The Daily Collegian
Improv trio to jazz up audience at State Theatre
By Josh Bollinger
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Not every jam band needs a gui
tar player.
Jazz trio Medeski Martin &
Wood will play at 8 tonight at the
State Theatre, 130 W College Ave.
Tickets are $25.
Mike Simpson (senior-psycholo
gy and Spanish) said the band’s
sure to get its creative juices flow
ing on stage.
Simpson has seen Medeski
Martin & Wood multiple times and
said its shows are usually improv
heavy.
Improvising is a trend typical
for both jazz bands and jam bands
and Simpson said Medeski Martin
& Wood touches upon both genres.
Simpson described the trio's
style as similar to a jam band’s,
but with a more funky jazz aspect
than normal.
He said the audience never
knows what to expect at one of the
band’s concerts.
“You get to hear new stuff every
‘Delicate’
theater
show set
to please
By Heather Panetta
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Theater lovers rejoice:
Students and residents have a
chance to see a Pulitzer Prize
winning show by a playwright
who has been called the greatest
alive.
Presented by The Next Stage,
"A Delicate Balance" by Edward
Albee opens at 8 tonight at the
State Theatre. 130 W College Ave.
The play will take place on a
stage that is surrounded on three
sides by the audience. This is a
different and more intimate way
to experience theater, said Kristy
Cyone, marketing director for
The State Theatre.
"A Delicate Balance" covers a
span of about 36 hours and cen
ters on a couple balancing their
relationship with life's unexpect
ed events, like their adult daugh
ter returning home after a failed
marriage, the woman's sister liv
ing with them and some friends
showing up unexpectedly, co-pro
ducing artistic director Jay
Shucter said.
Albee devised a plot where fun
damental aspects of life would be
opened and examined through
the main couple, he said.
Mary Skees, co-producing
artistic director, said these are not
only for the play, but also some
thing the audience can take
home.
"What's important are the
questions, and by seeing the play
it helps you explore them your
self," she said.
Shucter said the play offers a
temporary resolution, but. like
most things in life, the questions
are still there.
"This demonstrates our ability
to survive the perplexing ques
tions of life." he said. "The arc of
the plot shows that."
Shucter and Skees both said
the play is best described as a
serious comedy
'njnnEisr'
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Jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood will perform at the State Theatre, 130
W. College Ave. tonight. The band is known for their improvisation.
time you see them," he said. Medeski Martin & Wood is com-
Simpson said the band accom- posed of keyboard organ piano
plishes this by changing up its set player John Medeski. drummer
list and by never playing a song Billy Martin and bassist Chris
the same wav twice. Wood.
Members of The Next Stage engage in a scene from Edward Albee's
Pulitzer-Prize winning show “A Delicate Balance." The show will be at the
State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., and focuses on family issues.
"Albee writes the wittiest dia
logue that's full of one-liners.'
Shucter said.
"He recognizes how we verbal
ly and comically torment each
other by calling attention to our
faults."
Skees said this is the first full
length and fully produced Albee
play The Next Stage has per
formed. She said the group chose
this play because it is performed
less frequently than other Albee
creations.
Cyone is optimistic about the
show taking the stage.
"There have been workshops at
the State Theatre before using
Albee's works, so 1 think people
will especially go because of that
and because he is noted as the
greatest living playwright in
America." Cyone said.
"A Delicate Balance" is the last
show of The Next Stage's 15th
season. Shucter said.
"We decided to give the audi
ence a treat by rolling out the
heavy artillery like Samuel
Beckett, Thorton Wilder and
Albee." Shucter said.
Skees said it's been a very
exciting but challenging season.
"We are always looking for
plays about something that mat
ters." she said.
To e oioii reporter, hapl36@psu.edu
If you go
What: "A Delicate Balance"
When: The preview show is
tonight. Other performances
will be Nov. 12 at 8 p.m., Nov.
12 t 2 and 8 p.m. and Nov.
1- 8 p.m.
Wh . The State Theatre. 130
W. College Ave.
Details: Tickets are $lO for the
preview show. For other shows,
tickets are $l6 for general
admission and $l4 for stu
dents and senior citizens
HUNGRY HOUR
$4 Select Appetizers
Excludes JD Sampler & Pick 3 For All
814.861.5540
1215 N. Atherton St.
State Theatre Marketing
Director Kristy Cyone said the
music she’s listened to from the
group is different from a lot of
other bands.
Medeski Martin & Wood doesn't
only change up its sound at live
performances Cyone said this
also happens in the band's studio
albums.
“They're constantly reinventing
themselves," Cyone said.
She said the trio's shows are
always high-energy and usually
draw a large crowd.
"There's not too much of the
time that you're gonna be sitting
in your seat reflecting, that’s for
sure," she said.
That's the type of show Hallie
Thompson (senior-biobehavioral
health) is hoping to see.
She said she enjoys going to
shows like tonight's concert for
the type of crowd it draws.
Concert attendees don't have to
worry about looking stupid in front
of anybody, she said.
Thompson said she likes to see
PINK clothing drive
makes final push
By Samantha Arcieri
FOR THE CUILtG-AN
Until 2:30 p.m. today, there's a
place for any and all unwanted
clothing.
Victoria's Secret PINK Penn
State campus representatives
are helping the community kick
start the holiday season with a
clothing drive to benefit the
Centre Countv Salvation Armv.
PINK Campus Representative
Michelle Turli (senior-advertising
and public relations) said anyone
interested in donating clothes
can drop items off at the Penn
State Book Store customer sen
ice desk. Both mens and
women's clothing will be accept
ed.
Turli said each donation can
make a difference.
"It is important for students to
know that the clothes they've out
grown and will never wear again
can tit someone else and change
their life," Turli said.
She said the organization's
goal is to collect 2.000 items. As of
Fiiday. there had been 722 items
donated, and Turli said the drive
is "off to a pretty good start."
Turli said the idea for the cloth
ing drive came as a result of the
coordination of all FINK campus
representatives around the coun
try. She said the organization
wanted to help benefit a clothing
charity because PINK is a fash
ion line.
The Penn State Book Store has
been a tremendous help in get
ting the project started. Turli
said.
"We are not officially a Penn
State organization, so it's hard to
get inside the HI B Robenson
Center," TUrli said. "They link us
to the students."
Marylin Lewis. Penn State
Book Store merchandise manag
er. said the PINK campus repre
sentatives have a positive impact
on the student body.
"They have done a wonderful
job trying to incorporate the com
munity with the students." Lewis
said.
She said having a bin inside the
bookstore is a logical way to col
lect a lot of donations because the
PINK clothing sold in the book-
MONDAY-FRIDAY 9PM-1
BAR ONLY
$2 'you
$2 Drafts
$2 House Wines
$2 Bottled Beers
$2 Liquors - Margaritas,
Captain & Cokes, LITs,
House Martinis and more!
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 I 7
jam band shows because she can
let loose, not worry about anything
and dance to the music.
“It’s like one big family having
fun together," she said.
Thompson said it's refreshing
to see a band without a guitar
player —it’s nice to see a variety in
music.
Besides, Medeski more than
makes up for the missing guitar
on keyboards, she said.
"They have one of the most
amazing keyboardists,” she said.
"I'm looking forward to seeing
that.”
To e-mail reporter: tjbs267@psu.edu
If you go
What: Medeski Martin & Wood
When: 8 tonight
Where: The State Theatre, 130
W. College Ave.
Details: Tickets are $25
“Penn State
students are really
passionate and
spiriting about
helping.”
senior - advertising and puolic
store is extremely popular
Jenna McCormick. Victoria's
Secret Street Team member, said
she will assist the campus repre
sentatives in counting all of the
donated items.
"It should be fun." McCormick
(senior-advertising and public
relations) said. "Hopefully it will
take a while, because that means
we reached our goal."
Leslie Pinero < sophomore
broadcast journalism) said she is
interested in donating clothes.
"Every year growing up. 1
would have to go through my
closet and find clothes that didn't
fit." Pinero said. "We would
donate trash bags and trash bags
of clothes to the Salvation Army "
Turli said bins are located in
several churches downtown so
members of the community can
also become involved in the proj
ect. She said the Victoria's Secret
campus representatives expect a
positive response from the stu
dents.
"Penn State students are really
passionate and spirited about
helping." Turli said. "A pair of
jeans you barely wear can
become somebody's favorite
pair."
If you donate
What: Victoria's Secret PINK
clothing drive
When: The clothing drive ends
today at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Donations can be
dropped off at the Penn State
Book Store customer service
desk
Details: Any gently used
mens' and womens’ clothing
items are being accepted
ST"
CALL
Michelle Turli
relations