Chrysler Corporation president Robert Lutz appears. Lutz will pre-
sent a reading from his new book, "Guts," about his experience in
the corporate auto industry. The bigshot will also sign copies
after the reading. Borders Books and Music. 7:30 p.m.
Zee fiRdOom Bait
Tbmorrow in Daily Arts:
U Come back kickin' your heels in a Daily Arts country line
dance as we bring you a review of Travis Tritt's recent Detroit
appearance.
Monday
October 19, 1998 5A
PBS series chronicles slavery
'Stomp' to make noise in A
By Rachel Knighton
For the Daily
"Africans in America: America's Journey through
Slavery" is an intensely enriching and educational docu-
mentary. This four-part series makes a journey from the
h of slavery in America to its constitutional abolish-
ment in the Civil War, and also explores the implications
that slavery has had on current racial politics and race
relations.
"Africans in America" provides a wonderful historical
analysis of the
fricans in
America
PBS
Tonght through
Thursday at 9:30 p.m.
origins of slavery. The documentary
explores how slavery was not
brought to America as a full-blown
institution, but built up here law by
law. America initially utilized a sys-
tem of indentured servitude, but
racial slavery proved a better eco-
nomic resource because Africans
could be easily distinguished from
Europeans. Additionally, African
children inheriting their parents' sta-
tus made it a dependable source of
labor. The narration and various
readings in the series are made espe-
cially moving by religious songs and
words from native West African lan-
guages playing softly in the back-
ground. The series also utilizes beau-
d landscapes from both America and
Got to Do With It") serves as the narrator for the series.
"Africans in America" also features interviews with for-
mer chief of staff Colin Powell, and several notable his-
torians.
The series will focus on the fact that slavery was not
just a horrific injustice to black people, but the paradox-
ical burden on the soul of an entire nation.
"When we realize that we've spent more time as a peo-
ple with slavery than without it, we can begin to see it as
a centerpiece of our national identity," Bagwell
explained.
Part one of the series, "The Terrible Transformation,"
describes how Africans were made into slaves - from
1641, when Massachusetts became the first state to move
from a system of indentured servitude to one of legalized
racial slavery, to 1750, when Georgia became the last
state to formally legalize slavery. The second episode,
"Revolution," uses the lives of two men - Venture
Smith, a slave who would later buy his and his family's
freedom, and President George Washington to describe
America's struggle for freedom from British rule and the
growth of slavery in America.
The third part, "Brotherly Love," describes how
America developed with the invention of the cotton gin,
the strengthening of the black church, and the growing
divergence of the North and South. The final episode,
"Judgement Day," travels through the period just before
the Civil War, highlighting events such as the landmark
Dred Scott ruling. The four part series ends with the
beginning of the Civil War in 1860 and Abraham Lincoln
taking office.
"Africans in America" provokes salient images of
slavery for its viewers. This enlightening and informa-
tive documentary exquisitely showcases how slavery
was an institution that affected not only slaves and slave-
holders but all Americans, past and present.
By Jenny Curren
Daily Arts Writer
What do two hatchet handles, 30
pounds of sand, and five copies of
"The New York Times" have to do
with each other? They are all items
expended weekly by "Stomp," the
theater sensation that has astounded
audiences worldwide for more than
four years. Among performances in
cities as diverse as Tokyo and
Barcelona, it's credits include five
sellout shows in Ann Arbor, and it's
back for another round in Power
Center tonight and tomorrow.
For those lucky enough to have
tickets to this sellout sensation, the
group won't disappoint, as last year's
spectators confirmed. LSA junior
Lisa Kolodny remarked, "I was
amazed at how they used everyday
things like a lighter to make rhythm.
They see the world in a different way,
and they make you see it too."
Kolodny's reaction reflects co-cre-
ator Steve McNicholas' philosophy
on the message behind "Stomp." "If
courtesy of TMG Marketing
Cast members of stomp walk loudly and carry big sticks.
#1 scenery an
Africa. Most importantly, "Africans in America" demon-
strates how slavery is an indivisible part of American his-
tory and how it still influences present day lives.
The series was produced by Orlando Bagwell, who is
known for "Frederick Douglas: When the Lion Wrote
History" and "MalcolmX: Make It Plain." Academy
Award-nominated actress, Anglea Bassett ("What's Love
$tomp
Power Center
Tonight at 8 p.m.
Tomorrow at 4 & 8 p.m.
there is a mes-
sage it is that
you can make
something out
of nothing,"
he explained.
"Using junk
challenges the
notion of cul-
ture as being
highbrow or
detached."
Certainly,
Stomp shat-
ters the defini-
tion of tradi-
Bacardi' tour too lax on laughs
nite possibilities of everyday objects.
Since its creators believe that
absolutely anything can be used as an
instrument, they try to consider an
object's aesthetic value when incor-
porating it into the routine.
"It has got to have some internal
logic to it, you know, whether that's a
reason that makes it humorous or
whether it's just dramatic, but there
has to be something, because other-
wise we could just tap away forever,"
said Luke Cresswell, the other co-
creator of "Stomp."
The irony of "Stomp" is that it has
succeeded precisely because it breaks
conventions formerly considered nec-
essary for success. It's British creators
started humbly as a street band
ensemble in Brighton, England.
In 1990, Cresswell directed the
"Heineken Hove Lagoon Show," a
drum, string and choral extravaganza
in which the original seven-person
cast of "Stomp" was formed. The
addition of Fiona Wilkes in 1991
marked the beginning of what even-
tually evolved into "Stomp" in its
present incarnation.
The ensemble grew into a 30-per-
son cast for the Brighton Festival,
and soon spawned multiple touring
productions. In addition to the origi-
nal British cast, three American
groups are currently touring the
globe. .
Appearances on "Oprah," the
Oscars, and "The David Letterman
Show," as well as numerous awards,
have made "Stomp" a household
name, but the production hasn't lost
sight of its humble beginnings.
Performers often have impressive
theater or dance credits, but it's not
a requirement. Cast biographies for
performers include diverse partici-
pants such as a former Army police-
man and a Brazilian drummer.
"I think you are looking for per-
sonalities," Cresswell said. "You can
teach someone to a level, how to
drum ... but you can't bring out a
personality or someone's charisma."
He continued, remarking, "We've
done shows ... where we've taken
15 or 20 extra people, from any
walk of life, not as auditions, just
people who are keen and worked
them into the show."
The everyman approach of Stomp
leaves audiences uplifted and
inspired. Cresswell summed up his
expectation for the ultimate goal of
the project: "I hope it's a positive
injection of, 'Go and do it. Get up,
get off your bum and do it."'
By Eugene Bowen
For the Daily
By the time zanily hyperactive head-
liner Michael Colyar trounced onto the
Fox Theater stage to perform his come-
dy routine, the attitude of the audience
perhaps best reflected an "Are we there
yO" attitude of a bored 5-year old on a
to car ride.
This is not to say that Colyar's act was
bad. A former drug addict, Colyar had
quite a few humorous blurbs to say about
his not-so-funny past.
"I used to do so much crack, I once
broke into my own house," Colyar con-
fessed. "And when you're on crack,
everything small and white looks like
worth paying attention to.
Heightening the crowd's boredom
even more, Detroit native Spanky Hayes
made a surprise appearance onstage.
Usually an insanely hilarious comic,
Spanky fell flat on his face. He looked
and acted like he had spent a little too
much time that night with Bacardi in his
hands; the show would have been the
better off without him.
TK Kirkland was the salvation of
the show. A hardcore, underground
comedian, his act isn't so much com-
edy as it is a brotha just kickin' the
real with friends. He says what's on
his mind, he means what he says and
he doesn't care if you choose to have
attitude about the way he says it.
Much ofTK's soliloquy revolved about
men, women and their relationships.
"First off, I can't stand women who
purposefully give out wrong numbers,"
he said. "If you don't want to talk to me,
then don't waste my time acting like you
do. That's why I keep my cellular phone
with me. When a girl gives me her num-
ber, I call right then to see if it's real. And
if it's not then I run up behind her and
kick her in the back for wasting my time."
TK Kirkland was the only comedic bad
boy at the Fox Theater on Friday night. He
was true to form, pumping up the audi-
ence and raising the roof of the Fox
Theater like no comic before or after him
came even close to doing. Without him,
the whole night would have been awash.
tional theater. It incorporates ele-
ments of acting, dance, music, and
performance art, but can't be classi-
fied as simply just one.
"Rhythm comes first,"
McNicholas said. "Movement comes
second and we try to make that mix-
ture more interesting and more palat-
able by adding levels of comedy to
it."
The items used to create rhythm in
the show are carefully chosen to
demonstrate the versatility and infi-
BaCardi
Comedy Tour
Fox Theater
Oct. 16, 1998
crack - a scrap
of paper, a piece
of lint, a poodle,
whatever."
By the time
Colyar hit the
stage, the audi-
ence was just not
in a good mood
anymore. They'd
been patient
enough with many
of the previously
weak perfor-
mances, and they
weren't willing to
extend that kind-
i a
I
Be A Step Ahead Of Other
Med School Applicants.
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ness again.
The "large and in charge" Bruce
Bruce presented a series of jokes con-
cerning his large size.
"You ever see a policeman pull a car
over, open the driver's door and just
snatch the driver out? They like doing
As@ But one time, a cop tried snatching
me out. After about an hour he said, 'Just
get out of the car.' I said, 'No sir, officer,
I want you to snatch me out like you're
supposed to."'
Bruce Bruce's act, while decent,
was full of old material already
familiar to many in the audience, so
people quickly lost interest in what
he had to say; there was nothing new
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Research Universities and the Undergraduate: Designing Education for the 21st Century
The University of Michigan Faculty Forum
Date: Tuesday, 27 October 1998
Time: 9:30 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Venue: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, North Campus, Ann Arbor
Inspired by the controversial Boyer Commission report funded by the Carnegie Foundation:
Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America 's Research Universities this
Fall Forum was developed by Sigma Xi, the Senate Advisory Committee on University
Affairs, AAUP, and the Academic Women's Caucus. A morning panel comprised of faculty
members actively engaged with undergraduate education will address the question: "Does the
Carnegie Foundation/Boyer Commission report represent the best vision for undergraduate
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