Mime, Music And Magic Come To Capitol
By Bich Baytherathwalte
Mix eight flood lamps, a strobe
light, a backdrop, two footlockers,
music, magic, puppets and masks made
out of old newspapers....oh, and a little
imagination, and you have got what
Jerry Brown has nick-named "back
yard theatre."
The mime performer and his
partner/wife, Terri Brown, have put
together their unusual show of mime,
magic and music to portray the notion
of "inner space." What that motion is
shall be left up to the viewer to decide.
Last week they gave two performances
at noon (one on Monday and one on
Thursday), and an evening perform
ance on Friday at 8:15 P.M. Admission
for the two day-time performances was
free, and only a slight charge was made
to off-campus guests for the Friday
performance.
In addition to the shows last week,
the couple ran mime workshops from
Monday through Friday in the.
gymnasium. Seventeen students at
tended. The workshops were designed
to encourage the participants to find
ways of "tapping the mainstream of
their creative impulses" and then_
expressing those impulses in various
ways such as mime, improvisation or
mask-making.
This years winners of the Halloween Costume Contest (Left to Right)
Green Sprout; Joseph Kenas, Goblin; Beth Kopas, Goblin; Don Smullen, ???; Steve Wasser, Transvestite; Bruce
Symczak, Soldier; Linda Taylor, ZOM3 ; John Lisa, Ballerina; and Ken Holt, Treemen
In Jerry's words, the portable
theatre was just a "dream" in the
beginning. However, both performers
found out quickly that to make the
dream a reality, they had to learn to
use their heads and the available
resources as substitutes for having a
lot of capital. Before starting the
venture, the Browns put together a
mailing list, designed brochures and
studied the theatre market. Soon after,
they bought a yellow 1959 ex-Bell
Telephone maintenance truck for $25
for travel purposes. The vehicle is
quite convenient because it's many
doors can be used to hang props and
because of this, it is possible to do the
show almost anywhere. Jerry keeps an
eye on the mechanical operation of the
truck because if it does not go, neither
does the show.
Terri Brown first got interested in
mime when she participated in a
workshop in Maine, during the
summers that she did not attend
college. She likes this particular type of
expression because through it, "I can
do my own creative work and at the
same time be self-sufficient." Terri
does not like the idea of selling acting
skills and abilities, but recommends
instead putting together a finished
product and letting the client decide if
the show is worthwhile. She believes
strongly that mime is a natural
extension of thought and is very real;
more real in fact than the earth.
Jerry Brown's main interest seems
to be in music. In the show, he plays
four or five tunes on his guitar and
sings a number of times while his wife
acts out a pantomime. He believes in
the show because, "it gets the audience
involved and nothing can beat that kind
of sharing." Jerry has had nine years
resident experience in repertory
theatre, (i.e., that kind of theatre
where several plays are acted out and
the players switch parts.) and three
President's Council
Needs Support
The President's Council is an
organization composed of the presi
dents of all the student organizations at
Capitol Campus. It was formed in order
to better co-ordinate the activities of
the various clubs, and to foster better
communications between the student
leaders.
In recent years, the President's
Council has not worked effectively.
Wayne Spltzner, Green Giant; Cindy Stevens,
years in experimental theatre. He has
taught or been a participant in
numerous theatre workshops.
The Capitol Campus show is one of
many that the Browns will be doing
during their projected ten month tour.
After the tour is over, the couple hope
to have enough money to buy a farm
and convert it into a production and
training school dedicated to the study
of mime. Students will attend
workshops that will require them to
produce actual shows; thus, when they
leave, they will have something
concrete to show to the prospective
client.
This year, however, attempts are being
made to use the Council more along the
lines for which it was originally
intended.
One item which has already been
arranged by the Council is a general
deposit placed with A & W
Distributors for beer. Under this
arrangement, any recognized club may
now purchase beer and rent taps from
A & W without placing its own deposit.
This will eliminate the problems
encountered with obtaining the money
for a deposit, placing it with the
distributor and then getting it back.
Still in the planning stages is a
"community project" to be organized
by the Council. This will be held in the
Winter Term, and the Council is open
for suggestions as to what to do. A
small project along these same lines to
be held this term is also being
discussed.
Attendance at the last President's
Council meeting (October 17) was poor.
Chairman Steve Nailor urges all
organizational presidents to become
involved with the Council.
Autos
Vandalized
By Wm. D. Kelly
A reign of vandalism occured last
Friday night at approximately 10:00
P.M. in the Residence Hall parking lot.
The car owned by Sal Ghazi was
broken into and robbed of an 8-track
tape player, a calculator and a Hurst
gear shifter. Chester Stapinski,
Assistant to the Coordinator of the
Residence Living Program, said that
another car had the driver's side
window smashed. The name of the
owner of this car was not disclosed.
Mr. Stapineki also stated that the
incident is presently being investigated
by the Capitol Campus Police.