Page 8--Tuesday, July 10, 1979--The Michigan Daily 'Rainbow' fades at the League By JOSHUA PECK monized arrangement of "Get Happy," Arbecoll Theatrics, the gang that to end, wherein Douglas Sheperdigian brought you The Fantasticks last mon- flashes his painted, phony smile for the th, now presents a musical revue last of dozens of times, is an em- featuring the songs of a heretofore barrassment. The script, crafted by the neglected composer, Over The Rain- director and two of his mannequins, bow With Harold Arlen. In the same contains some of the most hackneyed dinner theatre forum Arbecoll has been humor heard this side of vaudeville. using since its inception, Arlen's tunes Julia Broxholm twice tries to start (The Wizard of Oz score, "Get Happy," singing "Over The Rainbow" before "That Old Black Magic," "I Love a she is supposed to. David Kitto shushes Parade,") are strung together with pat- her, feigning anger. Kitto tells Sheper- ter and dance devised by the company digian that "we might have been meant itself. for each other," just before the three The revue, from beginning, wherein launch "Let's Fall in Love." Kitto the three performers muddle a har- finishes reciting a particularly long- winded and alliterative bit of text, looks up at the audience, and mugs, "Who writes this stuff?" (The guilty parties are listed in the program.) KITTO MANAGES somewhat better than Sheperdigian, but still explores new avenues of un-musicality in num- bers like "I've Got the World on a String" and "Ac-Cen-Thu-Ate the Posi- tive." Only Julia Broxholm emerges from the general maleficence to belt out her lively numbers and float out her bluesy ones. Her skillful treatment of the show's many tunes would be a welcome addition to a good revue; here, it can only save the effort from utter disaster. Over the Rainbow with Harold Atlen Script by Julia Broxholm, Russell Collins, and David Kitto Michigan League Ballroom July 6,7, 13, 14 Julia Broxholm David Kitto Douglas Sheperdigian Russell Collins, direr , Rivalling the script as the show's most noisome feature is the dancing and other snippets of choreography that look to be straight out of an aging Rockettes' routine. Most of the time, the performers smile a lot and extend their arms upward or at 45. Sometimes (here it gets tricky), they put one arm up and the other at an angle, and then whirl around all at once. Behind the makeshift stage is a set quite suited to the production. Trees of lights alternately flash, sit statically illuminated, or perch in discomfited silence. Lastly, there is a tri-color rain- bow spanning the trees. This, too, is poorly planned, as the rainbow's blue stripe contrasts poorly with a backdrop of approximately the same shade that sits immediately below it. The blue should really be elsewhere on the rain- bow, or perhaps absent altogether. And so should the show. Willie & Leon wallow in creaky tunes from the past By AMY DIAMOND What could Leon Russell and Willie Nelson possibly have in common? Well, both have deep country roots; Willies' are in Texas and Leon's in Oklahoma. It's made evident by their newly released album, One for the Road, that both musicians also enjoy singing songs Willie Nelson and Leon Russell One For The Road which were made popular 30 or 40 years ago. One for the Road is an album that lacks the creativity, vitality and energy one expects from such prominent ar- tists. The listener isn't given much of a taste of Leon Russell's uncanny keyboard blues or of Willie Nelson's ability to get people to stomp their feet and clap their hands merely by belting out a song in his inimitable style. The two-record set simple rehashes old songs and lifeless covers. The two 5th Avenue at liberty SI. 761-9700 Formerly FifthForum Theater HURRY! ENDS T HURS! FIRST SHOW EVERYDAY IS AT REDUCED PRICES! Dustin Hoffman Vanessa Redgrave artists indulge themselves by playing songs they grew up with. Members of Willie's band join the two artists on the first album for songs like Gene Autry's "Riding Down the Canyon," the catchy but unduly repetitive "I Saw the Light" and an un- convincing "Heartbreak Hotel" that doesn't come close to Elvis' version. Nelson fans used to the invigorating power the country king can bring to songs like "Whiskey River" and "Nightlife" will be sorely disappointed by cuts like "Sioux City Sue" and "Don't Fence Me In," which sound like they belong in a two-bit vaudeville show. The only redeeming factor about the first disc of the set is "Trouble in Mind," which finally strikes the happy medium between country and blues. The song is enhanced further by Bonnie Raitt's slide guitar and Maria Muldaur's back-up vocals. In addition, the song finally lets us hear Russell's Nashville-flavored voice ring out in- stead of the inaudible back-up work that marks the rest of the album. The first disc ends on a sour note, though, with a ridiculous and unimaginative rendition of "You Are My Sunshine." The band absents itself for the entire second disc and we are left with Russell on keyboards and Nelson taking sole charge of the vocals. Every song is slow and seems forced. Irving Berlin's "Always" and George kGershwin's "Summertime" are per- formed with about as much energy as a wedding or restaurant band would provide. The second disc resembles Nelson's album Stardust, which was also a rehashing of old tunes. But Stardust had creativity, emotion, energy, and Nelson's band backing it up. One for the Road lacks all of these. It's apparent that Nelson needs the force of his band to back him up. On "One for My Baby and One More for the Road,' Nelson can barely sing the low notes, a dif- ficulty that would be alot easier to gloss over if not for the absence of other in- strumentalists. 6ONTUEsTHUR 6 ::510 WtDl50350,68 10 $150 til630 $1.50 til2:15