6A - Monday, March 19, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 6A - Monday, March 19, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom The play's the thing Slam dunk for'Jump' By SEAN CZARNECKI Daily Arts Writer Playfest 2012 to present, evaluate student work By NICOLE SAVITSKY Daily Arts Writer With the overwhelming popu- larity of blogs and social-media forums that provide users with the liberty to share their thoughts and Pbafs impressions, 2012 it's easy for anyone to feel Tonight at 7 as though they p.m.through are a respected March 24, critic and that varioustimes others should Studio One, appreciate their Walgreen opinions. Play- Drama Center fest 2012 will provide a simi- Free lar feedback opportunity for students and fac- ulty trying their hand at critiqu- ing theater, offering constructive criticism ina small-scale-produc- tion environment. This year's Playfest willinclude six dramatic readings, one per- formed every day of the upcom- ing week, starting tonight. From School of Music, Theatre & Dance sophomore Ben Blackman's existential "Think Tank," to the "Peter Pan"-inspired "What's Heaven For?" written by LSA sophomore Michael Toner, the variety of plays this year demon- strates the range of student play- wrights at the 'U.' Preparation for Playfest begins with Theatre & Drama Prof. OyamO (a.k.a. Charles F. Gordon) selecting six student-playwrights from playwrighting courses whose work seems ready to be taken a step further. He invites these writers to enroll in The- atre 429: "Playwriting Towards Production," a course designed to help students understand their Six dramatic readings will be performed this week for Playfest 20t2. work as an object to be produced, resulting in professional readings during the weeklong Playfest. "The process begins with one full class devoted entirely to a single student's play, since the class is three hours long," OyamO explained. "We doa reading there in class, and then we discuss that play, looking for areas requiring improvement. Then the writer goes back and continues to make alterations and work on the play." In Theatre 429, students with differentareasoftheatricalexper- tise and concentration-focus are given the chance to work collab- oratively on something creative, separate from the usual control of a professor. Through discussions and rehearsed readings, the six play- wrights' shows are workshopped and revised in the class. Student directors prepare to direct these works, and the rest of the class supports the festival in other ways as actors, audition monitors and promoters. "I also invite people who are actors and directors because we need them too," OyamO said. "Essentially, what we do in class is we try to fully develop every aspect, as well as each story, fur- ther." An important part of Playfest is the post-show dialogue that occurs between the playwright and the audience. These com- ments are meant to augment and assist each piece from the per- spective of a viewer. "The idea is that this read- ing will give people enough of an idea of the kind of play (the students) have written," OyamO said. "When the audience has a feedback session after, they can respond to the play and the prin- ciples of the course." And for the first time, there is a monetary prize that will be awarded at the end of Playfest's run this year. "Theater is not a guaranteed paycheck or income; it's some- thing that you do because you love to do it," OyamO said. "And if you're fortunate enough to earn a living off of it, then that's great. People in the arts are always going to have greater difficulty turning that passion into a living, though." That being said, courses taught at such a professional level, as well as Playfest itself, may offer a glimpse of realistic production values and what it takes to survive in such an industry. "You ready for a lifetime of being badass motherfuckers?" a muscular Channing * Tatum mur- murs to Jonah 2J Hill at their Ju police-academy str et graduation. Hill At Quality16 says nothing and Rave back and just looks out over Columbia the crowd with the wide-eyed look of a boy get- ting his first bicycle. The real Slim Shady. The next shot: Hill and Tatum on bicycles patrolling a family- high school we'v: friendly park, unable to stop a know and abhor: prepubescent simpleton from dents think it's c feeding some ducks in a pond. friendly, to read cc And thus begins what will act and to be poli undoubtedly be one of the fun- Whether or not th niest films of 2012: "21 Jump school actually e Street." evant. Bacall's hig Based on the '80s procedural ents a smart count of the same name, this buddy-cop stereotypical high spoof features Hill and Tatum as and Tatum's cha undercover cops posing as high- ated from. school students trying to bust a _ drug ring. It's an absurd concept peppered with plot holes. But who Tatum a cares? With a vulgar, punched-up script and strong performances an unlike from Hill and even the notorious- ly obnoxious heartthrob Tatum,- there are only two reasons the audience should stop laughing: a) In "Funny Peo They simply can't laugh anymore Seth Rogen that' or b) the movie's over. ing funny abouta Despite the release of such man." With "21 Ju recent spoofs as "The Other has proven himse Guys" and "Hot Fuzz," screen- might have lost 40 writer Michael Bacall ("Project doesn't lose a singl X") keeps the concept fresh. In and he's not nearly addition to satirizing cop films, character as he pl "21 Jump Street" also takes on "Superbad." He's the multiculturally smug atmo- kid with a foul mo sphere of today and yesteryear's Tatum may be a I ignorant, jock-ruled high school. some of the funni Bacall changes the Hollywood est) lines of the mo e all come to from his mouth. In many ways, Suddenly, sto- the character he plays is self- ool to be eco- referential and actually makes omic books, to fun of his image as a sexual icon. tically correct. Here, his stupidity is endearing. is type of high Tatum and Hill have great xists is irrel- chemistry. They bounce color- h school pres- ful one-liners off each other er-point to the effortlessly and the scenes flow school Hill's naturally. Seeing Hill in his high- racters gradu- school years as a Slim Shady- wannabe with braces and Tatum sporting a Fabio-esque haircut is just hilarious. The casting is nd H ill: perfect - though admittedly, it would have been pretty epic if pair.there had been a cameo by Seth * Rogen and Bill Hader in their "Superbad" police uniforms. So does "21 Jump Street"break ple," Hill told boundaries? Will it be remem- "there's noth- bered among such comedies as a physically fit "Some Like it Hot"? Probably mp Street," he not. But with a slew of buddy-cop elf wrong. He movies and TV shows coming pounds, but he out every year (e.g. every damn e comedic step "CSI" and "Law & Order") it's 'as caustic of a important to spoof them, to hold ayed in 2007's Hollywood's creative bankrupt- just a sweet cy accountable. Movies like "21 outh. Likewise, Jump Street" can do just that, pretty boy, but and maybe they can even revital- est (and filthi- ize some of our most formulaic vie are spewed but beloved genres. LIGHTS From Page 6A Night Lights" instead of trying to live in the glory of projects past. The time has come to move on. But that doesn't mean we won't forever remember Dillon fondly. As always, "Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can'tLose." MODERN FAMILY From Page 5A their spouse's birthday party. Is this what the modern family looks like? Where are the single mothers and the parents strug- gling to make ends meet? If "Modern Family" were truly teaching tolerance, it would be more attentive to its female characters and gender dynam- ics within the show. And until it does so, I simply can't agree with the critics who laud the show as one of the best. Upadhyaya is writing strong female characters for TV. To assist, e-mail kaylau@umich.edu. 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