to student par ticipants and their patrons. “It provides an outlet for people to get experience if they can’t get in on a mainstage play,” he said. “It’s like triple-A ball. A lot of people who direct mainstage productions come watch Theatrix performances to see up and-coming talent,” he said. Theatrix uses minimal set, lighting and costume support and stages original and ex perimental works. “I think that even though Theatrix is on a smaller scale and most people are less ex perienced, a lot of performances and pro ductions are on par with the mainstage,” Knoedler said. “I’ve seen just as many Theatrix plays that have hit me as hard as mainstage produc tions. That’s cool because you don’t neces sarily need a huge budget to put on a big * production and have good theater." Knoedler has participated in many areas of UNL theater. He acted in the “Caucasian Chalk Circle,” a mainstage production last spring; he directed the one-act “You Can’t Trust the Male” as a requirement for Direct ing 203; and he also has been in a number of Theatrix plays. This play will be the largest responsibil ity Knoedler has had in theater. “Directing a play is a huge time commit ment,” he said. “But it’s a good experience. “For some people it’s a real power trip to have that kind of creative power — to shape production how you want it.” But Knoedler said it wasn’t a power trip for him. “It’s exciting to have the responsibility of getting this whole thing on its feet — cre ating this art.” Knoedler said he chose “Boys’ Life” be cause he could relate to some of the charac ters’ attitudes. “The men are in a cruisin’ and boozin’ mentality. I can relate to that because I’ve been there and I think I’ve grown out of it,” he said. “But I’ve learned to direct plays about stuff I know, and this seemed like a good choice.” But Knoedler doesn’t agree with some attitudes in the play. “The men are all pretty much assholes to the women. I’m worried that the audience will come away from the production think ing that I endorse the actions or attitudes of the characters in the play," he said. “But I think there is a certain poetic jus tice in the play.” Knoedler also had to audition and select the actors and actresses for “Boys’ Life.” “It was difficult to select the cast because i there was so much talent,” he said. “Most of my cast are young actors with less experience,” he said. “I thought that would be more of a challenge than it was, but they really surprised me. They were re ally eager to work.” Knoedler will graduate in the spring and plans to teach high school theater and di rect high school productions. “I’d like to teach during the year, and in the summer get work in community or rep ertory theaters,” he said. Activities, involvement UPC’s goals By Angle Qofttodi Staff Reporter If you are looking for less expensive social activities and events, you can start by checking out the programs offered on campus. The University Program Council strives to provide University of Ne braska-Lincoln students with cocurricular programming, entertain ment and activities at discount prices. The council also gives students an opportunity to develop leadership and become a part of a network community within a largely diversified university. One UPC official said the council did not actively seek the events it sponsored. “Usually, the agents come to us. We look at requests and decide which ones we will help with through event selec tions,” Dorene Johnson, a sophomore advertising major and UPC event direc tor, said. “We consider if there is a de mand on campus for the event. ‘The UPC also has an open forum, which is advertised through the See UPC on 13 Play takes a look at ‘Generation X’ By Paula lavlgw Senior Reporter Three men in their late 20s are lost in a post-college world of mixed-up morals and bad relation ships as they struggle to find out what it means to be a man. This dose of “Generation X” re ality is more than a scenario — it’s “Boys’ Life.” Howard Korder’s theatrical comedy “Boys’ Life,” directed by Jeff Knoedler, will open Theatrix’s 1994-95 season on Thursday. Knoedler, a senior secondary education major concentrating on theater and English, said the play was a contemporary look at the maturity process of three men, Jack, Don and Phil. “it focuses on issues and what it means to be a man and to de velop a code of morality,” Knoedler said. Knoedler said that since col lege, the three friends never grew out of their “cruisin’ and boozin’.” During the course of a year, Phil and Eton start to look for stability in other places, he said, while Jack maintains his irresponsible nature. Much of the play’s message is encoded in the men’s relationships with women. “The three guys are kind of a role model of how not to be for a stable relationship with women,*’ he said. Don (played by Robb Goff) forms a relationship with a wait ress. She finds out he was cheat ing on her when she discovers a pair of panties in his room that aren’t hers. Phil (played by Colby Coash) never gets past dating women be cause he rushes them into relation ships. Both Don and Phil take their philosophies from Jack (played by Dana Wall), and they often land in trouble. “Jack isn’t ready to grow up yet. He’s very manipulative and char ismatic. He talks Don and Phil into doing things they don’t want to do,’’ Knoecfier said. “Jack wants them to still be cruisin’ and bruisin’, and they’re trying to break away from that be cause they can’t form stable rela tionships with women.” Wall, a fresh man. genera I stud ies major, said Jack was a “plea sure-seeking” sort of man. “His moral standards are of his own creation,” he said. “He decides See THEATRIX on 13 'Boys' Life* directed by Jeff Knoedler today through Sunday, Studio 301 Three One-Act Comedies 'Made for a Woman/ 'Bachelor Holiday/ The M Word* directed by Channlng Roos Oct. 20-22. Studio 301 'Marks of Permanence* directed by Charles Russell Nov. 10-13, Studio Theatre The Pursuit of Anne* directed by julle Hagemeler Nov. 17-19, Studio Theatre k'&avage/Love* directed by Jeanne Long Dec. 1-3, Studio Theatre