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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1995)
Arts ©Entertainment Monday, January 23,1995 Page 9 Omaha theatre exposes real life One small, scrawny male body part renewed my faith in Nebraska’s experi mental theater. Yes, it was a penis. As common as it was, it symbolized much more. Many people still think of theater as a bunch of fat men in tights crooning sen tences loaded with “thou’s,” “nay’s” and “arst’s” to fair-skinned maidens on bal conies. Theater has come a long way since then, and, like scientists, theater direc tors like to experiment. Hence the birth of experimental theater. The Omaha Magic Theatre, which is commonly described as an experimental or avant-garde theater, featured the afore mentioned body part in its production of “Dialogue Between a Prostitute and Her Client.” Nobody gasped. Nobody fainted. No body left. That in a diverse crowd of flannels, business suits, dresses and fishnet tights — I was so proud. The performance, which examined the relationship between a prostitute and a married man, turned the tables on normality. The prostitute was always changing clothes, but never revealed herself. The man was the first one to expose himself. In the entertainment world, it’s usually the other way around. This irony, drenched in symbolism and surrealistic representation, was a mind-opening experience. Common to New York and Califor nia, experimental theaters are few and far between in the U.S. Those that do exist are most often tempered by a con servative community and rarely get to put new life into their productions. The Omaha Magic Theatre, Omaha’s Blue Bam theater, Lincoln’s Wagon Train Project and the Walker Arts Cen ter in Minneapolis are some of the more notable experimental theater supporters in the Midwest. It’s difficult to be an experimental theater anywhere. When actors try to portray the horror of AIDS, rape, domes tic violence, war and racism, it’s not going to be a pretty picture. Sometimes, it takes more than just a good story line to reach the audience. Productions involving nudity, blood, violence and other broken social mores often are scrutinized by those who can only see the surface level of the work. One of the most famous examples of this scrutiny occurred at the Walker Arts Center when a performer drew blood from another performer onstage in a piece about AIDS. Some people attacked the performance and called it dangerous and obscene. (None of the audience members were in danger). It was sad that those opposed could only see fear. AIDS can be dangerous. AIDS can be obscene. How else can an actor portray it? It’s not just memorized lines and “exit, stage left.” AIDS, sex, domestic violence, rape and the like are the subject of so many sitcoms, soap operas and prime-time pro grams that people often forget the po tency of the problem. Experimental theater puts that po tency back in. It’s almost interactive, because it wants to make you physically feel the horror, the anguish and the con fusion. It’s a new experience from a new experiment. Lavlgae Is a sophomore news-editorial ma jor and a Dally Nebraskan senior reporter. A ‘shakin’ place Jeff Haller/DN Heather Francisco, left, and Betsy Novak hang out at a four-band show Friday night at Le Cafe Shakes. The cafe’s all-ages shows make it a popular hangout for those people under 21 interested in live music. Cafe’s all-age shows attract crowds By Jeff Randall Staff Reporter Le Cafe Shakes was nearly empty Friday at f .m. e scarred gray carpeting and red brick walls saw and heard very little except for the steady drone of the evening news and the occasional laugh from the few customers seated in the wooden booths or at the barstool lined counter. A mere four hours later, the same coffee shop was standing room only. The air was thick with cigarette smoke, loud conversa tion and anticipation. This is the two-sided atmosphere of Le Cafe Shakes, 1418 O St. One part coffee shop, one part live performance venue, Shakes has been open since May 1994. Since then, it has grown in both popularity and diversity, employee Trixie Truex said. Truex has been a driving force behind Shakes’ diversity. She’s brought in differ ent local artists, including poets and theatre troupes, to perform. As Lincoln’s only full time, all-ages venue, Shakes is an integral part of the local music community, Truex said. “Once in a while, the Hurricane will have 18 and over shows,” she said, “but other than that, it’s pretty hard to find a place that will cater to all ages. Some people have had to play out of their basements just to get heard.” Nebraska Wesleyan student Mark Coo per, a sophomore education major, said Having a place to go and see bands was a rare opportunity for minors. “If it weren’t for Shakes, therejyouldn’t be anyplace to go,” he said. “I don’t know of any other all-ages places in Lincoln.” Despite Shakes’ near-monopoly on all ages shows, Truex said, not every concert was a guaranteed sellout. “We haven’t had any problems with over crowding yet, but it’s come close,” she said. “Some nights, though, there’s hardly any body in the audience. “It all depends on the band, what night it is. Generally, it’s pretty hard to predict how big the crowd will be.” Shakes opened at a good time, Truex said, especially because many touring bands have recently begun looking for all-ages venues in which to play. “I know the desire to play in front of all ages crowds is primarily one to reach every age group,” she said, “but kids also seem to have a lot more enthusiasm for the music. “The bar scene is a lot different. People will pay the cover just to get in and don’t even care about the bands. The kids who come here are here just to hear good music.” But Shakes has had problems attracting people of all ages to all-ages shows, she said. Most audiences are made up of older high school and younger college students. “I’d like to see more college-aged and older people come to see the shows,” she said. “There are definitely things here that they would like. It’s hard to reach so many people, though.” “The bar scene is a lot different: People willpay the cover just to get in and don’t even care about the bands. The kids who come here are here just to hear good music. ” ■ TRIXIE TRUEX Le Cafe Shakes employee Because so many locals are looking for a place to play, Truex said, Shakes features an eclectic variety of performers. “We pretty much have a little bit of everything,” she said. “We definitely have punk rock, bluegrass, rockabilly, basic rock and roll. Basically, everything but classical and jazz has been here.” Truex said Saturday night poetry read ings were a recent addition to Shakes’ rep ertoire. “That was something I really pushed for,” she said. “There are so many local writers who don’t publish their work, and having readings gets their work out there. “Plus, hearing a poet read his or her own work is a great experience.” Battle blows audience, rumors away By uen Randan Staff Reporter Before Kathleen Battle took the Lied stage Saturday night, many audience mem bers had already decided what to expect. When she left the stage, the audience shared one emotion — awe. William Shomos, assistant professor of voice and opera, addressed Battle’s reputa tion and talent at two pre-performance talks. “We’ve all heard the stories,” Shomos said, referring to Battle’s much-publicized confrontations with her peers that brought her removal from the Metropolitan Opera last year. “But tonight we are here to hear the music, that’s all.” Shomos’ words rang true. Battle’s per formance dispelled every preconception and rumor until only her music remained. Battle dazzled the Lied Center crowd with a two hour performance that included works from composers ot several nationalities and styles, running the emotional gamut from joy to heartache. Accompanist Martin Katz, a renowned musician in his own right, neither followed nor led Battle in her vocal expressions. The two seemed to blend together into one mu sical being. The first selection, Henry Purcell’s “Come, all ye songsters of the sky,” set the tone for the evening. The lyrics (“but no ill boding bird be nigh, no, none but the harm less and the good”) invited the audience to pay attention to the music more than the musician. Battle took the audience from the open ing feelings of lightheartedness into an in creasingly darker mood, peaking with Vincenzo Bellini’s “Eccomi in Lieta vesta ... Oh! quante volte.” A love ballad from the tale of “Romeo and Juliet,” it was a tidal wave of wrenching emotion that displayed both Battle s astounding vocal range and her talent for expression. The foreboding darkness of the central pieces in Battle’s performance was again replaced, this time with songs of playful joy and love. She closed with four pieces by Spanish composer Fernando Obradors. The words in these works spoke of adoration and faith (“Of the softest nair/Which you have braided/I will make a chain/To bind you by my side”). This end proved not to be an end at all. Battle performed four encores, rejoining Katz for the first three, and closing with an a cappella gospel tune. Battle took a stab at her notorious ego with Handel’s“Myselfl Shall Adore,”mock ingly admiring herself in a pantomime mir ror. As the crowd slowly left, humming with excitement, Kathleen Battle didn’t have to adore herself; everyone there already did.