8 - Friday, March 30, 2012

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

EVENT PREVIEW TV REVIEW
Sixth Annual FestiFools
to celebrateApril1

'U' students make,
share their puppet
creations with A2
By ALICIA ADAMCZYK
Daily Arts Writer
Looking for a particularly
foolish way to spend the first
of April this year, but tired of
the same old
pranks and FestiFools
tricks? The
sixth annual Sunday at
FestiFools will 4 p.m.
offer an artis- Downtown
tic experience Ann Arbor
for April Fool's
Day enthusi- Free
asts.
In 2006, Mark Tucker, the
arts director for the Lloyd Hall
Scholars Program, decided to
take the idea of street theater to
the next level for University stu-

dents.As part of his Art in Pub-
lic Spaces course, Tucker had
his students create giant paper-
mach6 puppets to assist a local
theater production.
Six years later, this foray
into student puppeteering has
become one of the most talked-
about events in Ann Arbor.
Tucker wrote in an e-mail
interview that FestiFools is a
non-profit public art perfor-
mance unrestrained by a tradi-
tional theater, sponsored by the
University, City of Ann Arbor
and civic, corporate and private
donors.
"Ultimately, we're exposing a
broad spectrum of people to this
entertaining brand of public art
as a vehicle for celebrating and
supporting creativity and visual
literacy," Tucker wrote.
While the actual parade will
take place on Sunday, FestiFools
isn't merely a one-act show.
From dusk to midnight tomor-

row, mischief-makers eager to
get an early start on festivities
can attend FoolMoon, a proces-
sion of handmade, illuminated
sculptures throughout the
streets of Ann Arbor.
Besides viewing the sculp-
ture procession, attendees will
have the opportunity to witness
street-sized shadow-puppet
performances, experimental
silent films and other surprises.
In addition, Tucker wrote that
Spontaneous Art, a performance
art collective, will create live
video games for festival-goers.
"They will be dressed in robot
suits and provide challenges
similar to obstacle courses or
light sports," Tucker wrote.
"Players will have to dodge,
jump, duck, aim, throw and step
quickly to make it to the next
level."
Art & Design Prof. Nick Tobi-
er, whose students produce the
puppets for FestiFools, said he

can't wait for the students to
march down Main Street with
their creations.
."You know, as we round the
corner and enter, I'm just look-
ing forward to seeing the looks
(in) their eyes," Tobier said. "It's
great to be part of some event in
which you're both part of Ann
Arbor and part of the Univer-
sity. I think-that happens all too
rarely."
Art & Design freshman Kelly
Sadlon, one of the students
involved in the parade, said she
can't wait to see the reactions
of the children in the audience
when they catch a glimpse of the
puppets.
"Events like this bring atten-
tion not only to Ann Arbor, but
to the art school and art itself,"
Sadlon said. "It's parades like
these that make children and
adults aware of art who may not
typically be exposed to art in
their everyday lives."

01

"Just shut up and smile, Pete,
Mad Men' fuses
detail into season
with finesse

EVENT PREVIEW
Persian Student Assembly to
present multiculturalism to'U'

By JOHN BOHN many Persian students on campus
Daily Arts Writer and one of the 50 active members
of the Persian Student Assembly.
On the first day of.spring, the This year, he will be the stage
Iranian calendar - having fol- manager, coordinating behind
lowed the revolutions of the moon the scenes as well as performing
as one of human ina variety of the cultural perfor-
history's lon- mances showcased.
gest chrono- Soul V The event, with usually 30-50
logical records Safah students participating, is run,
- marks a new choreographed and organized by
year. During Tomorrow students. They aren't necessarily
this time, Per- at 7 p.m. art students or dance-savvy. They
sians celebrate Power Center are simply driven to learn and
the End and From $5 represent the historical traditions
Rebirth, the of Persian culture.
change in years, "You don't have to have any
called Nauruz in Farsi. Nauruz is experience," Entezami said. "Peo-
celebrated publicly in a variety of ple just learn the rhythm of the
countries by the Iranian people music. We have a lot of non-Ira-
and those cultures part of Greater nians who dance too, that want
Iran. The Persian New Year has to learn about it, and since it's an
been brought to the University all-inclusive group, we usually
campus by the Persian Student have a lot of races in our groups.
Assembly since the group's incep- * So it's great to teach others about
tion, and tomorrow will be the Iranian dance as well."
event's 14th annual celebration. The theme for this year's
"It's about Persian culture," event is "Soul va Safah," the Farsi
said LSA senior Payam Entezami. phrase for "Peace and Happi-
"To teach others what it's about, ness." Unlike previous years, this
the deep-rooted traditions and year's event will have a greater
history of the Persian culture ... multicultural aspect, with perfor-
to help remind those who have mances by other cultural groups
forgotten about it because they've on campus.
lived here for so long, to let them "We reached out to the Iraqi
know Persians are still here and Student Association on campus
our traditions are still strong." since this is their first year as an
This will be Entezami's third organizationatUofM," Entezami
year participating in the cultural said. "We reached out to them to
show. Born in Iran in 1990 and come perform at our show, which
having moved to the U.S. with his is huge considering the history
family in 1994, Entezami is one of between Iraq and Iran in the last

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e.of decades. So we're excit- Southeast Michigan area. A lot
)out them performing and of Iranian families have all these
ing our cultures together." traditional outfits.You can'treally
ded LSA senior and PSA go to a store here and buy Iranian
I Member Roya Zand: "We outfits, so it all depends on people
to bridge the gap between who have outfits that bring them
ultures ... and put a good from Iran and them reaching out
age between us." to us and offering these things."
nd has her own personal ties Los Angeles stand-up come-
in. Her mother came to the dian K-Von Moezzi will also be
rsity for graduate school returning to the show this year.
e the Iranian Revolution, Part Iranian and European-
er father immigrated when American, his background makes
as 15. This year, Zand will his comedyable to speakto every-
ipate in multiple perfor- one in the audience.
es. "He can really get at the Iranian
cultureand make people look at its
ina comedic way, which is great,"
oul va Safah Entezami said. "He's young and
veryenergetic and really fits with
'ill honor the our type of crowd."
With the multicultural theme
new year. ofthe event this year, Entezami,
S'Zand and the other students of the
Persian Student Assembly hope to
not only continue to promote the
rious types of Iranian dance awareness of Persian culture, but
be represented, including also bring together the diverse
ish, Turkish and Tradi- cultural groups on campus.
. A Persian fashion show "We get such a huge posi-
display the distinct styles tive response after the show,"
an's many regions, such as Entezami said. "People tell us
ali, Fars, Kurdi, Azerbai- their perception of Persian people
huzestan, as well as that of has changed dramatically since it
rn Tehran and the hybrid has been so rooted in the media
of the large-Iranian popula- and the negative images that are
n Los Angeles dubbed "Teh- portrayed in the news, which you
les." can't really blame since there is
hen asked how the Persian so much stuff going on right now
ral Show gets ahold of Ira- and you can't really see the foun-
dress, Entezami replied, dation, the ground of the Persian
reach out to Iranians in the people.".

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KAYLAUPADHYAYA dynamics, relationships and the
SeniorArtsEditor overall narrative of the show.
The first hour makes Don Draper
r a 17-month hiatus that appear like a completely changed
daddicts everywhere in man - he's kind, patient. For
of Draper-less depression, any other character, these traits
Men" might be desirable, but it's with
ed last narrowed eyes and a worried tone
, kicking that Peggy makes this observa-
fifth sea- Mad Men tion. Complacency isn't the key to
ih a two- eing an advertising wizard, and
episode Season 5 with SCDP still struggling finan-
as seam- premiere cially, now is probably not the
own to best time for Don to be switching
allest of Sundaysatll p.m. up his style. There's something '
which AMC decidedly unnerving about seeing
ed Pete Don Draper casually say "what's
ell's (Vincent Kartheiser) up?" when someone steps into his
ng hairline, Bobby Draper office.
d Peggy Olson's (Elisabeth But as the second hour proved,
journalist boyfriend, the Don is still Don. Megan sees it, too
al Hipster, who only writes - whiletalking to Peggy, she calls
erground papers you prob- him and pretty much everyone at
ven't heard of. SCDP cynical. Back in season one,
it would be hardto imagine Peggy
everbecoming cynicalbutMegan
is right. Peggy has changed, while
heimes are Megan is reminiscent of the old
ehangin' for Peggy: new to the creative team,
hardworking and eager, always
rling Cooper hoping to find the good in people.
"A LittleKiss" revealsthe many
raper Pryce. facets of the new Mrs. Draper.
Most viewers at the end of sea-
son four were unanimously up in
arms about Don's sudden propos-
first order of business al, because Dr. Faye Miller (Cara
ver "Mad Men" returns for Buono) was a more compelling
season is always to piece candidate and because there was
er any clues that indicate nothing in particular to like - or
uch time has passed. Judg- even dislike - about Megan. But
the age of Joan's (Chris- while Don's pre-surprise-party
lendricks) newborn and cheer evokes the bliss he once had
wth of baby Jean, the year in the early years of his marriage
bably 1966. Creator Matt to Betty, it's clear Megan is no
r, sly bastard that he is, Betty Draper. In some ways, she's
likes to spoon feed infor- a much deadlier force - her rela-
i to his viewers, and when tionship with Don appears to be a
es to disclosures, his slow- constant power struggle.
nethod is enthralling and Whereas Betty never dared
ful. It's not until someone to throw Don a birthday party,
to Megan (Jessica Par) as Megan does so anyway, ignoring
raper that we get absolute warnings from Peggy. ,Not only
nation that the pair have does she have a surprise party,
developments with Betty but also gives a laughable, sexy
ry Jones) and Henry Fran- burlesque performance in front of
ristopher Stanley) remain everyone, mortifying Don. When
tery (hesides that they he yells at her, she stands her
oly live in a castle now) ground.
course there was the subtle The writers have done an
ocking reveal that Megan excellent job of making Megan
all about Dick Whitman more likable. She's impulsive,
on's (Jon Hamm) sordid bold, unpredictable. At the same
ooks like these two have time, it's easy for viewers to sym-
hatty. pathize with her - she may be
'60s are comingto a close, capable of taking the dominant
hose who benefit from Position in her marriage, but just
atus quo don't want to like Peggy, Joan and any of the
wledge the brewing social working women of "Mad Men,"
that viewers know is com- she's still subjected to sexism in
en if those at SterlingCoo- the workplace.
aper Pryce weren't ready Once again, "Mad Men" has
hange comes knocking on proven it succeeds as a period
oor quite literally at epi- piece, deftly exploring issues of its
end. "A Little Kiss" made time, and astandalone dramawith
e clear that "Mad Men" is fully realized characters and fluid,
ready to put race issues detail-oriented storytelling. It's a
stage. skill other shows - looking at you, y
ddition to social change, "A "Pan Am" and "The Playboy Club"
Kiss" focuses on the small - simply can't seem to master.
s that are shifting power Welcomeback, "Mad Men.

ANN ARBOR IN THE SUMMERTIME IS GRAND.
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for more information

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