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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 1999)
Production brings together mesh of cultures in theater By Christopher Heine Staff writer The message of Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t stop Monday. “Junebug/Jack: A Play of Stories and Songs from Two Cultures” will offer music, dance and storytelling this week about places and people as stark ly different as black and white. The multidimensional production' brings together the tag-teaming perspective of Junebug and Jack. The two mythical folk characters were created by two Southern com panies, New Orleans* Junebug Theater Project and the Roadside Theater of Appalachian Kentucky, respectively. A cappella harmonies, blues and banjo ballads are a few of the ways the group communicates the message of cultural understanding through the use of the two characters. Ron Bowlin, director of die Artist Diversity Program, said “Junebug/Jack” makes for a healthy combination of entertainment and education. “The show is very funny, poignant and entertaining,” Bowlin said. “But there is a really strong message there about everyone living together as one people.” The coming together of a predom inantly white ensemble from Kentucky and a predominantly black group from Louisiana serves as an example for the show’s message of racial harmony. The groups saw each other per ■ -- til'* ~ form in 1981 and have worked togeth er periodically ever since. Norah Goebel-George, marketing director for the Lied Center, said the two groups blend together well. “There’s never been a project more unique and interesting to come into our building,” said Goebel-George. She said the Lied was “thrilled” to have the ensemble. “One of our missions is to provide the state with cultural events they wouldn t normally get,” she said. “This is one of those events.” “Junebug/ Jack” is a 75 minute collage of tall tales, historical anecdotes and the aforementioned hodgepodge of art forms. The pro duction will be performed Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Carson Theater. Goebel-George said the Lied Center was fortunate to have “Junebug/Jack” in time for the King holiday. “Although the act is definitely entertaining, this type of performance is more about expanding minds than entertainment,” she said. “Their attempt to irfesh black and white cultures together hopefully will help those in attendance to think in a new way.” Bowlin agreed that the “Junebug/Jack” cast has a “deep com mitment to human rights” and described the performance as “serious and moving.” “They have a real special way of communicating, through stories and songs, the horrors of injustice,” he said. What: Junebug/Jack: A Play of Stories and Songs From Two Cultures Where: Johnny Carson Theatre When: Wed. and Thurs. at 8 p.m. Cost: $20 for non-students $10 for students The Skinny: Southern groups merge i black and white culture Cast features Penn, Nolte, Cusack in heroic film By Jeff Randall Senior staff writer The war movie has been a film makers’ mainstay for many years. As humankind’s most depraved and glorified act, war has been an inspiration for vehicles that initiate flag-waving and protests alike. ^ “The Thin Red Line” is the latest entry in the category. Based on the _A _ !_1*_1 atuuuiugi apmiai 1962 novel by James Jones, “The Thin Red Line” takes place during the American invasion of Guadalcanal in World Warn. •Terrence Malick, a long time Hollywood • recluse, wrote and directed the film, which features a bevy of testos terone-riddled tal ents. Most notable are Sean Penn, John Cusack and Ben Chaplin. And although acting plays a sig nificant part in this film’s effec tiveness, most ot the credit should be given to Malick. “The Thin Red Line” succeeds because Malick shows no restraint or remorse in his depiction of soldiers ’ wartime mentality. The result is a film that combines the raving madness of war films such as “Apocalypse Now” and “Full Metal Jacket” with die virtu oso visual techniques of Akira Kurosawa. Malick eschews traditional story telling and relies instead on a series of i _ haunting character vignettes and lin gering images that say more than any mere line of dialogue could muster. Soldiers march into certain death and stare in wonder as a lone native man walks past them in the opposite direction. A bird tom to shreds by gun fire writhes on the ground, desperately clinging to life. An alligator sinks into a murky river and later emerges slain by soldiers. Malick doesn’t need to have a char acter say War is hell or offer a ser mon on the madness of violence. Malick lets the images do the talking for him. Throughout the film, soldiers speak invoice-over monologue, con fessing their fears and revealing their tricks for staying sane in the midst of a world tom apart. Sean Penn’s character relies on the philosophy of insignificance and self reliance. Nick Nolte plays a career minuea military man who sees the war as a means to a promotion. Ben Chaplin pushes himself forward with memories of the wife he left behind. John Cusack is the brave but reluctant hero. Each character represents a differ ent aspect of the war experience and offers up his own conclusions and self-contradic tions. And in doing so, Malick man ages to put forth a film in which noth ing makes sense but everything seems to fit togeth i er perfectly. (“The Thin Red Line” challenges its audience in ways that most modern day directors can’t even recognize. It not only entertains, but also inspires and instigates. It’s been 20 years since Malick released his last film, “Days of Heaven.” With “The Thin Red Line,” he simultaneously makes us realize why it took him two decades to make another film and hope he won’t take so long die next time around. I* _I Courtesy Photo BEN CHAPUN as Bell, John Cosack as fiaff and Jim Caviezel as Witt plan an attack on a banker that has pinned down their unit in “The Thin Red Line.” The film is Malick’s first since “Bays of Heaven” made in 1978. The Facts Title: "The Thin Red Line" Stars: Sean Penn, Nick Nolle, Ben Chaplin, Jim Caviezel Director: Terrence Malick Rating: R (language, violence) Grade: A Five Words: Terrence Malick is back... finally Eating Issues Support Group Weekly on Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 20 Women’s Center, Nebraska Union 338 4:00 - 5:00 pm Call Trida, 472-2597 Accepting Our Bodies. . . Accepting Ourselves I. Tuesdays, Teb. 2 - Mar. 9 7:00 - 8:00 pm, Nebraska Union 213 II. Mar. 23 - Apr. 27 Time and Place TEA Must register, call Norma, 472-7450 $40 fee Gal Gounsetng & Psychologiaal Services far more hformciion at 472-7450. 18 UNI it a tvan-discriminatory inrfMion.' 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