Wednesday, November 13, 2013 - 5A

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam


'Barber of Seville'
the original sitcom

No new EDM'Friends'

School of Music,
Theatre & Dance
puts on famed opera
By REBECCA GODWYN
Daily Arts Writer
When given the choice between
watching an opera and a sitcom,
most people would choose the sit-
com. But accord-
ing to Associate The Barber
Professor and
Opera Director of Seville
in the School of Thursday at
Music, Theatre 7:30 p.m.,Friday
& Dance, Rob- and Saturday
ert Swedberg, at8p.m.and
the upcoming Sunday at2 p.m.
production of '
"The Barber of Power Center
Seville" by Gio- Fram$22
acchino Ros-
sini and Cesare
Sterbini, which Swedberg is
directing, is quite similar to a pop-
ular TV comedy.
"The story itself is characters
that are based on the 'commedia
dell'arte' background from the
Italian comedies," Swedberg said.
"But you may relate to how they
are used in sitcoms, kind of like
'Seindfeld.'"
The show details the story of
Count Almaviva as he falls in love
with Rosina, the pretty and young
ward of the elderly Dr. Bartolo.
However, there is a hitch in the
Count's plan when it is discovered
the doctor intends to marry Rosi-
na himself. The count enlists the
help of Figaro and what follows is
a hilarious story of deception and
confusion. Despite the opera being
over 200 years old, Swedberg
explained how parallels could be
drawn between the cast of charac-
ters and popular modern comedic

characters.
"Imagine that Jerry Seinfeld is
a character like Figaro: He's smart,
he's cunning, he's got the brilliant
ideas. Then, the Dr. Bartolo char-
acter is similar to George Costan-
za, often angry, often bizarre in his
own individual way," Swedberg
explained. "And then this Rosi-
na character is pretty similar to
Elaine, so we know these charac-
ters from sitcoms."
The show has been translated
into English for past performanc-
es, but this particular performance
will be performed in the original
Italian. "The reason we perform in
Italian is because that is the origi-
nal language of the piece, and it's
actually a more beautiful language
to sing in," Swedberg said.
However, to make the show
more accessible to a wider audi-
ence, the English translations will
be projected over the stage so the
audience can follow along withthe
show. Several other touches have
been added as well to make the
show feel more modern.
"You'll see in the set design and
the costumes, there are some ele-
ments that are more contempo-
rary," Swedberg said.
One example of an added con-
temporary element that can be
seen is the implementation of a
QR code, the square symbol that
can be scanned by smartphones
to bring you to a link, for Rossini
made into tiles around the edge of
the set.
Swedberg said fans of the opera
will have the opportunity to watch
the show performed with two
separate casts, which is common
in the opera program because
the MT&D wants to give as many
students as possible an opportu-
nity to perform these roles. While
the idea of sharing a role may be
strange to some, the actors are

strongly encouraged to come up
with unique characterizations for
their own individual part instead
of working collaboratively.
"Early in the rehearsal process,
when we lay out the staging, both
actors in a role get the same stag-
ing, but they're encouraged to
develop their own characteriza-
tions," Swedberg explained. "And
sometimes we'll discover a bit that
one cast will do, and we'll share it
with the other cast if it is some-
thing we want to incorporate into
the production itself."
If opera doesn't interest you
much, perhaps the athleticism of
the performers will draw you in.
The full show is to be performed
with an acoustic orchestra and
none of the performers will have
microphones, meaning they will
use the power of their voices alone
to fill the Power Center.
"This is really hard stuff to sing.
So you can be really impressed by
the singing as an athletic event,"
Swedberg said.
It is well known that there is
a strong stereotype about opera
that claims it is only for the elite
rather than the masses, but Swed-
berg hopes this doesn't deter peo-
ple from coming to the show.
"I think that people often
don't understand that they're
going to have a good time at an
opera," Swedberg said. "There
are so many stereotypes that are
associated with opera, but the
operatic experience can be the
ultimate culmination of all the
various art forms."
As for what Swedberg hopes
people take from the show? He
simply wants the audience "to be
entertained and have a good eve-
ning in the theater." And what
could be better than watching
a sitcom brought to life before
your eyes?

By ERIKA HARWOOD
DailyArts Writer
Enter We Are Friends Vol. 2,
in which many artists contrib-
ute tracks that
bleed into one
another and 'C
any song under We Are
six minutes
is apparently Friends
considered a VoL 2
sin against the
EDM gods. Deadmau
This is a com-
pilation album mau5trap
from electro
maven deadmauS, which features
tracks from the artist'sfavorite up-
and-coming musicians. Despite
the backing of one of electronic
music's biggest forces, few of the
artists stand out as individuals and
even contributions by the mauS
himself fall flat.
The album opens with "Suck-
fest9001," a new track from
deadmau5. The song's feverish
pulsation builds and builds before
releasing into two minutes of a
light, chilled-out rhythm, presum-
ably the time when all the Molly-
ed up teens take a breather from
their overactive flailing. The track
lacks individuality or any trigger
causing it to be associated with
deadmauS. It adheres to all the
EDM tropes but refuses to exceed
them in any capacity.
But maybe that's the point. This
isn't a strictly deadmauS album,
comprised of new, game-changing
material, but a record where he
gives lesser known artists their
time to shine. Unfortunately, few

"I'm a m
rise tot
"Lek
by mas
koo, sc
"Suckf
with a'
down 1
before
The ne
the tr
noise y
backgr
clocks
mark,:
Be
eleg
Jam
from
Transi
more
comple
to the
the alb
betweE

nouse, duh."
the occasion. beats and flowing whimsical
kture," a track contributed breaks much smoother than oth-
u5-christened newbie, Eek- ers on the album, the song's
ounds straight out of the repetitiveness becomes mundane
est9001" mold. It begins and exhausting well before it's
heavy beat before stripping over after seven minutes and 22
to a simple, repetitive loop, seconds. Why are these songs so
charging back up again. long?
ver-changing sounds make However, some manage to
ack morph into droning break free of the seemingly prede-
ou forget is playing in the termined algorithm for the album.
ound. However, "Lekture" Pasadena-based Heat Maxwell's
in below the five-minute "FreakShow" features samples
which is admirable. and an aggressive beat that further
embellish the track. As one of the
few tracks that could be identified
as its own, refusing to bleed into
ating to same the song to follow, Heat Maxwell
ctronic drum comes off as one of the artists with
potential on the record - some-
thing that seems disappointingly
rare forthe album.
es Njie, an electro artist For a release marked with the
London, contributes "In intentions of showing off new
it," a track which offers EDM talent, We Are Friends Vol. 2
variation but still doesn't instead gives a lackluster view of
etely avoid falling victim electronic music's future, where
simple methods plaguing all the beats sound the same and
rum. While Njie alternates the songs never end. Seriously,
en uptempo, pounding why are these songs so damn long?

Lacking lesbian love stories

'Hocus Pocus' has all brewings
of a potentially great musical

By GRACE PROSINEWSKI
Daily Arts Writer
If you're like me, you've
already fully immersed your-
self in the winter holiday spirit,
and Halloween seems like a
distant memory. But to Hallow-
een we must return, if just for
a moment, to discuss matters of
grave importance.
A few weeks ago, I was in
Salem, Mass., visiting all the
buildings used for exterior
shots in the cult classic, "Hocus
Pocus." I was completely in
my element, pointing, out the
familiar scenery and quoting
my favorite lines. Then, without
warning, my sister uttered the
fateful line: "You know they're
thinking of making a 'Hocus
Pocus' musical on Broadway."
This changes everything.
For those of you who don't
know, "Hocus Pocus" is a 1993
film staring Bette Midler, Sarah
Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy
as the Sanderson Sisters, three
witches who try to remain
young by stealing the souls of
children. It initially received
negative reviews upon its theat-
rical release by whom, I can only
assume, to be humorless vam-
pires wishing to suck the joy and
wonder out of life.
"Hocus Pocus" climbed its
way to the top through strong
VHS and eventually DVD sales,
as well as record viewership on
ABC Family's "13 Nights of Hal-
loween." So here we are now, 20

years la
largely
classic
Truly,t
is a mu
I'm
musica
the on
but it 1
Pocus"
the ne
ceed on
First
writes
origina
Little (
the imi
A Spell
of cak
angst,:
Jay an
sort of
could
yabos
incredi
Max a
a rom
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the aft
finale.
Wi
And
ing all
possibi

ater, with "Hocus Pocus" Sisters. Also, Billy Butcherson,
regarded as both a cult the zombie, would need his own
and a Halloween staple. number, although I leave that up
the only next logical step to the professionals to sort out,
sical adaptation. considering he has his mouth
not an expert on how sewn shut for most of the story.
ils get made (my sister is Secondly, can you imag-
e who watches "Smash"), ine the costumes and special
ooks to me that a "Hocus effects, with brooms and vacu-
musical would have all um cleaners flying through the
cessary features to suc- air via stage wires? It would be
stage. like "Spider-Man: Turn Off the
, the set list pretty much Dark," except, you know, not
itself. Building off the terrible.
l film's spooky "Come It's also interesting to note
Children" and of course that Bette Midler, Kathy Nijimy
mensely enjoyable "I Put and Sarah Jessica Parker already
On You" would be a piece have experience on Broadway.
e. Max could sing, with While I think it's doubtful that
about missing his old life. they would reprise their roles,
d Ice could have some it could help in the funding and
rap, a la Vanilla Ice. Dani pre-production stages.
rhyme something with Plenty of films, especially
and make everyone feel those that flopped when first
bly uncomfortable. Later, released, have found new life
nd Allison could share through differentrmediums. Take
antic duet, and Emily for example the not-so-great
escort Thackery Binx to 1992 "Buffy the Vampire Slayer",
erlife in a Les Mis-esque movie rebooted as the widely
popular and acclaimed televi-
sion series of the same name a
few years later. And the formula
This show works even better with musi-
cal adaptions. Movies that got
11 put a spell pannedbycritics, like"Newsies,"
"Kinky Boots" and "Cry Baby,"
on you. all have been adapted into Tony
Award-winning productions.
The time is right for a "Hocus
Pocus" musical. I leave you to
that's not even count- consider just how many virgin
the awesome musical jokes could be made in such a
lities for the Sanderson show.

By PAIGE PFLEGER
Daily Arts Writer
The other day, I sat down to do
my drawing homework and began
scrolling through Netflix. Might
as well multitask, drown out
the sound of my boyfriend talk-
ing about chemistry and watch
a movie. I opted for the quirky,
witty feel-good section and stum-
bled upon "Kissing Jessica Stein,"
a movie about a journalist (inter-
ested) in search of the perfect man
(boring), but who instead finds
herself the perfect woman (sold!).
I settled in, ready for a rom-com, in
which the two lesbians would find
their happily-ever-after (because
we all know they'll never get it in
a Disney movie) - however, by the
end, it became blatantly apparent
that wouldn't be the case.
Jessica, played by Jennifer
Westfeldt, responds to a personal
ad in women-seeking-women
that quotes Rilke, which auto-
matically interests the literarily
inclined, heterosexual character.
She decides going on a date with a
girl could be exciting, adventurous
and a definite change of pace from
her painfully single, uptight life-
style. She meets art house director
Helen Cooper, played by Heather
Juergensen, and the two become
romantically involved. Jessica
goes through a whole string of
emotions about it - shocked,
excited, hesitant, freaked out and
finally settling on a serious case
of denial. She tells her coworkers
that she's seeing a man and even
neglects to invite her girlfriend
to her brother's wedding. Finally,
after a touching "I'm-going-to-
see-about-a-girl"-type scene, the
two make up, U-Haul and begin
to live a life of blissful domes-
ticity where they retrieve each
other's dry-cleaning and wear
pajama sets to bed. A cute, les-
bian movie where lesbian love is
legitimized and taken seriously,
youthink. You're wrong.
Three months later, the two
are found mid-breakup. Helen
argues that the two are simply
roommates, not lovers, and Jessi-
ca cries without much refute that
she has become attached to their
co-dependent lifestyle. Helen
leaves, but the movie continues,
and Jessica ends up with her
male boss whom she had dated in
college.
I closed my computer and
thought for a moment, landing
on the realization that the movie
was actually kind of a cop-out.
Jessica Stein was just one in a
string of many women in movies

who a
style to
norm"
excitin
a fema
This
tiple m
play, "
for Joa
be wit
bian r
by mar
Alrigh
Jules -
runnin
with
sperm
A
o
To
few me
bianisr
being'
L Wor
pire S
fiance
leaves
and W
becaus
Tara. I

bandoned the lesbian life- that was exciting, but it's back to
returnback to the "societal the penis for me!" They find love
of heterosexuality after an in their self-discovery, not just an
g and confusing tryst with exciting sexual escapade that can
le partner. be fetishized by heterosexual men
s ideal is presented in mul- who think it's "hot.",
novies - even the popular This pattern leads to the ques-
Rent." Maureen leaves Mark tion of "Why?" Why is it that in a
tnne, then leaves Joanne to world where the acceptance of gay
h Benny. Even when a les- love (which is, in fact, the same
elationship is legitimized love as Macklemore so aptly point-
-riage, like in "The Kids are ed out) is growing, a woman who
t," the drama is created by ventures into the realm of homo-
-a lesbian, wife and mother sexuality abandons it to return to
tg off and having an affair the undeniably easier and more
the biological father and heteronormative relation of a man
donor of her children. and a woman?
When it comes down to it, more
than anything else, the situation
male's version is about the money. A film that
clings to the safety blanket of het-
f lesbianism erosexuality will be more market-
able to the majority of American
viewers. A movie that shows ales-
bian relationship as merely a sex-
be honest, there are very ual exploitation will be accepted
ovies or shows that get les- because of its sex appeal, and as
n right, the best examples long as everyone ends up straight,
"Imagine Me & You," "The the viewers will go home happy.
d" or even "Buffy the Vam- It's about time that the movies we
layer." Rachel leaves her watch reflect the actual society we
for Luce, Jenny Schecter live in, in which a woman can, in
her fiance for Marina fact, love another woman - not
'illow stops being with Oz because it's hot or exciting or an
e of her relationship with adventure, but because it is com-
None of them say, "Oh, well pletely and utterly normal.

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