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ASHLEY 1 BLOCK NORTH OF LIBERTY V U U U w V U I d oceR pr N NEW GARGOYLE FILMS PRESENT A ROBERT ALTMAN' Film Festival Saturday, Oct. 30 fest By Joe Hoppe W HEN YOU were a kid, there were always basically two kinds of Halloween activities: the kinds you thought would be fun (various acts of vandalism, hanging out in cemeteries, Conradian unspeakable rites .. .) and the kind the adults thought you should participate in to stay out of trouble (cider, donuts, and costume parties at some community center, bobbing for apples at closely supervised house par- ties, group trick or treating . ..). In Ann Arbor, you've still got the same kind of choices, it's just not as ob- vious. If you want a fairly structured Halloween, you can go to the Homecoming-Masquerade Ball at the Union, or dine out and be entertained by a magician at Bennigan's; you might even enter your carefully carved jack o'lantern in the Ann Arbor Art Association's Pumpkin Carving Con- test. If you'd rather perpetuate the pagan rites of the Eve of Samhain (ancient Sumerian name for it) you can go to the East Quad party, see the musician's group Nada do their "Dreaming in the Dark" concerts based on the pagan idea of Halloween, consume mass quantities of drugs and go out and destroy things (legally, the Daily is not encouraging this practice), go out and search for Satanic rites and "un- speakable rituals" on your own, or just hit the streets and stumble from house party to house party. The Halloween bar scene is somewhere between the two extremes, usually depending on whether or not the bar employs bouncers. No matter what you do, you'll probably want to dress up, it being a Halloween tradition and all. Make Waves (209 S. State) is always a fairly popular shop for Halloween paraphernalia. Counterpersons Wendy and Cris said that pseudo-punk stuff sells real well this time of year: "We sell a lot of different colored hair- sprays, wristbands, sunglasses, for people who want to be 'cool' but just aren't. A lot of them are buying those really thin wrap-around glasses, the kind that doesn't look good on anyone bigger than a 10-year-old child. We sell a lot of buttons too; ones with the word 'fuck' in them are real popular. We sell some Sex Pistols buttons. People will wear that stuff for Halloween but never any time else. People who wish they were cool." The rubber masks hanging from all over in the store started selling well about Saturday. Lucky Costumes (303 S. Main) is doing a big business in animal costumes that average $35 a shot. They've got gorillas, lions, bears, and Sesame Street-type characters. Old- 7:00-A WEDDING 9:15-THREE WOMEN In Room 100 Law School (Corner of State and Monroe) All, r Qreo Cookie/ Black Rasberry/Tin Roof/M-& M /Maple E_ U) 0 OO z a c0 0 o0- ) ) CL N Alonur ice creams? are freshly made in our store. 3 Featuring: * Ice Cream CakesQ *Shakes and Malts * Banana Splits, * Sodas and Floats * Pastries and Candies 0 330S. Main (between William & Liberty) tl) ^r 662-2626C fKahlua N Cream/Mint Chocolate Chip/Italian Ices/ :D Corner prayers By Mare Hodges The Amen Corner Department of Theater and Drama Mendelssohn Theatre November 3-6 W THEN IT comes to literary pieces concerning racial and social conditions in America, one thinks im- mediately of the works of James Bald- win. An acclaimed essayist, novelist, and playwright, Baldwin has raised controversial issues regarding these topics through all his works. The Amen Corner, which will be performed in the University's Lydia Mendelssohn Theater November 3 through 6, proves to be Baldwin's triumph over obstacles of racism, guilt, and religion. The play is to be performed under the direction of Mikell Pinkney, a University of Michigan alumnus and now noted New York director. Pinkney claims to have been ex- cited about the prospect of directing Baldwin's The Amen Corner here in Ann Arbor, not only because he delights in being able to produce for the unique, intellectual audience here at the University, but also because this par- ticular play takes on a personal significance for him. Mikell Pinkney became involved in stage work at the age of 6 and went on to major in theater throughout high school and college. As a graduate student, Pinkney came to the Univer- sity of Michigan and received his masters in directing and acting. With acting in mind, he set out for New York City, where he immediately landed a position as an artistic director. Pinkney explained that, at this point, his career in the professional network had started, and it was a successful start at that, however, he further stated that he was not working in the area of the theater that he had planned on. Acting had been his goal, not directing. Pinkney's acting became secondary to his role as a director, a situation about which he was not entirely happy. Pinkney's desires to act have still prevailed, even after 6 years of direc- ting professionally on and off Broad- way. In the past year and a half Pinkney has become involved in a project that will lead to his return to the theater as an actor, rather than direc- tor. A playwrighting associate of Pinkney, recognizing that his excellent acting talents have not been put to proper use for some time, has taken on the project of writing a play about the life and works of James Baldwin, a play in which Pinkney has already been chosen to play the lead. This project and Pinkney's own per- sonal experiences are what make Baldwin's Amen Corner take on a per- sonal significance for him. The Amen Corner is a play that deals with life in the black church and how it represents for one woman, Margaret Alexander (played by University student Lun- deane Thomas), an escape ffrom the realities she cannot face. Pinkney believes this play to be a display of Baldwin's feelings about the fears caused by racism and its effects on the black family structure. Margaret feels oppressed by this racial discrimination and through her escapism of reality in- to religion she becomes a domineering woman, expecting perfection in those around her. In short, she becomes the oppressor, on her family and the congregation she leads. Throughout the course of the play, however, Margaret must face inescapable realities and eventually she comes to grips with her world. Pinkney explained that he relates to the character David in this play, Margaret's son. David suffers under the pressures of his mother, who feels he is attempting to escape her fantastic realities, simply because he has a desire to establish himself in a life that does not coincide with her expectations of him. Pinkney claims to have ex- perienced a similar situation in his own family. Coming from a religiously oriented background (both his gran- dfathers were Baptist Ministers), Pinkney found himself subject to the same pressures that David has ex- perienced. Pinkney's entire family for- ced upon him their desires for him to become a minister as well. Pinkney stated further that it is a part of his own family's "escapist reality" that makes them believe that he is "running away" from this religious calling by pursuing his career in the theatrical arena. For- tuntely for theater-goers, Pinkney has decided to continue his theatrical pur- suits. When asked to state his opinion about the cast and their progress, Pinkney expressed excitement and approval. He admits to having been a little worried in the beginning about the outcome of this production, since auditions drew only 12 principles while 14 were needed. However, Pinkney's experience as a director saved him from suffering through panic in such a situation. Pinkney had worked with some of these people previously and knowledge of their style, as well as his own experien- ce, nave proved a positive force in determining that the play will be a great success. Pinkney went on to say that he feels this production will be one of his better works. He feels closely related to the play itself, as well as to the cast and James Baldwin. These close relationships have served to provide Pinkney with the comfortable working atmoshpere he feels is necessary in order to produce a suc- cessful play and as a result he is com- pletely satisfied with the progress that has been made. Pinkney came to Ann Arbor from New York, where he was involved in the middle of production week on a play that opened at the beginning of the month, so rehearsals, which usually run for 6 weeks, were shortened to 4 weeks. This did not prove to be a hin- derance, however. Pinkney had been U'li Ed)43u 'I1 e £tti~an tailg Pinkney: Alumni director working with new and unproduced scripts in New York and to be able to take up production of Baldwin's work was a refreshing break. The cast's tremendous progress, "inspired by Mikell's enthusiasm" as Ms. Thomas, who plays the lead as Margaret Alexander, stated, is much greater than any had expected. Thomas also stated that "the accomplishments that have been made and the goals that have been reached were previously thought unattainable, let alone in such a short time span." Both Thomas and Pinkney were assuring that no one was suffering - from opening night apprehensions since such progress has been made. Pinkney's only complaint about working in the educational arena is that he feels there is not enough time to per- form. In New York, he became ac- customed to 2 to 3 weeks of preview before a play opened officially, but here in Ann Arbor he is only given 3 to 4 nights of performance. Because of the amount of effort that each member has put into this production, Pinkney ex- pressed dismay that perhaps the audience would not appreciate their ef- forts, nor would the cast have enough time to gain proper recognition and ac- claim. Thomas expressed delight in just being able to work under the direction of Pinkney, despite the short amount of time they ha with him as aware of Pini under his d educational e: she has devek of this Thoma honored to hav opportunity." Both Thoma rave about the presented in th ds to the dran formance. Finally, Pin that Baldwin's derful literary piece . . . it moving piece performed." T one time fo developed as causing strong feels that thisa as its literary major impor University stu Baldwin has r issues of racisi America in a aware of thei Pinkney's pr Amen Corner of the message to convey. Amen Corner: Harlem struggles 4 Weekend/October 29, 1982 17 Weel