4
Page 10 -The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, February 3, 1988
Nightingale: a critic
and an educator
By Jennifer Kohn
Pru Rosenthal describes the painting 'The Family
'Dream Keepers: A Celebration of Afro-American
celebrates Black History Month.
'Perceptions,
Daily Photo by JESSICA GREENE
Album' during an 'Art Break' lecture on the exhibit
Art.' Like 'Perceptions and Expressions 1988,' it
celebrates
The Theatre Department has un-
dergone reconstruction in recent
years in order to restore its emi-
nence. At the crux of the change is
the new Department Chair Arnold
Aaronson and two recent imports
from Great Britain; John Russell
Brown, dramaturge of National The-
atre of Great Britain, and Benedict
Nightingale.
Professor Nightingale is currently
a freelance theatre critic, primarily
for the London Times and New York
Times. This is his second year as a
professor at the University. When
asked what brought him to Michi-
gan, he offers both personal and
professional motivations: "After
eighteen years as a critic, the next
logical step seemed to be to
academia."
He spent the '83-4 theatre season
in New York, writing his own Sun-
day column for The Times. His
family remained in England during
that year. At the end of that time,
with the chance to remain in New
York, his family was faced with the
choice of leaving their home.
Coincidentally, he received an in-
vitation to teach at the University.
His family has remained in England
and he chooses to live in Ann Arbor.
"I make the trip around six times a
year, including the four month
summer break. It's exhausting, but I
really enjoy the teaching and writ-
ing."
Nightingale is a lover of the the-
atre. His career as a critic began as a
journalist at Cambridge. While in a
graduate program at the University
of Pennsylvania he began writing as
a reviewer for The Guardian. He be-
gan to write for The New Statesman,
in London in 1964. He spent 18
years there, while intermittently
publishing freelance pieces in Eng-
land and the U.S.
Black history m
cultural art and
Month
with
d- -
By Preeti Malani
Perceptions & Expressions
1988, the third annual Black
students artists' exhibit is
currently on display in the
Michigan Union University Art
Lounge. This event is co-
sponsored by Minority Student
Services, the Michigan Union and
the Arts and Programming
department.
. Perceptions is one of several
University-sponsored special
events offered in conjunction with
February as Black History Month.
This exhibit features the work of
Black students from the University
and the Ann Arbor community.
The art show started three years
ago to give recognition to Black
history and culture, and to provide
exposure to local artists, according
to Candy Steele, spokesperson for
Arts and Programming and exhibit
organizer. Many of the artists are
art students, but others are
involved in other academic pur-
suits.
The exhibit's main theme is
Black culture and history, but
other ideas are also focused upon.
The artwork varies in style and
consists of different mediums.
Viewers can enjoy several works
of pencil and ink, in addition to
pieces of claywork, jewelery, and
photography.
"I think of Africa as my land of
origin and my artwork depicts
this," explains third year art
student, Pedra Chaffers. Her work
on display includes a series of ink
patterns titled Fusion I, II, and III
and photographs. These include
photographs of anti-racism
movements which occurred on
campus last year. Her picture cap-
ture the unrest and emotion in a
beautiful way. Chaffers looks to
her heritage and ancestors as a
source of motivation in her artistic
emotion
endeavors. She likes to make use
of African patterns and themes.
This is the third year her work
appears in the exhibit.
"This show is a great chance for
minority students to show their
artwork," says Robert Silver, an
Art School junior. This is his
second year in the exhibit. Robert
likes the exposure Perceptions
gives budding artists like himself.
PERCEPTIONS & EXPRES-
SIONS 1988 will run until
February 20 with viewing hours
from 8 a.m. until 2 a.m. Some
student work on display is
available for purchase. A reception
to honor the participating artists
will beheld on Sunday, February 7
in the Michigan Union Pond
Rooms. There will be a short
presentation and lecture by a
University faculty member
followed by refreshments. Both the
exhibit and reception are free and
open to the public.
Nightingale teaches in the new
graduate program in Theatre Criti-
cism, headed by John Russell
Brown. His goals for the program.:
include the study of dramaturgy ands
criticism regarding dramatic and the-
atrical theory. He foresees the next
generation of critics as being edu-
cated articulate members of theatrical
audiences. His experience as a critic
offers him unique insight into the
theatre because he is aware of the
evolution of the modern play and the
playwright.
Nightingale contrasted his per-
ception of the role of theatre in
London and the United States. In the
American theatre he sees a limitation
towards narrow, domestic issues,
partially because recent economic
factors have stifled creativity - even
on Broadway, the historical center of
American theatrical innovation.
He offers the alternatiye perspec-
tive of the London stage. Because of
public subsidies, the theatre is al-
lowed more room for risk, and the
London stage has been characteristi-
cally more involved with social is-
sues. Though these issues may re-
flect the insularity of England itself,
they are broader than their American
counterparts.
When discussing possible solu-
tions to this potential crisis in
American theatre, Nightingale as-
serted the importance of regional
theatre. "Certainly changes in th.eatre
begin with avant-garde troupes and
regional theatres. American theatre,
must decentralize. Before opening
the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis,
Tyrone Guthrie actually considered
Ann Arbor as a possible location.
"Ann Arbor is a community open
to expansion and change - artistic,
and educational growth." Nightin-
gale is ambitious in his expectations
of the program, but also is certainly
a humble man. He does not see.
himself as necessarily pivotal in the
theatrical community at large. He is
rather, "lucky to be involved with
the stage in London and New York
and Ann Arbor."
I
pon.
4:
Change the World.
---or at least, make a start
ANNOUNCING THE ROBINSON
HUMANITARIAN AWARD
The University of Michigan has the privilege of nominating
one student for a national award of $1,500.00 to further a
project to address social needs within the community.
To enter or to nominate someone you know, and for
details, please pick up an information sheet and
nomination form at any of these Michigan Union locations:
CIC Desk: first floor lobby; MSA: room 3909
UAC: room 2105; SODC: room 2304
For further details, please call SODC at 763-5900.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 3, 1988.
Read
aMd
We
Vaif1j
Choo616e4b
Doily Photo by KAREN HANDELMAN
Professor Benedict Nightingale is a freelance critic for the New York
Times and the London Times. He chose to return to teaching when he
was offered a position by the University.
Are
tickets
u naffordable?
(Continued from Page 9)
such increase in luxury accompany-
ing the higher ticket prices. Instead,
we will continue to pay $5 for the
privilege of watching prints that are
Immediate Occupancy
For Winter Term 11
All apartments located on central campus
Flexable Terms
Maximum Space for Minimum Price
Lots of Parking
st, Ann Arbor We Pay Heat
so bad they give new meaning to
the term "first-run," on screens so
small that one has to continuously
fight off the urge to reach for the
remote control. And we probably
will be subjected to the same sky
high prices for concessions, and
then have the pleasure of walking
on leftovers from the previous
screening (I've lost two shoes, one
sock, and a toe to those sticky the-
atre floors!).
With the advent of video, movie
fans now have an alternative to the
exorbitant prices and abhorrent con-
ditions of modern moviegoing. But
of course, watching a film on TV is
like listening to Sgt. Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band through
Advertise in
The Michigan Doily
721 S. Fore
791 1 K92
[700 Geddes, Ann Arbor
215 Hill, Ann Arbor
and others... P.
543 Church Street
Ann Arbor, M 48104
only one speaker - you just don't.
get the full effect. And besides, your
local moviehouse- is still the only
place to see first-run movies.
I have this dream ...
The valet drives my car off to the
parking lot as my date and I make
our way towards the theatre. As we
step to the ticket window, the
friendly voice behind the counter,"
chirps, "Good evening. How many
please?" I pay the 13-year-old $8 for"
a pair of tickets and we enter the
theatre.
We walk through the luxurious
lobby, past the smiling faces of the
theatre management, past rows of
fresh pastries and imported wines
and into the huge, dazzling theatre.
We walk down the spotless, well -
lit aisles and sit down in our spa-s
cious,.reclining seats. The lights
dim, and the curtain pulls back to
reveal a screen as wide as the eye
can see. The titles appear (in focus)
and Isettle back and relax...
EXECU
The University Activities Center
is now accepting:
TIVE BOARD
NCE
GRAMMING
(ELOPMENT
AN RESOURCES
MOTION
ERTISING and PUBLICITY
ivaiable at the UAC offices,
for positions of
PRESIDENT
V.P. of FINAL
V.P. of PROC
and DEV
V.P. of HUMi
V.P. of PROM
V.P. of ADVE
MUG
IN THE MORNING
Choose any one of the
following breakfast entrees
at the MUG, and get a
small coffee -- FREE!!
1. Egg MUG Biscuit
2. Egg MUG Muffin
I Rn.p Fn 1 r
IA'pplications are a
i
I