Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 31, 2000)
Actress honors author with performance ■ Karen Eterovich will perform Her play honoring Aphra Behn, 17th c. poet and spy, in Lincoln. By Josh Nichols Staff writer It could be said that Aphra Behn, a dramatist, novelist, spy and poet in the 17th century, was one of the most fascinating women of her time. At least nationally touring artist Karen Eterovich thinks so. That is why she wrote a play based on Aphra Behn’s life titled “Love Arm’d, Aphra Behn & Her Pen.” Eterovich will perform her one-woman show tonight and tomorrow in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Studio Theatre, located on the third floor of the Temple building, 12th and R streets. Eterovich’s interest in Behn began when she was cast as Angelica Bianca in one of Behn’s plays, “The Rover.” She began reading about Behn and couldn’t stop. • “I couldn’t put her book down,If Eterovich said. “I thought she was fascinating.” Eterovich’s production began as a 20-minute piece, which made its premiere at a festival in 1994. ■ As she continued to research and learned more about Behn, Eterovich continued to add to her script, increasing the performance to 60 min utes. And judging by the life and experiences Behn had, chances are more additions could be made. Behn holds the honor of being the first English woman to earn a living as a writer. Little is known about her background, but it is known that she lived in Suriname for a time and was married and widowed by the age of 25. i She then became a spy for King Charles II and was sent on a mission to Belgium. The King didn’t pay her way back, forcing her to borrow money. i When unable to pay debts, she was thrown into prison. After her release, she began to write, leaving behind the adventurous life and putting it on paper instead. j Not only did she become a writer during a time when women weren’t supposed to be writ ers, but she was also seen as a scandalous writer. Her poetry was filled with romance, but not always the traditional kind. She discussed rape and impotence in her work, made a point of women’s rights to sexual pleasure, and even wrote scenes involving eroti cism between men. “Aphra Behn broke all the rules,” Eterovich said. “She crosses over into many different cate gories.” Eterovich’s play is biographical and focuses Karen ttrovicn portrays Aipnra Benn in “Love Arm d, Apnra Benn & Her Pen” as part of the university of Nebraska-Lincoln theater schedule this weekend. ^ I feel she is something inspirational even today because she was able to accomplish so much in her life.” Karen Eterovich actress on a romance that happened during one period of Behn’s life. The setting is her last night with the lover. Behn begins to reminisce on their final evening together as a way to break away from the man she must say goodbye to. “By getting those things out of her system, she can get rid of her lover,” Eterovich said. “She is letting go of the past and moving on.” She said she uses Behn’s words to tell Behn’s story. The reason Eterovich created this perform ance is to draw attention to the work of Behn. “I feel she is something inspirational even today because she was able to accomplish so much in her life,” she said. “I’m doing this play so people go and read her work.” Julie Hagemeier, UNL theater department spokeswoman, said the college hasn’t had a unique performer like Eterovich for quite a while. Anyone interested in women’s history and in one of die first woman writers will enjoy this per formance, Hagemeier said. Love Arm’d, Alpha Behn & Her Pen WHERE: Studio Theatre, third floor Temple Building, 12th & R streets WHEN: tonight & tomorrow at 7:30 COST: $2 for students THE SKINNY: One-woman show brings to life one amazing woman. Anyone who likes interesting personalities should attend, she said, because “Karen will bring to life a very interesting character.” Artist’s work finds its first home in Haymarket By Josh Krauter Staff uriter For some artists, finding a place to show their work can be as difficult as creating it. Liz Dodds is one of those artists. Dodds said finding a place to dis play her art has been hard since she graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1998. She is planning on attending graduate school, but still is not completely sure. And she says not having a mas ter’s degree has made it hard to get work in galleries. Instead of throwing in the towel, Dodds approached a local bar Doc’s, 140 N. Eighth St. Doc’s shows local artists’ work in a non-gallery, non museum atmosphere, and Dodds’ paintings and drawings will be on display there throughout April. Dodds said she hopes the exhibit |vill give her a different kind of expo sure. 1 “It’ll definitely be different,” she said. “A gallery is a business, and its business is to sell. I just kind of want ed to get out there and keep active in the community. Hopefully, it will be seen by a different, more diverse crowd.” Doc’s co-owne^ Jim Flack agrees. “(Showing art) works pretty well for us,” he said. “A lot more people that wouldn’t see art see it. People that don’t like going to a gallery, or won’t go to a gallery, have a chance to see art.” Dodds sought Doc’s to show her work because she wanted to stay active in the art scene even after col lege was over for her. She chose her current medium of painting for the same reasons. “Actually, I graduated with a degree in ceramics and sculpture, but painting is a lot less expensive,” she said. “It’s something I can do down in my basement, instead of giving in and just going to work like a lot of people do.” This is the first time Dodds has shown her paintings, which she describes as abstract and sponta Liz Dodds - Recent Paintings and Drawings WHERE: Doc’s, in the Haymarket, 140 N. Eig»h St WHEN: April 1- 30 COST: free THE SKINNY: Artist’s first show in unique venue. neous, focusing on form and line. “It’s inspired by shapes and things I see in nature,” she said, and then laughed. “I hate having to describe it.” Dodds plans on showing 10 to 15 of her indescribable paintings at Doc’s. She still was deciding which paintings to display, but she said she was leaning toward favorites of her friends and pieces she had already shown recently at the Blue Heron and planned to leave out earlier work, focusing on her newer pieces. Mostly, though, she wants to show as many as possible. Couretsy Photo “Number 10,” a work by Liz Dodds, is part of a show opening this weekend at Doc’s Place in the Haymarket. “I’ll take as many as I can and just are on display all of April. A recep see what fits,” she said. tion will take place Friday, April 7, at Dodds’ paintings and drawings 7 p.m.