Dec. 5, 2002

It's not Christmas without Cratchet and Tiny Tim, as featured in A Christmas Carol, playing at the Lied Center for Performing Arts Dec. 12-14. Photo courtesy of the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

It's time for Carol at the Lied Center

The UNL Department of Theatre Arts and the Lied Center for Performing Arts have once again collaborated on the holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. Performance times will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 and 13, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14.

A Christmas Carol has been a holiday favorite since Charles Dickens wrote the novel more than 150 years ago. It is the tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who, when he arrives home on a magical Christmas Eve, is visited by the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley. He chastises Scrooge for his behavior to society and warns Scrooge that he will be visited by three more spirits who will guide him to a better life. These spirits escort him through a portion of his life: the past, present and future.

In 2000, Jeffery Scott Elwell, UNL professor and chair of the UNL Department of Theatre Arts, introduced a new version of this story with actor David Ackroyd as Scrooge. This script is again being used with Ackroyd as Scrooge and Rob Urbinati directing. This year's production of A Christmas Carol is the 14th by the UNL Department of Theatre Arts.

Ackroyd is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and was a charter member of the Yale Repertory Theatre. He made his Broadway debut in Phillip Roth's Unlikely Heroes and has also appeared in the Tony Award-winning production of Children of a Lesser God. He has appeared in many films and been a guest star on many TV series ranging from "Kojak" to "Xena, Warrior Princess."

Elwell will give a pre-performance talk 30 minutes before curtain in the Lied Center's Steinhart Room.

Tickets are $29, $24 and $19, with half-price tickets available to college students and those 18 and under. Call the Lied box office at 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231.

The holiday traditions of Wales will be featured at UNL on Dec. 5 when "A Child's Christmas in Wales" is presented at the Great Plains Art Collection at the Christlieb Gallery, 1155 Q St. Courtesy photo.

'Child's Christmas in Wales' concert today

The free public concert begins at 7 p.m. and will feature the title song by Dylan Thomas, performed by Wales natives Robin Huw Bowen, Eiry Palfrey and Heather Jones.

Bowen (shown at right) is recognized as a top performer on the Welsh triple harp, Wales' national instrument, and has been featured on National Public Radio's "Thistle & Shamrock."

Palfrey will tell stories and read poetry. She has been an actress and a television news anchor. A producer for Welsh television, she has worked in theater, films and radio and has written children's books.

Jones rounds out the trio with guitar and vocals.

The performances will re-create the holidays in Wales from 50 years ago with several segments. When Bowen and Palfrey perform "The Twelve Days of Christmas," the recipient of the gifts gives a running commentary on her changing lifestyle, which grows progressively disastrous with a humorous conclusion. The audience is also invited to sing along on familiar carols.

The concert is co-sponsored by the Wymore Welsh Heritage Project.

For more information, call the Center for Great Plains Studies at 472-3082.

Dancers rehearse for 'Last Chance to Dance.' Courtesy Photo.

The 'Last Chance to Dance' is Dec. 6, 7

The UNL School of Music will present "Last Chance To Dance" at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 and at 5 p.m. Dec. 7 in room 304 Mabel Lee Hall.

The annual "Last Chance to Dance," an informal showing of dance and choreography, is presented by the UNL Dance Division. The performance will include new choreography by UNL dance students, as well as demonstrations from dance technique classes in ballet and modern dance. The concert will also feature recent works by senior dance majors Kimberly Schroeder and Kristin Grohs. Both students received UCARE funding to research the art of choreography and will be presenting various selections from their November production of Countless Emotions.

For more information, call Kari Swanson at the UNL Dance office at 472-5803.

Tickets for this event are $3 and are available at the door. This event is open to the public.

Annual pottery sale Dec. 13, 14

The UNL Clay Club and Department of Art and Art History's annual pottery sale will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 13 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 14 in the ceramics studio, room 118 Richards Hall.

Buy works of all shapes, sizes and prices created by UNL faculty and students. The sale is a fund-raiser for the Clay Club, a student group dedicated to appreciation of and education in the ceramic arts. It is open to the public.

For more information call 472-5522.

Theatrix to open an updated classic

Theatrix concludes the fall leg of its current season with an update of Molieré's classic play of hypocrisy and contempt, The Misanthrope. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 6 and 7 and 10:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Studio Theatre in the Temple Building.

In Martin Crimp's adaptation of this story, a playwright named Alceste searches for justice, honesty and dignity in a society where none of these is the norm. Eric Underwood directs this production.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

School of Music groups perform

The UNL School of Music presents A Choral Garland, featuring Antiphonal Choruses, Brass Choirs, Organ, and Percussion, University Singers, Varsity Men's Chorus, University Chorale, Concert Choir and Collegiate Chorus at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Kimball Recital Hall. It will feature works by Handel, Mozart and much more.

Tickets are $5, $3 for students, and are available at the Kimball Box Office.

Piano professor performs concerto

Paul Barnes, associate professor of piano in the School of Music, performed with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra on Nov. 4 in Indianapolis. He performed Mozart's G Major, K.453 and the world premiere of "Ancient Keys," a concerto by Victoria Bond based on the Greek Orthodox communion hymn "Potirion Sotiriu."

Authors to appear at campus bookstore

University Bookstore will sponsor two book signings today and Friday.

Today, Brian D. Lepard will be at the bookstore from noon to 2 p.m. He is the author of "Rethinking Humanitarian Intervention: A Fresh Legal Approach Based on Fundamental Ethical Principles in International Law and World Religions." He is an associate professor of law at the University of Nebraska College of Law.

Playwright Gary Ogden Harper, a UNL doctoral student, will sign copies of his play "Saint Nick" and the CD based on the play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6. The comedy play about "the real story of St. Nicholas" traces the origins and changes of the fourth-century Christian bishop to current times.

University Bookstore is in the basement of the Nebraska Union. For information about these events, call 472-8560.