ByLjzaHoltmeier
Staff writer
When most people think of Steve Martin, they
think of the stumbling, bumbling idiot from “The
Jerk” or the wild and crazy guy from “Saturday
Night Live.”
Few would think of him as a critically
acclaimed playwright
' But in 1996, Martin won the New York Outer
Critics’ Circle Awards for “Best Play” and “Best
Playwright” for the play “Picasso at the Lapin
Agile.”
Tonight the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will intro
duce Lincoln audiences to die other side cfMartin
with its production of his award-winning play.
“Picasso at the Lapin Agile” places a 25-year
old Albert Einstein and a 23-year-old Pablo
Picasso in a Parisian caf£ called the Lapin Agile in
1904. The two meet before Einstein has written
his “Special Theory of Relativity” and before
Picasso has painted his first cubist work “Les
Desmoiselle D’Avignon.”
The play’s events, which are fictitious, explore
what would have happened if the two young
geniuses had met In an hour and a half, Einstein
and Picasso make predictions about the 20th cen
tury, comment on the dynamic worlds of art and
science and discuss objects of lust and love.
Cast members of the play said the show’s
mougni-provoKing content win snocK auaience
members familiar with Martin’s zanier work.
“We identify Steve Martin as a goofball,” said
Paul Steger, the play’s director. “We really
wouldn’t think of him as a serious individual. But
he’s really created a very complex play that’s hid
den underneath silliness.”
Greg Peters, who plays Freddy, the bartender
of die Lapin Agile, added that Martin’s greatest
skill was his ability to be subdy profound while
incredibly funny. ^ VjuI.4- %
“The comedy never stops. It never comes
down. And then at the end, you think, ‘Wow! That
really had something to say! ’” Peters said.
And Martin has something to say about every
thing: painting, physics, sex and fame. At the same
time, Peters paid, he emphasizes the thrill inherent
in the communication between humans.
“I think we’ve lost a lot of the emphasis on that
with television and the Internet. You can sit in a
room and never talk to people,” he said. “In this
play, you see how exciting it can be when you put
two guys in a room together and let them talk.”
In “Picasso at die Lapin Agile,” die characters
not only talk to each other -- they debate each
other fervently. Their zeal becomes a driving force
in the play.
“The play shows that if you’re going to do any
thing, you should do it with a zest and a passion. If
you don’t have that passion, it’s not worth doing,”
Steger said.
Steger, who will be leaving the theater faculty
Dawn Dietrich /DN
PATTY DILLON, who ploys 6ennaloe in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” flirts with Freddy, who is played hy Greg Peters. The award-wlaoing play
•rtttnn hy actor/compdian Steve Martin ppens tonight for a students-gnly show. ^ ,
in January, said that because of the passionate
theme, Martin’s play was an appropriate finish to
his work at UNL.
Since he joined the faculty in 1991, Steger
said he has tried to find ways of harnessing that
commitment and communicating it to his stu
dents.
The cast members of this show, many of
whom also had Steger for class, said his passion
had a profound effect on them personally and pro
fessionally.
Ryan Johnston, who plays Picasso, said
Steger’s enthusiasm and energy motivated him as
an actor and increased his dedication to the art of
theater.
“He always stretched me, and I always trusted
him unfailingly,” Johnston said. “He’s more than a
director or professor.”
After moving to Los Angeles, Steger will tour
die southwestern and eastern United States for 10
u
play shows that if you re going to do anything, you
should do it with a zest and a passion. If you don’t
have that passion, its not worth doing.”
Paul Steger
director of “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” ^
months in a show written by two of his friends.
During his weeks off, he will teach stunt work
shops and stage fighting workshops in Seattle and
Las Vegas.
In honor of Steger’s work at UNL, the depart
ment will hold a special opening-night celebration
for him.
‘Ticasso at the Lapin Agile” opens tonight for
students only and offers a discount ticket
price of $5.
The play runs through Saturday and again next
week, Nov. 3-7. Shows are in the Temple Building,
12th and R streets, and begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are
$6 for students, $9 for faculty/staff/senior citizens
and $10 for all others. For reservations, call the
Temple Box Office at (402) 472-2073.
,scares
By Sarah Baker
Senior staff writer
As if choosing a costume isn’t hard
enough, the decision of where to spend
Halloween night showing off that long
debated disguise still looms ahead.
But don’t worry—many local busi
nesses are sponsoring all sorts of
spooky events that promise to please
almost anyone. • • -> .• ••
With masquerade balls, costume
contests and rock ’n’ roll concerts, a
little of everything is going on some
where in Lincoln every night through
Saturday.
For those who are too old to go
trick-or-treating but still have the yen
to get dolled-up in costume, many
venues are holding events where part
of the cover charge is a scary get-up.
Club 1427,1427 O St, is throwing
its annual Halloween party, open to
those 21 and over. You must be in cos
tume to get in the door, and there is a $5
cover charge. The festivities begin at
9:30 p.m. on Saturday.
For those who still like to get in
costume but need a little monetary
incentive to do so, Temptations Dance
Club, 1600 O St., has a costume con
test beginning at 7 p.m. Cash prizes
will be awarded for the best-dressed
ghouls.
Guitars and Cadillacs, 5400 O St.,
has its costume contest Friday night,
ond consecutive evening.
The Joyo Theater, 6102 Havelock
Ave., continues the tradition of
Saturday showings of
J5 -CieSv the
“Rocky Horror Picture Show*-but has
a Halloween treat in its bag for the
weekend.
The film, which begins at mid
night, will be preceded by. a live perfor
mance from Powerwagon and Wide on
the theater stage.
Doors open at 9 p.m., and the
i ~ * all-ages show has a $5 cover.
:|| | Duffy’s Tavern, 1412 O St, is
saving its Halloween festivities for
' Sunday night with Wide and goth
ail^ glam band the Polyplush
\\ Cats. ,
For those who may be
looking/for less alcohol
o induced Halloween madness,
don’t despair Plenty of
w holesome
Halloween events
also are planned this
weekend.
A local Halloween tradi
tion, the Sertoma Ride of
Terror, takes place tonight and
Friday night at Grandpa John’s
Pumpkin Patch, 4801 N.W.
Highway 34.
The Ride of Terror is a fright
filled hayrack ride along a trait of
scary sights.
Admission is $5 per rider, and die
rides begin as soon as darkness falls.
Pioneers Park Nature Center, locat
ed at 2740 A St., also sponsors fall
hayrack rides from Nov. 8 to Nov 15 at
6:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required.
Although it’s a drive, Vala’s
Pumpkin Patch, located at 12101 S.
180* St. in Omaha, offers some of the
best hayrack rides available, along with
a great selection of pumpkins still ripe
in the fields.
Vala’s is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday through Thursday, and 9 a.m.
to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Admission is $5.
Although Halloween itself only
lasts one day, there are enough events
going on to keep most spooks out of
too much trouble for die entire week
end.
There’s also plenty of chances to
get your money’s worth on that cos
tume you rented out of last-minute des
peration.
For more information on any of
these events, please call die venues to
find out pfj^es, times or costume
requirements: