Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Vyi Jr Amateur theati W a NEIL HALLIDAY Staff Writer I 1 "Fiddler on the Roof m (out of four) W 7 hile an amateur ?A/ dramatic perforf Vf mance of just about anything is something I would normally avoid like the plague, the current Town Theater production of Joseph Stein's "Fiddler on the Roof," is a pleasant mw change from the normal fumbling of lines ml and collapsing scenery you would usual MJj& ly associate with this kind of performance. Set in the tiny Russian hamlet of Anatevka at the turn of the century, the story ethan myerson The Gamecock follows the daily life of the Jewish community (which is trying to cope against the anto-Semitic policies of the Tzar). In particular, the local milkman, Tevye, who is beseiged from all sides by complaining customers, a nagging wife and five daughters (upon whom he has no dowry to bestow in order to marry them off). The action revolves around him and his ques tioning, but respectful conversations with God as to why the almighty seems to enjoy targeting him for fun. These little talks become more and more frequent when Tevye's three eldest daughters decide to find husbands for themselves,and each new husband is more unacceptable to Tevye than the last; a task traditionally left to the village matchmaker with the blessing of the father. VComin ? Soon. H ^ ^ 888 8888 8888 m I I Mktpn. mmmimmmmmmmmi V See ^The Gamec ror ^ The Gamecock CA^I^p|:N/ 5^ | Raising the J1 [oof e doesn't fiddle around rm_ i. .11 1 *i. *i i__ ___i _i_ ine casi an nam 11 up mercnessiy, wmcn is a tremendous boost to the evening (subtlety is not really required for this musical). The lead players all do themselves proud as regards to their acting and, more importantly, their singing. In particular Johnathan Leader as Tevye (who looks as though he was positively designed to play the harassed dairyman and does a pleasing rendition of the song 'If I Were a Rich Man*), Nancy Shane as his scolding wife Golde (again an ideal role) and Lauren Tyler, Kimbi Lee Glenn and Lolly Kramer as Tevye's three eldest daughters: Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava. X11& 1 cot U1 U1C cuou uu a p CtUJ )U^cent job,the most notable being Steve Onley as the belligerent butcher Lazar Wolf and Patrick Kramer as Tzeitel's timid husband Motel. The musician nimbers, unsurprisingly, are far better than the ham acting; none of the cast could get the Jewish/Russian accent dead-on and most had the good sense not to try. Emalee E. Robbins directs the singing and dancing peasants in a good natured manner, and Greg Boatwright on keyboard and Ami Cafaro on percussion do an excellent job of supplying Jerry Bock's musical score. While this production is hardly outstanding, it deserves full marks for the effort and energy that all concerned throw into it. m\ 688 S8S8 8888 888 i888$ S888 8888 888 !888$ W I * I SB mmmmmmmmm ock^ Friday, October 7, 1994 The USC Symphony presented its second per Koger Center. Donald Portnoy directed and | Soloist, 'Machine' cr ASHLEY BALL Staff Writer - ' t Thursday evening at the Koger Center, The Big ^ ATncio T IQP'o Q\fmrtliAn\f IVXLAOI^ lyxciv^iiiiic o KJJ xupiiyjiij v^i uiwwa blew the audience away with a performance, and a ? soloist, not soon to be forgotten. " ? This was the symphony's second performance in a string of seven concerts this season, with each con- ^ cert featuring a different soloist. Last night, it was Julliard School graduate pianist Gail Niwa who left ? everyone in awe after giving the Schumann Piano Q Concerto, which she will also be playing soon with Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. t Niwa is the first woman ever to win the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, a tri- ^ ennial competiton last held in 1994 at the Symphony Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah. "It was two weeks of competition," Niwa said, r "six rounds, and they could only choose six finalists." s Niwa was also the only American finalist. "In y 1991, even Russia began to participate," she said. t "It's like an Olympics of piano players." y Niwa, who has been playing piano since she was r four years old ("I'm told that I was asking for piano lessons at two and a half years old!" she laughed), p is quite an inspirational figure. Even though she is 0 only 34, she has won the Gina Bachauer Competition and been given rave reviews for her recital ap- d pearance on the prestigious Allied Artists Series in Y Chicago and has traveled all over the world to play a piano. a "My favorite place was probably Amsterdam," h Niwa said, "and of course I love the Orchestra Hall a in Chicago, since I'm a Chicagoan." tl But going from city to city can be hard. n "It is gruelling just doing a one-night show and f( Nothing could be fii 1 1 imnM^HCTrE jl|x m * < sRHS^v m vHr 9 9 ' V-f'^X.v:^ ' '"^ BBSr^ "f/ > |B r\v'v<%k^ I l^h WARNER BROS, pr a JERRY WEINTRAUB production a film by LUIS LLOSA JAMES WOODS "THE SPECIALIST" with RO ed^JACK HOFSTRA, a.c.e. pJWSJEFFREY L.KIMBALL producers STEVE BARRON & JEFF MOST and CHUCI ,, m ^^JERRY WEINTRAUB D |(s) i soundtrack albums on crescent moow PENS OCTOBER 7 7 l g&|? JPKT * * <*?' ^P|^_ MAGGIE CAMPBELL The Gamecock formance of the season last night at the lianist Gail Niwa was featured. ank it up at Koger hen moving on. Sometimes I try to stay for a few iays and look around, like when I played in Greece." Tm really looking forward to going back to Chica;o and playing with the Chicago Symphony Orhestra again," she said. Her father has been a member of the CSO violin section since 1951. "It was great getting to play for a younger crowd lere," she said. "The audiences usually seem to be ;etting older. I really don't believe that classical muic has to be such a stuffy affair ? I think that every>ne should enjoy it." And it looked as though everyone who attended he concert enjoyed it immensely. Dr. Donald Portloy conducted the orchestra through a mesmeriz ng rendition of Brahams' Symphony No. 2 in D Maar, op. 73. "The USC Symphony Orchestra is one of the top ated university symphonies in the United States," aid Noelle DeAtley, public relations. "Dr. Portnoy ias worked with this group for nine years, and has aken it from a small chamber group to a huge, wonlerful orchestra. He's extremely passionate about nusic, and pulls the best out of us." "Orchestra is the high point of my day," agreed tachel Miser, a first-year graduate student in the rchestra. "It's what I look forward to the most." The orchestra's next concert will be on TVmrs [ay, November 17, at 7:30, and will feature not ony the winners of the Young Artist Competition, but ilso the music of Libby Larsen, an incredible upmd-coming American composer- Tickets are reguarly $12, but are $9 for seniors and USC faculty/staff, ind only $6 for students, and can be purchased at lie Roger Center, the Coliseum Box Office, or by lail. Season tickets are also available. For more inirmation, call 251-6333. iei than Carolina! ESH193 'x&yffllMB&K&&& 'Mel tjH^l h^B ;^p ' jon^ >^H 1 5 ESENTS sylvester stallone sharon stone d steiger AND eric roberts , A.s c. mus?john barry producer r.j.louis ( binder ^alexandra seros^-^ ,becteeSluis llosa epicsounotraxi * t,mf co^ \^jy EVERYWHERE ' I *> , jtf r$S