'age Eight:

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Thursday, September 7, 1972



power center
opens lavishly

By ROSE SUE BERSTEIN
Keeping time with the chim-
ing of the bells in Burton
Tower, the belles of Ann Arbor
strolled into the gala ceremon-
ies at the opening of the Power
Center for the Performing Arts
last October. Lush and lavish
were the guests and lush and
lavish their surroundings for the
premiere of Truman Capote's
play The Grass Harp.
"Good evening, welcome to
Power Center, we hope you en-
joy the play," usher Allen Rams-
by greeted the guests. "That's
my line," chuckled Ramsby, one
of a cotillion of ushers attired
as befits the very best of Eng-
lish undertakers.
Gossip occupied the crowd.
People walked through the Cen-
ter, staring at one atiother and
the building itself, and stopping
from time to time to stare at
themselves in the mirror-finish-
ed windows.
Those who came to the Cen-
ter then were no hoi poloi-
among the group were such not-
ables as President Robben Flem-
ing, former Regent Eugene Pow-
er R-Ann Arbor ) actress Helen
Hayes, author Truman Capote,
Gov. William Milliken and nu-
merous University officials and
representatives.
The pre-play gossip revolved
mostly about the building and
its opening rather than the per-
formance of The Grass Harp.
The Center, designed by ar-
chitects Kevin Roche and John

Dinkeloo with interior design by
Jo Mielziner, is a dramatic
sculpture of concrete and glass
located just north of University
Health Service.
"Look at the windows! they're
mirrors," one glittery guest
chirped at her escort.
"Power? Wasn't that the Re-
gent who resigned?" . Uhuh."
This particular exchange ran
through many conversations but
it seemed more a reminiscence
than an indictment or a smudge
on a bright and glistening eve-
ning.
Former Regent Power, whose
family donated $3 million of the
$3.5 million construction costs.
seemed relieved that opening
night had finally arrived. "It's
the culmination of a long strug-
gle," be said. Power seemed to
pale before The Daily reporters
and then complained that "ac-
tually, this lobby is noisy."
During his term as Regent,
Power became the subject of
controversy when it was report
ed in The Daily\ that his firm,
University Microfilms, had cop-
ied volumes from the University
libraries.
And noisy the lobby certainly
was, especially after Power and
his family arrived. President
Fleming had to push hl. way in
through the crowd, and then,
there was an explosion of flash-
bulbs, a coalescing of curious
reporters crowding in on the
notables.
After awhile it was hard to
decide who was a celehrity and
who was just one of the beauti-
ful people. lveryone dressed
somewhat alike, but instead of
the uniforms that customarily
stroll about campus-the jeans
and the tee-shirts-there were
dinner jackets, tails, tong dress-
I-

. , ,

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- ---- -------
209
SON
HANDMAKERS of quality leather garments, bags, sandals.
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es fashioned distinctly out of
anything but Indian print bed-
spreads.
Only three students were in-
vited to the festive premiere--
then University Activities Cen-
ter President Jeffrey Kaplan,
'73, then Daily Editor Robert
Kraftowitz, '72, and then Student
Government Council President
Rebecca Schenk, '73.
President Fleming, after tra-
versing the crowds of onlookers,
presented a jovial appearance.
"I think it's an exciting build-
ing," he said. Fleming said he
was looking forward to a "won-
derful night," and noted that
"everyone's in such a happy
m o o d." This was President
Fleming's first time inside Pow-
erCenter, and he predicted that

community well.
As the celebrities convene
the Power Center loboy, a s
crowd of scruffy onlookersg
ered outside to stare at
stars. They just stood t
ogling at the grooviness be
the doorstep.
And there was no mista
it. Inside Power Center t
was pure unadulterated, un
cerated grobviness. Howo
does it! happen that profes
and regents and executive
cers and the Daily editor and
Student Government C o u n
president and Helen Hayes
Truman Capote and localk
ness persons, all get togethe
a night on the town, blde
in formal wear?

d in
mall
gath-
the
here,
yond
iking
here
evis-
often
ssors
offi-

local drama,
often unsatisfying

it would serve the University

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(Continued from Page 3)


FRESHMEN:
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the modern plays throughout the
c 1 year. And even the English de-
and partment occasionally sponsors
busi- a production.
r for Closest to free-form student
r fr theatre are the productions by
the newly formed Residential
College (RC) Players. The
group presents a variety of
avante-garde plays, some of
them original, student-written
works.
Drama presented by non-dra-
ma majors comes to us mostly
in the form of musicals pre-
sented by Soph Show and
MUSKET (Michigan U n i o n
Show, Ko-eds Too!). While
Soph Show is only for sopho-
mores, MUSKET is for every-
one.
Last year MUSKET brought
us Funny Girl, while Soph
Show presented Pajama Game.
Musicals also come to us
from the Gilbert and Sullivan
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Most of their productions are
understandably works of the
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Last year, G&S presented a
centennial performance of
Thespis as well as other plays
including Patience.
Community theatre activity is
most evident in the Ann Arbor
Civic Theatre, which presents a
varied group of musicals and
plays during the year. Produc-
tions are usually poorly ama-
teur, especially last year's at-
tempt at Antigone, but occa-
sionally enjoyable.
Community effort is also
visible in the recently revived
Ann Arbor Dance Theatre,
which presented an excellent
program last year.
A variety of informal thea-
tre troupes are also often
brought to 'campus by Conspir-
acy and other such groups. Most
notable last year was X-Thea-
tre, an offshoot from the drama
department at University of
Wisconsin - Milwaukee, who
presented an innovational col-
lage of satire, improvisation
and mime.
Quantity . . . yes, we have it
here. A variety of groups pre-
senting a variety of plays.
While granted, we have few stu-
dent groups as innovational as
X-Theatre there is a lot of en-
joyable drama offered. This is
another year, and perhaps it
will prove better than the last.
Go out and experience it for
yourself. Participate on stage if
your inclinations lean that way.
Innovation is awaiting . . . with
your support it may soon be.
come revitalized.
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