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Enter stage left:
standards, hello
"I believe you need a balance," says
new director
b Timoth
Jones
The Collegian
If you saw a student leading
another student around the room
by his fingertips, you might
think it's a psychology class, but
this is one of the many devices
that Kathleen Campbell uses in
her theater class to take away her
students' inhibitions.
Kathleen Campbell is the new
theater director at Behrend. She is
originally from Dallas, Texas.
She has an Undergraduate and
Masters in theater and she taught
Undergraduate at George Mason
University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Campbell left George Mason
because the program was headed
in directions that she did not want
to go. It was putting more
emphasis on new plays and
student internships, and she was
not interested in doing that. She
likes Shakespearean plays and a
mix of both old and new plays.
She came to Behrend to
explore theater as a Liberal Art
because she believes more
students are served by the Liberal
Arts. She wants to work with
students who are out to have fun
with theater.
Concerning the students,
Campbell wants to give them the
opportunity to act and still have a
life. "It is easy to love theater and
get too involved. You skip class
and do not do your homework.
You do not have a chance
. to get
out or see your parents. I
structure the work so it does not
dominate your life, and it gives
you time to do other things. I
believe you need a balance."
Outside of the campus,
Campbell is currently working
on a book about Shakespearean
Productions. She likes to fish and
cook chili. She was a part of a
team that cooked chili in various
cook-offs. Her personality is
relaxed and she has clear standards
about what she expects from
others. She does not mind
making people uncomfortable,
just ask her theater class.
Danny Burger, a student in her
Entertainment Thursday, September 19, 1991
Taking her cue: By forcing students to
abandon their inhibitions, new theater director
Kathleen Campbell puts the "liberal" back into
liberal arts education.
class says "At the beginning, you
are afraid of what people might
think, but after you do some of
her exercises, it becomes the
opposite and helps build trust and
makes you comfortable."
Campbell believes that if she
does not make her students
uncomfortable, she is not doing
her job. "Once you have done
something, you can do it and feel
comfortable. You feel ok."
She got her start in theater in
the 9th and 10th grades. Her
mother convinced her to take a
speech communications class.
The teacher she had was
$7.50 Starting Pay. Flexible schedule to fit classes. Full
training provided. May continue full-time over breaks. All
majors should apply. Call Now: 870-9408
Coming Next Week:
Use Your Illusion I & 11, the latest recording
onslaught by Guns 'N Roses, goes up against those
two Collegian guys who keep trying to get the editor
to let his hair grow and get his ear pierced.
Was it worth the wait?
So long
fun
wonderful and got her involved in
competitions. The following year
she took theater classes and
became hooked. She likes theater
because it is hard and it
challenges her. It makes you stop
and think about what you are
doing.
Her plans for the Behrend
theater involve staging Baby with
the Bathwater, a play by
Christopher Durang. It is a
comedy about modern parenting.
A young couple have a baby and
have no idea what to do with it.
The performance dates are
November 1-3, 8-10, 15-17.
Part-Time Work
Craig Breterffhe Collegian
No musician
an Island
Hitchcock gets
help from his
b Brad Kane
The Collegian
Let's take a trip back to the
'Bos. At that time, the
alternative music scene was
going noticeably pop with the
Top 40 debuts of bands like U 2,
R.E.M and The Cure. But, at the
same juncture, ex-Soft Boy and
purveyor of a somewhat seminal
solo career, Robyn Hitchcock
revealed his opus to the world.
Globe of Frogs established
Hitchcock as one of progressive
music's most acclaimed talents.
Now, fast forward to 1991:
Hitchcock appears to have
tightened his already firm hold
atop the alternative charts as his
new album, Perspex Island, looks
like one of the year's top records.
Backed by his two member
group The Egyptians (bassist
Andy Metcalfe and drummer
Morris Windsor), Hitchcock
strums his way through a
jangling dream of an album. The
approach Hitchcock takes on
Island is somewhat reminiscent
of Frogs.
Hitchcock overdoses on 12
string and rhythm guitar-laced
tracks that are pure gems to listen
to. But Island differs from 1989's
Queen Elvis which emphasized
Metcalfe's delicate, dreamy bass
lines. Some of the style seen on
Elvis has willed out onto Island.
Although it's only a few drops,
the resulting mix proves quite
refreshing.
As Hitchcock has evolved
over the years, different styles
have influenced his music, as
will happen to almost any artist.
On Island the inspiration
comes partly from R.E.M.
Guitarist Peter Buck and vocalist
Michael Stipe both perform on
the album. Buck, who appeared
briefly on Queen Elvis, is present
on eight of the record's 11 tracks,
and Stipe lays down backing
vocals on the album's finest
song, "She Doesn't Exist."
"Exist," as hinted from the
title, is a reading on lost love.
Its slow melodic bass and slight
background strumming are
accentuated by Hitchcock's
Thur Fri Sat Sun Mon
10:30 PM BPM MID BPM 10:30PM
Reed 117
Admission:
Students: $1.50 w/Act. Card: FREE Public: $2.50
a little
friends
perfectly off-center vocals and the
backing strength of Stipe.
Unlike the conjured images
and neo-fantasy lyrics of Queen
Elvis, Hitchcock incorporates
more lyrics dealing with emotion
on Island. Despite the obvious
tendency toward a poppish feel,
which usually seems to coincide
with lyrics concerning emotion,
Hitchcock carries it all off like
the accomplished musician that
he is.
"So You Think You're In
Love," the album's first single,
comments on love with a twist--
"So you think you're in love /
But you want to be straight about
it"--a twist worthy of a society
scared by commitment and other
assorted pitfalls of love.
These same pessimistic
sentiments are echoed on "Earthly
Paradise," an ironic title for the
world Hitchcock describes in the
song. It's the "love" between
man and planet that's dealt with
here. Environmental Hitchcock,
But not all is gloomy here.
Both "Birds in Perspex" and
"Ultra Unbelievable Love" are
celebrations of the joy love can
bring. It can be tinged with
pointed melancholy in the
former, and can be unabashedly
glorious as in the latter.
Then there's Hitchcock's
tendency to idle away singing
about seemingly nothing at all
such as on "Vegetation and
Dimes" and "Lysander." The
former sounds like it's been
culled from the Elvis recording
session= "What are we waiting
for / A big grim reaper with a
long black limousine / Call his
toll-free number / 1-800-reaper,
ask for Dean."
Is it Hitchcock's best? The
possibility is indeed high. For
long time Hitchcock fans,
Perspex Island will not only
please once more but will
enhance the enjoyment of
listening to Hitchcock's twisted
lyrics and lush rhythms. For
prospective Hitchcock fans,
there's no better time than the
present to start listening.