10 THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2005 ‘Footloose’ cast kicks off production, shoes Finals can’t stop that dancing spirit BY BEN PITTARD STAFF WRITER Take off your Sunday shoes and get ready for the Pauper Players’ spring performance of “Footloose.” The musical, made popu lar in the hit 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon, opens Friday in Playmakers Theatre. “Footloose” centers on the story of Ren, a young Chicago trans plant who moves with his mother to a small farm town. Ren is unprepared for the cul ture shock that awaits him when he learns that rock music and dancing are illegal in the conser vative pastoral community. The vice laws are the brainchild of a vindictive reverend. And when the preacher’s young and rebellious daughter takes a shine to Re”, her jealous boyfriend sets out to ruin Ren’s reputation. What follows is Ren’s struggle to fight against the town ordi nance in a classic tale of repres sion and teen rebellion. The score features music by Kenny Loggins and Sammy Hagar Leaving Town? Don't Trash “ W Chapel Hill! Clothes, cds, furniture, I PTA Thriftshops household items in 942-6101 good condition Club Nova 967-6985 Unopened food and , personal care items Shelter 929-6380 Furniture, clean lumber I Habitat for Humanity and appliances *#*• Call for pick up (NO mattresses) 403-8668 Mixed P a Per (junk mail, DropSffSite? cereal boxes etc.) 968-2788 Paint, cleaners. Hazardous Waste Collection batteries and other Orange County Landfill toxic materials | Wed-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 7:3OAM-noon Orange County Solid Waste Management Aft 968-2788 toSk ■HBi recycling@co.orange.nc.us jK?# www.co.orange.nc.us/recycling v | I On any ■ * | any Espresso Dritik. j i Sandwich. /vTO ifo j IC. Drink, or XT* j j Salad or j | Hot Clrocolaie j! "You Pick-Two.* | i Valid at Panrra Bread location* in the Triangle. [ J Valid at Panera Bread locationa in the Triangle. J Valid through May 19,2005. | J Valid through May 19,2005. •*t - J as well as several new songs not heard in the movie that have been added to the musical. The cast and crew have been gearing up for what they say will be an exciting performance. “It’s a great triple-threat show,” said choreographer Ashley Barbour. “There’s great acting, great music and the dancing is really intense.” Although the opening of the show falls close to final exams, those affiliated with “Footloose” said there’s no reason not to go. “It’ll be a fun break to take people’s minds off of exams,” said Lexie Kuhn, the show’s producer. Barbour added, “It’s another form of procrastination.” Although the Pauper Players are a student-run organization, several nonstudents are also involved in the production. “We have a really diverse cast,” Kuhn said. “We even have some Duke (University) students.” The cast and crew have logged a large number of hours into the production of the show. “It’s been pretty stressful,” said Katie Wicker, the show’s stage IF YOU GO Date: April 29 & 30, May 12-May 14 Time: 8 p.m.; 2 p.m. matinee April 30 Location: Playmakers Theatre Info: http://www.unc.edu/student/ orgs/pauper/current.html manager. “We have five rehears als a week from seven to 11. It’s been fun, it’s just a lot of work,” she said. Wicker said she thinks that hard work has paid off and that people should come support the show and the efforts of the cast and crew. “People put a lot of work into it, and we really enjoy doing this.” Wicker said the show will be a chance for students who are not studying the arts to expand their horizons. “The people in it aren’t drama majors, mostly, so it’s a chance for kids who love drama but are not able to be majors to do what they like to do,” she said. The show will run the weekend before and after final exams. “It’s fun,” said Kuhn. “It’ll be worth the seven bucks.” Contact theA&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu. Nissan Graduation Gifts. 2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8 S • 1 26 Horsepower Engine • AM/FM/CD Stereo System • Power Windows, Door Locks & Outside Mirrors s 2,sooCash Back’ + s sooCollege Grad Cash 3 s 3,OOOTotal Cash Back ■ 1 75 Horsepower Engine ■ Remote Keyless Entry • AM/FM/CD Stereo System With 6 Speakers s l,sooCash Back 1 + s sooCoilege Grad Cash 3 s 2,OOOTotal Cash Back All-New 2005 Nissan Frontier ■ 265 Horsepower V 6 ■ Available Spray-On Bedliner And System * Models fa| m & All-New 2005 Nissan Xterra - 265 Horsepower V 6 ■ Easy Clean Cargo Area With Utili-Track™ Channel System ■ Rugged Off-Road Capabilities Vehicles shown with optional equipment. NOW AVAILABLE WITH *5OO GRAD CASH. For More Information About Signature G RADUATE®, Visit Your Nissan Dealer Now Or Visit NissanUSA.com/Financing fBISSAfifI 1 .Cash back on nm 2005 Attima. 2006 Sentra from dealer stock. Offer ends 6/2/05. 2.Defened interest added to contract balance end payable over remaining contract term. New purchase only. For contracts up to 60 months. Subject to NMAC credit approval. 3.Must be a college graduate in an months or have graduated in the last 24 months and provide proof of employment. Subject to NMAC credit approval. See Nissan dealer for CUICT -’details. Nissan, the Nissan Brand Symbol, and Nissan model names are Nissan trademarks. <£>2oos Nissan North America, Inc. I News Group OKs plans for summer concert series BY JAKE POTTER STAFF WRITER A committee charged with orga nizing this year’s downtown summer concert series now has the backing it needs to move the plans forward. The Downtown Economic Development Corporation, in its first year overseeing the event, gave a thumbs up Wednesday to the summer events committee to begin soliciting an event planner. The corporation will allot as much as $6,000 of its annual bud get to committee chairman and corporation member Tom Tucker to hire a planner who would coor dinate the nine scheduled events and attract sponsors. Tucker offered the committee’s draft plan to corporation members during their meeting Wednesday. “We decided to go with some thing that was pretty much in keep ing with last year’s (series), due to the short amount of time,” he said. The group expressed gratitude for the committee’s quick action. With the series set to begin in less than two months, growing con cerns about time constraints have worried corporation members. “(Tucker) put a tremendous amount of effort into this in a short amount of time,” said corporation chairwoman Andrea Rohrbacher. The events four concerts and “(Tom Tucker) put a tremendous amount of effort into this in a short amount of time.” ANDREA ROHRBACHER, CHAIRWOMAN, DOWNTOWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP. four movie showings are tenta tively scheduled for every Wednesday between June 15 and Aug. 3. A grand finale at the Hargraves Center athletic fields is slated for Aug. 13. Tucker said the concerts and movie showings will likely be held on McCorkle Place, where the town has hosted events in previous years. Plans for alcohol sales at the event are still unclear. The committee drew up details on the series while the Town Council considered a DEDC-sup ported petition to allow some alco hol sales on town-owned property. With the council now prepared to vote on the issue May 9, the committee can begin to discuss the possibility of serving alcohol at some of the events. Mayor Kevin Foy, the corpo ration’s newest addition, warned fellow members that if the ordi nance passes, event hosts wishing to serve alcohol on town-owned property still would have to submit an application to the council. rajJPPf Jr fummj • NISSAN | Signature GRADU AT E" PROGRAM In Addition to Current Offers Recent College Grads Can Receive: f* soo\ l CASH BACK 3 I \ NEW NISSANS J (ho) \ PAYMENTS / \ FOR 90 DAYS' / NissanUSA.com (Hip tkrilii Oar Hfri “It’s not a blanket ordinance, but it’s what you asked for,” Foy told the group Wednesday. A more vital part of the plan ning process, corporation members agreed, will be soliciting a sponsor. The draft plan puts the corpora tion’s total expenses for the series at $30,000. “This thing is not cheap,” Tucker said. “There’s a heavy dependence on the sponsors.” Member Roger Perry suggested that the committee plan according to affordability. “The events should be a func tion of how much sponsorship money you get,” he said. The corporation will meet again May 11 at the Midway Business Center on Merritt Mill Road to dis cuss with town planning board rep resentatives an initiative to bring wireless Internet access down town and a downtown Streetscape improvements proposal. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.