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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1999)
REMAINS from Page 12 play teems with heterosexu al and homosexual love scenes, sadomasochism and casual sex. Given the mature mater ial and its explicit presenta tion, the cast is prepared for mixed reactions from the audience. But though the play is bound to make some squirm, it is not a glorifica tion of cheap sex and vio lence. Rather, the play explores how people strug gle to fulfill the gaps in their lives. “People don’t recognize what the possibilities are for i_• ^.i_• ti_w_: j George Wolf an associate ™E SEDUCTIVE GAZE of Benita, played by Amy Jirea, falls on the audience. The produc English professor at UNL, tion has caused much discussion because of its frank portrayals of sexuality. wuu meiuueu lac piay in ins Gay and Lesbian Drama class. “They want something different that they’ve called love and often they can’t have.” To communicate the characters’ sense of alienation, Fraser gave the play a cinematic quality, moving from scene to scene with lightning speed and overlapping past with pre sent. Like the characters’ lives, the play jumps from person to person, relationship to relationship and dia logue to dialogue, refusing to let the audience take a breath. Fraser said the random time cycle was a purposeful break from the lin ear timeline most theater utilizes. “Our minds don’t work in the way theater people want them to work,” Fraser said. “We can take in so much information visually and aurally. We’re used to being able to jump from channel to channel and still keep a narrative.” His technique is another way of updating theater for a new generation of theatergoers. If theater is to con tinue its role in social activism, it needs to keep up with the times, Fraser said. “Nothing stimulates the mind like theater,” Fraser said. “But you’ve got to stimulate all their senses. You have to make them laugh, scared and homy. Then, you have to kind of slip the social action in, if you can.” If what the audience sees offends them, well, that’s OK, too. “If people were to look in on your real life all the time,” Jirsa said, “I think they would be offended.” Playwright addresses AIDS FRASER from Page 12 other for these common, everyday symptoms,” Fraser said. In 1984, Fraser had his first HTV test. After waiting 21 days for the test results, Fraser found out he was nega tive and made a resolution: NO more wasting time. “I’ve been lucky for a reason, and I suspect that reason is to write a play,” Fraser said. Fraser began work on “Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love,” a play that turned a serial killer into the human embodiment of AIDS, representing the fear and horror invoked by the disease. The play won numerous awards and heaps of accolades before it even tually turned into a film. , By 1987, AIDS had moved into the near outskirts of Fraser’s life. People Fraser knew personally were dying of the disease. “I (was) 28 years old, and I (was) obsessed with mortality,” Fraser said. After another AIDS test, Fraser made more resolutions. For the next few years, his lovers were pizza, beer and pop. In the early 90s, the death of friends becomes a common thing in Fraser’s life, and the man whom he came out of the closet with (through their first visit to a gay bar) tested pos itive for HIV .In the background, new drugs were prolonging the lives of HIV positive persons, and, Eraser sai<i a fever ish sexuality developed, desperately trying to maintain the carefree vitality of youth. “AIDS has lost some of its urgency,” Fraser said. During this time, Fraser wrote another play “Poor Super Human.” In it, he sought to make heterosexuals feel like homosexuals: ostracized and made into second-class citizens. In 1996, Fraser lost seven friends to AIDS in six months. The man he came out with died of brain cancer, and his best friend Sal lay hospi talized and near death. BRAD FRASER speaks in the Great Plains Room on Wednesday night. Fraser, author of the play “Unidentified Human Remains” spoke about AIDS in the gay community and its effects on his writing. rur me iirsi imie since he was six, Fraser prayed to God. He asked God to save Sal, and if he couldn’t do that, to give him the strength to deal with another death. A year later, Sal was with Fraser at a performance for his newest play, “Martin Yesterday.” The play, while a success, received lukewarm reviews. But the response didn’t affect Fraser like it could have. “I know theater, while an impor tant, holy place, is not real life,” he said. Now, Fraser continues to write, direct and act, still affected by the AIDS epidemic and the second wave of infection the “crafty, insidious” dis ease has caused. And despite all the self-hatred, loneliness, inequality and bigotry in the world, Fraser is glad to be alive. “AIDS,” Fraser said, “Has been the best and the worst thing to happen to me. World expert brings hugs and kisses to town Linger on the bottom lip. Gently touch the cheek. Push your mouth against them firmly but slowly. Then, suck the air right out oi ’em. It’s called the vacuum kiss, anc along with the music kiss, the lip-o suction kiss, and the Trobriam Islands kiss, it can improve your low life with minimum risk of emotiona or physical duress. Tonight in the Nebraska Unioi Auditorium, the world’s most voca make-out artist will coach UNL stu dents on the age-old art of innocuou romance with a free one-hour semi nar sponsored by the University Program Council. William Cane, an English profes sor at Boston College and author o such books as “The Art of Kissing, “The Book of Kisses,” and “The Ai of Hugging, holds multimedia semi nars around the country that pay lip service to alternatives to sex. With the aid of eight student vol unteers pre-selected by UPC, Cane will go through a variety of kissing techniques that will be demonstrated by the four couples onstage. ' (Audience members need not feel left out of the fun, though). I His presentation addresses issues . of f rst-kiss anxiety, intimacy shyness I and the lurking specter of STDs. . Cane believes that oral §xperimenta [ tion is a safe and fun alternative to sexual intercourse, and one that fre l quently gets overlooked in heated [ passion. His views on romance have been 5 translated into 18 languages (or as the . case may be, tongues), and he has i appeared on several radio and televi sion programs, including “Today” . and “Donahue.” f Tonight’s multimedia presenta ’ tion begins at 8 p.m. and is free to the t public. i \ ' _ d Case Wicked FttuSat iggsgEglPMEfi* "'sassim--—■ ? /HdSs^kdlWW * $100 Walls l8#Bi-9imJ ► wc .s_1228 "P" St._ 477-4006 the Art of Kissing A Kiss is just a Kiss | .. .or is it? | Tonight 8:00 For more information call dm University Program Council at 472-8146 For Sale Macintosh Powerbook G3 12.1’ STN passive matrix screen, 233 Mhz/32MB/2GB^0xCD/Ethn/K56flexV90-intemal modem. 10 months old. Call 467-1828 evenings. Black leather couch and loveseat with matching end tables and lamps. Good condition. $500/set. Call Tracey at 421-3730, __ I"* 1987 Chrysler LeBaron Coupe, white, electric doors and windows, cassette player included. Good condi tion, $1800 or best offer. Call 489-9402. 1992 Honda accord, LX, 4-door, auto, tinted windows, low mileage. $6850 OBO. Call 476-4084. 1993 Geo Tracker, low mileage, great condition. Call 327-8445 or 486-4076. _ 1994 Honda Civic EX. 2 door, 5 speed, low mileage, loaded $9700 or best offer. Call 488-5029. Adoption Happy, secure couple awaits newborn to show them the marvel of life. In return we will provide loads of love, laughter, and opportunity. Expenses paid. Greg and Diane, 1 -800-466-3864. ADOPTION.. .ARE YOU LOOKING FOR US? Susan and Jim, she’s a music teacher and he designs high ways. We love music, sports, travel and each other. Dreaming for a child to complete our family. Grandpar ents. aunts, uncles, cousins, all await our new arnval Let us help you. Expenses paid. Call anytime 1-800-815-0591. Computer tutoring- Basic PC, MS Word, Excel, Internet, Graphics, or can tailor studies. Call 465-0031. Auto AccidentsDWI Other criminal matters, call Sanford Pollack 476-7474. Free Pregnancy Test Birthright is a confidential helping hand. Please call for appointment or more information, 483-2609. Check out our website www.birthright.ofg. Academic Expressions Resumes, curriculum vitae, theses, dissertations, newsletters. Academic editing, M LA/APA/AP/Chicago Manual. 402-628-2221. irondadOnavix.net. Resumes at reasonable cost. 477-8848 or 000B9568ObiQred.unl.edu Word Processing/Typewriter service. Applications, re sumes, transcriptions, etc. Kathy’s Keystrokes, 464-7227. By appt., M-Sat. 1 I i 2 guys needed to fill-in 4 bedroom house. $150/month + utilities. Nice clean, but we like to have fun. Call 476-3256. • _ j. 1-2 M/F roommates needed for house in country. Non-smokers preferred. Rent $190-280. Michelle 798-0328 evenings. 1- 2 quiet, responsible roommates needed for a 4 bed room. 2 bath house. $185/month. 477-0562. 1 -3 non-smoking females to share 5 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 kitchen house, SE of UNL, central air, appliances, utilities paid, $265. 438-0239 or 477-9866, leave mes sage^___ 2- 3 nonsmoking M/F roommates needed to share nice house near City Campus. Contact Doug at 438-3543 evenings._ Clean, non-smoking roommates needed for 3 bedroom duplex, close to campus, call for details, 477-0926. Need roommate to share 2BR house. Has W/D, garage space and fenced-in backyard for pets. If interested call 438-8449, ask for Dustin. Responsible, mature, non-smoker to share nice home at 11th and B. $250/month. Call Sue at 476-0906. Roommate needed for new 3 bedroom apartment. $243 + 1/3 utilities. Call 476-7703. Roommate needed, $250 + utilities, great neighborhood. Call for appointment 423-6834 or 890-7234. Is your dorm or house closing for the summer? No lease to sign, room for rent in nice SE home. Alt utilities paid, $225/month, furnishings available. 437-4731. 3 bedroom, near UNL Stadium, A/C, range, refrigerator, dishwasher, wash/dryer included, off-street parking, $630.489-9294. 3,4 and 5 bedroom houses. Available for August, near campus. Call and reserve yours now. 432-0644. i • ’