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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 22, 1993)
‘Chorus Line’ kicks out excellent, realistic show By Julie Swenson Oregon (toffy (nuf'akl For people who worn lucky enough lo got tickets to see A Chorus Line at the Hull Center Tuesday or Wednesday night, it was easy to see why the show is Broadway's longest running musi cal. Performing a second show tiecause of overwhelming demand for tickets, the oast was marvelous in the musical that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for best musical, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for lets! musical in 197fi. The performance, which is based on the lives and experi ences of Broadway dancers, opened in the setting of a dance studio with a mirrored wall at the bin k of the stage Clothed in leo tards and warm-up < lothes from the 1970s, the dancers pimped and turned in unison ns their director yelled out instructions. After the dancers broke out into pleading songs titled "1 Hope I Get It" and "I Can Do That," the infe rior dancers were weeded out ns the director called their numbers from a list, The remaining 17 dancers stood in a line facing the audience for more than an hour — actually, fin inga director, who supposed ly was judging their performance from an empty auditorium. As the other Broadway hopefuls COUHTtSY PHOTO Cast matnbar of A Chorus Una, which coma to Eugana last waak strut thair stuff for audlanoaa. A Chorus Una Is tha longast running show on Broadway. watched, each dancer stepped for ward and introduced thorn.wives Knelt dnnrnr said their name, age and hometown, and talked and sang about their personal, and largely painful, experiences throughout life. While watching this scene. I found it obvious as to why the musical had won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The dancers related their troubles of going through puberty and adolescence — some of whom discovered they won’ homosexual during that time — and their low self-esteem because their peers had mode fun of them during their school days. Some of them also relived thoir past, unsuccessful experiences to make it on Broadway. In a song called "Dance: Ten. Looks: Three," a dancer told of a director's rating of her dance ability and appearance after her audition, and how that prompted her to got plastic surgery in hopes that it would make her a star. The scene near the conclusion of the play was the most touch ing. When a dancer injured him self during practice, ending his dance career, the cast members began talking about the uncer tainty of show business, and what thev would do if they had to stop dancing. Afterward, the dancers lined up facing the audience as the dins tor selected four men and four women for his production. As the successful auditioners raised their hands to tfit* sky. the other dancers walked defer tedlv off stage in complete silence. After intimately learning about the characters. 1 actually felt disap pointed when I saw who didn’t make the final cut. The trademark final scene was most memorable, and ns eivnd the most applause from the audience. Wearing silver top hats, shiny satin jackets and bow ties, the dancers got into a chorus line and kicked, tipped their hats and sang to the song "One." The musical was excellent Besides the top-notch writing, the cast members had an energetic dancing ability and clear, strong voices that penetrated the audi torium and enthralled the audi ence. But most of all, the musical not only was a realistic portrayal about the trials and tribulations of Broadway dancers, hut of ordi nary' people. That observation was echoed in a dedication printed in the program, which stated: "This show is dedicated to anyone who has ever danced in a chorus or marched in step... anywhere." KWVA promises music rain or shine By Kaly Soto OiV**1 Om>t imuakf Two Minutes Unto, Boogie Patrol Express. Floater, Lincoln Brigade, and Oswald 5-0 will rock the east lawn of the EMU this afternoon thanks to KWVA deejav and concert organizer Chris "Milk man” Scholz. The concert is Ixung sponsored by KVVVA and local businesses. "I think it’s going to be huge. All the hands are really big. I mean, each hand member tips tho scales at nearly 300 pounds so. with five hands, we’re talking about some serious tonnage,’ ho said. "Seriously, all the bands are great, and how can you lose with a free concert. I'll be disappoint ed if 1000 people don’t come." he said. The concert, which is called The Screw, will take place on the east lawn of tho EMU. weather permitting, and in the EMU Ballroom if it does not permit. “Well, hopefully it won’t rain, I've l>e«n con sulting with a witch doctor, and he’s assured me there will Ire sunny skies. Of course it’s Oregon and you never know. If It does rain, we're going to move inside to the EMU Ballroom, so the show will go on," Scholz said. Mow did Scholz come up with such an incred ible line-up? "Well, actually, I knew a lot of the bands per sonally. but 1 had a wish list of hands I wanted for the show, like Two Minutes Hate and Oswald 5-o. 1 was psyched when everybody wanted to do it. It's great of all those hands to do tins concurt for free," he said The Boogie Patrol Express, who have been together for three years, started playing together at South Eugene High School. While they were still in high school, they were filling WOW Hall. Hass player Jeremy Gibons said the hand con siders themselves "hometown heroes.” In their off time, members of the band engage in solo efforts like the University jazz band. The band is working toward doing more musi cal improve, but they still want to be able to do "cheery covers.” Thy are currently working on a remake of an old Brady Runch song. Boogie Patrol Express will release their first compact disc 0(1. 29. Oswald 5-0, who released their first full-length album in August, will lend their special blend of "punk rock" to the show. Two Minutes Hate, who refuse to attribute their sound to outside influence, "I hate that ques tion because our band doesn't sound anything like what our influences are,” guitar player Kei th Brown said. Lincoln Brigade is dealing with success in an innovative way. "We have armadillos in our trousers," band member Mike Cobb said Floater will round out the line-up. The concert will begin at 3:30 and end at 9:30. There is no cost for admission, for more infor mation call KWVA. CRAY continued trom p’age o Not tti.it there's anything wrong with that. It's just that blues should be based on emo tion. on soaring convic tion and pain. Cray's lyrics sometimes convey that fooling, but rarely does it come across in his per formance. Cray is too smooth for that. He sounds more like a blues version of Sam Cooke — very soulful voice, nice tunes — but where's the guts? Probably the best track on the album is "You're Gonna Need Me." which includes Albert Collins on guest guitar. Although it may he too much to suggest that Collins provides all the fire, there's no question that this song contains the punch the rest lack. Cray is a good songwriter and guitar player. And Shame + A Sin is a good album. But he just doesn't give it everything he's got. and playing good requires you do just that. - Rivers Jannsen Oregon Paly Imeraa TALE Continued from Page 7 DeNlro's character is a middle-class bus driver who, through out the film, tries to instill a working mail's values into the mind of his son. Unfortunately, the l>oy becomes an apprentice (of sorts) to the kxal nasty played by Chazz Palminteri, whose lifestyle and appear ance become increasingly more appealing to the boy. Lillo Brancato is a fresh face who does an extremely convinc ing job in the part of DeNiro's son. Palniinteri and DeNiro are prac tically perfect in their respective roles of local crime lord and protective parent. In his directorial debut. DeNiro captures both the atmosphere of the locale and spins them an enticing tale at the same time. EL_IWMlWIinWMtWII IlSwUMUMO.ItKttm W)OH Tt 'NlgMtr & '5 <W). 7 14.9 IS SunMaXtS' ’A Howling Outrage.. Inspired Lunacy... Too Much Fun!" 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