ARTS The Michigan Daily Friday, October 9, 1992 Page 8 'Life' of Vietnam by Adrienne Burhans After films such as "Platoon" and "Casualties of War," Vietnam seems like old news. But the Serpent's Tooth Theatre (SIT) presents a unique look at Vietnam's affects on veterans and American society in its production of the Broadway Obie Award winner "Still Life," written by Emily Mann, author of "Execution of Justice." Set in 1980, "Still Life" is a docu-drana about a 29 year-old Vietnam veteran, Mark, and the two women in his life - his wife Cheryl and his souhnate Nadine. Mark is a struggling artist who can't put the war be- hind him in a physically abusive relationship with his wife. Mark's pho- tographic record of the war is presented in a multi-media pastiche while the characters tell the audience their stories. The three characters are present on the stage throughout the performance. "Still Life" was written based on interviews with Vietnam Veterans. However some local Vietnam Veterans have protested the play's accu- racy while others have recognized it as their own experience. In order to facilitate discussion, a symposium titled "Vietnam Since the War" will be held after the October 4th Sunday matinee performance at 4:00 p.m. featuring Veteran Marshall Gaines who will speak on his perspective of the war, as well as a veteran who opposed the play, and someone of Vietnamese decent. STT Literary Manager/playwright/composer-in-residence Kenn Pierson believes the audience will draw their own conclusions about the war. "The staging is very unconventional," Pierson said. "The director, Michael Geiger, told the actors to pretend they were in group therapy. The characters spontaneously talk to the audience. They each have their own location on stage. Unaware of each other their monologues are in- terspersed throughout the performance simultaneously. The audience will feel like they are having a one-on-one conversation with the charac- ters." Pierson hopes the audience will come away with a realistic idea of the impact Vietnam had on society and its veterans. "There are many misconceptions about Vietnam," he said. "We want the audience to see the effects of war from a realistic point of view* and why it is so important to prevent war." STILL LIFE performances will be held at the Performance Network tonight and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 general admission and $8 seniors/students. For information call 437-3264 or 663-0681. Free Hepatitis B Vaccine Students, age 18 and older, who are eligible for university health service, with no prior history of Hepatitis B infection or vaccination and who are not pregnant, are eligible. Must not be in any health science program that recommends Hepatitis B vaccination (Nursing, Medical, Dental, Lab Science, etc.) MUST BE ABLE TO COMPLETE A SIX MONTH STUDY PERIOD. Contact: Allergy & Immunization Clinic, University Health Services 207 Fletcher, Ann Arbor, Michigan Phone: 313-764-8304 8:30 am (9:15 am on Thurs)-11:00 am; 12:30 pm-4:00 pm 0 If nothing else, "Four Bitchin' Babes" (Julie Gold, Sally Fingerett, Megon McDonough, and Christine Lavin (left to right)) can act "photogenic." Four Bitchin Babes in Arborland by Andrew Cahn Anyone who's ever been to the Arb, Borders or the Michigan Theater knows that Ann Arbor is one of the world's leading centers of "Sensitive New Age Guys." That's right, those balding middle aged men who dress like Richard Simmons and carry babies in backpacks. When the Four Bitchin' Babes sing their song about this peculiar breed tonight, it will be these men who will have the last laugh, for had they all decided to not live in this area, the Babes would certainly not be able to pack a place as big as the Power Center. "Ann Arbor is an oasis," said Christine Lavin, possibly the best known member of the group, "because it's had the club, the Ark, for years, and its had the University. It's really an intellectual town. A lot of (contemporary folk artists) don't play for hundreds of miles around it, but it's a place we play all the time." The last time they were in town was this past January, when they were one of the leading acts in the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. The objec- tive of the festival is to present some of the Ark's favorite performers to a large audience at Hill Auditorium to boost their mailing lists, record sales and general recognition. Obviously, they were a big hit, for they are now headlining a show at the Power Center. "Of course we'll be wearing our power outfits, and taking our power lunches there," Lavin said. Anyway, the double whammy they received because of the festival was that the band in itself is a show- case of four solo performers, each performing her material with the others backing up. All four women - Lavin, Megan McDonough, Sally Fingerett, and Julie Gold - have their own individual careers and fol- lowings, but do not put them on hold or abandon them for the sake of a mercenary super group. The Babes are basically four friends helping each other out. Their objective, though not on as grand a scale, is much like CSN&Y's; a group whose success has resulted from emphasizing the individuality of the members over the permanence and uninterrupted unity of the actual group. "Were all pals," Lavin said. "Sally and Megan each have chil- dren at home and they only come once or twice a month to do these shows. What will add to the longevity of what we're doing is that we're not in each other's faces all the time." On the other hand she said that recording a studio album has changed things a bit. "What the AV A .M N ,. R B 0 R ~c~uet~0 #w~m&e RESTAURANT BAR & GATHERING PLACE OPENING SOON _IN - record made us do is rehearse more," she said. "It's been very fun tossing out harmonies and not being very exact in what we're doing. We now need more intense rehearsal time because we've only scratched the surface of what we can do with each other, both vocally and musically." Stylistically, each of the four women are unique enough to keep the show from sounding homoge- nous, yet not so distant as to turn the show into a mess. Lavin is like a perky, yet cynical cheerleader, Fingerett is the serious, literary Joni Mitchell type, McDonough is a well- versed musical historian, and Gold is a Brill Building-esque, NYC tune- smith. The most important aspect of the group is that each member's songs bring out sides of the others on stage that are not usually seen. Even though Fingerett is all business when she performs her emotional "Home is Where the Heart Is," she really hams it up on Lavin's quirkier numbers. Even though they have been performing as solo artists for years, their vocal abilities and knowledge of musical theory becomes most apparent when they harmonize. It is especially effective' on the more serious tunes, like Gold's "From a Distance." (Yes, it's that Desert Storm song.) There are some who think they should stick to more numbers like those, and that the comic elements get a bit tired after a while. One Lavinhead I know said he wasn't planning to go to the show because, as he said, "Do I really need to hear 'Prisoners of Their Hairdos' again?" Paraphrasing Lavin' s lyrics, how- ever, that guy is just a prisoner of his thoughts, and that's worse than being a prisoner of his hair. BUY ME, BRING ME, TAKE ME, DON'T MESS MY HAIR! LIFE ACCORDING TO THE FOUR BITCHIN' BABES will be at the Power Center tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17.50. For more info call 763-TKTS. 0 0 0 r4 9peat c w 04M 70, 000 '7ltac~dw ,,. . 1 ;" :Y" Y". . ". I( AI TAKE IT TO THE MAX! MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITY AWAITS YOU AT OUR NEW RESTAURANT! Our Managers are professionals at making sure... The Atmosphere is always fun, The Food is always fresh, The Service is always good, The Schedule is always set and The Training is designed to let you shine! It you are an energetic, enthusiastic team player looking for a fun, fast-paced environment then come join our OPENING TEAM! The following positions are currently availible: - Hosts/ Hostesses - Fry Cooks Features THESE ARE DAYS FEW AND FAR BETWEEN 9 NOAH'S DOVE Specially priced CD $II.99 cassette $7.99 (This release on sale thru 10/18/92) - Servers . Blartenders - Grill Cooks . Pantrv Cooks 0 4