Mary C. Murphy, "Bacchus (Asparagus)," acrylic on linen, 24" x 20." Parf of the Seven Nebraskans exhibit at Richards Hall beginning Feb. 1.

Eisentrager/Howard Gallery Premieres With Seven Nebraskans Exhibition

After more than two years' and $8.5 million worth of renovation, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Art and Art History's Richards Hall has re-opened to faculty and students. The central core of the main floor of the building consists of three gallery spaces collectively named the Eisentrager/Howard Gallery in appreciation for the generous donations by two emeriti faculty, James Eisentrager and Dan Howard, and their spouses, Dorene Eisentrager and Barbara Howard.

Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The first exhibition in the new gallery is Seven Nebraskans, which runs Feb. 1 to 28. Each of the seven are department alumni who are active visual artists currently residing in the state. This is the first of a season-long series of exhibitions that will feature alumni artists of the department.

An opening reception, sponsored by the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Alumni Board of Directors, will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 in the Eisentrager/ Howard Gallery. The reception is free and open to the public.

The Seven Nebraskans are:

Judith Burton, of Lincoln, received her BFA and MFA from the University of Nebraska, where she won a Thomas Coleman Award. Her exhibitions include a solo show at Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery last year. Her collections include Caterpiller Corporation, Sheldon Gallery, and the Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney.

Barbara Hagen, of Lincoln, received her BFA from the University of Nebraska, and her MFA from the University of Texas at Austin. She currently teaches photography at Southeast Community College in Lincoln. Her self-portrait series began in 1993. With this series she steps forward into the landscape, literally facing up to the camera lens.

Mary Murphy, of Omaha, received her MFA from the University of Nebraska. Her solo exhibitions have included a 1999 exhibition at the Bemis Factory Building in Omaha. Her collections include ConAgra, Inc., Duncan Aviation and the Boca Raton Museum in Florida.

Lana Miller, of Lincoln, received her MFA and BFA from the University of Nebraska. Her selected collections include The Hallmark Art Collection, the Museum of Nebraska Art, and the Nebraska Art Association/ Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery. Her new work was featured in a solo exhibition at the Haydon Gallery in Lincoln in 1999.

Gibb Neal, of Hastings, received his BFA and MFA from the University of Nebraska.

John Spence, of Lincoln, received his BFA and MFA from the University of Nebraska. His work has been exhibited around the country and around the world, including exhibitions in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco. This year, he had a solo exhibition of paintings and sculpture at the Haydon Gallery in Lincoln. For this exhibition, he plans to show new work that consists of drawings or "mono" prints.

Robert Weaver, of Martell, received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute, and his MFA from the University of Nebraska. While at UNL, he received the William Vreeland Award. His work has been widely exhibited and his collections include the St. Louis Art Museum, the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, and the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Tomás Kubínek Soars into the Lied Center Feb. 9

Certified 'Lunatic' Brings Antics to Lied Stage

Expect the unexpected from Tomás Kubínek, "Certified Lunatic and Master of the Impossible," as he brings his outrageous theatrics to the Lied Center for Performing Arts at 7 p.m. Feb. 9.

Kubínek is a magician, acrobat, clown, championship housefly catcher, and canvas-winged daredevil all rolled into one, and his energetic one-man show will thrill the entire family.

When he was 3-years-old, Kubinek and his family fled to Canada to escape the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. He began his career at age 9 and as a teen made his circus debut with a Brazilian clown duo. Since then, Kubínek has made people laugh at theaters, international festivals, and on television throughout the world. He has completed two successful runs on Broadway, and has received honors and awards in both Canada and the Czech Republic.

His work has led to collaborations with other artists, including Czech actor Boleslav Polivka, the Dutch writer and comic Francis van Keeken, and Britain's "The Right Size" theater company. Kubínek also occasionally appears with Circus Flora as Pirate King.

Kit Voorhees, director of UNL's Arts Are Basic program, will deliver a pre-performance talk in the Lied's Steinhart Room 30 minutes prior to curtain.

Tickets are $10, half price for studens. Call the Lied box office at (402) 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 for tickets. For more information on other Lied Center events, visit the Lied Center's web page at <http://www.liedcenter.org>.

The Diary of Anne Frank, performed by the Montana Reperatory Theatre, appears Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center.

Montana Rep Presenting Anne Frank at Lied

The Montana Repertory Theatre will present The Diary of Anne Frank at the Lied Center at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5.

Established in 1977, The Montana Repertory Theatre is among the best professional touring companies in the country today. Based at the University of Montana in Missoula, the company brings performances of high literary quality and strong entertainment appeal to communities throughout the nation. Recent productions include It's A Wonderful Life; the stage adaptation of Lee Harper's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird; and Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.

This season, The Montana Rep continues to tell stories that define our global and intimate histories with The Diary of Anne Frank. Written during the two years that the Frank family and others spent in hiding after Germany's invasion of Holland, Anne's diary is more than just a memoir. It is a moving record of one of history's most tragic eras, vividly brought to life in this compelling drama. Anne's story is not only a symbol of martyrdom but also a voice for liberty and hope.

The company will also present a workshop for 8th grade teachers in Lincoln Public Schools as part of its Educational Outreach Program. Beginning at 4 p.m. in the stage area of the Lied Center the workshop explores the various aspects of live theater. Working with themes from The Diary of Anne Frank, the history of WWII, and the holocaust, the cast helps teachers create stories and write scripts for their students to perform. These lessons are integrated into the teachers' curriculum.

Cantor Michael Weisser, Congregation B'Nai Jeshuran-A Reform Jewish Temple, will present a pre-performance talk in the Lied's Steinhart Room 30 minutes prior to curtain.

Tickets are $24, $20, and $16, half-price for students. Call the Lied box office at 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 for tickets.

Jada Pinkett­Smith and Damon Wayans star in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, opening Feb. 1 at the Ross Film Theater.

Spike Lee's Bamboozled Confronts Racism Head On

Never one to shy away from controversy, Spike Lee takes a breathtakingly deep dive into the treacherous waters of racism in American entertainment in his latest film, Bamboozled, opening at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater on Feb. 1.

Television gets a bold new viewing in Spike Lee's Bamboozled. Lee's latest film is a blistering satire of network television's pitfalls and prejudices, a humorous look at how race, ratings and the pursuit of power lead to a television writer's stunning rise and tragic downfall.

Damon Wayans stars as Pierre Delacroix, a hip, young, Harvard-educated writer who is the sole person of color working for an upstart network with floundering ratings. Despite several attempts, Delacroix has yet to see any of his concepts go into production. Now his boss, the ratings-hungry, culture-vulture Dunwitty (Michael Rapaport), issues him a searing ultimatum: come up with a hot, trend-setting, headline-making, urban hit or get fired. Feeling doomed, Delacroix decides to present the most outrageous, unbelievable farce of stereotypical comedy he can imagine - hearkening back to the old days of "black-face" minstrels with a variety show featuring Manray (Savion Glover), a homeless tap dancer, and his sidekick Womack (Tommy Davidson). Incredibly, Delacroix's spoof turns into a ratings bonanza, a cultural phenomenon that has the media pundits raving and audiences of all types howling But, for Delacroix, the runaway success of "Mantan The New Millennium Minstrel Show" is the start of a rapid unraveling.

Bamboozled mixes comedy with intrepid social commentary about the way the media works. "Two of my favorite films are A Face in the Crowd and Network and I used both as a platform, and as inspiration. This is a piercing look into the past and future of film and television," says Lee.

Bamboozled is showing on Feb. 1 through 4 and Feb. 8 through 11. Screenings are at 6:45 and 9:15 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; at 1, 3:30, 6:45 and 9:15 p.m. on Saturdays; and at 4, 6:45 and 9:15 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for students, senior citizens, children, and members of the Friends of the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater.

Russian National Orchestra Appears at Lied Feb 10

The internationally and critically acclaimed Russian National Orchestra will performing at the Lied Center for Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10. Piano soloist Denis Matsuev will appear with the orchestra. Pieces will include Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor Opus 30 by Rachmaninoff and Symphony No. 5 in D Minor Opus 47 by Shostakovich.

Founded in 1990 by Mikhail Pletnev, the Russian National Orchestra is the first orchestra since 1917 to be free of government control. It has established itself at the front rank of world ensembles.

Under the musical direction of Vladimir Spivakov, the orchestra represents the best classical music in Russia. Touring engagements have brought it to North America, Asia, and Europe, and to major international festivals including Edinburgh, Lucerne, Sydney, and the 1996 Olympics Arts Festival in Atlanta. It is also the first Russian orchestra to play at the Vatican and to tour Israel.

Spivakov, music director and principal conductor of RNO, has appeared as recitalist and orchestral soloist in major music capitals throughout the world. He is a guest conductor with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, and is the founder, conductor and violin soloist of the chamber ensemble Moscow Vituosi. Spivakov has received Russia's highest prize, the National Cultural Heritage Award and is Ambassador of the Arts for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Pianist Matsuev studied at the Central Music School in Moscow and the Moscow Conservatoire, and has performed in many of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Tokyo Opera City, and Salzburg's Mozarteum. In 1996, he performed the first classical program in the history of the Andrew Lloyd Webber's Music Festival.

Tyler White, associate professor and director of Orchestral Activities at UNL's School of Music, will be the present a pre-performance talk in the Lied's Steinhart Room 30 minutes prior to curtain.

Tickets are $44, $40, and $36, half price for students.

Call the Lied box office at 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 for tickets.

Conversation with an Artist Series Begins Feb. 5

The Teaching and Learning Center and the Artist Diversity Residency Program will present "Conversation with an Artist: Teachng for Diversity," a luncheon discussion series starting with Marc Pinate, poet, at 11:45 a.m. Feb. 5 in Selleck Private Dining Room.

Pinate is a Chicago poet, playwright, actor, organizer and activist from "San Jo, Califas." He is the director of Literacy Programs at San Jose Center for Latino Arts. A national slam poetry contest winner, his presentation style awakens students to confront racism in their lives and challenges them to define educational goals.

On March 26, Dadisi Sanyika, will speak. Sanyika is a founding member, and artistic director of the Dembrebrah West African Drum and Dance Ensemble, a 26-member cultural study, preservation and performance company; past director of the Malcolm X Community Center; and an ordained minister. His drumming invites students to think of identity, challenges of community organizing, understanding their heritage and cultural influences in their lives. He is particularly interested in faculty perspectives about his message.

Laurie Houseman White Hawk, visual artist, will speak b April 9. Her paintings of pow wow dance regalia provide insight into traditional and contemporary Native American culture. Her presentation style encourages students to open up with questions about complex issues facing Native Americans.

To make a reservation for the luncheons, contact the Teaching and Learning Center, 472-3079, or email teaching@unl.edu.

Artist-in-Residence Holly Hughes Lecturing Feb. 14

On Feb. 14, Holly Hughes, Obie Award-winning performer, will present a public talk at 7:30 p.m. in the Great Plains Art Collection in the Christlieb Gallery of Hewit Place, 1155 Q St. Admission is free.

She will perform Preaching to the Perverted at 8 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Seventh Street Loft, 504 S. 7th St. General admission tickets are $5, and available at the door one hour before the performance. Seating is limited.

Holly Hughes's residency is sponsored by the UNL Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Concerns, Convocations Committee, Academic Senate, Department of English, Women's Studies Program, and the Department of Theatre Arts.

NPRN Broadcast Features Leontyne Price

The Nebraska Public Radio Network celebrates Black History Month with a profile of the life and musical accomplishments of one of America's best loved vocal artists in Leontyne Price - Voice of the Millennium, which will be broadcast at 3:50 p.m. Feb. 3, immediately following the Metropolitan Opera production of Bizet's Carmen.

Price was a pioneer in the classical repertoire, one of this century's most brilliant opera stars and a soprano of extraordinary depth and accomplishment. Program host Roger Cooper says hers "is a voice that not only soared into the heavens and caught the attention of the angels, but it also reached down into the ghetto and found me." Listeners will hear her incredible voice, dubbed "the Stradivarius of sopranos," and learn about Price from her colleagues.

Botkin Collection on Display at Love Library

The Archives and Special Collections Department of the University Libraries is presenting an exhibit of materials from the Benjamin A. Botkin Collection of Applied American Folklore. Items on display include manuscript and published copies of Botkin's works, photographs, and materials related to Botkin's work with the Federal Writer's Project and as a free-lance writer. The exhibit begins on February 1st, in conjunction with the conference "American Folklore and the Legacy of Benjamin A. Botkin" sponsored by the Nebraska Humanities Council, the UNL Libraries, the University of Nebraska Press, the Friends of the UNL Libraries, and the UNL School of Music. The exhibit will run through March 5 and can be seen at Archives and Special Collections, N209 Love Library.

Outdoor Nebraska Features University's Ashfall Project

Viewers can take a river journey in the wake of Lewis and Clark, observe some of the best hunting dogs in Nebraska going through their paces and get a glimpse of the prehistoric past at Ashfall State Historical Park on this week's edition of Outdoor Nebraska on the statewide Nebraska ETV Network. This episode of the outdoor news magazine series airs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8, and repeats at 8 a.m. Feb. 10. The program also repeats on NETV2 at noon Feb. 11.

Montanan Daryl Oberquel followed in the footsteps and paddle strokes of Lewis and Clark's return trip down the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers. Outdoor Nebraska producers spent some time with Oberquel in camp and on the river as he traveled along the Nebraska border.

The second feature this week profiles NAVHDA, the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, a group dedicated to developing the best pointing and setting dogs possible. The group does not include flushing and retrieving breeds. In the association's activities and field trials, dogs are tested against a standard, rather than competing against each other, and advance through levels of excellence based on their performances. Viewers get to observe a recent field trial in Brainard held by the Heartland Chapter of NAVHDA.

In another story, North Platte outdoor writer Rick Windham offers up some tips on buying, caring for and cooking with Dutch ovens, while in the "Wilderness Workshop," Dick Turpin gets crafty and demonstrates a neat way to preserve the turkey beard in the shell that harvested the bird. The goldenrod, Nebraska's state flower, is featured on this week's "Nature Walk," and Greg Wagner says it is time to think about open water walleye fishing, and reminds hunters to get their turkey permits now. If time permits, a story about an IMAX film crew's shoot near Niobrara last summer will be included in the program. The segment being shot is part of a soon-to-be-released production called "Lewis and Clark." The story will take a quick look at what is involved in the filming of an IMAX movie.

In prehistoric Nebraska, the fallout from a distant volcano suffocated and buried dozens of now-extinct mammals. This week's "Nebraskaland Moment" goes to Ashfall State Historical Park in north central Nebraska, where an ongoing excavation is revealing their story.

Also, don't miss the chance to catch two segments featuring photographs taken by people from all over the state. To submit your own photos for "Viewer's Views" (nature shots) and "For the Scrapbook" (favorite photos of proud moments), send your photos to: Outdoor Nebraska TV, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, P.O. Box 30370,

Lincoln, NE 68503. Include the name of the photographer, names of people in the photos, location, date, size of fish, etc. Outdoor Nebraska will return all photos submitted.

NETV Live Discussion Look at Ethics of Medical Research

What diseases can gene therapy potentially treat or cure, and at what risk to the patient? Would it be acceptable to receive life-saving organ transplants from animals raised especially for the purpose? What are stem cells, and what is the related controversy all about?

These and similar questions are important to Nebraskans because medical researchers in the state are deeply involved in projects offering tremendous promise to some but posing considerable ethical challenges to others. To foster civil public discussion of the issues and educate Nebraskans on some of the most controversial areas of research underway in the state, Nebraska ETV will broadcast Medical Ethics: Tough Choices live at 7 p.m. Feb. 1 on the Nebraska ETV Network. Under the guidance of a moderator, citizens, experts and advocates will examine questions and concerns related to this cutting-edge medical research.

The program will be rebroadcast on Nebraska ETV at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 3, and on NETV2 at 5 p.m. Feb. 3; 8 p.m. Feb. 13; and 1:30 p.m. Feb. 19.

Medical Ethics: Tough Choices will be broadcast from the Strauss Performing Arts Center on the UNO campus. The event will air live.

Statewide Examines Peru State College Turnaround

Three years after dwindling enrollment, a deteriorating campus and administrative controversy cast a pall over the campus, Peru State has rebounded into a healthy, growing institution of learning. Find out how Peru State turned its fortunes around in a special report airing at 8 p.m. Feb. 2 on Statewide, the Nebraska ETV Network's weekly magazine series.

Statewide, which includes up-to-the-minute news reports from across the state and other features of interest, repeats at 8 p.m. Feb. 3, and at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 4. This episode of Statewide repeats on NETV2 at 3 p.m. Feb. 4.

Statewide correspondent Mike Tobias reports that Peru State has come a long way since the fall of 1997, when turmoil engulfed the campus. After reports that the college required extensive renovation, the State College Board of Trustees recommended relocating the school lock, stock and barrel from Peru to nearby Nebraska City. In addition, the president and a key member of the administration resigned in the wake of a scandal.

Today, enrollment is climbing and the school's facilities are undergoing much-needed repair. Just as importantly, the mood on campus has improved and students and faculty are optimistic about Peru State's future. Tobias' report includes interviews with students, faculty, Ben Johnson, Peru State president, and Stan Carpenter, Nebraska State College System executive director.

Wilhite Guest on Welsch & Feb. 3

Don Wilhite, director of the National Drought Mitigation Center and professor of agricultural meteorology, will be the guest on Roger Welsch & when the interview series airs at 8 p.m. Feb. 3, on the statewide Nebraska ETV Network. (No Sunday repeat will air on Nebraska ETV this week.) The program will repeat on NETV2 at noon on Feb. 5.

Wilhite directs the National Drought Mitigation Center and the International Drought Information Center at UNL and pursues related research on climate and development, the policy implications of climate variability - including drought management and preparedness - and the effects of climate on society. The NDMC helps people and institutions develop and implement measures to reduce societal vulnerability to drought, stressing preparation and risk management rather than crisis management.