'Hedonism' allows students to direct own plays

Kara Hodge - Entertaiment Beat

Webster's Dictionary defines hedonism as the devotion of pleasure as a way of life. And the Department of Theatre and Dance's One Acts I have devoted a night to just that: an evening of self-indulgent theatre. "Hedonism," the title of One Acts I, consists of two student-run and -directed plays.

The first of the two is "Bachelor Holiday," written by Alan Ball. It's the story of three post-graduate males who discuss karma, death, life and their place in the food chain after they find a mouse stuck in a glue trap. In a setting of daytime game shows and tequila shots, the three slackers do some soul searching as they realize their roommates' faults and their own. Randy Davis plays Ford, Matt Harris plays Norris and Hunter Thore is Hunter. Jason Denton directs and Carmen Watson serves as stage manager.

The second of the set is "Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World" written by Peter Parnell. Dennis, a young architect, receives a call from his mother saying that his best friend from childhood, Scooter Thomas, has just died.

As Dennis packs for the trip to the funeral he recalls memories from their relationship in brief, bittersweet scenes during which he plays both himself and other characters. The play examines the choices people make when youthful expectations challenge the realities of adulthood. Randy Davis plays Dennis and Hunter Thore is Scooter. Matt Harris directs with Noah Jones serving as stage manager.

As the project of Directing II class, One Acts' plays are selected, directed, produced and cast solely by the students. The two plays that encompass "Hedonism" are connected thematically and delve into the worries of young men who are facing the adult world. "Think of it as a male version of Pieces of She," laughed Randy Davis.

Davis, a senior, has been acting since the 5th grade and is president of the honors theatre fraternity, Alpha Psi Omega. His most prized acting was done last year in the "Complete Works Abridged" and the "History of William Shakespeare," both written by the Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Matt Harris, who claims Davis' choices as his favorite work too, got his start at the age of six in a play entitled "The Littlest Angel." Harris, a senior in the department, when asked what his career goals are, replied, "Seeking pleasure at all costs."

Hunter Thore, a junior, is the student who chose "Bachelor Holiday" for One Acts I.

Thore was eight when he started acting and played in "Bus Stop" and "2: Goering at Nuremburg" last year.

Jason Denton, on the other hand, didn't get his start in theatre until later in life. In fact, he won his first acting role in college by arm wrestling one of the actors. The actor's arm broke in the match by accident and Denton, who was directing the play, took his role. Denton originally took drama in high school to help with his public speaking skills and is now a Theatre Education major.

Harris, Thore and Davis are natural together in the plays, each playing off of their friendships and life experiences. All three have been roommates in real life at one point and their ability to read the other's emotions is incredible.

The plays are funny and serious, deep and lighthearted all at the same time.

"There's really something to sink your teeth into," said Harris. "But you should come if you want to laugh your face off," Thore replied to his fellow actor.

"Hedonism" will run Sept. 20-23 in the Greer Arena Theatre. The show starts at 8 p.m. nightly and the cost is $3. Tickets are on sale in the Valborg Theatre Box Office, which is open from 2-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or at 7 p.m. the night of the performance.

For more information or for ticket reservations, call the Department of Theatre and Dance at 262-3063.

DiFranco keeps audience under control, good performance

Kara Hodge -Entertaiment Beat

In the hazy air of Ovens Auditorium, three figures of Wonder Woman, painted on the backdrop of the stage, stared back at the crowd to the sounds of techno. The audience, a group of hip 20-somethings mixed in with the usual teenagers, was clad in straps, bellbottoms and a rainbow of dyed hair.

The masses waited eagerly for something to appear in front of them. Finally, the backdrop disappeared and the real Wonder Woman showed up. This time she had a guitar in her hands.

Ani DiFranco, singer, songwriter, producer and founder of her own label, Righteous Babe Records, continued her tour in Charlotte last Wednesday, supporting her latest album "To The Teeth." The show opened up with Kurt SwinghammerÕs band Vostok 6, a techno/folk production inspired by the Soviet space missions. But the real inspiration for the night came from the main event, Ani DiFranco.

DiFranco played her guitar like it was a life force, pulling the crowd into a high-energy frenzy. Covering five songs from her older albums and a few from her latest, she played for a little over an hour, including one short encore.

DiFranco set the mood for the intimate gathering of 500 or so people. And the crowd obeyed her like children, as she commanded them to their seats to listen to her slow ballads and back to their feet as she rocked out. Her songs covered issues that most songs do, issues like love, anger, loss and good-byes. Yet this woman's songs said something more as she felt out the vibe of the venue and moved to accommodate it. Her set went from hard to soft, mellow to rough, bringing the emotion of the audience full circle with her.

She told stories about her life between sets, stories about speeding tickets and interviews with local journalists who informed her that she played the same night a certain female pop star was.

She laughed about the feminism movement among artists who weren't old enough to drink legally, then said her own bit to the young women in the crowd, "It makes me sick that there is a cultural necessity to suck the purpose out of feminism to make it cute again."

Her performance was incredible. She danced and moved all over the stage, causing the crowd to do the same. In fact, there were only a few people that weren't moving on the floor and they were the ones staring at her, mesmerized by her presence and voice.

The highlights of the night included her covering "Swing" from her latest album and an unreleased song that will be featured on her next work that spoke of bad decisions and good outcomes.

The only set back of the concert was that she didn't play as long as the crowd would have liked, which would have been all night.

Overall, it was one of the best small concerts this critic's been to in a while. The show was worth the steep ticket price and more.

If you like folk, jazz or just a good performance, check out Ani DiFranco the next time she comes to our area.

The Corrs Vs. Barenaked Ladies Celtic Pop takes on Canadian Rock

Ian Hutchinson - Entertainment Beat

This isn't going to be a pretty sight, but then, Barenaked Ladies were ugly to begin with.

Barenaked Ladies, who are neither barenaked nor ladies, have re-emerged with their latest album "Maroon" amidst a flurry of other recent releases. Their opponent, an Irish brother/sister quartet known as The Corrs (not to be confused with the beer), also have resurfaced with their most recent effort "In Blue."

Both bands are worthy contenders for champion status. While Barenaked Ladies (BNL) have a great American following, The Corrs are no stranger to chart success overseas. As stated before, this isn't going to be pretty, which is a shame because all the Corr sisters are quite attractive.

Punch for punch, both albums maintain an excellent pace and a great variety of music. The Corrs "In Blue" 143 Records

The Corrs address the topics of love, nostalgia, friendship and the need for comfort on "Blue." While this album may come off as a lovey-dovey, vaguely Celtic, Wilson Phillips wannabe on the first listen, the depth of "Blue" emerges the second time around.

The Corrs' strong pop sensibilities don't overrun their Celtic base, however, the Celtic influence is more prominent on some tracks while fairly subtle on others. Fortunately, both of those elements never fail to compliment one another. The best tracks on this album are "Breathless," "Somebody for Someone,"

"Radio," "No More Cry" and "Rain." "Radio" gives each band member a chance to shine. The nostalgic song stays true to its topic while Jim Corr introduces a riff that reminded this U2 fan of classics like "I Will Follow."

Sharon Corr weaves a murmuring Celtic undertone on violin while Caroline Corr provides a driving beat and sister Andrea tops off the song with honey-lipped vocals.

The Barenaked Ladies "Maroon" Reprise Records

Armed with an endless supply of wit and strong rock n rock chops, the Barenaked Ladies make a strong showing on "Maroon."

One of the most intriguing aspects of this album is that it reminds you of something, but you can't really put your finger on it. It's on the tip of your tongue, but you canÕt quite place it because even though it sounds like someone else, itÕs still really Barenaked Ladies.

The standout tracks of "Maroon" are "Pinch Me," "Never Do Anything," "Falling for the First Time," "Sell Sell Sell" and "The Humor of the Situation."

"Falling for the First Time" is a definite classic for BNL. The music is simple, straight-forward acoustic rock but the clever chorus is the real heart of "First Time." "Anyone perfect must be lying, anything easy has its cost/Anything plain can be lovely, anything loved can be lost/ What if I lost my direction, What if I lost sense of time/ What if I nursed this infection, maybe the worst is behind."

"Sell Sell Sell" is a savvy commentary on commercialism in which the lyrics are dealt out in an "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General," kind of way.

The Winner?

If placed in the ring, a confrontation between The Corrs' "In Blue" and BNL's "Maroon" would end in a double KO. If this judge had to add the fight up blow-for-blow, it would still be a tie.

Those who are craving some real, heartfelt, wholesome pop music (i.e. NOT Britney "Take it off" Spears) made by real musicians you should certainly check out "In Blue" by The Corrs. If wit is what you desire (and honestly, Limp Bizkit is lacking in that department) BNL's "Maroon" is a sure-fire pick-me-up.

Anxieties of Rush relieved as sorority bids are matched

Jenny Trest -Features Beat

There was tremendous excitement. There was laughing and lots of hugging. There were girls gathered all over Sanford Mall on Friday afternoon for Sorority Bid Day activities.

And there was a whole lot of screaming. Everywhere, sororities were showing their newest pledges the true spirit of their organizations. Everyone looked to be having a great time.

The pressure of the past week of Rush was finally over, and the girls on the Mall had accepted their bids.

"It was a long week," said one rushee.

The rough week was characterized by the stressful days of getting to know the different sororities and trying to decide which one was the right choice for them.

The crowd of young women on the Mall Friday afternoon showed eager faces, and according to some passing by, a few visibly intoxicated Rush Counselors, or Rho Chis, celebrating their final few minutes of having to hide their Greek affiliations.

"[The Rho Chis] are so excited to finally reveal themselves and hang out with their sisters again," said one rushee.

LOOKING AHEAD

The rushees picked up their bids from Plemmons Student Union on Friday around noon.

"Then a sister came and picked us up and took us to the sorority halls. They were singing and clapping when they came, and all the sisters were really excited about us being a new part of them. They all knew our full names, though since there were so many some couldn't yet match faces with names," said sophomore Liz Brown.

The afternoon on the Mall was filled with songs shouted from each sorority, mingling with new pledges and amongst all the sororities. The music was loud, but the excitement and loyalty sung by all the sororities was even louder.

"I know that I belong with these girls. It was just a feeling that I got. It was a lot of fun and I am really looking forward to it," said Brown.

Many of the sororities are planning a retreat next weekend for the new pledges to get acquainted with each other.

"I'm excited about getting to learn the history of the sorority, the founding members. Mostly, I can't wait to meet everyone," said freshman Rebecca Williamson.

"It was really fun and I am so glad I did it," said Williamson. "It was how the girls made me feel that I was able to decide. I felt really welcomed there and I fit in with them. The one I chose seemed like a really good place for me. It fit me."

"It was a lot better than I expected it to be," said another pledge. ÒThe people were a lot nicer and friendlier. I wasn't looking forward to it, but IÕm glad now that I finally did it."

By the screaming and the singing on Sanford Mall, there seems to be a lot of eager excitement raging through these girls. The rushees talked about how, even though the week was stressful, it was worth it. They were transformed in one day from rushees to the newest pledges of their respective sororities.

"I don't really know what we are doing this weekend, but I am so glad that I will be meeting new people,Ó said another pledge. "I really look forward to getting to know my new girls!"

"I just knew that if I'm going to be in a sorority, this is the one IÕm going to be in," said Brown.

LOOKING BACK

Preference parties were an emotional experience for the sisters as well as the rushees. The were bused off campus to locations such as The Broyhill Inn, Holiday Inn and The Green Park Inn to attend the parties.

"They were all really quiet and everyone was dressed up. We walked in one at a time, as they announced you, and we sat down to talk. They answered any questions I had and told me what it had meant for them personally to be a part of that sorority,Ó said Brown.

Rushees were allowed to attend only two parties, and then the decisions were made later on that evening. For some girls, the decision was difficult, while other immediately knew which one felt right.

Sisters explained to the rushees what being in their sorority meant to them. ÒThey told us what they had gotten out of being involved with their sorority, what that sorority and the sisters really meant to them,Ó said Brown.

"All the seniors were crying because it was the last time they would be able to do this. They sang songs and some of them gave speeches, though each sorority did it differently," said Brown.

Between the two Preference parties, there was a hour to have time to recuperate and write down feelings about the sorority.

"When I walked out of that room, there were tears running down my face," said Brown in reference to the sorority whose bid she took the next day. "I just knew," she said.

Choices were difficult throughout the week for many girls.

"The whole week I had been really wishy-washy. My Rho Chi had to sit down with me one night for half an hour, helping me write down the pros and cons. I had to narrow it down," said Brown of the difficulty in choosing.

"The sisters were sharing stories at the Preference parties with us about how much sisterhood meant to them. They each spoke about how they had been able to find a place in that sorority and how glad they were about being a sister. They even sang some [sentimental songs]," said Williamson.

Some of the rushees simply had a gut feeling about which group to choose after the Preference parties were over.

The week was difficult for most of the girls who experienced Rush. The parties were long and tiring but, judging by the commotion on the Mall Friday afternoon, the week was full of excitement for many girls.

Overall, the experience of Rush 2000 has inevitably changed many girls' lives and challenged more than a few to take risks.

"I went into Rush not expecting to actually pledge. I knew that I would always regret not trying it, if I didn't," said Brown. "I am so glad [I did it] now."