October 25, 1996




Chris Kohtz shown at right

'Wet Paint' Samples New CDs on Nebraska Public Radio


By Valerie Lynn Marino
Nebraska Public Radio

Since Wet Paint premiered in 1993, host Chris Kohtz has reviewed more than 1,300 new CDs - a job that Kohtz enjoys immensely. The series, which airs Wednesday afternoons at 1 p.m. on the Nebraska Public Radio Network, has attracted a loyal and appreciative following.

The evolution of both the series and its host has been a natural. While a student in music performance at the University of Nebraska, the Hastings native began his career as a late-night announcer for KUCV radio in Lincoln (which later became the flagship station for the Network.)

"I ended up here because of a 3 x 5 card posted in the music department in 1987 for a part-time announcer," recalls Kohtz, whose career path has led to his new position as music coordinator for the network.

Wet Paint was born of Kohtz' relationship with his audience. "I sensed a trend from listeners-an interest in new releases. They wanted to know what was new and where to find it. Basically, they needed an on-line sampling service."

And what about the unique title he chose for the series? "It conveys the idea of reviewing new releases - new and fresh."

Through the years, the series has evolved right along with the classical music industry. "There are simply fewer and fewer new releases from major labels than there were when we started," Kohtz explains. "Therefore, the program is now more inclusive of smaller labels, which also gives us variety. And, we now have more non-classical new releases, such as contemporary jazz."

Avid listener response has let Wet Paint - the series - to become Wet Paint - the monthly newsletter - written by Kohtz to provide complete information about the CDs he reviews on every program.

"We created this newsletter because there is so much information to relay on-air. Print was the next logical step. When the newsletter was started less than a year ago, we thought maybe 30-40 people would like to receive program information. Right now, we have over 330," said Kohtz.

And just like Kohtz' career, Wet Paint just keeps evolving. After the spoken work came the printed word. And after the printed word came cyberspace. To access Wet Paint via the Internet and the homepage for Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, just log onto http://net.unl.edu.

Wet Paint - the newsletter - is distributed free and by request. Listeners can write Kohtz at NPRN, P.O. Box 82003, Lincoln, NE 68501, or call 472-3611 or 1-800-290-6850.

Wet Paint airs Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. on the Nebraska Public Radio Network, KUCV/90.9 in Lincoln.

Ross Theater to Feature 'Heavy'

Both directors Bernardo Bertolucci in Stealing Beauty and now James Mangold in Heavy, opening at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater on Nov. 7, utilize Liv Tyler as a stunning young woman, who, plunked down among a group of ordinary people, change their lives.

In Mangold's Heavy, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Direction at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival, the life changed is that of Victor (Pruitt Taylor Vince), a big, shy guy who works in a dingy diner run by his mother, played by Shelley Winters.

Shlomo Schwartzberg writes in Boxoffice, "As Victor, Vince is a revelation. He never overdoes his character or plays him as a stereotype. Victor's unrequited love for Callie is almost painful to watch, so fine is his performance."

Heavy is showing Nov. 7 through 10 and on Nov. 14 through 16. Check the Scarlet calendar for show times.

UNL Trio, ODC Dancers in Cabaret Series

The Wagon Train Project and ArtSpirit continues its monthly collaborative Gallery Walk Cabaret Series jazz performances from 7:30 to 11 p.m. on Nov. 1. The UNL Jazz Trio will return to the series following its well-received September showing. The cabaret is held at the newly renovated 7th Street Loft (The Wagon Train Project) located at 504 S. Seventh St.

Gallery Walk Cabaret presentations coincide with the visual art openings held on the first Friday of every month at the Historic Haymarket Galleries. Each month will feature a different local jazz group, sometimes joined by visiting artists from the Wagon Train Project's performance season. Joining the UNL trio will be dancers from the ODC/San Francisco Dance Company, in town for an extended residency sponsored by the Wagon Train Project and the UNL College of Fine and Performing Arts/Arts Are Basic! program.

The shows will be presented cabaret style, in a smoke free environment, with a cash bar available. The cost of the event is $5.

The Chamber Music Society touring ensemble includes, from left, Robert Routch, horn; Ani Kavafian, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola; Anne-Marie McDermott, piano; and Fred Sherry, cello.

Chamber Music Society to Present Classical Fare at the Lied

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the country's premiere chamber group, will bring distinguished artists and classic 18th-century style music to the Lied Center stage at 8 p.m, Nov. 8.

The six-member Chamber Music Society will present a sampling of classical string quartet repertoire by Franz Schubert and music for piano and strings from Johannes Brahms and Erno Dohnanyi in the Lied performance.

"The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is the most prominent chamber group in the country and what you're getting are musicians who are very important performers in their own right," said Joseph Kraus, president of the Lincoln Friends of Chamber Music.

The music is meant to be detailed and intricate and first developed in the 18th century as a private medium for musicians in their own homes rather than an audience.

"What I like about it is the intimacy between the players. Everybody wants a piece of the musical pie and you follow the detail of the music from player to player. It doesn't hit you over the head," said Kraus, a UNL School of Music associate professor.

The members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center are Andres Cardenes and Ani Kavafian, both violinists; Anne-Marie McDermott, pianist; Paul Neubaurer, violist; Robert Routch, hornist and Fred Sherry, cellist.

Robert (Bud) Emile, professor of strings and music at the UNL School of Music, will give a 15-minute pre-performance talk in the Steinhart Room of the Lied Center 55 minutes and 35 minutes before the 8 p.m. Nov. 8 performance.

Tickets for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center are $28, $24 and $20. Students with valid identification from UNL, Wesleyan and Doane Colleges and youth under 18 pay half price. The Lied Center box office is open for walk-in sales weekdays from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 90 minutes before the performance. Phone orders may be placed by calling 472-4747 or 1-800-432-3231.

Target "Treatseats" discount coupons are available at participating Target stores.

A Musical Evening of Emily Dickinson Nov. 24

A Musical Evening of Emily Dickinson will be presented at 8 p.m. Nov. 24 in Kimball Recital Hall. Admission is free.

Introduced by Chancellor James Moeser, the gala concert will feature solo songs on texts by Dickinson and a premier work for soprano and chamber ensemble by UNL composer Randall Snyder titled A Route of Evanescence. Snyder has set letters and poems by Dickinson as texts for this work. Finally, the gala concert will end with choral works for women's chorus on Dickinson texts. The UNL Chorale, under the direction of Carolee Curtright, will present these works.

The gala concert will be supplemented by the screening of Magic Prison, a short art film about Dickinson incorporating an original musical score by composer Ezra Laderman, at 6:45 p.m. in 119 Westbrook Music Building.

Following the film their will be an opportunity to view articles from the Lowenberg Collection in the Music Library, located in the basement of Westbrook. Additionally, five sets of sketches by UNL artist David Routon will be displayed in the basement of Kimball Recital Hall. These sketches are based upon existing photos of Emily Dickinson and her intimate circle of family and friends.

This event is jointly sponsored by the UNL School of Music and Friends of Love Library in commemoration of The Lowenberg Collection of Emily Dickinson Materials, which was donated to the UNL Libraries by Cliffs Charitable Foundation.

Miniature Pottery Collection Donated to State Museum

A collection of 47 contemporary Pueblo Indian miniature pots has been donated to the University of Nebraska State Museum by UNL alumni Norman and Bernice Harris of San Diego, Calif. The pottery is the work of several Native American artists from the southwest.

This is the second major donation by the Harris's to the "Magic in Clay: Artistic Miniatures of the Southwest" exhibit located on the third floor of Morrill Hall.

There is no admission fee to the museum but a donation of $1 is suggested for visitors over the age of 2. Parking is available near the museum.

Theatrix Presenting Vaclav Havel Play

Theatrix will present Largo Desolato by Czech playwright Vaclav Havel at 8 p.m. on Oct. 25 and 26 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 27 on the Howell stage. Admission is $3; tickets are available only at the door. The English version of this play, written by acclaimed British playwright Tom Stoppard, is directed by Patrick Tuttle, adjunct instructor in the UNL Department of Theatre Arts and Dance.

Set in a totalitarian state where "Big Brother" is ever present, a writer struggles to balance the need to please his outspoken supporters by being their spokesperson and the pressure of higher political powers not to cause problems. Each side pulls hard and the question becomes "how much can only one person take? The play is about heroism and what societies do to their heroes.

For further information please contact Layne Ehlers, Theatrix, Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, 472-1620.

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