ARTS

The Michigan Daily

Friday, April 3,1992

Page 5


.amus Cinema Toast the Friars and Women's Glee Club

She's Gotta Have It (1986)
dir. Spike Lee
With the possible exception of Do The Right Thing, She's Gotta Have It
is Spike Lee's best film. It's certainly his only film about a woman.
Nola (Tracy Camilla Johns) is a charming, non-glamorous, sexy and in-
telligent woman who can't decide between three men because they all offer
her something she likes. Each, in his own way, struts his sexuality in the be-
lief that he can give her all she needs. Two of the three men are diversions;
they amuse her and signify that she's not ready to commit to the third man,
the most well-rounded and genuinely suave of the three. She sleeps with
them only in her apartment, spare except for a centerpiece bed whose head-
board is an altar of love with about 40 candles, each in its own little nook,
which she lights during trysts..
Lee's signature is apparent in his fully fleshed characters and witty
script, especially the lines he gives his own character, Mars Blackmon, one
of the amusers. Blackmon makes love with his hightops on and tries to pre-
sent himself as a picture of macho confidence, which is constantly undercut
by his sweet insecurities and his obvious love for Nola. He's self-centered
and childlike, but hilarious. "Please, babybabybabybaby, please" are his
words of seduction.
The film comes from Nola's perspective and we can see what she appre-
ciates in each of her men, sympathizing with her decision to keep all of
them despite their constant threats to break things off because they each
want an exclusive relationship. Lee creates a strong and engaging woman
who remains above the egos of the men who want her for their own reasons.
One sequence consists entirely of various men, Nola's significant three
included, saying their best pick-up and seduction lines to her, straight into
the camera. It's hilarious and brilliant in much the same way as the scene in
Jungle Fever when the woman get together to talk about the men.
She's Gotta Have It bears the beginnings of the Spike Lee style without
the pompous confusion of Jungle Fever or the narrative difficulties of
School Daze, and with more humor and weight than Mo' Better Blues. Most
of the film is in black and white with a simple style that uses its props to
spare advantage. Especially now that Lee's become so self-congratulatory
and egotistically cantankerous, She's Gotta Have It stands out as his most
charming film.
She's Gotta Have It plays tonight and tomorrow night at 10 in MLB 3.
Adnission is $3, or $4 for a double feature with Do the Right Thing, which
begins at 8.
-Jen Bilik
who what where when"

by Darcy Lockman
A frothy beer mug - that's the
symbol of the Friars. Or at least
that's what it was back in 1850,
when it was founded. At that time,
the Friars was solely a drinking
group. Officially, of course, it was
an honor society in which University
men met "for purposes other than
study," according to Friar Dan Gal-
lagher.
Humble beginnings might be
misleading for today's group of
Friars. Anyone who goes to tonight's
concert expecting to see a group of
guys with good grades drinking beer
on stage will undoubtedly be disap-
pointed. Or, you might be delighted,
depending on your taste in enter-
tainment. In place of the brew-guz-
zling tradition of old is an a cappella
performance group of eight members
from the Men's Glee Club.

The Friars have a repertoire more
extensive than the brew list at
Anheuser-Busch. Gallagher says the
group draws from all types of music.
"We sing jazz, rock, pop anything
that sounds good a cappella. We do
some traditionally vocal music, mu-
sic written specifically for men's
voices. We also do more than just
sing," he says.
"Our goal in performing is to
achieve a balance between humor
and music; we have a lighthearted
style. In between numbers, we do
skits and parodies on topics ranging
from politics to life on campus," he
adds.
The members also earn money
from performances, which allows
them to travel. "We manage our own
engagements, and get paid for doing
a lot of them - Parents' Weekend
for sororities and fraternities, Christ-
mas dinners for University depart-

ments ... Last year we went on a
cruise. This summer, the funds are
covering our European tour," says
Gallagher.
Not bad for a group of undergra-
duates operating outside of the
School of Music. Perks do come
through hard work - eight hours of
rehearsals, and up to three perfor-
mances per week. The Friars aren't
complaining though. "It's a fun
group, a way to escape the serious-
ness of academic life," says Gal-
lagher. "Our main goal is to enjoy
ourselves. It's kind of like a small
fraternity:"
Tonight's Friars concert, the
Thirty-Sixth Annual Best Concert
Ever, will feature the songs of Chi-
cago, Manhattan Transfer, the Bea-
ties and Queen.
If one night of musical entertain-
ment does not suffice, the Women's
Glee Club Spring Concert will

provide some calm in the midst of
the hectic Hash Bash/basketball
weekend.

-i.

The Women's Glee Club sings,.
selections from different genres o;
music, just like the Friars. According
to business manager and performer
Tanya Arlock, "We do classical, spik
ritual, folk, contemporary, and U of
M songs." Sound familiar?
Like the Friars, the Glee Club is
also more than just a group who gets
together and sings. "We've really
worked on making it a social atmo-
sphere," says Arlock. "We had a,
formal, we went on a retreat, we go
to Stucchi's after rehearsal. It's a so-
cial organization, and an outlet for-
non-music majors who want to
sing," she says.
In contrast to the Friars, though;
the sixty member Women's Glee
Club sings with accompaniment, and
as the name might hint, they are fe-
male.
Within two large concerts a year
and numerous private performances,
the Women's Glee Club includes a,
bit of humor in the songs of the Har-'
monettes. Comprised of eight Wo-'
men's Glee Club members, "they-
sing in the middle of (large) con
certs, performing skits, and chore-
ographed a cappella numbers," ex=
plains Arlock.
Tomorrow night's Spring ,
Concert will feature a trilogy from
Alice in Wonderland, Bossi's "Can-,,.
tate Domino," love themes from 4,
variety of movies, and University<
songs.-"It doesn't start until-after the
(basketball) game will be over. So
people can come celebrate the vic-
tory at our concert. We'll all sing
'Hail to the Victors,' " says Arlock.
Don't forget your frothy mugs.
THE FRIARS will perform Friday at
the Michigan Theater at 8 p.m., $S
general admission. THE WOMEN'S
GLEE CLUB will perform Saturday
at Rackham Auditorium at 8 p.m.,-
$S, $3 students. Call 763-TKTS for
more iformation on both concerts.

When we finally overexpose and
dry up Seattle's music scene, if it
hasn't happened already, which city
will be the next target? Boulder,
Colorado. This crunchy college town
r houses dozens of places to see live
bands. One of Boulder's premier
acts, the Samples, may try too hard
tp write PC lyrics, but their brand of
reggae grooves hard and they are
known for their impressive live
shows. They'll play at the Blind Pig
Saturday night. Cover is $8, but
worth every penny.
Who needs the hash bash or the
final four - make it a Bill Shake-
speare weekend! If you're heading
to Detroit this weekend see the re-
stored Othello at DIA. In the tra-
dition of hyphenate Barbra Strei-
sand, Orson Welles directed, pro-
duced, wrote, and starred in this
film. Showtimes are 7 & 9:30 Friday
and Saturday, 4 & 7 on Sunday. Call
833-2323. It's the perfect companion
toAs You Like It at the Trueblood
Theater, performed by the Univer-
sity Players. Showtime is 8 p.m. to-
COMEDY
COMPANY
the Mig s:howl
8:OOpm
'Thursday, Friday & Saturday
April 2, 3 & 4
. Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
$4.00 All tickets are general admission
Available at Michigan Union
Ticket Office 763-TKTS, or at the door
For more information call
University Activities Center at 763-1107

night and tomorrow. Tickets are $9,
$6.50 for students. Call 764-0450.
Big Showdown, Comedy Com-
pany's seasonal production will be
at the Mendelssohn this weekend.
There'll be sets and a band (The
Tequila Mockingbirds) this time.
Come see comedians sing! (HaHa)
Friday's showtime is 8 p.m.. For
those who are watching the final
four on Saturday, but would like to
see the show, it won't start until after
the game (between 8:30 and 8:45).
Tickets are $4. Call 763-1107.

PAUL TAYLMORaly
It's the young, sexy New Friars on the Block! If you're a teenage girl with raging hormones, get yourself over to the
Michigan, hook yourself on the edge of the stage and drool for this sub-division of the Men's Glee fraternity.

.. _ . r.

LET'S DANCE!
Try out for Michigan's Danceteam-
THE WOLVERETTES!
Mass Meeting Fri., April 3, 7pm
Martial Arts Rm.G20-IM Bldg.
Sun., April 5, 11 am
NCRB Gym
Please attend one meeting. For more info. call: 995-9268

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INNE L 00 0 DY O T R M DE NZ S ES IYET T


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It's time to stretch out your hamstrings and crank up your speed. On Sunday, April 12, we'll
raise the banner for the 15th Annual Briarwood Run, and we need your help to make it our
biggest year ever. Join the thousands of racers, joggers and spectators who'll energize our
5k, 10k and 20k runs and I mile walk, with an awards ceremony immediately following.
To register, sprint into any of our athletic stores or call 769-9610. Then jog over to
Briarwood at 9 a.m. sharp, when the gun blast kicks off another record-setting year.

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