Newspapers / University of North Carolina … / Nov. 14, 1984, edition 1 / Page 11
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Wednesday, November 14,1984/THE BLUE BANNER/11 Rocket Man flies high Jy Penny Kramp and Dale McElratb "I think its gonna be a long long time/till touch down brings me round again to find/I*m not the man they think I am at home." Elton John touched down in Charlotte last Thurs day , and he brought us "around again to find" he's still the superstar who dominated the rock mu sic world of the 1970*s. It was an evening of mixed emotions. After years of touring, Elton is finally saying goodbye to the "yellow brick" life of the road. And after nearly a de cade of devout fan-dom, we both had high expecta tions. Very high. We had also been to Charlotte in October to see him, but an* illness forced him to cancel the show. It was worth the wait. Elton didn't let us down. He was everything we hoped for—and more. At about 8:30 p.m. the lights dimmed, and we saw a small flashlight inakin^^ its way toward the well- used white piano domina ting the stage. It was Elton. We both screamed. (Although Dale probably won't admit it.) When the lights came up, we saw he was dressed in a pink jacket with tails and a straw boater (hat). When the first strains of Tiny Dancer from his madman across the u/vier lp began to fill the colise um, the crowd let loose one loud primal scream of approval. From tliat^moment on, El ton entertained us with a repertoire of his classic tunes. When he played Canrflo in the Wind, a poignant bal lad of Marilyn Monroe's tragic life, from 1973's GOQI»VE YELLOW BRICK BOM) album, the stage lights turned the Coliseum into a sea of blue; and people held up their lighters as symbolic "candles." "Goodbye Norma Jean/ though I never knew you at all/You had the grace to hold yourself/While those around you crawled." Then came a rocking red, white, and blue rendition of Philadelphia Freesdoa that proved the flamboyant Elton is still alive and poured out around the stage as the lighting sys tem rotated above the stage like a satellite. This was a more subdued Elton than the jeweled, feathered showman of days past. But Elton proved he hasn't lost his touch as he leaped on top of his piano and ripped off his jacket to fling it into the eager mob. Although we were sad dened to see the end of Elton's touring days, we feel lucky to have experi- O well. He capped the number by pushing his piano off the stage (Don't worry, it survived!) and throwing the piano bench backstage, to the cheers of the crowd. The highlight of the evening was a long set of the classic Rocket Man. Clouds of green smoke enced the on-stage charis ma of a truly talented mu sician. Elton said it for us in his bopping show-closer. Crocodile Rock. "Crocodile rockin' is something shockin'/when your feet just can't keep still/I never knew me a better time/And I guess I never will," Eairn PAID soloists, chorus ^nd orchestra needed for new [Asheville'-based RegioiYad Opera] Company Per information, applications, amd audition appointments cadi 645-47771 f Staff photo by Sylvia Hawkins SCOTT MEBANE (r) AND MARGE RUIZ portray speech thera pist James Leeds and his deaf pupil and love Interest, Sarah Norman, in "CHILDREN (ff A LESSER GOD." World of deaf full of sound By Anne Snuffer Deafness is a silence full of sound. That thought was artfully por trayed in TheatreHJNCA's production of "Children ot a Lesser God" by ilark iledoff last week in Carol Belk Theatre. From the opening mo ments to the final poig nant scenes, the audience was aware of the frustra tion of the deaf living in a "hearing" world. Scott Mebane as Speech Therapist James Leeds gave a powerful and often humorous performance as he wooed and won the heart of his pupil, Sarah Norman, played by Marge Ruiz. Mebane was unrelenting as he tried to communi cate and understand his deaf student's hatred for "hearing" people. Both Mebane and Ruiz's use of sign language was extraordinary. Mebane skillfully combined words with gestures, although he never learned sign language before this production. Ruiz adeptly enacted the trying role of a young girl, deaf from birth, who finds meaning outside of the frustrat ing institutional life she has always known. Colin White as Orin, and Cathy Sheehan as Ly dia, added a light touch of humor and a human ele ment to the play's pro found plot. At times however, they were difficult to under stand. Possibly because Belk Theatre is round, and in certain positions they were bound to have their backs to some of tlie audience. Also, their assumed speech impediments natur ally made understanding more difficult. "Hearing" people often have a prob lem understanding the speech of the deaf, which was probably' the point the playwright was trying to make. Jim Nave as Mr. Frank lin, and Amy Grant as Mrs. Norman, were we^ additions to the play's movement and fluidity. Some of the plot's mo tional moments were dis concerting, especially when the teacher-student relationship blossomed so suddenly. This, of course, was the fault of the play wright rather than the actors or actresses. Lighting was simple, yet effectively dramatic, and the use of classical music at appropriate in tervals added an inter esting flavor. The ending was sudden yet tantalizing, with Mebane and Ruiz giving notably moving renditions of a marriage which fell apart because of differ ences between one who heard and one who didn't. "Children of a Lesser God" had its moments of weakness which detracted from its potential im pact • But it provided an in sight into the world of the handicapped which "normal" people often fail to perceive.
University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Newspaper
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Nov. 14, 1984, edition 1
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