4 Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 25, 1988 Theory Continued from Page 7 But Miller did have a recent brush with songwriting fame; a song he originally wrote for fellow Cal- ifornians The Three O'Clock nearly made it onto Prince's Lovesexy album, through that band's friend- ship with His Royal Shortness. But "I guess," Miller said, "Mr. Prince didn't like it." F Still, Miller would rather let "a t few people who are forced to listen to us" acquire his taste than try to acquire theirs. "I have this confidence that if people ever get accidentally exposed to it enough, they'll see in it what I do," he said. In the meantime, the only thing he says he'll try to put in his songs is "this indefinable wonderfulness." "Indefinable wonderfulness." "Emotional impact." This might seem strange jargon for someone whose day job is programming computers. But then, Game Theory draws their strengths from seeming contradiction. The first lines of the first song of their first EP are: "I try not to say I love you/ Just because it's something so many say." This could well be the band's motto; despite (or because of) their unusual approach, their songs still express basic feelings - love, despair, pity - that so many have said. Only Game Theory says it better. And for all his complexity, Miller is satisfied with this simple goal: "I'd like to think," he says, "that every now and then I made a song that made someone cry." Congratulations, Scott. You have. GAME THEORY and opening band Walk the Dogma will play the Blind Pig tonight at 10 p.m. Cover is $6. And, if you're out there, Scott Miller wants his shirt back. Royal Drag If yOu were waiting until today to buy your tickets for the concert, then it's your own damn fault. Mr. Rogers Nelson's scheduled Wednesday concert at Crisler arena was cancelled yesterday due to lack of ticket sales. Tickets can be exchanged at place of purchase, and some are still left for his Oct. 31 show at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Island Continued from Page 7 enjoyable experience if the two sides were distinguished by more than appearance. Still, the film is basically the story of Pascali, and in this respect it succeeds. While other parts of the film are annoyingly blurry, it is appropriate that Kingsley blurs the distinction between himself and his character. And it is his performance that keeps this Island above water. PASCALI'S ISLAND is playing at the Ann Arbor Theater. Jane: More fun than the debates BY JOANNE HIGASHI A nn Arbor playwright/songwriter Jay Stielstra's political musical Tittabawassee Jane opened Thursday night for its second run this year, offering comic relief to Ann Arborites who recently yawned through three televised "debates." The setting for this caricature of the political process is Nick's Cafd, a small-town pub in Middleton, Mich. Attorney and aspiring congressperson John Goodman (Todd Tesen) returns to his hometown, which is also the. home of Sow Chemical Company, to drum up support for his nascent campaign. Goodman is brimming over with good intentions: he wants to stop injustice and right wrongs. But he has trouble sorting out what's right and what's wrong. Goodman's political mentor is Paddy Gladahan (Jonathan Smeenge),an old hand at politics who wears a red, white, and blue plaid jacket and carries an American flag in his breast pocket. Paddy's musical advice: "You warna go to Washington, D.C., get your hand in the till... tell 'em welfare mothers and Russians are to blame." Paddy's ready to agree with anybody apd promise anything when contributions are forthcoming. Smeenge came across as the most professional of the performers in terms of projection and manages to remain likeable in spite of the sliminess of Paddy's character.; To get his campaign rolling, Goodman first approaches his old buddy Reg (Dick Siegel), a bitter, alcoholic Vietnam veteran who says, "I had only one mind to give for my country." He reviles politicians for sending himto Vietnam, and Sow Chemical for making the chemical weapons that ruined his mind and pollute his town. Siegel is convincing in a role that would be depressing, if it weren't for his non-stop black humor. The conflict between Goodman and Reg comes to a head in the second act when Paddy brings Sow Chemical PR man Roger Lackey (Carl Seaver) into the bar to pander favors. Lackey does such a good job looking down his nose at the riffraff, I wonder if he'll be invited to party with the cast after the play. Goodman's pure and principled ex-lover, union maid Tittabawassee Jane (Tracy Lee Komarmy), and Lackey's former throwaway girlfriend Maggie I (Chris McMullen) also happen to be in the bar at the time and join forges with Reg to confront Lackey with his sins. Both women have strong, rich singing voices and seem very natural in their roles - it's easy to imagipe Komarmy, with her lilting voice and clear blue eyes, playing Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm in her next role. The cast, director David Hunsberger, the author, and the band, are mostJy old friends who were also involved in Stielstra's previous musical, "North Country Opera." They're obviously involved for the fun of it; many of the roles were designed around the people who would play them. All performers were as well-rehearsed as our presidential and vice- presidential candidates were for their "debates," and delivered much more realistic performances. Although it lacks the gloss of a big-time production, Tittabawassee Janet should please fans of folksy, down-home entertainment. It won't make you sob or sigh, but it probably will get some chuckles. A memory that reaches back into the '60s and a strong leftward political leaning will greatly enhance enjoyment of the show. TITTABAWASEE JANE will play Thursday through Sunday nights util Oct. 30 at the Performance Neiwork, 408 W. Washington. Sunday's shw starts at 6:30 p.m., all others start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8, or $6 for students, available at the door. Priday and Saturdat shows are selling out fast; reservations are recommended. Call 663-0681 for reservations or more information. GET IT! The Personal Column MICHIGAN DAILY CIASWIEW ADS 4 "The most important political trial of the decade." 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