Orchestra
By HEATHER MANES
The mingling sounds of the sharp sinuous oboe with the elegant smoothness of a violin assures that Bach’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Violin as performed by Pepperdine’s orchestra tonight at 7:30 in Smothers Theatre will be an enticing and soothing performance.
The orchestra will perform Bach’s notable concerto piece with two guest performers Joseph Robinson and Mary Kay Robinson. Joseph Robinson is one of the world’s most prominent oboists and in fact performed as the principal oboist of the New York Philharmonic for 27 years until his retirement in 2005. His wife Mary Kay Robinson will accompany him as the violin soloist in Bach’s Concerto.
The orchestra conducted by Tony Cason will also perform additional delicate and challenging pieces such as Vaughn Williams’ “Fantasia on Greensleeves Tchaikovsky’s Andante Cantabile Haydn’s Symphony No. 82 ‘The Bear'” and Respighi’s “Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 1.”
According to Cason “An awful lot of work goes into these performances. We just performed for Founder’s Day and now two weeks later we have all new work which is difficult task to pull off.”
During Tuesday’s rehearsal the Graphic had a chance to sneak preview their work. And although they have had only had two weeks since their last performance the rehearsal demonstrated just how much talent this year’s orchestra holds.
Each section held its own and the grace of the violins the harmony of the cellos and the consistency of the drums helped strike beautiful and melodious chords.
“We’re at a good level. We’re improving every year and getting better students every year Cason said.
The performance is sure to be a fulfilling and enjoyable but most of all relaxing— which is a much needed break from the fast-paced Pepperdine lifestyle.
“It’s great art and you’ll get to see one of the best oboists in the world perform Cason said.
Pilobolus
By ELIZABETH NEVILLE
Clad in daffodil-yellow leotards and dancing with dead fish for sale at a market the Pilobolus performers will burst onto the stage at Smothers Theatre on Tuesday Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. This costume is one possibility of many that this Connecticut-based six-person troupe of self-described “dancer-athletes” will don during Tuesday’s performance.
Pilobolus enchants audiences with performances based on a principle that they call “creative collaboration.” According to the Pilobolus website creative collaboration is “an imaginative and athletic style of interactive movement that is often the result of free-form experimentation by the individual dancers themselves.” Drawing heavily on visual effects the Pilobolus dancers don colorful (or very minimal) costumes and employ spectacles of lighting and sound to share their stories with maximum impact.
Their choreographed movement-pieces tell stories in a pure physical sense. These tales showcase a variety of themes namely biological or philosophical concepts and the intricacies of human relationships. “Contradance one of the pieces that will be performed at Smothers, is a lighthearted dance with sweet, colorful aesthetics. It is described by the website as a comic fable about two misfits” sure to be enjoyed by viewers both young and old. On the other side of the art spectrum the Pepperdine audience will also witness “Megawatt a high-voltage reflection on the technology-saturated world in which we live. A potential highlight, Megawatt” incorporates daring edgy visuals and some of the great music of our generation such as Radiohead and Primus.
Pilobolus will be a treat to indulge the senses of the freethinking Pepperdine student as well as anyone who enjoys imaginative performance (fans of Cirque de Soleil be on the alert). This level of imagination and whimsy is captured on the website itself which is a moving colorful collage featuring the dancers engaging in playful and bizarre behavior. Whether dancing in a tree shirtless with their eyes closed and mouths blissfully wrapped around large green apples or slathered with a goopy mud-like substance Pilobolus is sure to be a sensory overload of pure imagination. Student tickets cost $10 and general admission tickets cost $50.
Betty Buckley
By CASEY DELGADILLO
Buckley’s impressive and extensive career began over four decades ago and is still thriving.
After launching her Broadway career in 1969 her life took her from various stage performances to PBS movies to the role of Miss Collins in “Carrie” to finally winning a Tony in 1983 for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (“Cats”).
She also played Abby Bradford in the ’70s TV series “Eight is Enough.” She has released several albums most recently including “Betty Buckley: 15 Year Anniversary Re-Release which was an album composed of her first solo concerts recorded in 1984 at Sain
t Bartholomew’s Church in New York City.
Lately, Buckley has taken part in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening episodes of Law and Order: SVU” and “Without a Trace.” She also has taught scene study and song interpretation at multiple universities including the University of Texas at Arlington and the Terry Schreiber Acting School in New York City.
In 2002 she purchased Purple Badger a champion cutting horse. (Cutting is an equestrian sport that judges horse riders on their ability to separate a single animal from a herd.)
As a Texas native Buckley relocated to a ranch in her home state in 2003 where she has since spent time competing her horses and enjoying her teaching position in Fort Worth Texas.
Buckley’s style tends to aim at an older more traditional crowd. She seems to still relate heavily to her “Cats” ties so her songs take somewhat of the same kind of Broadway-theater-Nordstom-piano-player feel. Each song is not merely music and lyrics but a performance. The amount of pride Buckley takes in her art is evident through her on-stage presence.
In addition her sheer ability to reach a large spectrum of the vocal range is commendable.
As part of the Gregg G. Juarez Stars of Broadway series Betty Buckley is scheduled to perform in Smothers Theatre on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $50 to the public and $10 for full-time students and can be purchased in Smothers or through Ticketmaster.
“An Inspector Calls”
By CASEY DELGADILLO
There is nothing quite like the feeling of emerging from a theater after viewing an eerie thriller in the fall. The dark crisp autumn night adds to the feeling of apprehension— but for some reason many people willingly welcome this as an appropriate tie to the oncoming Halloween holiday. This October “An Inspector Calls” can act as the catalyst to kick off the spooky season.
Written by J.B. Priestly in 1945 “An Inspector Calls” is set in 1912 right before the start of World War I. The play opens to a scene of a family partaking in the celebration of a daughter’s engagement. The merriment is bought to a quick halt though when the characters make discoveries that drastically change their lives.
Directed by Bradly Griffin this thriller is the perfect show for a crisp October night. He classifies it as a “mystery wrapped up in a morality tale… It’s kind of chilling.”
Griffin encourages students to see the performance as support for their peers. He is proud of the “really strong student performances and great cast” showcased throughout “Inspector.” The complexity of the storyline is another reason to attend.
“The subject matter carries themes that really leave you thinking Griffin said.
This particular production of Inspector” will be executed in a unique way— in the round. Performing a show “in the round” means the stage will be surrounded by audience members on all four sides leaving no real “off-stage.” The actors will be viewed from all angles. According to Griffin this “creates the kind of intimacy that’s perfect for this play.”
Based on the excitement of the director and cast one can only assume “Inspector” will be if nothing else well performed. The dialogue might be a bit foreign as it was written 65 years ago and intended for a British audience but it will be only a minor blip. Students should have no doubts the play will entertain and satisfy those seeking to welcome fall in with a little thrill.
“Inspector” will be playing in Lindhurst Theatre Tuesday to Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale to students for $10. There will also be two showings on Saturday which cost $15.