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Carolina Life ? .? ___?. 4 THE GAMECOCK Friday, December 8,1989 'House of Blue Leaves' opens U Production f By ELIZABETH LYNCH Staff Writer The curtain will rise at 8 p.m. tonight for the opening production of The House of Blue Leaves at the T 4-- 4. ti - l-uiigsircei ineaire. The comedy/drama will be a predominantly undergraduate production, said student director Elise Wilkins, a junior drama major. Wilkins said The House of Blue Leaves plot includes everything from an adulterous affair, a visit from the pope, the Vietnam War and the swallowing of hearing aids. 'The play is a comedy. However, it has underlining themes with serious endings. It's about humiliation and how far we will go to avoid it," Wilkins said. The play takes place in Queens, N.Y., in 1965. The main focus of the show follows the life of struggling songwriter Artie Shaughnessy, performed by sophomore media arts major Stephano Andreas. "Artie has confidence in his ability as a songwriter, but he's traDDed in Oueens because- r?f hie 1nv#? f - hie wife and his fear of leaving," Andreas said. Andreas said he believes The House of Blue Leaves is especially appropriate for college students. "Just like Artie, we all have a fear of the unknown and an ignorance of what's available out there in life," he said. Other characters in the play include Bananas, Artie's wacky wife; Bunny, a gum popping, brassy New Yorker; a bomb-making 17-year old; Corrina, an almost deaf actress; Corrina's husband Billy and three beer-drinking nuns. Wilkins said it is symbolic that the play is situated in Queens during the 1960s. "John Guarre (the playwright) chose this setting because in the '60s, many families moved to Queens with the hopes of eventually moving to Manhatten. These people wanted to move up to a better lifestyle, just like Artie in the play," she said. The House of Blue Leaves is funded by Student Lansbury to do '] By The Associated Press ppigjl^l # LOS ANGELES ? Another mystery MJJ a has been solved. fl Angela Lansbury has agreed to return for a seventh season in CBS's hiehest-rated en tertainment show, "Murder, She Wrote." j Miss Lansbury had not planned to return l/? V for 1990-91, but CBS reached an agreement L for next season, said Howard Stringer, presi- appear in dent of the CBS Broadcast Group. pearance; "Murder, She Wrote," in which Lansbury essentiall plays a mystery novelist who keeps happen- Mil ing upon murders, is CBS' only hit entertain- chairman ment show. Usually, Miss Lansbury's show pany Guc and "60 Minutes" are the only CBS shows to nocent of make the 20 top shows in the A.C. Nielsen court. Co. ratings. In No^ Her return is so important to CBS that the one-year network has granted her enormous conces- $760 afte sions. The agreement calls for Lansbury's also was production company to develop a series for shares of next season that she won't be appearing in. father, Rc To get her to return for the current season, The M CBS financed the establishment of her pro- Gucci an duction company and said she only had to signature ADVERTISING & MAI EARN & I The Gamecock Advertising Seeking Students Interest! and Classified Assistant Pc APPLICATIONS AND INFORr IN RUSSELL HOU OR CALL 7 CORRECTION- DEADLINE FOR APP tv "singers * dancer | 1990-Au ?2 Open call auditions for performers 16 SIX Fl years of age or older. aii regi SINGERS must bring music in their key FRIDA HH and may be asked to dance. (No Six FIc a cappella auditions and no taped (Cryst accompaniment, please. A piano 10 a.n and accompanist will be available.) Bands fcfl (No R< DANCERS will be given a combination * D m by our choreographer and should be prepared to sing. Applic locatic ^ CALL-BACK AUDITIONS will be on the Sunday following General Auditions. M Of Please be prepared to attend, if I yj selected. fcp 2 o night features 60s life Government and sponsored by the Experimental Theatre Organization. "The ETO has been in existence for three years. It gives the undergraduates the opportunity to participate in the theater experience much like this," Wilkins said. Wilkins said it is rare for undergraduates to have the chance to perform in the large Longstreet Theatre. 1 l J ? iviusi unucrgiauuaie proaucuons are perrormea at tne considerably smaller theater on Benson Street. The play involves more than 25 students. "At times it was hard being the student director, especially when it came to directing my peers and telling them what to do when we are the same age. Luckily, everybody has been really good about trusting my decision," Wilkins said. Wilkins said directing The House of Blue Leaves was like a dream come true. "Directing a play is like seeing a life-form going from script and growing to life. Everyone is very proud of the work; I can't believe it's really going to happen," Wilkins said. The play has special meaning to both the star and director. While in high school at the Fine Arts Center in Greenville, Andreas and Wilkins had leading roles in The House of Blue Leaves. Due to theatrical diffrences, the show was forced to close down just weeks before opening night. "The play almost got there. It never got its full glory, and this is my attempt to bring it back," Wilkins said. ((T . t- ' 1 ? 4 ? * - i ininK we re an reaay 10 go ana win ao a gooa job. We've been rehearsing for six weeks and are ready for opening night," Andreas said. The House of Blue Leaves will run at Longstreet Theatre tonight and Saturday only. Curtain goes up at 8 p.m. and tickets are $3 for students and senior citizens and $5 for adults. Murder, She Wrol ?__ _ rj shares, to make it I took place before R J 1 11 J I ? * 1983. The lower coi 10 eva^e inheritance _ But the appeals -S- L% sy yt S)1 i) & ^at Gucci and six < Is f l/Ks f l/Ks (As didn't commit the cr : LOS ANGELE t 13 episodes. She makes brief ap- Berle had dental s ; in nine other episodes, which are Medical Center anc y pilots for other series. spokesman said. .AN, Italy ? Maurizio Gucci, Berle, 81, underw of the Italian luxury goods com- and remained hospi :cio Gucci SPA, has been found in- hospital spokesman 1 attempted fraud by a Milan appeals "He felt he wan Wise said. /ember 1988, Gucci was given a Berle, known to i suspended prison term and a fine of sion" and as the star r being convicted of tax fraud. He during the medium's ordered to pay inheritance tax on ruple bypass heart su Gucci he had received from his # LONDON ? I idolfo. Reagan had tea wit ilan court had ruled that Maurizio garet Thatcher at the anged the forgery of his father's 10 Downing St. resid on the documents, giving him the The wife of forme RKETING MAJORS I ^ .EARN Department Is Currently I 3d In Account Executive )sitions For Spring 1990. NATION ARE AVAILABLE SE ROOM 323 77-3888. LICATIONS: DECEMBER 12, 1989 | L IS*VARIETY ACTS>J r dition i -B I LAGS OVER GEORGIA AUDITIONS strations begin 30 minutes prior to scheduled call. V & SATURDAY, JANUARY 19 & 20 ES igs Over Georgia, Atlanta, GA al Pistol Music Hall) n. ? Call for Dancers, Variety Acts; Ml >, including C&W, Top 40, and Bluegrass. PI DCk Bands) . ? Singers' Call rations will be available at audition Ml Dns for Technical and Wardrobe positions. :X FLAGS' a EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER ^ ligg uooiie wennan (L?an Akroyd) stands with his mother, Southeri matron Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy) in the film Driving Misi Daisy, which opens at Columbia theatres soon. ! :e' for seventh season appear that the transfer Britain promoting her book, My Turn. odolfo Gucci's death in A spokesman for Thatcher said Reaga irt said Gucci was trying 45-minute visit Wednesday was "a priv taxes. call." He gave no details on thi court ruled Wednesday conversation. others accused with him DALLAS ? Dr. J is ready to oper ime. again ? but this time as an owner. iS ? Comedian Milton Julius Erving, who dazzled National I urgery at Cedars-Sinai sketball Association fans for 16 years w I was in good shape, a his high-flying dunk shots, has notifi league Commissioner David Stern that il 'ent surgery on Tuesday franchise becomes available, he would li talized Wednesday, said to be considered for ownership. *on Wise. Erving and business partner Bruce Llew ted to stay overnight," lyn purchased a Coca-Cola bottling plant Philadelphia shortly after Erving retired frc iiillions as "Mr. Televi- the 76ers. The two have several other bu of his own variety show ness interests. Golden Age, had quadrgery in 1985. "I would be interested in being part of "ormer first lady Nancy good situation," Erving said in Dallas at h Prime Minister Mar- athletic forum Tuesday. "My partner and ? ? ? * ? * * - J ' - - * 1 -??? uuuau iujuw a umciai are interested in owning a oasKetoaii teai lence. but the timing has to be right, and the dc r President Reagan is in has to be right." DONT CHKKEN OUT. EXCUSES DONT SAVE LIVES. BLOOD DOES. + American Red Cross Got a news tip? Call The Game 9151 I- Beat the Clock! takes the stage for CPU dance By OCTAVIA WRIGHT Staff writer At the first Carolina Program Union's Christmas dance tonight, USC students will be taken on a musical journey back through the Iuau3 ui unit. The Top 40 musical group Beat the Clock! will perform songs like Carol King's "It's Too Late" and Doby Gary's "Drift Away." Even though the band does remakes, the songs are rearranged by I its members. Singer and songwriter David Sanders said, "We call our version of 'Drift Away' 'Best Boys.' We give it a funky sound like The E. U. Band with added brass." The band concentrates on a variety of Top 40 music specifically for their concerts. "We do Tone Loc, Steve Winwood, Paula Abdul and Jody Watley among others. Our goal is to keep people on the dance floor," Sanders said. However, the band had to make several changes in order to support their variety. For example, three years ago the band was all-male and was originally called Thin Man. "At the time, Madonna, Jody Watley and other female singers were very popular. So, we thought that it would be a good idea to have a female singer," Sanders 1 said. f The female members he speaks of are M'Lissa Richardson, principal female singer, and Lisa Miller on the sound board. According to Sanders, they've given the band a new sort of chemistry. Even though the band focuses on remakes for their concerts, a n's promotional album of original ma <uc icriai is currenuy in ine works, rir "We're basically compiling things and finding more songs and selectate ing the ones that we're going to put on the album," Sanders said. 5a- Sanders and Fred Hudson, the ith principal male singer, and other ed members work together to come F a up with their own unique sound. "I ike write classical rock music like the early Genesis and Steve Win wood el- or Boz Skaggs," Sanders said. USC students may get a chance >m to hear one of their originals durs' ing a slow groove tonight. "We have pulled out some of our original ballads in dances. We're usua ally able to get away with it better an that way," Sanders said. I I The show is scheduled to begin m, at 9 p.m. and end at 1 a.m. in the sal Russell House Ballroom. Refreshments will be provided, and admis? sion is free. The program is being ? sponsored by CPU's Contemporary Sounds Committee and the Freshman Council. United VW^u of the Midlands cock at 777-7726 V n