Lamar University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 10, 1982 Page: 3 of 8
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UNIVERSITY PRESS February 10, 1982*3
Overview
Theatre/Museum/Pop music
LU to present Pulitzer Prize winning play j
Director casts three in leading roles ?!
By MICHAEL LESLIE
of the UP staff
The Lamar University Theatre will
present the play “J.B.” in perfor-
mance at 8 p.m. Feb. 25,26,27, and at
2 p.m. Feb. 28.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play by
Archibald MacLeish will be the fourth
production of the theatre’s season.
The play starts out as a dialogue
between two street vendors, Zuss and
Nickles, hawking their wares. As the
plot of the play develops, these two
assume the roles of God and the Devil
in a dramatization of the unanswered
problems of man’s relationship with
God in an era of cruel injustices.
The central character, J.B., a
modern businessman rich with bless-
ings, is the playwright’s counterpart
of the immortal biblical character
Job. He is brought down by the terri-
ble afflictions of our century—deaths
and violent catastophes that seem to
have no meaning.
When J.B. is reunited with Sarah,
his wife, they become two people
humbled but valiantly ready to accept
the universe, agreeing to begin life
over and pledging steady devotion to
God.
In the original Broadway produc-
tion, Raymond Massey played the
“Artists in the American Deserts,”
an exploration through painting of
desert phenomena by American ar-
tists of historical and contemporary
importance, is on exhibit at the Beau-
mont Art Museum.
Spanning a period of 60 years, from
1920 to 1980, the paintings reflect
various inspirations drawn by 25 ar-
tists from vast arid and semi-arid
desert lands in the American
southwest and the Great Basin
region.
These American deserts are defin-
ed by rainfall under 10 inches per
year, in conjunction with their
geological characteristics and
peculiarities of regional plants and
animals.
part of God, while Christopher Plum-
mer played Satan.
Bill Morton, director for the Lamar
production of “J.B.,” has cast Craig
DeVoll as Mr. Zuss, thp God
character. DeVoll, a sophomore from
Groves, last appeared as Billy Ray
The desert emerged as a major sub-
ject in American art when prominent
artists of the 1920s and 30s began to
visit and live in the American
southwest.
Included in this exhibition are
desert-theme paintings by John
Sloan, Marsden Hartley, John Marin,
Stuart, Davis, Georgia O’Keeffe and
other pioneers of modern American
art.
Contemporary artists are also con-
cerning themselves with the desert:
its size, its landscape, and the moods
it creates.
Represented by a wide range of
styles, artists such as Helen Franken-
thaler, Michael Heizer, Connie Lehr
and Nancy Holt portray the desert as
Jr. in “On Golden Pond,” and will
design the costumes as he did in “The
Little Foxes.”
With the attitude, “Who says the
Devil has to be a man?” and because
:t does fit with the play’s script, Mor-
ton said Devona Murphy, Lumberton
sophomore will play Nickles, the
a continuing source of inspiration for
those more recently spellbound by its
spectacular environment.
“Artists in the American Desert” is
organized by the Sierra Nevada
Museum of Art in Reno, with
assistance from the National Endow-
ment for the Arts and Freeport
Minerals Co.
The exhibition is being circulated to
eight museums in the United States
by WAAM, the Art Museum Associa-
tion.
The exhibition at the Beaumont Art
Museum is funded in part, by the
Beaumont City Council Hotel/Motel
Tax, administered by SETAC.
Satan charater in the play. Murphy
was recently seen as Birdie in “The
Little Foxes.”
“We’ll work well together,” DeVoll
said, “because there are a lot of
characteristics in Zuss and Nickles
that resemble mine and Devona’s
friendship. It is different for us, too,
because we’ve never acted opposite
each other.”
J.B. will be played by Bob Wilcox,
Beaumont senior, and Michelle Lan-
dry, Vidor freshman, will play Sarah.
Performing in the chorus will be
Trudy Monette, Beaumont freshman;
Debbie Morris, Vidor freshman;
Diane Normand, Beaumont graduate »
student Phillip Hinch, Vidor '
freshman; and Wendy Golias, Beau- *
mont freshman.
Keith Cockrell, technical director »
for the play, explained the interaction »
among the four main characters and
the chorus, saying: “J.B. is a ‘levels j
of reality’ play. The way the play is j
set up, two characters come on stage •
and talk about the way the play of Job l
is done. You (the audience) see actors '
who talk about the fact they are ac- ;
tors, then there are other people (the *
chorus) on stage who from the au- .
dience’s point of view totally believe !
that they are their characters.”
The set is an Italian square, with a *
dilapidated fountain and a traveling "
stage wagon.
A platform is being built over the *
pit area of the the theatre because, as j
Cockrell put it: “We are using entire •
theatre space from the pit to the '
balconies.”
Tickets for the production will be J
free for Lamar students and faculty *
with IDs, $2 for high school students •
and younger children, and $3 for
adults, Dr. S. Walker James, director j
of Lamar theatre, said.
Lutcher
schedules
musical
“The Most Happy Fella,” acclaim-
ed by Life Magazine as “a musical
landmark,” will be presented at
Orange’s Lutcher Theatre on Thurs-
day, Feb. 18, at 8 p.m.
The musical comedy contains 35
songs, and was an overwhelming
Broadway hit for 86 weeks.
During its long New York run, it
was applauded as one of the few in-
stances on record of a big musical
show having been entirely authored
by one man—the libretto, the lyrics
and the tunes all created by Frank
Loesser.
Some of the favorites in “The Most '
Happy Fella” are “Standing on the-
Comer,” “Like a Woman Loves a
Man,” and “Big D,” referring to.'.
Dallas.
The story of the musical is a bitter-.’
sweet love story, set in the West, full!
of fiestas and explosive situations,,
concerning a mail-order bride and the*
man who loves her.
The production set to perform at the.
Lutcher is a national touring com-*;
pany, now half-way through a cross-
country tour.
Tickets may be obtained by calling"
the theatre at 886-5535, or by contac-
ting other Ticketron locations.
Museum seeking grant
The Heritage House Museum in
Orange has made an application for a
$7,000 grant to the Texas Commission
on the Arts, Marsha Presley, ex-
ecutive director, said.
The financial assistance would
enable the museum to amass a collec-
tion of prize-winning original art, ex-
ecuted by Texas artists.
The art work will depict persons,
places or things of Orange County
history, specifically to be used as a
traveling exhibit.
One objective of the program is to
generate interest in quality art work
and at the same time provide an
avenue for recognition of artists and
their talents.
Initially, artists will be solicited to
participate in a juried art show. A
distinctive juror, Dr. Albino Hinojosa,
professor of fine arts at Louisiana
Tech, will designate 18 works to be in-
cluded in the circuit exhibit, Presley
said.
An essential part of the project will
be to provide recognition of the winn-
ing artists by showcasing their
original works of art which be of-
fered for sale at the Brown Center in
Orange.
The winning selections will be
framed and will remain on display at
the museum for one month. A packing
crate will be constructed to ac-
comodate the collection.
The museum will receive notifica-
tion in May if funding for the project
is approved, Presley said.
Beaumont exhibit features works
of desert phenomena by artists
Play to premiere
at Alley theatre
“Paradise,” a new play by Mon-
ty Philip Holamon, will have its
world premiere on Alley Theatre’s
Arena Stage in Houston at 8 p.m.,
Thursday, Feb. 18.
The opening will be preceded by
previews on Tuesday, Feb. 16, and
Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m.
Playwright Holamon was born
in Brownwood, Texas, in 1946 and
was reared on a communal farm in
the Ozarks. He studied theatre and
music at Southwest Texas Texas
University in San Marcos, and
served three years as a musician
with an Army band.
He became a founding member
of the Texas Playwrights Com-
pany in 1972 and now writes in San
Antonio, where he teaches English
as a foreign language to Mexican
and Asian students.
His play, first read as part of the
Alley’s “Monday Night Live!”
staged reading program last
winter, is set in a small central
Texas town, called Paradise, in
1956.
Michael LaGue, who recently
received rave notices for his ap-
pearance as John Merrick in the
Alley’s production of “The
Elephant Man,” will appear in the
pivotal role of Henry, who brings
his new bride Sarah, portrayed by
Robin Moseley, to Paradise to
meet his Aunt Noli, played by
Alley veteran Bettye Fitzpatrick,
on their way to Tulsa to begin a
new life.
As tune passes, Henry and
Sarah become caught up in the
strange web of prejudice and fear
that the town of Paradise weaves,
as well as in the “cure-all”
Uranium Parlor, run by husband
and wife, Verne, played by Bob
Burrus and Esther, played by
Helen Halsey.
Directing the production is Beth
Sanford, with sets by John Bos,
costumes by John Carver Sullivan,-
lighting by Jonathan Duff, and
sound by Tony Johnson.
Following its opening,
“Paradise” will play through Feb.
28 and then March 9^14 and March
23-28.
For information and reserva-
tions, contact the Alley box office,
615 Texas Ave., Houston 77002, or
call 228-8421.
Facelessness emerging as trend in popular music
By ADRIAN PRETZ
of the UP staff
In today’s entertainment , popular
music and professional sports have a
great deal in common.
For instance, concerts are often
held in the same arenas and stadiums
as athletic events. Many bands and
singers enjoy the same regional
following as the local teams.
But, imagine what the music scene
would be like if groups traded musi-
cians as baseball or football teams
trade players.
“Four major rock and roll bands
shocked the music industry last week
when, without warning, they started
acting like baseball teams. Early in
the week, REO Speedwagon traded
bassist Bruce Hall to Foreigner in ex-
change for Rick Wills and a studio
percussionist to be named later; the
next day, Styx sent drummer John
Panozzo to Journey for Steve Smith
and a first-round garage-band draft
choice.”
The idea of the hypothetical situa-
tion was expressed by writer Steve
Pond in the Feb. 4 issue of Rolling
Stone magazine. A very imaginative
scenario, but also a concept that could
very well be reality.
Bands like Journey, Foreigner,
Styx, REO Speedwagon and Rush
dominate FM radio airwaves, per-
form before sellout crowds and ac-
count for millions of album sales—a
glorious accomplishment, indeed, but
not worthy of acclaim. All of the men-
tioned groups are the epitome of the
stark facelessness that has emerged
as the dominant trend of today’s
popular music. „
Although countless numbers of fans
will disagree, there is not a true
superstar among any of those groups.
Nor is there what could be considered
a leading personality among them,
although some fans could instantly
recognize lead singers such as
Journey’s Steve Perry or REO Speed-
wagon’s Kevin Cronin.
Granted, superstars are not com-
mon. But, for the most part, there is
little or no attempt to cultivate any
type of image on the part of Styx,
REO, Foreigner or Journey. An
analysis of some of the more popular
bands gives evidence to this point.
Foreigner: A British band, with
four platinum record albums to their
credit. They are criticized often for
their repetitious style of music,
although they are an integral part of
album-oriented rock (AOR) radio sta-
tion formats. Foreigner lost some of
their credibility with many listeners
in fall 1980 when multi-
instrumentalist Ian MacDonald and
keyboard/syntheizer wizard A1
Greenwood were dismissed from the
band.
Vocalist Lou Gramm, guitarist
Mick Jones, bassist Rick Wills and
drummer Dennis Elliot carry on, with
help from a number of studio musi-
cians who accompany them on their
latest tour. One of the past summer's
hottest singles was from their album
‘ 4.” 'Urgent' could be hearu on car
radios across the country , featuring
the contribution of Junior Walker’s
blistering saxophone play.
Another tune from that album,
“Juke Box Hero,” was popular with
AOR stations. “Waiting for a Girl like
You” bridged the gap into middle-of-
*i -.-road i MOR) radio station for-
mats
Styx A midwestern group, with a
large following of 12- to 25-year-old
listeners Their recent “Paradise
Theatre” was one of the best-selling
albums of 1980 and 1981. Styx can
show flashes of brilliance, and can be
mired in a muck of marshmallows.
“Blue Collar Man” and “Renegade”
from the 1979 “Pieces of Eight” LP
were bone-jarring rock songs, but
somfe of their other material can be
best described as “bubblegum rock.”
Three of the five band members
share the load of the song writing, and
there is a predictable style to each of
their efforts. Guitarist/vocalist Tom-
my Shaw tends to come up with more
harder-edged material than his
counterpart, James Young. Dennis
DeYoung, on vacal and keyboards,
stresses a softer tone. DeYoung’s ef-
forts are compatible with MOR sta-
tion formats, as witnessed by “The
Best of Times” and “Babe.”
Styx enjoys commercial appeal, but
is the scorn of much of the rock press
for their style. The ever-important
scale is tipped in favor of commer-
cialism, however. Their last tour
broke box-office attendance records
all over the United States, and that
mqans money in the bank.
REO Speedwagon: Another
midwestern band, REO struggled for
a decade as a legitimate rock band,
only to succumb to the forces of com-
mercialism. Their “Hi Infidelity” LP
was the top-selling record of 1981, and
the subsequent tour following the
release of that album was a success,
selling out arenas all over the United
States.
Vocalist Kevin Cronin and guitarist
Gary Richrath shared song writing
credits on “Hi Infidelity.” None of the
tunes were considered worthy of
critical acclaim, but were extremely
popular with both AOR and MOR
radio stations. REO welcomed a new
legion of followers, eager to buy their
previous recordings and attend their
concerts.
Although Richrath is a competent
player, none oi the other members of
the group have distinguished
themselves as being anything more
than adequate for the task at hand. As
for stage presence, Cronin im-
mediately brings to mind the image of
a teenybopper idol in the mold of a
Shaun Cassidy of Leif Garrett.
Journey: The San Francisco-based
band leaped into the limelight in 1978
with the release of their “Infinity”
LP. “Infinity” marked the addition of
vocalist Steve Perry from Detroit into
the group, providing the impetus
needed for commercial appeal.
It also marked the departure of
drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who left
the band and defected to become a
member of another Bay Area band,
Jefferson Starship. Keyboard man
Greg Rolie departed in 1981, following
completion of recording “Captured,”
the group’s first live album.
Rolie and guitarist Neil Schon were
former membes of Santana, before
founding Journey with Dunbar and
bassist Ross Valory. Rolie has since
resumed working with Carlos San-
tana in recording studio sessions and
occasional concert appearances.
As Perry handles more of the song
writing chores with ex-Babies
keyboard man Jonathan Cain,
Journey’s sound has begun to take on
a softer, more MOR-influenced style.
In concert, Perry’s stage antics make
one wonder why he doesn’t find a new
line of work—he seems to “suffer”
more than any other vocalist.
In fact, Perry could pretty well be
described as “the Barry Manilow of
rock.” The remaining band
members, drummer Steve Smith and
bassist Ross Valory are competent,
but not exactly in the spotlight. Neil
Schon is an accomplished guitarist;
witness his efforts with jazz artist Jan
Hammer. However, his solos on the
“Escape” album border on being
overly dramatic.
Rush: Perhaps the greatest
paradox in the music industry. Rush
has long been noted for the excep-
tional depth of their works, even to
the point of positive critical review.
Combining heavy metal music with
unique lyrics, they create a different
type of rock.
Drummer/percussionist Neil Peart
ranks among the best in the business,
and his song writing is in a league of!
its own. “2112,” some of his best
material, is closely paralled to the
writings of libertarian philosopher
Ayn Rand.
Alex Lifeson is a fine guitarist, and:
Geddy Lee can hold his own, playing
bass, keyboards, synthesizers and
singing all vocals. Rush receives
airplay only on AOR radio stations,
but the group is a perennial sellout on
concert tours, and their last few
album releases have sold well.
What does it all mean?
Perhaps a new phenomenon is
developing, the polarizing of music
, lovers’ tastes. Or, maybe it means
that the listening public demands less
substance in music, perfectly content
with bland, repetitive car-radio
Muzak.
A reflection indicates that many of
the superstars have aged and cannot
easily be identifiable with a younger
audience. And, many of the bigger
names in the music industry have
taken a lower profile than ever
before. A lot of things have happened.
But, considering the state of
popular music today, the familiar
words of an old Bob Seger favorite
come to mind:
Just take those old records
off the shelf,
I’ll sit and listen to them
by myself.
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock and roll.
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Johnson, Renita. Lamar University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 10, 1982, newspaper, February 10, 1982; Beaumont, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth499970/m1/3/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lamar University.