Voices encourage dialouge
By Kaly Soto
Oregon D*"> l <■’»*'<*«
In case you haven't already noticed there are
strangers among us. The Rainbow Voices (a gueril
la theater troupe from California Slate University.
Tong Beach) will be performing on and off campus
today.
The Rainbow Voices' performances are being
brought to you. in some cases directly to you. by
the Cultural Forum’s contemporary issues crew.
The troupe will In' simulating situations dealing
with social issues, and they will use students as
their actors.
Ross Feernan. Contemporary Issues coordinator
for the Cultural Forum, said his intention is to "cre
ate situations which will stir people's emotions."
"You may be standing in line, and you may think
you are overhearing a conversation, and sudden
ly you aware that we're performing something."
said James Saucenda. the founder of The Rainbow
Voices.
Saucenda founded The Rainbow Voices along
with the Multicultural Center at CSULB. The troupe
uses guerilla theater and performance art to raise
people awareness of their own reactions to social
issues. "What we don't want is a troupe of play
ers with a politically correct agenda where the audi
ence sees a piece and knows right away what we
have directed them to conclude. What we want is
for the audience to wrestle with the truth that there
are competing multiple perspectives on issues of
ethnicity"
"The troupe works toward the givil of acceptance
for all people no matter what ethnic background
they come from, no matter what their sexual pref
erence is, and no matter how different they may
seem from you."
Troupe member Yolanda Klmore said. "It's the
acceptance and appreciation of people and their
differences. We Irv to say it's OK to lie different, it's
OK that our sexual preferences are different, it's
OK that you speak a different language. Maybe 1
don't understand you at the start, hut we are going
to work together."
If thev are coining here form Long Beach, Cali
forma, how do they know what issues to address
on this campus, you ask? Saucenda said that most
of the issues that will he raised by the troupe come
from experiences they have encountered on their
own campus.
“We find that issues on our campus seem to tran
scend our campus and carry over There maybe dif
ferent demographics, but the issues an*, many times
the same." he said.
Student surveys and experiences help the troupe
to determine relevant issues
Saucenda said surprise is the most common reac*
tion to the troupe. “Usually there's a sense of sur
prise. Most theater or dance troupes are still
monoculturally designated, for example The Asian
American Dance Company, so people are surprised
to see a theater troupe made up of so many differ
ent ethnicities.”
In addition to performing on and off campus on
Friday The Rainbow Voices will perform in the
KMU Ballroom on Saturday at H p m. Two troupe
members will also stay on at the University to teach
o workshop on guerilla theater and performance
art.
The Contemporary Issues Crew is also planning
a lecture by Mark Lowenthall. who is the assis
taut director of Project Censored
Project Censored compiles a list of articles every
year that deal with sensitive issues and do not get
much press coverage They then print the articles
in an annual volume entitled Censured The Vm v
That Didn 't Make the News and lYh\
Lowenthall will speak on a number of issues sue h
as the extent of media coverage and why a siorv
is or is not covered, and censorship in general Five
man is excited about having Lowenthall “illumi
nate stories that are ignored by mass media "
"I think c ensorship is a very valid issue in our
society.“said Freeman. He also said that In- hoped
"people would have more access to information
that is ignored by the mass media
Lowenthull's lecture will take place- at 7 pm
on Thursday in 150 Columbia, the cost is S I lor
students and $5 for the general public.
Big Head Todd to play Hult Center
By Kaly Soto
Oregon D.tny EmerjK)
Big Head Todd, It sounds like
a scientific experiment gone hor
ribly wrong.
It's not, dig Head and the Mon
sters will lie the opening act for
Robert Plant when he performs
tonight at the Hull Center.
"We just made it up. It's a sil
ly name in the tradition of old
blues players like Clean Head
Vincent," said bassist Rob
Squires.
The band have been touring
the Hast Coast and the Midwest
on their own with a few days off
in lietween They will tour with
Plant for two weeks, and then
they will take a 10-day vacation
and begin another solo tour
"I still enjoy the touring thing.”
Squires said when asked if he
was getting tired of being on the
road.
After touring the country
extensively by themselves, Big
Head Todd has developed quite
a following Sqires said he is just
t>eginning to get recognized, “it's
still in the fun and flattery stage.”
For Squires,a long-time Led
Zeppelin fan, touring with Robert
Plant will lie "a great ego boost.
I was so thrilled when we were
asked because I grew up listen
ing to Led Zeppelin."
Big Head Todd and the Mon
sters first formed as a high school
cover band in Colorado. After
high school their lead singer
Todd Park Mohr decided to
attend college at Colorado State
University in Boulder and the
other members of the group
attended college at the Universi
ty of Colorado at Boulder. Squires
studied business and the third
member of the trio, Brian Nevin.
couwrisv photo
Big Head Todd wlU open the show tor Robert Plant tonight at The
Hull Center.
who plays drums, studied music.
A year later Mohr transferred to
University of Colorado at Boul
der and the rest, as they say. is
history.
Though his band is starting to
succeed commercially, Sauires
still found time to finish his
undergraduate degree in busi
ness.
"It's nice to have it to fall back
on," he said. Hopefully I'll never
have to use it. I am just thrilled
to lie able to make my living mak
ing music.”
The band recently released
their third album, and major label
debut Sister Sweetly, which is the
follow-up to their >990 album
Midnight Radio. Sister Sweetly
showcases the bands talent os
well as their influences.
"Our influences are very
broad- based." Todd, who is the
song writer, listens to old soul
records, Brian is heavy into jazz,
and 1 like country and American
rock 'n' Roll."
If you don't get a chance to see
Big Head Todd and The Monsters
when they open for Robert Plant,
at least take a listen to Sister
Sweetly and find out why Plant
choose them.
RESUMES
Give your resume a professional look, by having it
typeset at Letter Perfect Graphics. Suite MX) EMU.
346-4381 9-5 Mon-Fri
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Sigma Kappa invites you to:
Open House
Tues., Oct. 12, 7pm
851 E. 15th St.
For more information, please contact
Debbie C. at 345-4280
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It's
time
to
dean
out
your
closet.
LGBA
l i;r< i t sit\ itl (Vi t'tui
Friday, October 8
Fir Room, EMU
8 p.m. - Midnight
A (I in i s s i o n
n : i o i. i). • > w 11 h »(■ t
“LesBGay”
for Coming Out Day!
Ih CONCERT
★ Clz
• Live Concert Shown on Big Screen TV
• Over 50 Bottled Beers and 4 Beers on Tap
• Special Weekend Prices from 8 pm>2 am
• A Great Stop between Bars or Clubs