‘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.
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