KCSA Notes

This is a Callboard adaptation of Megan McMillen's notes for the last week in September:

1. tech: MMD staff applications
2. tours help!
3. t-shirts and bar crawl
4. departmental questions?
5. random fact about me
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1. And now brief message from our tech department:

Hey guys, it's your lucky day! Staff applications for the Murder Mystery Dinner have been extended until Thursday, September 27th. We're also still accepting scripts until October 4th. We're also having a flyering event, on Wednesday, October 3rd (sometime at night). Remember, if you come to two flyering events, you'll receive a complimentary ticket to a Krannert show! Keep a lookout for more info! Any questions can be directed to kcsa-tech@kcpa.uiuc.edu.
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2. Know your Krannert stuff? then help out the tours department this week. We need the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday daily 3 pm tours covered. E-mail kcsa-tours@kcpa.uiuc.edu and remember: tours= tickets. It's that simple.
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3. We had an AWESOME time decorating the TOTA/KCSA bar crawl t-shirts. if you ordered one, they're available for pick-up at the KCSA office (level two, south end of the hallway). I'll be in the office from 12:30 to 1:30 tomorrow (Tuesday) and every Tuesday after. There is also a schedule of when someone will be in the office all week, so if you can't come during my office hour, there are plenty of other times you can come. $5 and it's yours. Didn't order one but still want one? we'll probably have more decorating sessions, so just let me know your size and we've gotcha covered.

More information on next month's bar crawl will be forthcoming. Get ready.
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4. Interested in any of the KCSA departments? Activities, Callboard, Community Outreach, Computers, Marketing, Tech, Tours, Ushering? Go to www.kcsa.uiuc.edu and click on "Administrative Board" on the left-hand side for a listing of all departmental e-mail addresses. We're more than happy to answer any questions you might have about anything kcsa-related. General questions? E-mail kcsa-exec@kcpa.uiuc.edu.
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5. Random fact about me that I'm sure you're super-excited to learn: I can lick my elbow. Try doing THAT.

Megan McMillen

UIUC Through The Eyes of A Newcomer

These are sights that most people here at the University of Illinois would have seen many, many times- that is ridiculously obvious. The places and locations shown in these photos are those that we pass almost on a daily basis, as part of our busy student lives. Familiarity breeds a sense of apathy and we stop paying attention to our surroundings apart from that which directly involve our work. In other words, we stop smelling the roses.

I guess this is one of the major perks of being a complete foreigner in a new environment. When the roses suddenly look so different from the ones back home, you STOP AND NOTICE. In this case, the roses happened to be the U of I, Urbana Champaign, and the land called America.
A month has passed since I came to Illinois, my first month in the United States (my first month away from the Equator, for that matter) and I am still trying to come to terms with how different this environment is from what I am used to back home in Malaysia. This may sound silly to the locals, but I have never seen any piece of land so FLAT. Literally. Not having a single hill or mountain in sight continues to give me the impression that UIUC is an island surrounded by miles of open water. The only place in Malaysia where one is able to see the horizon so clearly is by the sea. It is a little hard to come to terms with being surrounded by miles of open cornfields rather than water.
These photos are meant to depict what I see as the sheer aesthetic vibrancy that UIUC possesses, so much so that it looks beautiful even through the eyes of a lousy photographer. Even for someone who has spent years here, it is hard to imagine being able to walk past Altgeld Hall and not turn to look at the sunshine upon its walls, or the wide, peaceful field in front of the magnificent engineering quad. Oh, and, of course, there is the Krannert Center. No other piece of architecture has fascinated me more than the center of performing arts, with its unusual structures and design. I walk past Krannert everyday, and there is always something new to be noticed, as cliché and child-like as that might sound.
To say that Illinois is different from Malaysia would be an understatement of absurd proportions. Already, the biting cold wind and dry weather are proving to be a stark contrast to the extremely warm and humid tropical climate to which I am used to. Even more unusual is being outdoors during mid-day, under bright sunlight and feeling COLD. It is quite worrying to think that this is almost nothing compared to what winter would be like here.

All the same, as beautiful as UIUC looks in the summer, it is bound to be even more so during winter, with the snowfall. It must be a sight to behold, those fields of white, big old buildings and tall, leafless trees. That alone would be worth the adventure of coming here.

Around town

Ever been to KAM? Not the bar, the Krannert Art Museum! KAM is not just a regular museum either. It’s a great place to enjoy art, culture and performances. You may even get to meet the artists who exhibit their art work. The museum’s collection ranges from artistic figures from various countries in Africa to Asia as well as contemporary works and photographs. A little history about the place is that it opened in 1961 and a new wing known as The Kinkead Pavilion was added in 1988 allowing the museum to present its 9,000 works in ten galleries. There was an introduction about KAM in last year’s Callboard, but this semester, they have great new works that will blow your socks off! Fall 2007 exhibits include works from a widely known South African Artist named Berni Searle, prominent faculty from our own UI School of Art and design, and The Archeological Heritage of Illinois. KAM is not limited to sculptures and paintings and there are a variety of events such as Yoga classes, musical performances, lecture series and documentary presentations. This great museum is located on the corner of Sixth and Peabody and has been serving the Champaign-Urbana community by providing a venue of art enjoying enjoyment. These events are free of charge and their hours are Tuesday to Saturday 9-5pm, Thursday 9-9pm and Sunday 2-5pm. Log on to www.kam.uiuc.edu and check out all the cool stuff you’re missing!
Info courtesy of www.kam.uiuc.edu.

Murder Mystery Seeking Scripts, Performers, Techies, and More

HEY ALL YOU THEATER PEOPLE (and non theater people too, we try not to discriminate) … READ THIS

Once there lived an old man in a little shack in the middle of the woods. His wife had died a long time ago and he had had arguments with his three children when they all moved away. He was a man of money but told his children that since they had abandoned him, they would not get any until they returned. On his 85th birthday, his children and their spouses surprised him by coming to visit. They brought cake and ice cream, and it was a delight for the old man to have his family back. Little did he know, one of them was not just here on a social visit … When the old man was found dead on his kitchen floor the next morning, everyone was in utter shock and dismay except …

Who do you think killed him?

Lame story, I know. Do you think that you can do better? Well then, write a script for KCSA’s Murder Mystery Dinner!!! Send your script submissions into kcsa-tech@kcpa.uiuc.edu. The deadline is October 5th but we will give priority to any submissions we get by September 27th. We would love to hear from all of you!
Writing not your thing? Well then, think about directing, assistant directing, stage managing or tech directing? Applications for all of these positions are online now and can be downloaded from the tech page of the KCSA website. Applications are due by September 20th but preferred by September 17th.

So you’ve read through this whole article so far and can’t find anything you would like to do yet? What if you’re thinking, I can’t write and production isn’t my thing either … Well we have the perfect jobs for you! Come audition to be part of the cast and be in the spotlight, or become a techie, work backstage, and run the spotlight! The choice is up to you! And as always, EXPERIENCE IS NOT NECESSARY! Any questions about anything (primarily about the Murder Mystery Dinner but we’ll take random ones too, like which weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of nails) should be sent to kcsa-tech@kcpa.uiuc.edu.


Rachel Goldfarb

KCSA Notes

Here's KCSA's weekly notes, given to you by Megan McMillen:

1. tours training
2. t-shirt decorating (for TOTA and a barcrawl!)
3. wall 2 wall help
4. ushering help!
5. registration
6. penny dreadful players
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1. If you are still interested in becoming a tour guide (you know you are...) but missed the training, contact the Tours Department at kcsa-tours@kcpa.uiuc.edu There will be another training date coming soon! Rest easily tonight!
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2. Awesome t-shirt alert: next Tuesday, September 18 we'll be decorating (i.e. spray-paint madness) KCSA t-shirts. why should you want to join us?? well...not only will the shirts help advertise for KCSA's upcoming taste of the arts event, but they will also be your ticket to join us for our bar crawl next month! so if you want to get in on the action, e-mail me at mmcmill2@uiuc.edu and let me know if you want a shirt (even if you cannot come to decorate it next Tuesday). if you CAN come, meet at the south-west corner of third and Daniel so we can decorate on the grass of frat park.
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3. If you're still interested in helping out with next week's wall 2 wall guitar fest, or know anyone who is, we still need you! e-mail Courtney at cegg@uiuc.edu and tell her you want to go down in history as someone who made this year's wall 2 wall the best one EVER!!!!
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4. The following shows need help with ushering:

9/14 W2W: Shawn Colvin/Zuckerman 1 p.m.
W2W: Global Guitar 5:45 p.m.

9/15 W2W: Dan Zanes 9 a.m.
W2W: The Romeros/O'Dette 12:45 p.m.

If you would like to usher any of these amazing W2W shows, please email .
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5. Remember that in order to stay on the KCSA e-mail list you must register online at www.kcsa.uiuc.edu (click on the registration link on the left-hand side). we'll be switching over to our permanent e-mail list soon, so be sure to register soon! and if you're absolutely nuts and don't want to get these e-mails anymore, have no fear, if you don't register we'll stop bothering you. but if you are SUPER excited about them, we gotcha covered. just register!
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6. This October 19th and 20th, the Penny Dreadful Players are hosting a ten-minute play festival. they're currently taking submissions for plays of any genre. they must be at least ten minutes in length. the deadline for submissions is Thursday, September 13th.
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Megan McMillen
mmcmill2@uiuc.edu
megmcm@gmail.com
University of Illinois 2008
KCSA Secretary

Callboard Department Meeting

Like what you see here? Want to get involved with this fabulous blog?

KCSA's Callboard department is holding a meeting this week for old and new members at the Intermezzo Cafe in the main lobby at the Krannert Center. The meeting will be held at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, August 29th. Everyone is welcome to join us; no experience is necessary.

We are looking for writers, photographers, and editors to join our ranks this year. Come ready to share your ideas and think about how you would like to participate. Your level of participation is entirely up to you.

We are a very laid back department and really love what we do. So come check us out if you are looking for something fun to do.

I hope to see everyone on Wednesday at the meeting. If you can't come to the meeting and would still like to be apart of Callboard, email the directors at kcsa-callboard@kcpa.edu and we will update you and get you involved.

Lauren Mietelski
Callboard Director
Senior in English, Secondary Education

Wall to Wall Guitar Festival 2007

Wall to Wall Guitar Festival 2007

It's back...for three days, under one roof, featuring over 40 guitarists and scores of their musical collaborators. Get ready to riff on the assorted mix in this teeming guitar bazaar—there will be unbelievable legends and eclectic innovators, uncommon collaborations, and an undeniable energy pulsing from wall to wall.

Below are the current volunteer opportunities (not including ushering opportunities) surrounding the Festival. Ushering opportunities are being scheduled like normal, through Courtney for Festival performances and through Crystal for Youth Series performances. These opportunities are listed by day.

To sign up for an opportunity, please contact either Courtney or Crystal. Contact information is included at the end of the opportunity listing.

Parking during the Festival (September 13 – 15) will be very hectic. Parking meter passes will be provided during the daytime opportunities, as usual. Please be aware that the garages will fill very quickly during the Festival. Be prepared to park at different university meters for your event. As a reminder, these parking meter passes are only good for University of Illinois meters, not City of Urbana meters. University of Illinois parking meters can be distinguished by the block I on them.

All university parking lots become free and open to the public after 5p. Posted parking restrictions may still apply, e.g. 24 hr reserved spots.

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September 4, 2007

John Lennon Bus Goody Bag Stuffing
10a – 3p
Studio Dressing Rooms, Level 2

We are in need of 4 – 5 volunteers to help assemble the goody bags that will be distributed throughout the Festival and from the John Lennon Bus. Refreshments will be provided throughout the day.

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September 5, 2007

John Lennon Bus Goody Bag Stuffing
10a – 3p
Studio Dressing Rooms, Level 2

We are in need of 4 – 5 volunteers to help assemble the goody bags that will be distributed throughout the Festival and from the John Lennon Bus. Refreshments will be provided throughout the day.

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September 7, 2007

W2W, Take 2, pre-festival promotion
7p – 9:15p
The Great Impasta, 114 W Church in downtown Champaign

Join the Great Impasta in hosting Michael Kammin in performing for the restaurant patrons. We need 2 volunteers (21 or older) to help distribute W2W materials and answer questions about the Festival. The Great Impasta will also be featuring the Festival’s signature drink, the “Wall-to-Wallbanger.”

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September 8, 2007

Open tuning workshop with Michael Kammin
12:15p – 2p
C.V. Lloyde Music Center, 102 S Neil in downtown Champaign

This is a workshop on open tunings for the guitar. It is open to all ages and skill level. 2-3 volunteers with guitar experience are needed to help Michael "spot" participants as they tune. Due to this event being open to all ages/skill level, some participants may need help holding their guitar and finding the notes highlighted on the screen.

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September 11, 2007

Warm Breezes and Hawaiian Guitars: The Genius of Eddie Alkire
Featuring Richard Alkire, Scott Schwartz, David Spelman
11:30a – 2:30p
University YMCA, 1001 S Wright St, Champaign

Richard Alkire, son of legendary Hawaiian guitar designer and instructor Eddie Alkire, will join archivist Scott Schwartz and Wall to Wall Guitar guests for a discussion about the Eddie Alkire Collection which is now housed at the Sousa Archives in the Center for American Music at the University of Illinois. This event is free, with no tickets required. We need 2 volunteers to help distribute Wall to Wall materials and answer questions about the Festival.

John Lennon Bus Goody Bag Distribution
Shift One: 10a – 1p
Shift Two: 1p – 4p
Goodwin Ave sidewalk

We need 2 volunteers to join us for each shift in greeting the public and distributing the goody bags stuffed the previous week. Seating and a tent will be provided. This is during the time when the bus will be in use for closed recording sessions. You may also be asked questions about the Festival in general. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

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September 12, 2007

John Lennon Bus Goody Bag Distribution
Shift One: 10a – 1p
Shift Two: 1p – 4p
Goodwin Ave sidewalk

We need 2 volunteers to join us for each shift in greeting the public and distributing the goody bags stuffed the previous week. Seating and a tent will be provided. This is during the time when the bus will be in use for closed recording sessions. You may also be asked questions about the Festival in general. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

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September 13, 2007 – Opening Night

John Lennon Bus Goody Bag Distribution
Shift One: 10a – 1p
Shift Two: 1p – 4p
Goodwin Ave sidewalk

We need 2 volunteers to join us for each shift in greeting the public and distributing the goody bags stuffed the previous week. Seating and a tent will be provided. This is during the time when the bus will be in use for closed recording sessions. You may also be asked questions about the Festival in general. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

Opening Night Ticket Tables
5p – 12a
Main Lobby

Opening Night Ticket Table Training
September 5; 5p – 7p
Festival Foyer

We need 14 volunteers to help staff the Opening Night Ticket Tables. This involves selling food tickets, distributing Opening night Will Call tickets, and answering questions. All volunteers will need to attend the Ticket Table Training Session, in advance of Opening Night. Again, this training session is scheduled for September 5, from 5p – 7p in the Festival Foyer. As a thank you for volunteering, volunteers will receive 10 food and beverage tickets.

Opening Night Building Tour #1
7p – 8p
Tour departs from the steps of the Colwell Playhouse

Tour guides are needed for the scheduled building tours during Opening Night. Each tour needs 2 tour guides. This is a standard building tour, open to anyone interested in attending. As a thank you for volunteering, tour guides will receive 10 food and beverage tickets.

Opening Night Building Tour #2
8p – 9p
Tour departs from the steps of the Colwell Playhouse

Tour guides are needed for the scheduled building tours during Opening Night. Each tour needs 2 tour guides. This is a standard building tour, open to anyone interested in attending. As a thank you for volunteering, tour guides will receive 10 food and beverage tickets.

Opening Night Festival Information Table
Shift One: 5p – 9p
Shift Two: 9p – 12a
Festival Store and Headquarters, located in the Studio Theatre

We need 2 volunteers to work an information table and media check in for each shift. This also involves answering questions about the Festival and Krannert Center. As a thank you for volunteering, volunteers will receive 10 food and beverage tickets.

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September 14, 2007

Festival Information Table
Shift One: 9a – 12p
Shift Two: 12p – 3p
Shift Three: 3p – 6p
Shift Four: 6p – 9p
Shift Five: 9p – 12a
Festival Store and Headquarters, located in the Studio Theatre

We need 2 volunteers to work an information table and media check in for each shift. This also involves answering questions about the Festival and Krannert Center. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

John Lennon Bus Goody Bag Distribution
Shift One: 10a – 1p
Shift Two: 1p – 4p
Goodwin Ave sidewalk

We need 2 volunteers to join us for each shift in greeting the public and distributing the goody bags stuffed the previous week. Seating and a tent will be provided. This is during the time when the bus will be in use for closed recording sessions. You may also be asked questions about the Festival in general. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

Wall to Wall Interval: Goran Ivanovic and Fareed Haque Duo
11a – 1:30p
Main Lobby

We need 2 volunteers to help place Creative Intersections materials on the Interval chairs prior to the performance beginning at noon. This involves placing evaluations and pens on each chair. Volunteers are invited to stay for the free performance and enjoy a free bag lunch from Intermezzo. Following the performance, we will need help picking up any discarded materials and collecting completed evaluations and returned pens.

Garage Band Workshops
Workshop One: 9:30a – 12p
Workshop Two: 12:30p – 3p
Orchestra Rehearsal Room, Level 2

We need 2 volunteers for each workshop to check in participants and distribute guest account information. A brief orientation will be provided at the beginning of each volunteer shift. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

Garage Band Open Session #1
3p – 5p
Orchestra Rehearsal Room, Level 2

We need 2 volunteers for an open work session to check in participants and distribute guest account information. A brief orientation will be provided at the beginning of each volunteer shift. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

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September 15, 2007

Festival Information Table
Shift One: 9a – 12p
Shift Two: 12p – 3p
Shift Three: 3p – 6p
Shift Four: 6p – 9p
Shift Five: 9p – 12a
Festival Store and Headquarters, located in the Studio Theatre

We need 2 volunteers to work an information table and media check in for each shift. This also involves answering questions about the Festival and Krannert Center. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

Wall to Wall Interval: Ed Gerhard
11:30a – 2p
Main Lobby

We need 2 volunteers to help place Creative Intersections materials on the Interval chairs prior to the performance beginning at 12:30p. This involves placing evaluations and pens on each chair. Volunteers are invited to stay for the free performance and enjoy a free bag lunch from Intermezzo. Following the performance, we will need help picking up any discarded materials and collecting completed evaluations and returned pens.

Garage Band Workshops
Workshop Three: 9:30a – 12p
Workshop Four: 12:30p – 3p
Orchestra Rehearsal Room, Level 2

We need 2 volunteers for each workshop to check in participants and distribute guest account information. A brief orientation will be provided at the beginning of each volunteer shift. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

Garage Band Open Session #2
3p – 5p
Orchestra Rehearsal Room, Level 2

We need 2 volunteers for an open work session to check in participants and distribute guest account information. A brief orientation will be provided at the beginning of each volunteer shift. As a thank you for your time, Intermezzo coupons will be provided for each volunteer.

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Thanks, and see you around the Center soon!

Courtney Egg
Patron Services Director
cegg@uiuc.edu
(217) 333-9716 phone
(217) 244-0810 fax

Crystal Womble
Outreach Director
cwomble@uiuc.edu
(217) 244-0549 phone
(217) 244-0810 fax
KrannertCenter.com

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
500 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801

Mystère Revealed

"Life is an endless mystery. Journey to the heart of it" with Cirque du Soleil's production of "Mystère" at Treasure Island hotel & casino in Las Vegas. The night of July 7th, 2007 was one filled with chaotic color, lights, costumes, make-up, giant puppets, acrobats, dancers, singers, musicians, clowns and actors as I watched a fantastic, mind-boggling performance of "Mystère" by the Cirque du Soleil artists.

For those unfamiliar with Cirque du Soleil, let me give you a brief introduction to this company. Cirque du Soleil mixes performing arts and circus arts, sports, and street performance to create an overall unique and entertaining experience for every show. The company performs many different shows around the world and amazes audiences everywhere with its spectacular display of human flexibility, strength and endurance.

Mystère is one of the productions performed in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has a cast of 75 world-renowned artists. This show premiered in December 1993, has had over 8 million spectators since its opening, and represents 17 different countries in its cast. The show is about the mystery of life, from birth to maturity, and how it unfolds.

Reinventing the circus tradition, the show is a "dream-like journey," set to an original score and vocals, with fantastic acts of athleticism and acrobatics that seem to defy gravity. This production also features wild, chaotic, and intricately colorful and entertaining characters such as a fiery red bird, a big baby and a mischievous clown. The goal of Mystère is to "challenge limits and explore the imagination," according to the Cirque du Soleil website (see below for link).

The performance I saw was fantastic overall, with only a few slow moments of frustration. As I mentioned before, one of the characters is a very large baby, and it carries a huge orange ball around as well as a bottle tied around its neck. This baby was actually a very large, overgrown man in a diaper and bonnet. He represented the pilgrim starting out as a baby, about to embark on the journey of life, which is represented by the rest of the performance. This baby was funny most of the time, but as all children do, he became frustrating and tedious at times.

The "narrator," or Man in Pink, was also a bit tedious as he strutted about the stage in a magenta suit and top hat, talking in seeming gibberish (which I think was supposed to be French) and pretending to be a ventriloquist with a strange looking puppet. I couldn't say what the puppet was supposed to look like. Maybe a weird bird. But he and his puppet also had their entertaining moments, like when the clown strangled the strange looking puppet and threw it off stage.

Another notable character was the "clown;" unfortunately, he didn't look like one at first. The audience was introduced to him before the show even started when he stood with the ushers and began taking people around to their seats. Mind you, he was dressed in a black-tie suit; however, his white-gray hair was gelled so that it stuck straight out from his head like a mad scientist stereotype. The lighting crew also had him in a spotlight, something only the audience members already sitting could ascertain. I was one of them, thank God.

So, he led innocent audience members around on wild goose chases around the theatre, made them crawl over people, spilled people's popcorn, kicked people out of their seats, and eventually threw all the tickets in the air--leaving audience members baffled and stranded in the middle of rows and in other people's seats. He repeated this routine about five times before people started catching on that their guide was not trustworthy. The rest of the audience, amused and pitying, watched the spotlighted disaster-area passively, displaying a classic case of the bystander effect, or bystander apathy. It was funny for a while, but I just felt really bad for the clueless people under the spotlight who lost their popcorn and got kicked out of their nice cool seats after racing to get to the show in over 100 degree heat. Clowns--funny yet annoying.

There were many acrobatic acts in the performance and I will only go into detail for a few. The most impressive act was called "Hand-to-Hand," a picture of which is located at the top of this article. Two hugely muscular men with physiques of gods come together to astound viewers with their gentle strength and fluid movements that take amazing stamina and discipline to execute. The two men moved so slowly and gently that they exuded a sense of sensuality that was unmistakable. This sensuality, along with the vocal artists singing "triste amor," translated "sad love," made me think of this act as a metaphor for homosexual male love. These two brothers perform increasingly difficult maneuvers as they maintain a delicate balance while lifting and supporting one another in tremendously precarious positions that make the audience clench their teeth and gasp. This act, performed on the rounded surface of a rotating dome, evokes the hardships and delicate balance many homosexual couples must maintain in societies across the globe. The graceful yet powerful exhibition of their strength and stamina shows that they are always there to support one another even though they may be isolated from the rest of the world. Just to make it clear, this was my interpretation of the act and no where did Cirque du Soleil actually claim that his was their meaning.

Another act worthy of note was the Aerial High Bar, representing human dreams and hopes taking flight for the new millennium, according to the Mystère website. The fourteen athletes from Russia, Romania, Canada and the United States performed on a symmetrical metal structure 40 feet above the stage. The website notes that the acrobats flying on the high bar like a pendulum evokes the passage of time and shows both risk and its reward.

The Aerial Cube is yet another fascinating act performed by Cirque de Soleil. A single man turns and spins a giant cube structure while performing, in the air and on the ground, a graceful and "gravity-defying ballet of aerial maneuvers." He must have had amazing strength to maneuver the cube while trying to hang onto a wire and still look graceful and in control.

Fourth, the Chinese Poles was a light-hearted act that at first made the audience ask, "are they stepping on grooves," then finally groan, "I wish I could do that." The acrobats, decked out in fantastically decadent costumes, crawled up and down poles on stage that were about twenty feet high. They moved about and jumped from pole to pole in strange contortions and movements that a normal person can only dream about doing. Sometimes they used just their hands to climb up (legs held straight horizontally, mind you), and other times they just gripped the pole with their feet and flipped to the next one with seeming ease. According to the Mystère website, the Chinese Poles act is a symbol of sprouting vines and the acrobats crawling up and down represent organic life "which feeds on itself as it grows."

There are many more acts involved in this production, but it would take too long to go through them all. This is definitely a show you must see for yourself to take in the spectacular experience it delivers. I took some quotes by the cast and crew from the Mystère website so you can get an look behind the scenes of Mystère:

"For me, Mystère is about mythology, influences from Balkan and Greek music. You won't find Ulysses or any gods in the show, but it has a unifying, mythical idea behind it. So, in my music, I put an accent on Greek music and percussion."
--René Dupere, Composer

"With Mystère, we knew we were doing something totally new in Las Vegas, and that meant breaking the rules, doing the unexpected. I remember that, while we were rehearsing the show, someone said the lighting was too heavy, that it made him think of a Wagner opera. Franco and I looked at each other and said: 'All right!' We knew we had to be on the right track."
--Luc Lafortune, Lighting Designer

"Mystère, for me, is about life. We knew we were building this temple in the desert, in Las Vegas. When you see the fragile beauty there, you can't help but ask yourself: how did life come to this planet? Mystère, in a way, is the story of this innocent being who is born into the universe, and then becomes a pilgrim, exploring its history.

"We're always influenced by the latest discussions and dialogues. And we were fascinated by chaos theory: the idea that, when a butterfly flaps its wings in Argentina, it causes a rainstorm in Europe. Everything is connected. Of course, the mystery is never fully resolved, but maybe that is what our pilgrim discovers."
--Franco Dragone, Director

"The Mystère set actually suggests Ulysses, and the mythical obstacles he had to overcome on his own journey. The two towers represent Scylla and Charybdis, two of the perils Ulysses faced. The true journey of life is never easy."
--Michael Crete, Set Designer


Also, here is a brief list of the tremendous cast of characters performing in Mystère. The quoted portions are taken directly from the Mystère website and I filled in the rest myself with my own observations:

1. Spermatos and Spermatites: "The Spermatos and Spermatites are like viruses, contaminating the world of Mystère with infectious folly. They are the seeds of life, moving about frantically to fulfill their destinies." These characters wear blue and white spandex jumpsuits with a long, pointy appendage attached to the top of their heads. It shouldn't take your mind too long to imagine what these characters are supposed to represent.

2. Firebird: "The Firebird leaps ever higher in his futile attempt to take to the skies. Still convinced he can fly, he struggles against his fate." This part is played by a very flexible woman wearing a fire-engine red and black costume with a mohawk of feathers on her head. She danced around the stage most of the time, weaving in between many of the other characters. To tell you the truth, I really expected the performer to do more dancing and acrobatic movements. She was dressed so that every eye in the auditorium would follow her while she was on stage, but she didn't do anything special with the attention granted to her.

3. Laquais: "In perpetual servitude, the Laquais are the footmen of Mystère. Their objective is to serve and support others in their pursuit of happiness." These guys were really boring. They just stood around in off-white spandex suits and made sure none of the performers fell and also steadied others on their landings. Like those people in real life who stay out of the spotlight to keep others in it, they play extremely necessary and significant roles for the survival of the show and their coworkers, but they don't get to do anything exciting themselves.

4. Brain (the clown): "Brian looks relatively harmless as he sprints through the audience, but remember: he does not belong to this magical world. He is a troublemaker, always doing things he shouldn't, always in the wrong place at the wrong time." This is the character I mentioned before who took people to the wrong seats in the beginning of the show. Funny and annoying, his shinning moment was when he took a man from the audience, locked him in a box on stage, and took a bottle of champagne back to the man's seat to hit on his wife.

5. The Baby: "Always in search of warmth and food, the babies represent the primitive human state: selfish and hungry." The big baby was also a strange combination of funny and annoying, both traits that real babies have; however, he was lacking in anything I would call cute. I think they stretched out the baby's scenes throughout the show to give the acrobats a breather. He really wasn't needed to carry on the symbolism after the opening scene.

6. Vache à Lait: "The Vache à Lait sounds his ancient horn, it heralds a rebirth, a new beginning. The Vache à Lait is the protector of babies and a symbol of fertility." Mostly there for his symbolic value, this was another boring person in a cool costume who stood around and did nothing.

7. Man in Pink: "The Man in Pink is the narrator no one listens to. He takes himself very seriously, and gets very angry and disagreeable when others don't." Enough said.

8. Chameleon couple: "This chameleon can completely disappear before your eyes. But when it skitters about in its reptilian dance, the lizard shows off its shiny green skin with flashes of scarlet." The chameleon couple had the most impressive costumes, although they just crawled around the other performers feet on stage and never actually did any acrobatics. They were pretty to look at, but if you weren't concentrating, you might miss them.

9. Double Faces: "The Double Faces hide behind haunting masks. In constant search of their own identities, they seldom reveal vulnerability." Acrobats with face masks attached to the back of their heads crawled up and down the Chinese Poles and moved about simultaneously on stage, showing both of their faces repeatedly while unnerving the audience with their eeriness.


If you enjoyed this review, most of this information and more can be found at www.cirquedusoleil.com if you are interested in learning more about Cirque du Soleil and "Mystère." If you don't believe all you've read of this chaotic, fantastic spectacle, I urge you to check it out for yourself. Actually, you don't have to go to Las Vegas to see Cirque du Soleil! Just open your eyes and look around you.

The picture is courtesy of www.cirquedusoleil.com.

Lauren Mietelski
English, Secondary Education
Senior
"Be careful, a mojito may bring on unexpected ice cream cravings!"

MAMMA MIA! Talented Performers, Boring Show

The Las Vegas performance of the famous broadway musical MAMMA MIA! on July 5, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Theatre was entertaining for most of its 2 and a half hours but lacking in many ways.

This musical, designed for family fun, interweaves famous ABBA songs such as "Dancing Queen," "I Have a Dream," "Voulez-Vous," and "Take a Chance on Me" with a story about Sophie Sheridan, a young woman living on a Greek island with her mother, trying to uncover the identity of her father on the eve of her wedding. After reading her mother's diary, she narrows it down to three possible candidates and secretly sends them all invitations to her wedding. Her independent, still single mother is shocked when three men from her past, who each last visited the island exactly 20 years ago, arrive at her hotel. One of the men in particular sends her reeling back to the past.

The music, originally composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, was a disappointment at the Las Vegas production because the man in charge decided to try something new. He took all the original songs and put his own spin on them. Normally, change is good to spice things up. However, his changes meant slower, droning tempos, unrecognizable songs, and bored audience members. The musical number "Mamma Mia" was probably the most enjoyable. It's hard to mess that one up.

An audience member who had seen the show performed last year in Texas said the music was almost completely unrecognizable. When the music started, she asked herself if she bought tickets for the wrong show. She remarked that the music was supposed to have more of a "disco" beat and told me to go listen to the original soundtrack to compare it to the show we saw.

Although the show used its trademark bright colors and crazy costumes, the performance was lacking in charisma because the stage direction, also known as blocking, and dancing were not up to par. Musical performers are supposed to have both song and dance skills under their belt, but these performers were lacking in the latter. While they all had pleasant voices, with the exception of Sophie's mother Donna (played by Carol Linnea Johnson) whose was extraordinary, there was hardly any dancing going on. When the actors playing minor roles stepped up to do their dance numbers, there was indeed nothing special about their steps. One performer proceeded to do a jump about eight times where you are supposed to do the splits in the air and touch your toes--but he couldn't reach his toes! I have to say, that was rather embarrassing to watch as an audience member. The other performers basically stood still during their song numbers and made a couple of facial expressions.

"These people are both dancers and singers; they could have done more," said an audience member.

On a lighter note, a few of the individual performers were interesting, entertaining, and actually deserved to be up there on stage. First, Carol Linnea Johnson, who plays Donna, really stole the show. Of course she wasn't dancing, but her spectacular voice and humor made up for her lack of movement. Her daughter, played by Kelly Anise Daniells, is supposed to be the protagonist; however, the performer was lacking in both those song and dance skills I talked about earlier. She hit all the notes, but her voice reminded me of a complaining child. The character is supposed to be 20-21 years old, not 5. The baby talk was definitely put on for the show, and I think this performer should consider taking it off as quickly as possible. Her fiance was even worse. Sky, played by Patrick Sarb, had a bit part to begin with and didn't do much with it. His character and voice were definitely replaceable fillers.

Donna's two sidekicks, Tanya and Rosie, played by Vicki Van Tassel and Robin Baxter respectively, were hands down the most entertaining part of the show. These performers were definitely not dancers, but they did the best they could with their humorous dialogue. Their blocking was by far the best as they moved about the stage with attitudes that fit their characters' personalities--something that all stage performers are supposed to do. Without these two ladies spicing up the stage, the show would have been a complete bust. They added all the humor and their rock solid routines really kept it together.

Although this particular performance of MAMMA MIA! was less than spectacular, the overall show has been an international hit and is worth seeing at least once.

Picture is courtesy of http://www.mamma-mia.com/gallery.asp?sec=show.

Lauren Mietelski
English, Secondary Education
Senior

Outside at the UI Research Park

Summer greetings to all KCSA members! The Marketing Department sent out this press release and it is posted here for your convenience.

For Immediate Release
June 20, 2007

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
For More Information Contact:
Bridget Lee-Calfas, Visiting Public Information Director
Phone: 217/333-6282
Fax: 217/244-0810
E-mail: bklee@uiuc.edu

Photography is available upon request.

KRANNERT AND FOX/ATKINS PRESENT
OUTSIDE AT THE UI RESEARCH PARK
July 7 and 20, August 17 at 7:30pm

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts has joined forces with Fox/Atkins Development LLC and the U of I Research Park for a new three–show series of summer concerts in a welcoming new public venue. OUTSIDE at the UI Research Park is a joint project that plays upon a simple concept: great music, fresh food, a green state of mind, and an open, relaxed environment. The performance space and seating area are located just south of the Motorola building at the corner of First Street and St. Mary’s Road in Champaign. Over the last several months, crews from Fox/Atkins Development have been regrading and replanting the area to create a shaded, grassy seating space that will accommodate about 500 people on a sloped area and additional seating in the tree-lined perimeter.

Laura Frerichs of Fox Development says that the site will offer an opportunity to share the amenities of the park with the greater community and will also provide a diverse cultural outlet for those who work within the facilities. Krannert Center director Mike Ross calls Fox Development, which has been a long-time sponsor of the Center, “a valued partner” who “understands the importance of collaborative enterprises across community sectors.” Ross added that the Center was “pleased to provide programming and marketing support to the new site in order to share the communal experience of live, outdoor music with others.”

Krannert Center’s senior associate director Rebecca McBride notes that another important facet of the OUTSIDE at the UI Research Park series is the effort to focus on “lightening the environmental footprint of the site. Krannert Center has, for some time now, been exploring ways to reduce waste, decrease energy consumption, and provide environmentally friendly services to patrons. OUTSIDE will further this initiative by offering locally grown, organic food at the concessions; utilizing biodegradable containers and utensils; and printing marketing materials on recyclable paper. They are also employing eco-minded planting and in the future, hope to explore eco-minded land management techniques and alternative energy sources.”

Performances:

Saturday, July 7 at 7:30pm
Funkadesi
This eclectic group integrates East Indian music with reggae, funk, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. The Chicago-based Funkadesi cooks up a delicious musical stew that intoxicates with its joy, warmth, and vibrancy. Krannert Center audiences may remember this group from the 2006 Corporate Night Party or their 2006 noontime lobby performance that had the crowd up and groovin’.
Corporate Sponsor: Caterpillar Champaign Simulation Center

Friday, July 20 at 7:30pm
Patty Larkin
This Midwestern singer/songwriter fuses Celtic flavored melodies with soulful folk and pop punch to take audiences on an enlightening acoustic journey tinged with beguiling wit. On her latest album, Red=Luck, Larkin easily slides from serene ballads like “Inside your Painting” to a jammin’ Celtic rock final track, simply called, “Louder.”

Friday, August 17 at 7:30pm
The Greencards
This fiery international acoustic trio mixes bluegrass jams, English folksongs, and the sweetest melancholy ballads. The Greencards’ latest recording, Viridian, debuted at number one on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart, which was a first for an international group. The combo of mandolin, electric bass, and fiddle might not be traditional in the bluegrass world, but with dashing reels, poetic lyrics, and Carol Young’s angelic voice, they’ve now carved their own niche and continue to gather new audiences with must-sing-along tracks like “When I Was In Love With You” and impressive finger picking numbers like “Mucky the Duck.”

Location, Parking, and Services:

These concerts will be held near the southwest corner of First Street and St. Mary's Road, south of the Motorola building.
Free parking is available in research park lots (not on First Street).

All concerts begin at 7:30pm and are free.

Spirits and locally grown, organic food are available at concession stands located at the northwest corner of the SAIC/Caterpillar building.

Restrooms are available inside the Illinois Natural History Building at 1816 South Oak Street.

Sponsors:

Presented by Krannert Center, in association with Fox/Atkins Development LLC, the University of Illinois Research Park, and the Illinois Natural History Survey.

Additional Information:

Visit KrannertCenter.com or call 217/333-6280 or 800/KCPATIX (527-2849).
Patrons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired may also contact via TTY at 217/333-9714.