Arts ©Entertainment
Monday, November 7,1994 Page 9
Professor enjoying assistant deanship
By Joel Stmucti__
Senior Reporter
Kevin Hofeditz, associate professor of
theater arts at UNL, has been named the as
sistant dean in the College of Fine and Per
forming Arts.
Hofeditz said, “I think it’s great. Admin
istration is something that I’ve grown into
over the last few years.
“I feel fortunate to be able to do the work
of this position.”
Hofeditz took over some of the duties of
the assistant dean on Aug. IS, and the Uni
versity of Nebraska Board of Regents ap
proved his appointment at its September
meeting.
UI am enjoying the experience a great
deal.
“I enjoy working with Dean Lusk, the
staff of the college, the faculty and the stu
dents,” he said. “We all work well together.
That’s what makes it positive.
“As a small department, one of our
strengths is that the faculty members work
very hard and very well together. I want to
continue to be a part of that.”
Hofeditz said he still planned to teach as
well as perform his new duties.
“I will continue to teach one course a se
mester and very much plan to remain heavily
involved in the activities of the department
of theater and dance.”
Prior to his career in academics, Hofeditz
acted professionally in off-Broadway produc
tions, in regional theater and in dinner the
ater, and he has been an equity guest artist.
“An equity guest artist is a guest actor at
- a college or university theater production,”
he said.
“It is a very positive experience for both
the actor and the students.
“Working with university theater pro
grams in that capacity gave me the idea to
enter academics as a profession myself,”
Hofeditz said.
Hofeditz said he started by teaching part
time at the community college level.
“I felt that I wanted to continue to act,
but academics was a field that I wanted to
get involved in.
“I wasn’t sure if I would like teaching or
Travis Hsyinft/DN
Kovln Hofsdtz, an aooodato professor of thoator arts, liocaaio assistant doan off tho Col logo off Fins
and Porfomdng Arts Aug. 18.
if I would be good at it,” he said.
“I was fortunate enough to get a teaching
job here. My experience at UNL has been
very positive.”
Hofeditz said he knew not every actor
could teach acting.
“The knowledge base is the same, but
teaching is a very challenging thing,” he
said. “1 Vc been very pleased with the result
and hope that the students have too.”
Hofeditz said the University of Nebraska
Lincoln had provided him with many op
portunities to get involved with the univer
sity.
“After a few years, I was head of the ac
tor training department, and 1 have been in
volved with several committees involving
curriculum.
“This made me look at the university in a
broader view and also broadened my inter
est in administration,” he said.
Hofeditz hopes his new responsibilities
and the assistant deanship won’t take away
from his involvement with the theater de
partment and its productions.
“I don’t think that it will. Continuing to
perform both here at the U and elsewhere is
what I do to stay active in my field,’’ he said.
Hofeditz has remained involved with uni
versity theater and recently began practic
ing for his upcoming role as Charles Dickens
in the university production of “A Christ
mas Carol."
Top-notch acting, great sets electrify ‘Frankenstein’
By Qorry Mti
Staff Reporter
One of the most highly antici
pated films of the holiday season,
r‘Maiy Shelley’s Frankenstein” is
here.
After Francis Ford Coppola’s
latest success as producer-director
of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” he
was asked to give life to another
monster project, “Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein.”
However, “Dracula” was drain
ing for Coppola, so he stepped
away from the director's chair to
serve solely as producer for “Fran
kenstein," and Kenneth Branagh
stepped in.
Is it a surprise to anyone that
Emma Thompson (Mrs. Branagh,
to anyone who lives in a cave)
Court My of TrtStar PloturM
The obsessive desire of Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) to create life loads
to tragedy for almost ovoryono In “Mary Sholloy’s Frankenstein," a TriStar Pictures
release.
STILL manages to show up in the
film?
Robert DeNiro, one of
Hollywood’s busiest actors, turns
in an incredible performance as
Victor’s misshapen, misunder
stood creation. The makeup pro
cess to turn Bobby from man to
monstrosity took up to 12 hours
each time, covered DeNiro from
head to toe and still allowed full
facial and speech capabilities for
his performance.
Victor Frankenstein (Branagh),
who lost his mother during child
birth, becomes obsessed with
cheating death.
While attending medical
school, he meets the sinister Pro
fessor Waldman (John Cleese),
thus taking Victor closer to his goal
in life. (“John Cleese” and “sinis
ter” in the same sentence? What’s
next: “issues” and “campaign
ing"?)
Anyway, Victor decides he
should try to create life from death,
despite Waldman’s objections, and
lacking a Northwest Fabrics store
to get the right pattern, he uses the
body of a recently hanged crimi
nal (guess who?).
Branagh took “Frankenstein”
down a dramatic path with only
touches of horror. Frankenstein’s
creation was not an animal that
was born to destroy but one that
Movie: “Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein”
Rated: R
Stan: Robert DeNiro,
Kenneth Branagh, Helena
Bonham Carter
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Grade: B+
Five Words: dramatic tale of
love, life
was misunderstood by anyone who
met him.
Although Branagh is great as
always, it is DeNiro that steals the
film. As “aesthetically incorrect”
as he may be, the audience always
feels sorry for him, no matter what
he docs. He has been created and
then abandoned by his creator.
An incredible amount of unre
lenting detail given to the medical
and creative processes — plus a
healthy chunk of nudity — add up
to a film where THE KIDS
SHOULD STAY HOME.
Incredible sets, a great score
and top-notch performances from
i ie combine to make “‘Mary
’s Frankenstein” a great
flick for adults to see.
