The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 13, 1981, Page Page 7, Image 7
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Staff Writ?r !f||
"Holy Ghosts," performed J
at Longstreet Theatre this
weekend and directed by
Connie Blankenship, offered 8
a glimpse of a diverse group I
of characters. ' J
A rustic scene design hplns H
set the appropriate environment
in which this I
cluster of unusual charac- H
ters can meet. Initially we
see Nancy Shedman,
(Fredrica Lawlor), who has j
left her husband and joined
Amalagamation Holiness |P
Church With Signs
Following, a snake-handling
.L. ml i *
cnurcu. x ne inemoers 01 mis H|
church are backwoods folk, ?j
each with his own unusual
story to tell. Though a bit out ?
of the ordinary, they offer a
love which Nancy needs. To ^
add conflict to the play, c
Nancy's husband, Coleman d
(Michael E)owell) brings a fi
lawyer (MicKey Aberman) e
to find Nancy at the church t<
and demand a divorce, a
However, Coleman, as well 1<
as the audience, is pulled
into and accepts this group
of what appears at first sight s
to be lunatics. u
K
The script, written by h
Romulus Linney, offers w
many jiifferent character a
roles. The most delightful u
element of the play springs e
from this cast's com- c
mittment and imagination in c
bringing these characters to c
life. George Nannarello, p
playing Carl Specter, a man n
Howard Rudd testifies to
Jose Panganiban)
Soaps i
Bv Kim A
Spoclal to the G
Julie and Claire were loungini
the early rays of spring. The win*
towels with leaves, and in the b
was wailing Chuck Mangione's 4
propped her sunglasses on her he
"Have you been watching 'One
IIXT- M ni-f ; J ?!1L - ?l-:.
ixu, Claire saiu, wun a wnn
class every day at 2:00. What's b<
"You won't believe it," Julie s?
news she thought everyone had
getting together!"
"YOU'RE KIDDING" Claire a
bottle of "Bain de Soleil" in disg
old enough to be her father!"
Thosfi of von who arp addicted
cite many different reasons f
depending on the soap in which y<
"Guiding Light" fan likes the cl
berlain: "She goes after what sh
or scruples whatsoever, and s
Another student watches "G<
romance: "I watched it to. see
together, and then I just got I
ainmen
I **
Congregation members t
uckhorn about the chur
anganiban)
razed over the loss of his
og, moves the audience
nm lailflhtop tn to arc Hie
IMW^IIVVI W VX/UIO. lUkJ
nthusiasm and quickness to
jll his story makes him
ppear both crazy and
>vable.
SALL1E PLATT also
upplies laughter and
rarmth with her character,
[er story makes us laugh at
ow foolish people can be
rhen they try to conform;
nd she helps spread the
warmth of the love that
xists among this collage of
haracters. Warmth and
aring are also present in the
haracter of Cancer Man,
layed by Tim Peek. This old
nan, dying of cancer shows
Coleman about his first
i. _ $
inai ciec
cker
mecoch
g on the sun deck, catching
i was sprinkling their beach
ackground a portable radio
'Give It All You Got." Julie
ad and turned to Claire.
Life to Live' lately?"
ne in her voice. "I've got a
?en going on?-'
lid, obviously glad to tell the
heard. "Asa and Sam are
nswered, knocking over her
ust. "That is so gross! He's
to "Love in the Afternoon"
or your common passion,
ou indulge. One girl who is a
iiaracter of Vanessa Chamle
wants. She has no morals
ne s very open aooui n.
eneral Hospital" for the
Luke and I^aura get back
hooked." A young man in .
? a
ah!
II? J
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Byfe# ^ ,JS
fuatnh ac Cnlama** CA?/V^
rrwtwvr vufurriwrr wrvui-###/<
c?; J i/so of rattlesnakes.
his wisdom and gratitude at
every crisis the group encounters.
It is the other
characters' treatment of
Cancer Man which shows us
how much cood there reallv
is within the group.
Linney's script does not
however offer much to
support his plot. The
audience never really cares
whether Coleman and Nancy
get their lives straightened
out. Instead, the audience
becomes more interested in
the unique characters within
the play.
The movement from one
story to another, though
laughable, lovable, and
unusual, does not as a whole
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experience with the Holy
mse the
Preston gave a more origina
Young and The Restless": "The
that show." The one thing eve
they're pure escapism. No mati
soap character can match it
pregnancy, a murder, or a term
The one thing everybody does
the same. It's easy enough to se
a number of writers and creato
industry is controlled by an E
middle-aged man sits in front
day, turning out scripts with I
names. Then, changing the by
sent to the major networks. '
syndicate makes a killing, an
shaft. I, however, having been r
of this creativity fraud, and
evidence backing my claim.
? 4v. :? ^
ril&l, U1CIC IS II1C IMlUU-! u
City, oakdale? none of these t<
however, exceptions. "Ryan's
York City and "Texas" takes p
one out.) The clincher is that or
each town. On "The Doctors,'
?^
it.
r r w
ram a
an questions Re v.
/ rsi _ < t
frnuiu uy uosg
toward the climax of the
play in which the Reverend
Obediah Buckhorn, Sr.
allows the snakes to be
brought out. Consequently,
when Coleman, after being
moved by this worship
sci vitc, asKt? 10 uetome a
member of the church, the
audience was more amused
than understanding at his
switch in attitude.
The success of "Holy
Ghosts" depends on the
establishment of relation
ships between characters.
The mixture of commitment
and creativity from this cast
gave the play the warmth
and charm it needed to touch
its audience.
^ jjV | * ; ' '' ^ | ^
- '^ ^"r^vj:"'-"- as! KGBHB
? ; " ~ ~ ^ ]
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: v^ . fira
wri(#?yi? 19 #vuc%/ /
soul
1 reason for watching "The
j women are better looking on
rybody does agree on is that
ter what problem you have, a
and add to it an unwanted
inai mness.
n't agree on is that they're all
ie, even though the credits list
rs. In reality, the entire soap
astern syndicate. A balding,
of a typewriter eight hours a
blanks left for the character
lines on each copy, they are
rhe writer is paid well, the
d the public never sees the
aised on television, am aware
would like to point to the
? I ~ .4 1^ 1 /I
i im'ttie. run rvoyai, vjreiu>a
)\vns really exist. (There are,
Hope" takes place in New
>lace in? well you figure that
ily one of everything exists in
' there is only one bar? The
S?e Soaps, page 8
A A/f I
Commentary
W j < ml
Lets recognize
fih/D/if/?** fnr //5*i f
Walk into any rehearsal of a university iheater
production, sit down and observe. In no time, you'll come
to realize that the students who act, direct, work
backstage and just help with the play are definitely
special. jj
They are unpaid and overworked. They go to classes, |
ieaa social lives ana learn meir lines. Ana wnen tne ngnts
illuminate at Longstreet Theatre, Booker T. Washington
Auditorium, Drayton Hall or wherever, these ordinary
students bring to life characters who stir our
imaginations, challenge our creativity and arouse our
emotions.
Pnr a thrw nr.sivjlav run mnnthc r?f nrantioo inH
jb W? m v?M v> VIM J * unt IllVllillO V/? pi UV-IIW Ul 1U
preparation take form and when it's over, student I
regroup, try out again for the next show and start th? I
cycle over again, learning lines and knowing "haract* r?.l
ONE NEED ONLY see a university Mainstage or I
Showcase play to appreciate the intense rehearsing and |
aeaicauon wnicn is so rare in tne theater today. And the I
theater-goers should make it a point to check the ac- I
tors'/actresses' expressions and gestures, for thev are the I
! highlight of any play. I
Saturday night, Romulus Linney's "Holy Ghosts" was |
presented to those of us with enough foresight to realize I
that every USC theater production contains some element |
t=rTGePT3c
*
"Holy Ghosts" had each of these components and the
audience about 220 pc jple enjoyed the play for the most
part. However, it was distressing to see rows of green
seats remain empty throughout the two-hour production
and during the shows the previous two nights.
Advertising, to some extent, could be better in these
university plays but a large problem remains in the basic
thinking of college students toward the theater Tn
people, Friday and Saturday night activities end with
going to movies, local bars or attending parties at dorms, i
ALTHOUGH NOTHING is wrong with freedom of
choice, it should be pointed oiSt that university theater
needs to be and should be supported by USC students.
Those that have seen USC theater realize the quality
production ana worn inai goes mio an enjoyaDie per
formance such as "Holy Ghosts." ]
The theme of "Holy Ghosts" was the fact that people |
should accent new wavs of thinking and other nennle's I
peculiarities. At the end of the play, character Coleman
Shedman finally accepU this new idea of a strange
religion. In much the same way, both USC students and
Columbia residents should be ooen to accent live theater
- ? K ? 1
which is so valuable to the enrichment of our local entertainment.
Ask a university actor or actress to do the seemingly !
impossible and it will be done. A foreign language can be
learned, a bizarre accent can be implemented by an actor
or a physical trait can be copied. The versatile theater |
performer is as different as characters they recreate.
Dedication seems to be a word to most people but '
university theater transforms the word into reality. And
the only way for that dedication and talent to be responded
to is with appreciative, intelligent, optimistic audiences:
the same kind of people who shell out money to hear a rock
band play at a bar.
GO TO A USC theater production and make a living
thing more alive.
\ Nancy Shed man, played by Fredrica Law lor,
I comforts Rev. Buckhorn in "Holy Ghosts. " j