10A - Thursday, March 17, 2011 LECTURE PREVIEW Lethem's 'utopia' The Michigan Daily - michigandailylcom THEATER PREVIEW Festival allows theater students to play around Famed author Jonathan Lethem speaks on campus By TIMOTHY RABB Daily Arts Writer Jonathan Lethem, best- selling author of "Motherless Brooklyn" and "Fortress of Soli- tude," among others, is no Jonathan stranger to artsy environs, Lethem even when Tonightat they border 5:10 p.m. the atypical. In Ann Arbor Helmut Stern this week, Let- Auditorium hem already Free entertained the University community with a fiction reading on Monday, but there's still time to take advan- tage of a public reading today. In a piece of narrative nonfiction he shared with the University community during his Monday reading, he recounted his child- hood exposure to nude models in his father's art studio with the clarity of his retrospective intuition. "Our house was very commu- nal and arts-oriented," Lethem said later in an interview with The Michigan Daily. "It had a nuclear family at the center, but there was always a wide variety of characters around." Lethem's bohemian, late- '60s upbringing in the Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn was a profound influence on his writing career and the begin- ning of a lifelong affinity' for artistic communities like Ann Arbor. "I^haven't traveled much in recent months, what with two little kids and a permanent job," Lethem said. "But coming to a town like Ann Arbor for a week- long affair seemed a natural fit, much better than the typical one-day stop." By "permanent job," Lethem is referring to his prestigious new position as Pomona's Roy Edward Disney Professor of Creative Writing, a post previ- ously held by the late writer David Foster Wallace. The pro- fessorship is the culmination of a 20-year writing career that encompasses an eclectic array of themes ranging from non- fiction argumentative essays to science fiction, with a Roll- ing Stone feature on Bob Dylan thrown in there somewhere along the way. "I originally planned to be an artist like my father, but I was talented in only the most boring ways when it came to painting and drawing," Lethem said. "I saw a lot more potential in writ- ing." The structure and worldview of Lethem's fiction is highly autobiographical, informed by the "collapsing utopia" he observed during his counter- cultural upbringing. But even more relevant to his work are his controversial views regard- ing plagiarism. In an argumentative essay titled "The ecstasy of influence: A plagiarism," Lethem argues that every idea, no matter how "pure" or "original" it may seem, is derived from the work of some predecessor. "There are a few obvious egregious behaviors that we can all agree constitute plagiarism," Lethem said. "But those are the far side of a very wide variety of cultural participation that's perfectly legitimate." Lethem is unashamed when it comes to walking his talk. As a self-described "borrower" of sorts, he finds a wealth of inspi- ration in the writings of his favorite science fiction author, Philip K. Dick. "My first two or three novels were pretty much raw, shame- less imitations of his style," Let- hem said. Even so, Lethem's writing is a conglomeration of such a wide variety of cultural influ- ences that it can easily stand by itself as unique and engag- ing. Lethem stressed the point that all artists - no matter how celebtated they may be - are human beings, limited by a finite number of themes, words and forms of expression. In his mind, the key to being a good writer is finding the proper bal- ance with the resources avail- able. By DANIEL CARLIN Daily Arts Writer After over 100 preview perfor- mances and many rescheduled opening nights, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" p has officially taken a hia- Tonight through tus. How- Saturdayat7p.m. ever, 'since beginning Studios One and Two previews in Free November, the show has found audiences'floodingthe Fox- woods Theatre in New York to witness it attempting to reshape and redevelop itself. University playwrights will be undergoing a similar process this week. Playfest, a festival that showcases six staged read- ings by student playwrights, embraces the development pro- cess. Its stripped-down produc- tions, going on all week, focus on the writing. The festival, taking place in Studios One and Two of the Walgreen Drama Center, will remind the Ann Arbor communi- ty that a play does not need to cost $65 million and be filled with spe- cial effects, costumes and over- the-audience acrobatics. Playfest starts at the begin- ning of the semester, through the course Playwriting and Produc- tion, which is taught by School of Music, Theatre & Dance Prof. E.J. Westlake. The class consists of 17 students - including six playwrights and six directors. Through dialogue and readings, the six worksh class. N tors pre playwr the cl in othe monito This runnin herself ting pl brings "It w on you bodies Westla change interpr idea of have re has ha Th A An i consist backs playwr dialogu to dram Emn junior fest, h tive pr throng is fired tions ti "Ith feedba playwrights' shows are Donson said. "As a playwright, iopped and drafted in the you tend to spend most of your While the six other direc- time alone, ina room and in front epare to direct theseyoung of your computer." ights' works, the rest of For the students who are not ass supports the festival writers in the course, the class r ways as actors, audition has taught them the importance rs and promoters. of the art of writing. MT&D is Westlake's first year junior Porscha Kazmierczak g Playfest. A playwright directed a show and has greatly she believes that put- appreciated being a part of the ays "up on their feet" truly evolution of a play. new life to a project. "It expanded the view of the 'ill always have an impact creative process," Kazmierczak .r writing when you have said. "I have a different under- in front of an audience," standing of what the playwright ke said. "The language puts into (a play). Without a play- s; the way the audience wright, there is no show." ets things will change your The six penmen will be taking things. You can't help but audiences on a wild roller coaster visions in mind once a play through different geographic d a staged reading." domains, from a working-class community in Pittsburgh to a Brooklyn flat to a dorm room on e six works of a reality television show. Its always a challenge with [ayfest 2011. so many different plays in one week, limited actors and resourc- es," Kazmierczak said. "But that just forces us to be more creative ntegral aspect of Playfest and step outside of the box. I s of the post-show talk- think we've all done that and I that occur between the think it'll be a great run." ight and the audience. The Through Playfest, Ann Arbor ie and feedback are meant will be turning on the lights atically assist each piece. for new playwrights and audi- na Donson, an MT&D ences who are ready to explore debuting a piece at Play- the mysteries and excitement of as found this collabora- original homegrown theater. ocess to be very beneficial "You are getting a chance hout Westlake's class and to explore a new work of art 1 up for the audience reac- and have some input in it," said his coming week. Kazmierczak. "And who knows? as been really great getting One of these plays might win the ck from other students," Hopwood!" ConvratulationC The following students will be among those recognized during the Honors Convocation program on Sunday, March 20, 2011. These individuals have demonstrated the highest level of undergraduate academic success by achieving seven or more consecutive terms of all A's and earning the designation of Angell Scholar. The University of Michigan congratulates these students on their superior scholastic achievement and wishes them continued success. Check the Honors Convocation website at www.honors.umich.edu for more information on the Honors Convocation program. Nine Term Angell Scholars Rana A. Al-Dabagh Wan Ying Teoh* College of Arts and Sciences-- UM Flint College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Eight Term Angell Scholars Dmitriy Ansolis* Andrew Herbert Bissonette* Frank Michael Davis* Stephanie R. Mantey* Lesley Helen Plimpton* Katie A. Schott* Charles Frank Schuler IV* Jessica L. Turner College of Engineering and Computer Science--UM Dearborn College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts School of Health Professions and Studies-- UM Flint Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy College of Arts and Sciences-- UM Flint College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Engineering and Computer Science--UM Dearborn Seven Term Angell Scholars Jacki Lynn Anderson* Daniel Paul Anderson, Jr.* Tamara Grace Andrade Austin Vance Arnett* Azalea Ayuningtyas Julie Elizabeth Bordato* Sara Emily Burke David Byron Chapel Jeffrey John Chenhall Virginia Goudreau Cline* Sean Michael Collins ,' Melanie Mirdell Conn Austyn Marie Foster Traci Jessica Grant* Andrew John Hayhurst Tiffany Ann Hsueh Corrie Zwanet Janssens Jacqueline Kay Kauza Miranda Rae Klenow* Melissa A. Leemhuis College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts School of Music, Theatre & Dance College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Engineering College of Literature, Science, and the Arts School of Music, Theatre & Dance School of Art and Design College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts School of Music, Theatre & Dance Stephen M. Ross School of Business College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts School of Nursing College of Arts and Sciences-- UM Flint Kathleen Yin Leung Paul Dunbar Lewis Colin Alfred Bryant Maloney Lauren A. Martyn Lauren Christine McBride Charles Adam Mouch Kathryn Frances Mueller Nicole Prairie Premo* Paul Thomas Rink Lauren Elizabeth Rivard Alyssa Melanie Roy* Anthony Michael Rubin* Amber-Jean Vlasti Samson Spencer Douglas Smith Marie Lynn Ternes Erika Nicole Valdivieso Bryan Joseph Vanduinen Rebecca M. Wilczak* Jared Harold Alexander Worthington* School of Music, Theatre & Dance School of Music, Theatre & Dance Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy College of Arts and Sciences-- UM Flint School of Nursing School of Kinesiology +School of Music, Theatre & Dance College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts School of Nursing College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Engineering College of Literature, Science, and the Arts College of Engineering College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters--UM Dearborn College of Literature, Science, and the Arts " *Denotes graduates 1