The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 23, 1981, Page Page 7, Image 7
"IEi itentaini
I
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Bv Lvnn Massev
Asat Ent?rt<iinin?nt Edhor j .
The Workshop Theatre produced it's first
full-length world premiere drama Wednesday
night when it presented the new play
"Crossings" written by USC English
professor John MacNicholas. The new
production of this play will run through the
first of February which features some of
Columbia's finest performers.
The play is about conflicts and growing
up. One of the main problems is the parents
were raised in Ireland, but brought up their
own children in America. The parents still
have some feelings for their homeland and
can't understand why their American
children can't relate to their sense of
loyalty. The parents and their two sons, who
are of college age, have different ideas of
ttrkof oVlAl?1/l /Ia ttiifK Ihiao
wuai mvjr oiiv/uiu uw vyim iiiuu uvea. 1 IICIC
is disagreement between the father, a blue
collar worker in a mill, and the oldest son, a
college graduate who wants to pursue a
white collar job as a stockbroker in another
city. There is also conflict between the sons
which provokes jealousy and selfishness.
ALTHOUGH MOST families have difficulties
during the transition of their
children growing up and making it on their
own, "Crossings" presents a family with
unusual perplexities stemmed from dark
secrets, politics, religion, and obsessions.
There are waves of fury and fiery dialogues
which project the strong wills of the O'Brian
In one scene from the drama "Cros.
youth in Ireland with Dede Corvinui
Parnel/J
Sin2Z's: t
By Jim Poindexter
Staff Writer
The Sin 2 Z's opened a two night
engagement Wednesday night in the Spur.
The Atlanta based band was formed
through the collaboration between Glenn
Phillips of the Glenn Phillips Band, and Jeff
Calder of the Swimming Pool Q's.
"The other bands haven't broken up. The
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and I have been writing together a long
time," Phillips said.
This was the band's first performance
outside the Atlanta area, according to
Phillips.
Phillips and Calder believe in "doing their
own thing " Their own thing happens to be
writing and playing good, solid rock and
roll.
"Our music is based on what we want to
play. If we're in fashion, great. If we're not,
we'll just wait," Phillips said.
"Music has become a fashion. You can't
cater to a fashion. Groups try and they fade
incredibly fast. I've seen a lot of fashions
come and go," he added.
The Sin 2 Z's, a name made up by Phillips,
serves as a second release for each member
of the group.
"The majority of our material is not taken
igs' reali;
family. There are some scenes so sincerely
intense that it almost becomes too disturbing
to witness. However, there are a few
humorous moments between the youngest
son and his illiterate mother which breaks
the tension when it's needed most.
The play has been billed as a fresh unique
work written in "a beautiful, lyrical manner."
MacNicholas expressed the importance
of language and how people use it
differently to express themselves individually.
While on a trip to Ireland, he
took advantage of the opportunity to observe
conversations among the Irish to get
an authentic feel for his play.
The production carries a talented cast to
nrst tacKie tms premiere periormance. The
high-strung mother, Kate O'Brian, is performed
by Dede Corvinus who fit s the
character well and splendidly projects a
solid Irish brogue. The father, Will O'Brian,
is portrayed by Jim Thigpin. Although his
Irish accent is not as consistent as Corvinus's,
he develops his role of a man
wrapped up in politics and ties with Ireland
well. Craig Downing plays the youngest son
Billy, who is constantly considered second
to his brother and had quit school to work in
a mill. This alone created a gap with his
brother who went to college. Playing the
cherished older son is Don Upton, who
portrays Art as a worldly ambitious spirit.
OTHER MINOR roles are played by
Christy Smith, a friend of the mother, and
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sings," Jim Thigbin deft) reminisces his
? and Craig Downing. (Photo by John
alentfusion
from the other bands. We do mix some of
our other work in, though," Phillips said.
There is nothing phony about the band.
They don't feature flashy costumes with a
brilliant light show. They just play good
rock and roll
Dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans
complete with knee pads, guitarist Phillips
attacked every song with renewed energy.
Calder, vocalist for the group, at times
seemed possessed by the intense performance,
dancing in spasms across the
stage. Behind them, bassist Bill Hay,
drummer Doug Landsburg, and guitarist
Pete Jarkunas played in deep concentration.
The lyrics are tough and straight-forward.
Phillips and Calder do not write sugarf?n;?t#?d
b;iIbids Thoir wnrrts; :irr? ;ik hard as
their rock. Phillips calls their style
"original rock."
"I hope the Sin 2 Z's can record sometime.
It's a matter of economic situation," he
said.
Currently the Glenn Phillips Band has an
album entitled, "Dark Lights", due for
release in late January. The Swimming Pool
Q's have an album, as yet untitled, due for
release this spring.
-- "1
stic, s
James Freeman who plays ?
one of the sons. Ray Kenned
perfect character of the pries
a convincing performance o
way.
Much credit should be giv
designer as well as the light
crew. Dee Albritton succeeded
stage set the authentic appeal
USC En
0 M A
writes/
By Lynn Massey
As*t Fntsrtairm.cnt Eauor
USC's English pre ossor
John MacNicholas will be
presenting his "first fulllength
drama" at the
Workshop Theatre through
the first of February.
"Crossings" is an extraodinary
play about an
Irish/American family who
try to deal with dark secrets,
selfishness, religious differences,
and other personal
conflicts. The play takes
place in New England
around the 192' during the
(imo r\f (hi nrnhihitifin
something the Irish did not
consider to be such a "great
thing."
"Although the family is
Irish, it is an American
play," MacNicholas said.
This family struggles to
make it in a small mill town
while at the same time they
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personal problems.
MacNicholas became
interested in this era while
studying author James
Joyce for his doctorate
degree. The Irish immigration
into America did
not begin until the 19th
century when millions made
new homes in the New
England states already
established by the Puritan
nr1nnt<; n ff?vju ^nntiir-iov:
earlier. This alone created a
social barrier which pushed
the Irish in a lower class
with little education and too
much illness. The play is set
at a time when a Catholic, A1
Smith, runs for president,
but is later soundly beat by
Hoover. The idea of
Catholics having power was
night in the Golden Spur, f
ensiti
i "fri??nd *m the production
y portray a "ici. typical*
it. He projects is complete v
f Father Con- cupboards, ani
With the e
'en to the set termissions b
ing and sound Theatre succ<
d in giving the tation of MacF
ranee need for an intriguing p
glish pr
\mericc
a hot political issue then and
was still controversial when
John Kennedy became
president. However, the
power conflict between the
two classes is hashed out
wun everytning else in the
production
THERE IS ALSO a more
personal reason for MacNicholas
researching this
time period. His grandparents,
whom he never
knew, were of Irish desecnt
and were living during this
trying time. Writing a play
of this kind was a way of
attempting to understand
<gBS
John MacNicholas
t t-w>%?
ii hj wiucciis u icy iictu iu
contend with.
The professor spent five
years off and on completing
this work. Although the main
ideas never changed, the
script had to be written six
times. However, MacNicholas
had a script he was
KnfA**n c#oi*linrt
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the production with Director
Harvey Golden. It was
after a few rehearsals that
MacNicholas realized that
improvements could be
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? Z's pauses before finishi,
Photo by Jose Panganiban)
ve
i. The setting is a kitchen and
of a mill house in the 1920s. It
vith an old fashion ice box,
rl 1 II
m uiciiuw-iuiicu wan (Mpci .
xception of the lengthy inetween
acts, the Workshop
eeded in their first presen4icholas's
play. It is definitely
erformance to see.
ofessor
in play
made in the th<rd art. Tin
minor alterations only
changed the original script
less than 10 percent.
MacNicholas is pleased
with the progress of the
production so far. He has
worked closely with Golden
and they mutually agree on
the way the work should be
presented. "He respects it,"
MacNicholas said. He is also
content with the rest of the
production staff, especially
set designer Dee Albritton
Albritton has revealed a
talent for creating the appropriate
atmosphere
necessary for the focus of the
play, according to Mac
Nicholas.
"Crossings ' prei <,e?:l
Wednesday night I1 , an
engrossing work unravelling
i the fiber of the ()'Brian
family, but is not presenting
.. r.,. * .o .-I f
t ?n v ^vaiai ?> i a i v 111 v. 111
[ MacNicholas said. "It
(wasn't written to prove
anything."
i
AFTER (JETTIMl his
undergraduate degree in
Chapel Hill. N C MacNicholas
obtained his doctorate
degree in English at
the University of Texas.
There he produced his first
play as a graduate student
i A .. *
ami ai.M> wruie Mnnr penury
and fiction. He came to L'SC
in 1973 and now leaches
British American Literature
and Shakespeare. MacNicholas
plans to continue to
concentrate on drama and
already has two on the
drawing board. For now, he
plans to concentrate on the
progress of his latest
production.
ng a number Wednesday