ARTS The Michigan Daily Politics Thursday, January 31, 1991 become personal Page 5 in PN's Brigadista by Jenie Dahimann "Theater should be dealing with the important issues of the day," says Rick Sperling, director of the Performance Network's upcoming production of Brigadista. "Often po- litical theater fails because either the good and bad guys are over-general- ized, or it is handled in such an intri- cately intellectual way that the audi- ence can't understand it." Sperling promises, however, that Brigadista manages to deal with complex issues in a manner that is accessible to all audiences. * The play is a fictionalized, auto- biographical account of author Tanya Shaffer's experiences while working as a "brigadista" on the coffee bri- gades of the 1990 Nicaraguan elec- tions. The elections were held on Feb. 25 while the Sandinista gov- ernment, led by Daniel Ortega, was in power. The FSLN (a Spanish acronym for the Revolutionary San- dinista Government) had overthrown the dictatorship of Nicaragua in 1978 and was an inspiration to activists all over the world. So, when elections were to be held again in 1990, brigades of North American activists left for Nicaragua to help in the campaign, pick coffee and, says Shaffer, "see this tiny country once again take destiny into its own hands." Shaffer says she felt that the activist's role was to "watch the Sandinistas win and return to America to assure Americans that the election was fair and just and the American support of the Contras could end." The Bri- gades, however, never got the chance to deliver a message of victory be- cause the UNO (United National Opposition) Coalition Party, funded by the United States, managed to win the election. While Brigadista revolves around a very political theme, Sperling says he 'believes that the show is unique political theater because the audience follows a woman's individual story and the personal stories of the people she encounters instead of large political issues. Despite this personal angle, however, the characters are never separated from the larger reality of the United States' involvement in Nicaragua. Debby, the main character, goes on a spiritual, life-changing journey during the elections. While her intentions of helping the Nicaraguan people are good, she realizes that she has brought with her the patronizing attitude of her country. She finds herself telling the Nicaraguans how to run their country, says Shaffer, instead of "learning to work with the Nicaraguan people, listening to their needs and talking with them, not too them." Sperling comments that "the well-meaning activist can still har- bor some invading, ugly-American traits without even knowing." As the elections continue, Shaffer says, Debby begins to understand that "the legacy of her privileged country has led to a loss of her humanity and created a gap that makes friendship with the Nicaraguans nearly impossible." An example of this gap comes from a line in the play, delivered by a of the election itself set the stage. "(It is) an interesting effect. It is im- possible to recreate Nicaragua, yet the slides, music and Latin American poetry together form a Brechtian kind of overview of the culture," says Sperling. Although Brig adista has been produced before in a workshop setting in San Francisco, the Per- formance Network's performance will be the play's first full produc- tion. The production, in true activist will benefit the Latin American Sol- idarity Committee, Guild House and Interfaith Council of Peace and Jus- tice. "Activism," says Sperling, "First-world activism in a third- world setting is what this play is all about, whether it's Nicaragua, the Phillipines or Harlem." BRIGADISTA will be performed tonight through Sunday, Jan. 31- Feb. 3, and Feb. 7-10 at the Perfor- mance Network. Thursday through Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., Sun- days at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $9, $7 for students and seniors. This Nicaraguan guy seems a bit confused by an presence in Brigadista. Nicaraguan to Debby. "You can go a great deal of soul-searching. home and discuss this with your friends," he says. "It's just politics to you, and if you disagree with them, they'll still be your friends. But this is our lives and our strug- gle." Eventually, Debby becomes part of their struggle, but only after Sperling and Shaffer hope to involve the audience with Nicaraguan culture through the use of live Latin American music that combines traditional Latin American rhythms with political words. Slides Indigo but not totally blue I Classic Concert Review ,I Bernstein concert shines by Andrew J. Cahn "Twisted guardrail on the high- way, broken glass on the cement/ A 5 ghost of someone's tragedy/ how recklessly my time has been spent" - "Watershed" These lines from "Watershed," the finest track from the latest Indigo Girls' release, Nomads* Indians* Saints, use the metaphor of a car driven off the side of a road to show that if we are careless with our life, it could be gone at any moment without reaching its full potential. According to Emily Sailers (whose partner in the duo is Amy Ray), the song has become much more than .just creative symbolism. She explained, "We've had a couple of friends who have been in car accidents recently, and now (it) takes on a more specific meaning." Sailers says all of their songs come from personal experiences, and certain ones "mean more than others at different times, depending on what you're going through." Their fans Their fans have been attracted to them not only because of their colorful guitar-based melodies and flowing vocal harmonies, but also because of the personal qualities of monies, but also because of the per- sonal qualities of the lyrics they write. When listening to any of the Indigo Girls' tunes, their sincere, unaffected voices carry the meanings of the songs beyond the printed lyric sheets to the point where it is easy to empathize with their feelings. Go- ing back to "Watershed," Sailers and Ray sing over the chorus, "Up on the watershed, standing at the fork in the road/ you can stand there and ag- onize until agony's your heaviest load." A person who has never felt these emotions is a rare find. The duo's affinity for this style of music goes back to when the two of them were in high school in Ge- orgia, where they made their grand debut at a PTA show. "We had such See INDIGO, Page 7 by Elizabeth Lenhard The University Symphony Or- chestra's free concerts during the week don't often fill Hill Audito- rium's main floor. However, to honor the memory of Leonard Bernstein on Tuesday night, a large and enthusiastic audience gathered. The University Phil- harmonic Orchestra and the Uni- versity Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gustav Maier and Donald Schleicher, gave a stun- ning and expressive presentation of four works by the late com- poser/conducter. Though Schleicher's conduct- ing was. subdued in the the first work, the Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront, the orchestra brought forth vasts billows of sound. A wistful theme began the piece and was highlighted by the French Horn and winds that ap- peared throughout the work. Just as the audience began to sink into the lulling melody, they were bombarded with waves of discor- dant and angry percussion. While. the lyrics they write the brass section seemed to falter at times with Bernstein's con- temporary dissonance, the strings' lyrical lines were controlled and dynamically exquisite. Haul was a piece written in 1981 in memory of a young Is- raeli killed in combat. The He- brew word means flute. Keith Bryan, the soloist, was painfully expressive in his portrayal of the. fear and elation of a young man in the midst of war. Meier's in- troduction to the piece, explain- ing its timeliness, combined with ecstatic conducting that was sadly reminiscent of Bernstein's famous physicality, made for a moving experience. The first two pieces displayed Bernstein's flair for huge wafts of instrumentation punctuated by clear and poignant themes. The string sections repeatedly showed their prowess in the smoothly fluctuating dynamics, and in maintaining the tension of Bern- stein's darker tones. This strength was further evidenced in Sym- phony No. 1, Jeremiah. The Symphony's first move- ment gave a subtle display of ominous chords, which rose to majestic lengths. After an interval of chirpy themes tossed back and forth between sections, mezzo- soprano Karen Lykes gave an- other inspirational solo with her. rich interpretation of the third, movement, "Lamentation." The breathtaking evening pro- voked a kind of yearning for the great artist that was Bernstein. The musicians and conductors seemed to be truly inspired by the composer and his legacy. For the most part, they handled the tech- nical intricacies with mastery and" displayed a wealth of expression., In the playful presentation of the finale, the bawdy overture to Candide, Schleicher and the group- performed with joy. After its ex- uberant the ending, the audience gave an appreciative roar for Lenny. have been attracted to them not only because of their colorful guitar-based melodies and flowing vocal har- Theater Review *My only friend is The End" by Julie Komorn ....J. . I L.. rrnnnt Hamm: Why do you stay with me? Clo: Why do you keep me? Hamm: There's nowhere else. Cloy: There's no one else. T he Residential College Drama Program/Brecht Company displayed a powerful production of Endgame, Samuel Beckett's dark, witty and thought-provoking play last week- end. As Billie Whitelaw, a renowned actress specializing in Beckett plays, once said, "You may find nothing (in a Beckett play), but I suspect you will never forget." Extremely absurd and bizarre, Endgame is a show that *is unforgettable. Director Martin Sweeney's decision to remain true to the text proved to be a wise one. Since the where, when, what and how of this play are unclear, much is left open for extensive interpretation. Some directors feel that it is their respon- sibility to interpret the play for their audience. For instance, the ambiguous * world in which Endgame takes place has been explained by some di- rectors as the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. But no one truly knows what Beckett had in mind. Defining the boundaries of this play by a di- rector would result in a loss of its necessary ambiguity. Fortunately, Sweeney felt the genius of Beckett should not be second-guessed. Thus the faithful portrayal by the Residen- tial College Drama Program/Brecht Company of this unsettling play al- lows interpretation to occur, as Bseckett probabiy intenaea, withi the individual minds of the audience. The consistently strong acting throughout the performance enriches the loyal representation of the script. It is Richard Perloff's incredibly powerful voice that helps to assert Hamm as the master/director at the center of his world. The portrayal of Hamm's character has the potential of being inhibited by the dark glasses [e wears ann his conInement to a chair, yet Perloff successfully overcomes these obstacles and conveys angst-filled expression. Kurt Maier, as Hamm's obedient servant Clov, effectively portrays the both pathetic and humorous stupid- ity of the character. And Anthony Bedwell as Nagg and Sallie Sills as Nell, the comical legless couple kept See END, Page 7 I DAILY CLASSI FIEDS, If' Burnham Associates MEET THE INDIGOGIRLS AT SCOLIS! THE PREFERRED PLACES TO BE SINGERS * DANCERS * INSTRUMENTAIJSTS SPECIALTY ACTS * TECHNICIANS/WARDROBE Kings Productions, the world's #1 producer of entertainment, is holding auditions for the 1991 season at KINGS ISLAND, Cincinnati, Ohio. A variety of positions are available and a travel fee will be paid to employees who must travel more than 250 miles to the park: : ANN ARBOR, MiCHIGAN 4 Tuesday, February 5,1991 a4 University of Michigan EK 46820 indigo girls nomads ii 1%sints including: Hammer And A Nail Watershed r' Welcome Me 1 23 World Falls JOIN SCHOOLKIDS' IN WELCOMING THE INDIGO GIRLS TO ANN ARBOR BY MEETING THEM DURING AN IN-STORE APPEARANCE THURSDAY, JANUARY 31ST AT 3PM.. 1 '' sV .... I I I I o t'. I I . INDIGO GIRLS SALE! NOMADS INDIANS SAINTS CD $12.99 CASS $7.99 STRANGE FIRE & INDIGO GIRLS CD $9.99 CASS $6.99 I. waneIIUyoi I~u Vwe .wo fr yourse f? 2. Would youlike to set your own hours? S. Are you Wel-molvated? 4. Are youa bit of an entrepmneur? f yousinewered YES to .ai of the above, epic SALE PRICES GOOD THROUGH 2/7/91 lo'