The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 15, 1987 - Page 9 R H Players confront social problems By Lauren Schreiber Open up your mind a bit. Tonight at 8 p.m. the Residence Hall Players will take all those nasty problems of life and society and present them in a double feature theatrical event in the Pendleton Room at the Union. The troupe was founded in the fall of 1985 by Scott Weissman, a Resident Director in Mary Markley and MFA student in acting at the University. His goal was to combine theatre with social issues. He took his idea to the Housing Office for support. Marvin Parnes, the Assistant Director of Residence Education, volunteered to sponsor the yet-to-be-formed troupe. Now nearing the end of its second year, the RHA Players are beginning to develop a following on campus. Designed primarily for a student audience, the troupe deals with issues that arise from group living and University life in general. A sort of multi-media performance, the two shows to be performed tonight are The Relationship Show andWhose Values are You? The first show deals with all sorts of relationships including those between the student and the University and professors, as well those between family, friends, and lovers. Whose Values Are You? is meant to take people by surprise. A bit confrontational, peoples values are thrown into question before they realize it. The intent is to "separate the conditioned you from the real you," explained Weissman. The group refrains from prescribing any specific opinion or dogma. "As director," said Weissman, "I have nothing that I want to tell people except how to behave as an individual." Weissman is aware that people may be offended or shocked by some of the material. "We try to get feedback from others on any kinks that could be ultra-offensive," he said. "But, if we were too sensitive to everyone we'd have a very boring, lukewarm show....I'm certainly willing to take some flak [in order] to have the freedom to make a statement. Auditions for the troupe were held in September. This year's troupe consists of undergraduate students from various schools of the University. The seventeen members include six returning members from last year. Weissman directs the troupe and Susan Bailey, an undergrad, is the assistant director. Since late October, they have been performing one show a week at various Residence Halls at the University. The group has also performed at Hillel and through the Sexual Assault Center as a part of Rape Awareness Week. In March, the group performed at the National Conference of the Association of College Personnel Administrators (ACPA) in Chicago as an example of innovative programming in Residence Halls. "Yeah," said Weissman, "that was kind of a big deal for us." About tonight's performance at the Michigan Union, Weissman said, "We wanted to open up the show for more of the campus community." Although most of the troupe's members are. from the Residence Halls, Weissman emphasizes that the material is relevant to just about everyone at the University. The script derives mostly from improvisation. Janet Hackel, an RD at Couzens, and Weissman then take the material and put it into script form. Sometimes, members of the troupe will come up with ideas or rough drafts which Weissman and Hackel will then help edit. "I think everyone in the troupe has a sense that the show is theirs and not just the playwrights'," Weissman commented. Believing strongly that theatre can be used to instill values and cause personal growth, Weissman ultimately hopes "to move people to have more compassion for each other as well as be more accepting of themselves and their own choices." Not a bad idea. This is it! What you ve all been waiting for! The Summer Daily Arts Page Mass Meeting Thursday, April 16th 6:30 It's more than a job. It's Art. Records (Continued from Page 6) it is entirely. instrumental and exciting, in that the vamps are irresistably funky and danceable, and it is all very well played. Whoever is behind this band has my hipshakin' heartfelt thanks. It's like Booker T. for the '80s generation. Get it on before it gets away. -Marc S. Taras K.D. Lana and the Reclines Angel With a Lariat Sire This is fine new Country-rock ILP produced by Dave Edmunds and featuring the vocal work of K.D. Lang. As one might expect, it jumps lively and rocks honest. Edmunds sees to that; but even without his assistance, Lang and her band would shine. Moving along the same tumbleweed terrain as Dwight Yoakam's Cadillac crew, this LP should be enjoyed by all, not just by fans of the genre. Lang's voice is husky and appealing and her band plays as deliberately as she sings. All of the material is strong, polished grit. And the fact that Lang pulls"of a beautiful cover of "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray" (a big hit for Patsy Cline) earns her some points with me. Can you imagine "Strange Child"? Linda Ronstadt trying Fruit" of "God Bless the This hootenanny's just startin'. -Marc S. Taras DO YOUR BEST ON FINALS Attend RELAX! a peer-led workship offered by 76-GUIDE Thurs: April16 7-9pm 3100 Michigan Union Call 76-GUIDE for more info. 1 y Y . I. . . ! \' ;. S, u ;. . t. j ' , MY 1 9 8 7 HOPWOOD AWARDS The Kasdan Scholarship in Creative Writing The Arthur Miller Award The Jeffrey L. Weisberg Freshman Poetry Award will be announced - ~y:." . . ::: ' ": . .ti/ \ --, ; -/__ C Wed., April 1 5at 4p.m. Rackham Auditorium Open to the Public L e c t u r e b y } s ,, ; ; , ,. ,, J I,' l // /i, , ~ JOYCE CAROL OATES Author of: EXPENSIVE PEOPLE, THEM, CHILDWOLD, MARYA: A LIFE, RAVEN'S WING Part of THE POWER SERIES at the POWER CENTER The Musical Theatre Program with the University Philharmonia Brent Wagner, Director Mitchell Krieger, Conductor Jerry DePuit, Musical Director Tim Millett, Choreographer