the daily collegian 'The Phyrst is the most people oriented bar in town and the Phyrst Phamily is probably the reason why.' —Wayne Prokay, co-manager of the Phyrst Aqua-ballet in works tonight By CHRIS KILEY • For The Daily Collegian Take a little dance, some swim ming and gymnastics and what do you have —synchronized swimming. And there will be a lot of it going on in McCoy Natatorium beginning tonight at 8 p.m. with a special student pre view of the Penn State Naiads' "Wa ter Works." Regular performances begin tomorrow and will continue through Sunday. The Naiads will present their an nual show performing twelve student choreographed routines using a vari ety of music and themes. Each rou arts .x) 10 The Phyrst Phamily in rehearsal (clockwise from top): Ernie Oelbermann, Bob Becker, Gina Bolan, Vicky Becker, Judy Naginey and . Bobbie Sherman. tine ranges from approximately three to four and a half minutes. The number of swimmers in each compo sition varies from duets to trios to large groups of twelve and fourteen. "Synchronized swimming is a blend of gymnastics, dance and swimming," said Anne Beilair, one of the student choreographer-swim mers who has been with the Naiads for three years. Beilair has choreo graphed three of the twelve routines to be performed. "Everything is choreographed to beats of music; it flows from begin ning to end," she explained. The Phyrst Phamily Photos by Nathan Lader Judy Naginey, Vicky Becker and Ernie Oelbermann performing at the Phyrst. Illustration by Lynda Cloud And flow it does. As the name implies, synchronized swimming in corporates movements in sync with music and changing pattern forma tions. Success in this activity requires among other things "counting beats to music (even under water), an awareness of the position of body extremities (often difficult when one is turned upside-down under water), and a considerable amount of flexibil ity," Beilair said. "Water Works" will display indi vidual abilities of strength and endur ance as well as flexibility all blended creatively by, the choreogra phers and swimmers to achieve a demonstration of synchronized swim ming complete with costumes and flights. The Naiads present a show both entertaining and innovative. Their movements seem to be executed ef fortlessly, but that is indicative of the time and energy already invested in making the show a success. During auditions, the Naiad group searches for basic dexterity in the water. Usually, if a person is water oriented and can use their muscles well in the water, she will fare well in the audition, said Beilair. "If you've had dance in the past, it will show up in the water," said Beirlair. Though there are no men on the team, the Naiads welcome any interested. The Naiads offer an entertaining program for all ages a program of creatively choreographed water rou tines sure to please. Phyrst stop on Saturday night 3y DIANNE GARYANTES Daily Collegian Staff Writer For the last 12 . years, a Saturday night tradition has been growing in State College, though many people may still be unaware of it. No, it is not Rocky Horror that is too new. No, it is not the weekend's drunken bedlam that is too unreliable. • What •has become a Saturday night tradition is Ernie Oelbermann and his band, stepping up on stage, tuning up their guitars and banjoes, fixing up the sound and proceeding to turn the Phyrst into a foot-stompin', hand-clappin', good ol' time sing-a-long "That is the best part about playing," said Judy Naginey, one of the band members. "We get a lot of people up." If you are one of those who are ignorant to the going-ons Saturday nights at the Phyrst, located at 111 1 / 2 E. Beaver Ave., you'll be amazed at the incredible friendliness, happiness, more-than-slight drunkeness and general rowdiness of the crowd. • You'll love it. The Phyrst Phamily is Bob Becker, Bobbie Sherman, Gina Bolan,"Judy. Naginey, Vicky Becker and Ernie Oelbermarth who has been the owner of the bar since 4968. Gina and Bob play guitar, the rest play banjoes and, of course, they all sing The Phamily begins each and every Saturday night and each and every set singing the song "Saturday Night," joined by all the Phyrst regulars and even the not-so-regulars singing at the top of their lungs. From then on, it's a night you won't want to forget. Everyone is singing and swaying, dancing and clapping, laughing and talking. The Phyrst becomes (if it is not already) the friendliest bar in town anyone who has been there knows. "You come and you don't know anyone and once the Phyrst Phamily starts playing you know everyone," Dave Wirth (9th chemical engineering) said. _ . "The place is so friendly definitely -a friendly atmo sphere," he added. Try 'Long Distance' after five 5 O'Clock Theatre presents "Long Distance," an original one act comedy by Howard Mermel. The takes a humorous look at two roommates whose lives suddenly collide one afternoon. "Long Distance" opens tonight at 5:30 and runs through Friday in the Pavilion Theatre. Admisson is free. The author Mermel is the editor of Froth, the Penn State humor magazine, and is a writer and performer for WDFM's comedy hour. According to him "Long Distance" is a play in the Neil Simon mold. "It's good light fun. If there's any message for the audience, it's just laugh and enjoy yourself," said Mermel. And his characters seem to truly invite a good time. For Alex, a loveable neurotic, the world has come to an end because his girlfriend Marie is angry with him. Meanwhile, Phamily first Valerie De Pena and Jeff Kramer "The more beer you drink, the better they get," Matt Leininger (12-recreation and parks) said. "But they're good anyway. There's nowhere like it." Leta Miller is a Penn State alumnae who was back for the weekend and came to the Phyrst for another Saturday night. "It is absolutely the greatest bar in the world," she said. "I only come on Saturday nights because of the Phyrst Phamily." Alumni like Miller come back to the Phyrst all the time. Wayne Prokay, the Phyrst co-manager, said that the•more renowned alumni, such as Franco Hairis, Matt Bahr and Eric Cunningham, come back fairly often. "When Franco came in, they started singing the Steelers' Fight Song," Prokay said. "And Matt and Eric will sing together." "Their favorite is 'Hello Dolly,' " he said. The Phyrst is usually filled to capacity every Saturday night, Prokay said. 'You don't know anyone and once the Phyrst Phamily starts playing you know everyone.' —Dave Wirth (9th-chemical engineering) "It seems that anyone who comes once will come again," he said. "I just think that everyone has such a damn good time. "The Phyrst is the most people-oriented bar in town and the Phyrst Phamily is probably the reason why," said Prokay. The Phyrst Phamily is not really a family, as many people believe, although you could say there is one in the making. Two of the band members, Bob and Vicky Becker, are expecting a child. Vicky is still strumming away with the band, despite being six months pregnant. The. Phyrst , PhaMily's sing -a-long style was first formed back in the summer of '67 by Terry Countermine, who wrote the Phamily's theme song "Saturday Night." "I went down there every Saturday night to watch Terry," Oelbermann said. "It was my favoritenight there." Oelbermann is the only original member of the band left since the actual Phamily was formed in 1969. Since then, the band has been through more than 25 regular members. "We do have standard songs," Oelbermann said. "But we could go all the night with the songs we know." The band has played at various places and events, including the Arts Festival, the Ethnic Festival, the Centre Hills Country t Club, Toftrees, fraternities and even the Sons of Italy Mercy Hospital.•- • "We played for nuns (at the hospital) and had them doing the hokey-pokey," Oelbermann laughed., The Phamily plays every St. Patrick's Day, New Year's Eve and, of course, every Saturday night at the Phyrst. "There are traditions you don't ignore," Bob Becker said. Vicky agreed and said that if the group was not there on a Saturday night, something terrible would happen. "There'd be a revolution," Oelbermann said. "Everyone would be bitterly disappointed because people get into it," he said . Miller, a "Phamily fan," is proof. "I came here on New Year's Eve and it was closed," she said." Depression total depression." There is one "Phamily fan" who has been coming to the Phyrst every St. Patrick's Day for 8 years. He has traveled back to State College from places as far away as Baton Rouge, La., to Saudia Arabia. "I went up to him and said, 'Bob, what can I do for you?' " Oelbermann said. "And he said, 'Just let me do it again next year.' " We at Penn State are lucky we can do it again every Saturday night. ' Robert has just received word that he will be notified by phone about an important job he has applied for. When Alex gets it into his head to take the phone off the hook so that Marie can't get through to him, the fun begins The 5 O'Clock Theatre is produced by the Penn State department of theatre and film. It presents original scripts written by students and members of the Penn State commu nity. The theatre gives playwrights the opportunity to have their plays go through the production process and be performed before an audience. Tickets for "Long Distance" are available through the University Resident Theatre Company box office or at the Pavilion prior to the performance. Wednesday, April 22 16 —by Elaine Wetmore Artists Series upcoming season • .tl. n . ~,, ,_; `~.., .. MIME ' , 1 1" =ME w'. . t. 4 ~~ 9' • , • • Eugene Ormandy Suzuki Strings violinist ....1:;E:,:' - i.`,::: . ..,.. ~:. , ;''-k., : :,(;'. :,' . ...,..c.,..'!;;;;,,,,,. ~......,„:,.....;:,,,,,,.':,....-,.- .!. ..,.:..:',.•,-,:',1:;;....?',:-.7,....,',,':::..,..'.; Spring has sprung over hill and dale, and Artists Series subscriptions will soon be on sale. Beginning April 30, new Series subscriptions for the 1981-82 season will go on sale at the Eisenhower Auditorium box office. The schedule for the upcoming season is filled with classy, professional shows that will please and delight ticketholders. Subscribers can pick from four mini series fine arts, music, theatre/dance and drama or any combination of them and will get. priority on tickets to special events. There are also discounts for subscribers on individual tickets. The fine arts series begins the season on September 22 with the Juilliard String Quartet, one of today's most highly re garded classical ensembles. On October 15 the young Suzuki Strings of Japan will delight the audience with their fine musi cianship. • Flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya, hailed as one of the greatest of our time, will begin the music series on October 2. Another present-day legend, Eugene Or mandy, will conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra on January 19. Other shows in the music series include Michael Tilson Thomas and the Pittsburgh Symphony on OEM= March 19 and "The Threepenny Opera" in its first fully-staged major tour on April 3. "Children of a Lesser God," winner of the 1980 Tony Award for the best play, will kick off the theatre/dance series on September 23. The , Pilobolous Dance Theatre, an imaginative, versatile and witty sextet, will perform on November 6. Another Tony winning play, "Morn ing's at Seven," will bring some chuckles to Penn State on January 15 and on February 19 the fresh and enthusiastic Royal Winnipeg Ballet will leap onto the stage. The drama series begins October 9 with "The Madwoman of Central Park West" starring Phyllis Newman in the one-woman show. Another solo perfor mance will feature Emlyn Williams as Charles Dickens on March 26. Five ac tors from the Royal Shakespeare Compa ny will be in residence January 27, 29 and 30, giving three performances, two of which will be devoted to Shakespeare. In addition to the regular series there will• be three programs for children and special events such as "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Royal Winnipeg Ballet mow Kee full and flavorful Valley beautiful. Doi 't litter. The Daily Collegian Wednesday, April 22, 1981-17 Pilobolus Dance Theatre Emlyn Williams
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