Page 6-Friday, January 12, 1979-The Michigan Daily 4U£ Michael Curtiz's 1942 CASABLANCA A film in a class by itself. BOGART has his best good bad-guy role as a nightclub owner in Casablanca, a place of intrigue and displaced persons in WW 11. CLAUDE RAINS, PETER LORRE & SYDNEY GREENSTREET are various breeds of scoundrels, and BERGMAN is radiant as Bogart's lost and found again love. Come and see it "for the waters." Sat: Woody Allen & Diane Keaton in SLEEPER Sun: Bogart in THE CAINE MUTINY CINEMA GUILD TONIGHT AT 7:00 & 9:05 OLD ARCH. AUD. $1.50 Civic's BY DIANE HAITHMAN1 Ann Arbor Civic Theater's opening1 shot at Bertolt Brecht's Good Person of' Szechwan was put on (and on and on) Good Person of Szechwan By Bertolt Brecht Ann Arbor Civic Theatre Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre Shenteh/Shuita..........Constance Barron ' Wang ..... ..........G. Alexander Miller Mrs. Wang......................Edna Williams Yang Sun ............................. Ed Stein , The barber ..................Peter Greenquist Mi Tzu............ Marilyn Kennedy Lin To ......................Jim Kane Mrs. Shin... ............... Aliza Shivrin 1 Klaus Bergmann, director; Richmond Friedlund, sets; Marke Bowles and Susan Maris, lighting; Eric Hansen, musical director; Babr Mostaghin, costumes with a gourmand's helping of en- thusiasm and a somewhat smaller treasure of performing prowess. As might be expected in three full hours of SINGERS * DANCERS * INSTRUMENTALISTS $170-$200/week TECHNICIANS 5150-S175/week Seasonal Performers being auditioned for: KINGS ISLAND, Cincinnati, OH KINGS DOMINION, Richmond, VA CAROWINDS, Charlotte, NC Hanna-Barbera's MARINELAND, LA, CA Preliminary and Call-Back Auditions: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor Student Union, Assembly Hall, Toes., Jan. 30; 1-7 P.M. Round-trip airfare paid for hired performers traveling over 250 miles to work at the parks. KINGS PRODUCTIONS, CIncinnatI, Ohio 45219 I good full-strength, unadulterated pithiness, there's a message - and ample time to catch it later if you miss it the first twelve times around. Good Person - nee - Good woman is symbolic with a capital "S" - all characters perform in masks. The issue of Good vs. Evil loses its comfortable black-and-white clarity as Brecht inter- twines it with the notion of the dubious societal utility of personal altruism. A PLAY as long and problematic as this one demands a high degree of stamina from its cast in order to sustain both its power and the attention of its audience. Because of this, the Civic Company may have bitten off a healthier hunk than its amateur cast can adequately chew, even though they definitely chew it slowly. However, a few very talented performers, the superb technical care typical of Civic productions, and the hearty camaraderie of the troupe itself lend scattered moments of pleasure to an otherwise lukewarm theatrical evening. Luckily, most of the performers of dubious quality fell into roles of negligible importance to the overall ef- fect of the play. The extras were just that, extra: well costumed but unfor- tunately expendable, if colorful, fluff. J " Join us. Now what are you going to do? There are large, corn-fed men at the door of every tavern especially hired to make sure that you don't have any fun; the rotating sign in front of the Ann Arbor Bank on the corner of South U. and East E. reads nine degrees, again, and you can't frolic in the Arb with your significant other. You could sit by the heater and read what other people have to say about movies, plays, dances, concerts and records, or you could lumber over to the Daily and write your own articles for some other sucker to read. We do. Informational meeting upstairs at the Daily, Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Admission: Free. Pinball, Billiards, and o wling OPEN 'til I am FRI. and SAT. at the UNION ersons succeed A few of CiVic's less notable actors managed to squeak=into roles enough for them to be annoying, however. Alexander Miller, an absolutely en- dearing gentleman, who would make a great Santa Claus, just does not make a very effective Wang (a poor water seller in- Szechwan). He unabashedly and cheerfully bumbles through the play, dropping lines left and right that get picked up all too obviously by other members of the cast. It's hard for the audience to avoid liking him - but the same cannot be said for his performan- ce. ED STEIN, who plays Yang Sun, the bad-seed boyfriend of leading-person Shen-Teh (Constance Barron) is a lawyer, not an actor. This becomes ap- parent now and then throughout the production. Although his attempt suf- fices, there is little to distinguish him from any other reasonably competent, good-looking leading man. One comes away remembering little about him. But, happily, some of Civic's best are given ample opportunity to flaunt their gifts for character comedy in suppor- ting roles. Peter Greenquist, as Shu Fu, the ultra-conventional, ingratiating barber, sends Civic's primarily white- haired audience into fits of undignified giggles as he cartwheels in the ecstasy of his love for Shen Teh. The three gods who come to Szechwan to find one really "good" person in an evil world (Bob Gatzke, Bob Mueting, and George Tsiros) delight by giving Deity a little touch of the Marx Brothers. Their ef- fect is, enhanced by the marvelous costumes of Barbara Mostaghian - complete with ersatz heads bearing almost alarmingly realistic features. And Aliza Shivrin as the Widow Shin, the nosy, penny-pinching Wicked Witch of Szechwan, +,takes everyone who comes her way for all he's got. And his. little dog, too. Constance Barron, in her neatly- handled dual role as Shen Teha heart- of-gold former prostitute, and Shen Teh's cousin, Shui Ta, is the Good Per- son of Szechwan. She is also the best ac- tress of Civic. Her extensive professional performing experience almost makes a comparison between her stunning performance and those of the rest of the company unfair. As well as possessing a fine voice and lofty stage presence, Barron has the audien- ce almost believing she is two people - one of whom is male. Shen Teh is por- trayed as a sweet, shrinking violet - but Shui Ta is a hard-driving, caustic workaholic, hiding behind a suit, tie, and Foster Grants. The audience remains riveted to her performance almost to the exclusion of the rest of the action. She makes the cold walk to Mendelssohn worthwhile. MUSIC IN this production is very weird; it is eerie and cacaphonic. But a few surprisingly lovely voices are heard periodically, as well as a nicely handled ensemble piece in the second act, which is probably the closest Brecht ever came to musical revue. However, the style is definitely an acquired taste. Although occasional naps during the performance are almost obligatory, if your alternatives are an unfinished New York Times crossword puzzle or the last half of that same old Bogart movie tonight, trudge on over to Men delssohn and collect what jewels you can from The Good Person. Harsh critics with no soft spot in their flinty hearts for amateur theater are Warned: They might best choose to stay at home and write nasty letters to the Editor of something - save this one for the en- joyment of the Good People of Ann Ar- bor who just plain like plays, flaws and all. Scholarship aid hiked (continued from Page1) is a great differential in tuition costs of in-state and out-of-state students, so the bright students who reside outside of the state find the costs of this Univer- sity comparable to private schools and schools within their own states." For the 1978-79 academic year tuition costs for frespersons and sophomores who are Michigan residents was $1,174, whereas the figure for out-of-state un- derclasspersons was $3,474. ALTHOUGH THE SAT scores for in- state high school students has in- creased over the past three years, ad- missions office figures indicate a sub- stantial decline in out-of-state students' scores has been great enough to force the total average scores for all students to a low level. Sjogren said that a major reason for the low scores was that the University did not actively recruit highly talented out-of.state students. He said the revamped program should alleviate these inadequacies. Grotrian said most of the funding for merit scholarships is derived from private sources such as the Alumni An- nual Giving Program, and that all of the awards would not be renewable af- ter the first year. Grotrian also said he is optimistic that the revised merit scholarship program would be continued after the 1979-80 academic year. "There is an excellent possibility that these programs will continue," said Grotrian. "After next year we will assess the success of the merit scholar- ships, and observe to what degree we are influencing the quality of incoming students." 4U. (Joh The mo che TV's Fri. (Ro wh mo fics ow Sat p_ a 3 S g.0 ti g 71 0 Y~ h K v I AC- MEDIATRICS KEN WCKY FRIED MOVIE in Landis, 1977) The smashingly successful satirical revue group from the Kentucky Fried atre in Los Angeles hits new comedy heights in this hilarious spoof of television and the ies. The KENTUCKY FRIED crew pokes fun at the American establishment and our rished media, and their humor is even more outrageous and pointed in its satire than SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Jan. 12 Assembly Hall, Mich Union 7, 8:30, 10 ---and 3 WOMEN Bert Altman, 1977) A complex yet thoroughly lucid and accessible tale of three women use lives Itrangely intertwine as each searches for her true identity. Altman creates a d of suspense and anticipation as the bizarre fates of his Protagonists merge. "its speci- are so real you can almost touch them, and its conclusion so surreal we can supply our n."-Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. jan.13 Not Sci Aud 7:00 & 9:15 ADMISSION $1.50 The Ann Arbor Film Cooperative presents at MLB 3 Friday & Saturday, January 12 & 13 SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (John Badham, 1977) 7&9-MLB3 Disco dance king in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn takes steps toward growing up. With no-holds barred language,, a candid description of teen-age sex this film is a mixture of entertainment and raw situations. A right-on-target film with script by Norman Wexler (JOE, SERPICO), with the ultimate disco score by the Bee Gees and David Shire. All shot on location, unquestionably the best, steamiest disco scenes ever put on film. Starring JOHN TRAVOLTA and KAREN GORNEY. "Outstanding film! "-CUE. Monday: Lubitsch's THE OYSTER PRINCESS & MADAME DUBARRY ; S* 8A B~s s A.S-*SASS 9 eASS EXPREfJ I. ------ -I Now Showing, Campus Area Butterfield Theatres V'OURf ELF ifl flOR-WEEJUfl,, Make a beautiful statement in Bass Nor-Weejuns. The bouncy, corpfy feeling of clogs. In a dressy new look. And pure Bass every step of the way. Bass Nor-Weejuns: They speak your language. } r / ' , , WEDNESDAY IS MONDAY IS "BARGAIN DAY" "GUEST NIGHT" $1.50 until 5:30 TWO ADULTS ADMITTED FOR PRICE OF ONE ... ADULTS FRI., SAT., SUN. EVE. & HOLIDAYS $3.50 MON.-TRURS. EV. $3.00 ALL MATINEES $2.50 CHILD TO14 $1.50 . --f -.Ad y ' THlE A A~ y . .. .. )rJ { i, M N STATE FRI. & AT MIDNIGHT SHOIW THEATREand, Emmerson Lake & Palmer "Rock $ Rol! Your Eyes" I YOO CAN LEAR.N TO This Winter At Special U of M Rates 1 k LEvery Tuesday afternoon begin- ning January 16 through February 20. OCourses for Everyone - Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Skiers. QBuses leave Ann Arbor 12:00 noon - returning 5:00 p.m. L] One (1) hour lesson, tows, rental equipment and trans- portation - $85.00 QOne (1) hour lesson, tows, and transportation (you supply your own rquipment) - $60.00 Register NOW at North Campus Recreation Building, 2375 Hubbard (across from Bursley Hall) - Phone 763-4560 Open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday from Dec. 11 to Dec. 22 and Jan. 2 to Jan. 12. First ski m ! ....