The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition-Entertainment - Thursday, September 10, 1992 - Page 7 THEATER Continued from page 5 rush tickets on the, night of performances, but they are ex- ceptionally hard to get. If you have transportation, you lay want to take a short trip to Chelsea's Purple Rose Theatre. This quaint 100 seat theater presents five new productions a year. Hollywood actor and visiting professor, Jeff Daniels, is the executive director and a playwright at the theater. The shows here are extremely popular, so be sure to get your tickets in advance. A division of the University *Activities Committee (UAC), MUSKET, is comprised of students who produce two shows a year. Most of the students are in the Musical Theatre program, but all are welcome to participate. MUSKET is important to many students because it provides an outlet for non-majors to pursue their dream of acting. MUSKET chooses one musical *o perform each term. Past pro- ductions have included Broadway hits such as Chess, Evita, and Cabaret. MUSKET's shows are also fancy because their budget comes from a fee collected from each student's tuition. MUSKET shows are always technically challenging and contain a large amount of talent that would otherwise go unnoticed because some actors are non-majors. They are also appealing because their student tickets are priced as low as $5.50. Another division of UAC, Soph Show is a smaller musical theater group that consists only of first-year MUSKET shows are always technically challenging and contain a large amount of talent that would otherwise go unnoticed because some actors are non- majors. students and sophomores. This year they will perform a play entitled The Apple Tree. If you enjoy the Civic Theatre's Second Stage Productions you'll probably enjoy this smaller type of show also. Innovative and experimental theatrical productions can be seen at the Performance Network. In 1981, the Network was born when six people got together to experiment with new work. Later, the concept was evolved to also include a performing space. The Network's showsare always great to see because they attract many professionals due to the origi- nality of the shows they house. Isabelle, Tiree Ships, and A Shyster will be performed there in Sep- tember and this is one of only two places in North American where this spoof on Christopher Columbus can be seen. The Network also rents it's performing space so other members of the community can show off their talent. The Network's productions resemble the Civic Theatre's Second Stage shows, but they are still a little less glamorous. If you aren't a serious theater fanatic you may want to stay away from the sometimes odd, but original shows performed here. One group that produces it's shows at the Performance Network is Serpent's Tooth Theatre. Serpent's Tooth "dedicated to the production of contemporary Amer- ican drama." In addition, the group chooses to do newer works, by local play- wrights, that contain socially rel- evant themes. After some shows, experts are brought in to lead discussions on point brought up in the play. This allows theater to 0 Gwendolyn S. Grote and Erin Dilly in their roles from the University Players' As You Like It, last April. become, not only entertainment, but a learning experience as well. Again, I would advise those of Where to get tiCkets you are expecting some big pro- duction to stay away from here as for performanCes well. Some may find lectures interesting, but I personally don't like to get lectured on a night out at ths town the theater. As anyone can plainly see, Ann Arbor is an exciting place to be if A7 you are interested in theater. There isn't anywhere else in the state Michigan League Ticket Office where you can see quality theatery764-0450 performances for the same price as a night at the movies. Purple Rose Theatre - 475-7902 Our generation has been con. University Musical Society- 764- sistently known as an "electronic- generation." Hopefully, these trad-2583 itional plays, original productions, and Broadway musicals, combined MUSKET/SophSh-763-1107 with low student prices will bring Performancek663-0696 many to experience the wonderful world of the theater. Serpent's Tooth More information can be ob- tained at the following numbers: AACT (313)-971-AACT; Michigan League Ticket Office (University's Productions) (313)-764-0450; Purple Rose Theatre (313)-475-7902; Uni-For showtimes every week,vi(esda h versity Musical Society (31 3)-764- 'W eedet. it eeyT usdyi h 2583; MUSKET/Soph Show (313)- MiChigan- ;e my. 763-1107; Performance Network (313)-663-0696; Serpent's Tooth (313)-437-3264. Danielle Quisenberry and Chris Stapleton in character from the University Players' The Time of Your Life. 1,