ft AWWAM Odft Literary fun! Today's installment of the Guild House Writers Series features Wolf Knight, a three-time Ann Arbor Poetry Slam champion, returning to read his poetry after a two-year absence. And you can aim high too - there will be an open mic session following Knight's presentation! Just go on down to Guild House, 802 Monroe St., at 8:30 p.m. to join in the wild festivities. Monday November 4, 1996 5A 1W ESTY EVENING OF INDIAN.,,\4Ai 4 11th Annual IASA Cultural Show thrills Hill crowd By Eugene Bowen Daily Arts Writer Diversity is a trademark characteristic of lia. From the more than 300 million Hindu deities to the once-mighty Mogul Empire to internationally revered humanitarians like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa, an immense harmony of different languages, reli- gious beliefs; political affiliations and forms of entertainment unite to create the melodious bliss known as the Indian nation. That same bliss must have been packaged and shipped overseas to Hill Auditorium some time st week. Because Saturday night the 11 th mnual Indian American Student Association Cultural Show - coordinated by Megha Sata and Neha Patel and featuring more than 300 par- ticipants - delivered the joys and sorrows of India and Indian America to an overflowing Hill audience. Song and dance were the staples of the cultur- al show fare. Opening the night was the original composition "Kalyan," a \ RE musical expression of love sung by Anita Aysola and C danced by 12 women in bright blue with red head- dress. Another beautiful performance by 15 women, "Marathi Dance," is a traditional Maharashtra dance. Yet nothing could compare to the contrasting "Bharata Natyam" and "Raas." A blissful ambiance surrounded the six women dancing the "Bharata Natyam." Their move- ments were perfectly synchro- nized, constantly metamorphosiz- ing from the slow and languid to the flurried and hectic, then back again. The bells the dancers wore about their ankles accentuated the ever-changing pace of their move- ments. The upbeat "Raas" was complete with stick tossing, twirling and throwing, as well as dancers bounding joyously from one end of the stage to the other. The all-white worn by the men formed a perfect background against which a ram- paging sea of colorful effects caused by the women dancers' garb "i could be seen and felt. T MYERS/Daily Something beautiful could cer- vities. tainly be felt as the primarily Indian-American audience sung the Indian Anthem, "Jana Gana Mana." And Rupa Mehta and Ashu Tyagi were more than deserving of the rousing applause they received for their flawless singing of the "Star Spangled Banner." Mehta's VIEW IASA ultural Show Hill Auditorium Nov. 2, 1996 tures, which have opera-quality soprano voice was buttressed solidly by Tyagi's inter- changing alto / bass accompaniment. One theme of the night's event was the join- ing of India's Eastern and America's Western cul- both influenced the lives of Indian American University students, many of whom are first-generation Americans. Various dances like "Where I'm From" and "Indian America" brought out the diverse influences of Indian and hip-hip sounds. Also celebrated in these dances were a variety of other non- European cultures that have shaped American life. Dances such as the butterfly and tootsie roll, as well as stomping and clapping similar to that used by historically black fraternities and soror- ities in their stop shows, modeled many modern African American dance movements. And Latin American salsa dances were periodically placed into the fabric of traditionally Indian dance movements. Also contrasting the Indian and the American, the cultural show featured two fashion shows - the first dedicated to the richly colorful garb of India, and the second focused on American clothing. But more than anything else, this cultural show was a tribute to parents. Speaking to Indian parents with a message that applies equally well to parents of various backgrounds, IASA President Ranuka Kher proclaimed, "Since all the parents are too humble to, I'm MARGARET MYERS/Daily Indian song and dance marked IASA's 11th Annual Cultural Show on Saturday. going to tell you about yourselves. We all know about the American dream.... (Parents) are that dream come true." She reminded the parents and grandparents that because of all the suffering they overcame on behalf of their children, "we will never have to work as hard as you did." But it was primarily the night's four emcees. Rahul Shah, Ashish Goyal, Atul Rustgi and Darshan Desai, who brought out the different experiences of Indians in America, a land far from the Indian homeland geographically and even further culturally. They performed a number of skits that were humorous (an Indian's first visit to Taco Bell), serious (cul- tural differences between Indian parents and their first-generation Indian American .chib dren) and sentimental. (a young Indian University student writing to his parents back home in India). The I I th Annual IASA Cultural Show was no doubt an amazing experience for those who attended. The variety of song, dance, skits and fashion shows offered a glimpse of the traditions of India, as well as a better understanding of the struggle many Indian Americans are constantly going through in trying to hold on to their her- itage while simultaneously seeking , the American dream. The cultural show was certain- ly more than just entertaining comedy and extra- ordinary dances; it also provided a great deal of learning and understanding. Sophomore Bejal Shah dances during the IASA festiv Tension, horror are bn the rise in creepy 'Bad Moon' Provocative Saroyan drama hits Arena By Prashant Tamaskar Daily Arts Writer "'Bad Moon" begins deep in the ngles of Nepal, when a photojour- nalist and his girlfriend are attacked by a half-human wolf, who ends up fatally mauling the woman. Ted (Michael Pare), the photographer, kills the beast, escaping with only a nasty bite. Two months after arriving home in Washington state, Ted contacts his sister Janet RE gariel Heming- 'wy) and her son , Brett (played by N Macaulay Culkin clone Mason Gamble) and invites them to visit. Although they are happy to see him, Janet and Brett notice something wrong with Ted. Their dog, Thor, also behaves strangely toward his incle. But Ted assures them that he's It a little down on his luck and that he'll be fine. A couple of weeks later, after five people are killed by a large animal in the woods near his home, Ted decides to take up Janet's offer to stay at her place for some time. Everyone is happy that Ted is living with them except for Thor, who constantly barks and growls at Ted. And slowly, Janet also begins to get suspicious of her U brother and his nightly jogs that last until daylight. Janet has every reason to be con- cerned, as it is revealed that, at night, Ted turns into a werewolf. Yet although Ted knows that something is going on (because he often wakes up covered in blood), he cannot recall his nocturnal experiences. Both the pho- tographer and his family are left try- ing to find the cure to his problem before a highly probable tragedy VIE W strikes. Unlike most of Bad Moon the films of its ** genre, "Bad Moon" primarily At Showcase focuses on the psychological ramifications of a person's metamor- phosis (in this case turning into a werewolf), and the way that it affects loved ones. Ted is burdened by the duality of his existence, and, not sur- prisingly, his relationship with his family suffers. Ted views his sister and nephew as potential saviors, but he is faced with a confusing dilemma. His family's love is the only thing that keeps him going, but in bringing a sense of meaning to his life, he puts them in jeopardy. The ulti- mate price of their concern for Ted may be their lives. This predicament dis- tresses the main character throughout the film. Along similar lines, although the story's climax features the standard physical confrontation between good and evil, the gratuitous blood and gore scenes are not only infrequent, but they are also relevant in establishing the plot. Director Eric Red does a fine job of moving away from the campy atmosphere that plagues similar movies. Unfortunately, the refreshing focus of the film is obscured by an obvious fail- ure to execute its purpose. The passion required to successfully carry out what should be poignant sequences is nonex- istent. Moreover, the characters are par- ticularly dull and surprisingly underde- veloped, with trite, uninspired dialogue. Sadly enough, the most polished part is given to the Old Yeller-like wonder dog, Thor, whose incessant barking is only slightly more tolerable than the inces- sant whining of his 10-year-old human friend. Adding to the mess are the low-in- number, but high-in-stupidity scenes featuring Ted as the werewolf. At times, his makeup is menacing, but more often than not it manages to be comical. And the movement of the werewolf is rigidly mechanical, mak- ing the beast seem more like a puppet than a high-tech product of computer animation. Borrowing some from the 1993 movie "Wolf," this film not only squanders an intriguing perspective on a familiar topic, but it also wastes the talents of the underrated Mariel Hemingway - whose low-key perfor- mance as Janet is extremely convinc- ing - and the little-known Michael Pare. Serving as just another example of the lack of quality in the horror film genre - which would fade into obliv- ion if it weren't for an occasional finan- cial success like "Interview With the Vampire" - "Bad Moon" is a stodgy work that has its moments, but amounts to little in the end. Only Mariel Hemingway's dog, Thor, knows that "Bad Moon"'s Michael Pare is in desperate need of a career. By Christopher Tkaczyk Daily Arts Writer William Saroyan's "Hello Out There" is as thought-provoking as it is enter- taining. It is an awesome play to encounter - especially when it is per- formed by exceptional actors, as it was this weekend for Basement Arts. Director Cadi Sutter continued Basement Arts' excellence by present- ing this one act play about a male drifter held in jail in Matador, Texas, RE for the rape of a RE local woman. In He his solitary cell, he calls out to the world, "Hello out there!" His des- perate cries for help are answered by a girl who works as the jailhouse cook and cleaner. And the play focuses on their relationship even as the husband of the raped woman returns to seek revenge on the drifter. From the opening of the play, the audience could tell it was in for an exciting experience. Mark Gmazel (the prisoner) not only seemed trapped inside his cell, but also inside his lifestyle. Desperate to break out of his cage, Gmazel's shouting and pleading with the girl made the audience mem- bers feel as if they were trapped inside the cell with him. Heather Guglielmetti played the role of the teenage girl to perfection. Her awkward youthfulness added to the immaturity and inexperience of the character. Her response to the prisoner's promises of love and money epitomized E1 the stereotypic romantic teen-age, girl who lives her life from the pathetic pages of trashy romance novels. Matt Witten's performance as the hus- band proved once again that he is an actor with major talent. One memorable trait of Witten's character in this produc- tion was the emotional reaction he had by drawing his gun whenever the priso- er told him something that he didr't want to hear. This simple-minded Texas husband could be V i EW the symbol of the American male, o Out There very willing to defend his honor Arena Theater whenever some- Nov. 1, 1996 one speaks unwanted truths. The play's scenery was simple. The chicken-wire cage helped the presenta- tion by allowing the characters to circle around it while exchanging words wvith the prisoner. Since this play was pre- sented in the round, the cage coufd'be seen the same way from any angle. This allowed the audience to acknowledge the many different views one can feet for the prisoner's situation. While the play is for the most-'poat about the way in which love can be used as a tool for personal gain, it is ,also about the way in which false love can be instigated in almost any situation - even within a lonely Texas jail cell. Although it is highly unlikely that the prisoner and the girl found love within the confines of his cage, it is quite-cer- tain that each of the characters ,had either gained or lost knowledge ofWhat love truly means. I _________________________________________________________________________________________________ I Don't Panic!! If you think you're pregnantiL. call us-we listen, we care. PROBLEM PREGNANCY HELP 769-7283 Any time, any day, 24 hours f~uli conide rtia. Se~n Stuents. .:I.?O HAPPY HOURS I'l R 9:0-1:30 AM- 9:30Pm..-MIDAN.GHT a llf m