ARTS
The Michigan Doily
Thursday, March 13, 1986
Page 7:.a
U. students laugh it up
By Heather Woodcock
A H COMEDY ... What is it? Where
does it come from? How do we
get it? When found how is one to use it
to its fullest?
The dictionary . . . often tedious
and time consuming, but filled with
titilating information for any true
academic. It serves as a constant
companion and is useful even here as
we examine this season's performan-
ce of The Comedy Company. Web-
ster's tells us that comedy, or
"Komodia" for those of us interested
in the Greek, means revel, village
festival. To clear up any rumors that
may have been circulating, this com-
pany isn't concerned with village
festivals, but does add yet another
twist to the definition of the word in
its show comprised of a number of
sketches concerning everything from
Superman's bad breath, to a special
Olympics for single bar hoppers.
The Comedy Company was founded
way back in 1980 for the purpose of
putting young student comedians on
stage and comic student writers to
work. This year's production does just
that with a set of new writers and a
cast made up mostly of freshmen. In
addiion to the new material and the
new writers, the company is trying
out some musical sketches that also
are student written and what else but
new.
With all of this material and young,
untried breed, what should we, the
Michigan community, be expecting
from the troupe? Directors Janet
Hofmann and Rick LeVee claim that
the company stays clear of sexual and
political cheapies as it has ever since
its birth. It's "simple stuff without a
lot of costumes. Simple, universal
comedy that's bound to entertain,"
says LeVee. "It's bizare, fun, wan-
digenous? Second only to Second
City?" The cast shouts this last out as
they run wildly around the room being
their comic selves.
Some examples of the new
material? A short, annoying yet
hilariously funny sketch with only two
actors that is merely concerned with,
one of them attaining his driver's licen-
se that is bound to be a hit as the
dialogue never ceases to amuse and
neither do the laughs. Another com-
bines a bit of "Back to The Future,"
"The Terminator," and "Taxi."
How? It remains to be seen. Another:
opens with a man calling up a woman -
for a second date only to find that the
date was too successful: she's
pregnant.
So, to answer our questions, comedy }
is fun, new and comes from the truly
funny people of the world found at the
Comedy Company, where they are in-
deed using their comic talents to the
fullest. To answer the question "how
do we get it?" there's only one choice.
Go to see these young aspiring comics
this March on the 13th, 14th and 15th
at 8:00 p.m. in the Mendelssohn
Theatre. You may not be witness to a
village festival, but you're bound to
witness some pretty jocular
"Komodia."
Saving
babies is
our goal.
Support the
march of Dimes
Cast members of the University Comedy Company get set to bring on the laughs with their wacky'
humorous sketches.
Flanagan sets to celebra
By Marc S. Taras
ANN ARBOR is a community that
IA-] ordsso many diverse cultural op-
portunities that patrons are often for-
ced to pick and choose. One must of-
ten select from many, no doubt rewar-
ding offerings, the events which are
most likely to be redeeming. I am
speaking of spiritual growth and
inspiration. And of course big fun.
This Thursday night's entertainment
at the Ark will provide the best of both
worlds. The Tommy Flanagan Trio
will hit the stage at 7:30 and it'll be
rockin' from jumpstreet folks!
Tommy Flanagan is a native
Detroiter who will turn 56 this Sunday.
He began a professional career at 15
playing and recording with the great
tenor sax man Dexter Gordon. He
worked in the late '40s and early '50s
with Lucky Thompson, Milt Jackson,
Miles Davis and others before serving
a stint in the military. He tagged up
with J.J. Johnson, the trombonist, as
well as guitar-playing-fellow-
Detroiter Kenny Burrel in the late
'50s.
At the turn of the decade and the
early part of the '60s Flanagan had
the opportunity to work with two men
who may arguably be the greatest
tenor saxophonists in history:
Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane.
Who is that playing piano on the
Giant Steps LP? McCoy Tyner?
Nah! Not yet. This was before that
quartet! This was a Coltrane favorite!
A cat from Detroit - Tommy
Flanagan!
Tommy's association with Ella Fit-
Peace conflicts unmasked
By Lauren Schreiber
M OONCHILDREN, Michael Wel-
ler's comic drama about a group
of college students in the late sixties,
opens tonight at the Trueblood
Theatre. The play will be presented
by the University players, an un-
dergraduate theater group. The four-
teen-member cast includes Ethan
Franzel, Helen McLogan, Karen
Knapp, George Nitti, Craig Neuman,
and Jeff Lupovitch
Drawn from the author's own
college experience, Moon-
children centers upon a group of
students living together in a house
who are about to graduate. Although
they share anti-war sentiments and
idealistic attitudes, they neither trust
nor really like one another. The play
examines how those who preach
peace, love, and understanding ac-
tually their own lives. It becomes
an examination of human relation-
ships.
Visiting director William Wright
comments on the irony in the play:
r "These people want everyone in the
world to live together peacefully, but
cannot themselves live together."
Ethan Franzel, who plays the
character Mike, says, "The play was
originally named "Cancer," a major
theme of the play having to do with
cancerous relationships and idealism
gone wrong. It is really about false
commitment."
Moonchildren will be perfor-
med within an area stage. This
theater-in-the-round production will
allow for greater realism and will
bring the audience closer to the action
of the play.
Moonchildren will open
tonight at the Trueblood Theatre in
the Frieze building and will run
through Sunday. Performances begin
at 8 p.m. tonight and Friday. There
will be two performances on Satur-
day, the first beginning at 5 p.m. and
the second beginning at 9 p.m. Sun-
day's performance is a matinee
beginning at 2 p.m. For ticket infor-
mation, contact the League ticket of-
fice.
Soundstage and Special
Events, together with
Michigras, present:
BATTLE
of the
BANDS
1986
Come see 6 of Ann Arbor's
hottest bands compete to
be number one!
SEMI FINALS:
W & Th, Mar. 12,13, 9 p.m.
FINALS:
Sat., Mar 15, 10 p.m., U-Club
zgerald, the first lady of loving fun
and beauty, would be the beginning of
his extraordinary experience and un-
paralleled reputation as an accom-
panist. He has worked with too many
great vocalists and leaders to name in
a conventient space.
In truth, it is more proper to think of
Tommy as making a record date or
gig rather than acting as a sideman.
Tommy and his buddies will lay out an
exquisite musical garden. The
vocalist need only waltz admiringly to
look good. Check out the wAY
Flanagan's trio graces Kim Parker's
Good Girl LP to hear what I mean.
Tommy helps her to sound so great!
And Tommy's buddies? They are
always the cream of the crop, and the
trio he brings to the Ark is no excep-
tion. George Mraz is an outstanding
bassist and an inventive, thoughtful
Rent a Car
from
Econo - Cr
t
vans.
special
WEEKEND
rates
Pick up services
upon request
We accept
cash deposits
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
ECONO-CAR
438 W. Huron
761-8845
ANN ARBOR
H EE
SUSAN HJ
"The Moveme
the Moral W
Anthropology and Re
LUNCH AVAILAB
For info call 6
~1
802 MONROE
ANN ARBOR, MI
48104
NOON FORUM
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
ARDING
ent Behind
lajority,"
sidential College.
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TRIP TO DAILY OFFICIAL
BOUNTIFUL TWILIGHT STORY
2 Academy Award Nominations SHOWS
Call for show times.
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BARBECUED
RIBS
Get a full slab
of baby back ribs
for only $6.95
includes cole slow and french fries
THURSDAYS
4:30 -10:00 p.m.
996-9191
338 S. STATE ST.
te life ofjazz
soloist and composer. Al Foster has inspiring us with the music of life it-
been Miles Davis' pulse for a dozen self. Come celebrate Tommy
years or so. You know he's a bad cat, Flanagan's birth and his life's music.
right? He's blessed us and you'll bless him
And Tommy Flanagan; beautiful, when he starts tearin' up the Ark! And
swinging, funky, sophisticated Tom- remember: if the joint is really jum-
my! Tommy keeps the music alive pin', don't anybody give their right
in our minds and hearts: the Giant names!
Steps tribute LP for Trane; his
beautiful solo LP tribute to Monk,
Thelonica. Tommy will be turning W EEKEND
56 and may be (correct me if I'm
wrong) the only living pianist to have L AG A IE
played with both Miles and Trane.
Tommy Flanagan with an all-star Fridays in The Daily
trio at the Ark tonight at 7:30.
Tommy Flanagan blessing us and 763-0379
*, rnmum%4
TRAVEL
SPECIAL
$1.00 off
instant passport ph
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limit one per customer
Expires 4/30/86
OPEN 24 HOURS
540 E. Liberty
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TheUniversity Club is a private
club for students, faculty, staff.
alumni, and their accompanied
guests. Only members may
purchase alcohol.
I
U
Sa s "0 0.
U
r
L"
Battle of the Bands
Semi- Finals
Wednesday March 12
U-Club 9 pm
Thursday March 13
U-Club 9pm
r "
*
f '1 - U
Video Dance Party
State St. Jazz Club
Casino Night
4Carnival Activities
Friday March 14
Union Ballroom 9 pm
Friday March 14
U-Club 9 pm
Saturday March 15
Union Ballroom
& Pendleton Rm 8 pm
YOU'VE GOT TH
WE'VE GOT THE
You've studied hard to earn your
degree. And you know where you
want it to take you. Whatever your
field, we've got a program that can
help you make the most of it. As a
Naval officer.
In business management,
engineering.law, personnel admin-
IE GOALS,
E OPPORTUNITIES.
Good starting salaries and excep-
tional benefits include free medical
and dental care, thirty days' paid
vacation each year and a host of other
allowances.
Minimum qualifications require a
BA or BS degree, U.S. citizenship
and security clearance. You must not
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