Ross Theater Goes World-Wide

Film Theater Announces New Web Site

Now fans of fine films can stay abreast of current screenings, upcoming features and much more by visiting the new Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater web site at http://www.inetnebr.com/r ossfilmtheater/.

Visitors who are unfamiliar with the Ross Film Theater can learn more from the mission statement and a short history of the theater. Current films, including screening times and a review, are featured in the "Now Showing" section. Films scheduled at the theater for the next few months are presented in "Coming Attractions."

In another section are details of the theater's 5th Annual Great Plains Film Festival, scheduled to run from July 20 to Aug. 1.

Visitors can become members of the non-profit theater's fundraising group, the Friends of the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater, by filling out the convenient membership form, printing it and sending it in with their contributions. A hotlinked e-mail address is provided for quick and easy correspondence with the Ross Film Theater.

U. of Chicago Motet Choir in Concert March 22

The University of Chicago Motet Choir will present an a cappella program at 8 p.m. March 22 at St. Mark's on-the-Campus, 1309 R St.Music for this concert will span a wide range of genres, including sacred and secular music from the Renaissance, music for Lent and Easter, a Romantic motet as well as Irish and Venezuelan folk songs.

The Motet Choir, a group of 40 graduate and undergraduate vocalists from throughout the University of Chicago, has long been noted in the Chicago area for its sensitive, stylistically accurate performances of Renaissance and Baroque music.

A free will offering will be taken at the door. For more information, call 474-1979.

Fine and Performing Arts to Honor High School Artists

Sixty-three students from more than 40 high schools across the state have been selected to participate in a special day of on-campus activities April 14 as part of the College of Fine and Performing Arts second annual Nebraska Young Artists Awards program.

Nebraska Young Artist Awards recognize 11th-grade students who are gifted in the areas of visual art, dance, music and theater.

Teachers across the state nominated students and submitted an example of their work. College of Fine and Performing Arts faculty chose the students who will come to Lincoln to be recognized April 14.

Honored students will tour the university's arts facilities, attend classes, meet faculty and students and have lunch. Their parents are also invited, and they also will tour the college and receive information on college curriculum and careers in the arts.

Winning students will be asked to nominate the teacher who provided them with the greatest amount of mentoring and support in the development of their special talents.

"We think this will provide a special dimension to the day," said Ron Bowlin, director of Kimball Recital Hall and program organizer. "As we recognize these outstanding students, they in turn have a chance to recognize an outstanding teacher who has made a difference in their artistic career."

The day will conclude with an awards ceremony in the Nebraska Union auditorium at 3:30 p.m. Students will receive a certificate and an original piece of artwork commissioned for this event.

"We are looking forward to recognizing these talented young artists on April 14 and introducing them to all that the university has to offer in the arts," Bowlin said.

Shakespeare's Classic Comedy Gets '60s Twist In UNL Theater Production

Shakespeare's most popular comedy-a light excursion into the realms of illusion, where fairies dance and lovers woo, and magic philters are the dispensers of fate-is given a contemporary look in Robin McKee's University Theatre production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The production, the second of UNL's 1999 Spring Season, opens at 8 p.m. March 11 in the Howell Theatre. Performances continue at 8 p.m. March 12 and 13 and March 24 through 27.

To celebrate the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, Bottom and other Athenian workmen arrange to perform the play of Pyramus and Thisbe, and find a convenient place for their rehearsals in a nearby wood. To the wood also come the lovers Lysander and Hermia who are running away together, followed by Demetrius who loves Hermia, and by Helena who loves Demetrius. In the wood are the fairy King and Queen, Oberon and Titania, who quarrel, and in revenge Oberon squeezes a magic juice on Titania's eyes so that she will fall in love with the first creature she sees on waking. This is Bottom, whose head has mischievously been changed to that of an ass by Oberon's servant, Puck, when he finds the workmen rehearsing. Meanwhile, Oberon has seen the forlorn state of Helena and orders Puck to squeeze the juice on Demetrius's eyes, but by mistake Puck anoints Lysander who falls in love with Helena, as does Demetrius when Oberon anoints him. What ensues is hilarious fun.

For tickets, call the Theatre Box Office at 472-2073.

New Book Focuses on African American Experience in Nebraska

By Gabi Volgyes, Public Relations

In 1804, a slave named York passed through Nebraska with the Lewis and Clark expedition. He was the property of the famed explorers, but he was much more than that; he was also an adventurer, and the first African-American to make Nebraska history.

Alonzo Smith, research historian with the Program in African American Culture at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute, begins his book Visions of Freedom on the Great Plains: An Illustrated History of African Americans in Nebraska with a picture of York. York's experience, he says, tells us much about the reality of African Americans in the old west.

Smith was in Nebraska in late February speaking about his new book. Feb. 26, about 40 people gathered in the Bailey Library in Andrews Hall to hear his lecture "The Black Experience in Nebraska: The Making of Visions of Freedom." His presentation was sponsored by the Department of African and African American Studies, the History Department and the Center for Great Plains Studies.

Smith gave much of the credit for his book's publication to the community that supported its inception and realization. He cited the help of corporate sponsors US West and US Bank, his co-author Bertha Calloway of the Great Plains Black Museum, contributors Kathleen Fairchild and Rudy Smith, and his 14-member advisory committee. Smith said that only because "he was able to draw on diverse sectors of the community" was he able to write the book.

The former UNO professor gave an overview of the book in his presentation, as well as discussing why and how it was written, what is excluded from the book and why, and also spoke briefly about the idea that "history should seek to recreate public memory."

Visions of Freedom follows the history of African Americans in Nebraska as well as the impact they had on the frontier and upon the state. Smith draws primarily from historical pictures and documents to draw an elaborate picture of this overlooked segment of frontier society.

Smith picked out various anecdotes from his book, and used them as a springboard for discussion. He spoke of the abolition of slavery in the Nebraska territory in 1854, and pointed out, with some irony, the 1860 advertisement for the sale of two slaves, Hercules and Martha. He talked about an editorial written by J Sterling Morton decrying giving "N-s" the right to vote. And perhaps most dramatically, he talked of the 1919 death of Will Brown, an African American man accused of attempted rape, who was lynched, his body riddled with bullets, his body tied to a car and dragged around town, and subsequently burned at the stake outside the Omaha courthouse.

Visions of Freedom ends on a note of hope for the future; the last picture is that of Brenda Council, an African American woman who lost the mayoral race to Hal Daub in 1997 by 735 votes. Smith, however, views Council's loss as a victory of two levels: she brought people together and because "it is a long way from the sale of Hercules and Martha to Brenda Council's run for mayor."

Rudy Smith, one of the book's collaborators and a senior photographer for the Omaha World-Herald, said that the book should be viewed as a "celebration of hope." While "[true] freedom is not yet free," Smith said, this book speaks to the potential for a future in which no one will be made to suffer because of skin color, and that "we will all be color-blind."

Man of Ashes Offers Sharp Insights into Human Suffering

Man of Ashes

By Salomon Isacovici and Juan Manuel Rodríguez

Translated by Dick Gerdes

University of Nebraska Press

240 pages, $29.95 cloth

"I began reading [Man of Ashes] and felt moved as I do whenever I read personal memoirs by survivors. I have always believed in survivors' testimonies: they are unique. What they say about what was done to Jews by their enemies cannot be said by anyone else. Their personal experience must become part of Holocaust literature," Holocaust activist Elie Wiesel said of this latest title offered by the University of Nebraska Press.

The first-person account of an Ecuadorian Holocaust survivor follows Salomon Isacovici from his childhood in Sighet, Romania, through the assassination of his parents and four siblings, to his emigration in 1948 to Ecuador.

"What distinguishes Man of Ashes from most survivors' memoirs is its Latin American connection," said Ilan Stavans of The Forward. "At the heart of the book are tales of death and endurance at Auschwitz, Gross Rosen, Javorsno and other Nazi camps, and these scenes are filled with sharp insights into human suffering."

Isacovici was born to a farming family in western Romania. One day in 1940 his family woke as Hungarians, renationalized overnight by the changing borders of World War II. To other Hungarians they were Jews, and week by week their world grew worse. In 1944 the Germans arrived and Isacovici, his family, and every other Jew from his town were pushed into cattle cars and taken ever closer to the soot and smoke of Auschwitz. He became a man of ashes.

Man of Ashes was first published in Mexico in 1990 as A7393: Hombre de cenizas and was awarded the Fernando Jeno Prize. The English translation has been thoroughly revised in collaboration with Salomon Isacovici. Dick Gerdes is a professor of Spanish at George Mason University. He won the Soeurette Diehl Fraser Award for his translation of Diamela Eltit's The Fourth World (Nebraska 1995).

Boys' Basketball Finals Telecast on Nebraska ETV

The best boys' high school basketball teams in Nebraska invade Lincoln to battle it out for the state championships in six different classes with the final contests telecast live on March 13 from the Bob Devaney Sports Center, on the statewide Nebraska ETV Network.

The 1999 Nebraska High School Boys' Basketball Championships begin at 9:30 a.m. with the Class C-2 finals. The day-long coverage continues with the Class D-2 championship game at 11:30 a.m. and the Class A title game at 1:30 p.m.

The match-ups continue at 5 p.m. with the championship game for Class D-1, followed at 7 p.m. by the Class C-1 final. The Class B championship game concludes the day's action at 9 p.m.

New EduCable Series Examines Reclaiming America's Kids

In Search Of Law And Order: Reclaiming America's Kids is a special three-part series airing at 5 p.m. on successive Sundays beginning March 7, on EduCable*, the cable television service of Nebraska Educational Telecommunications.

The hour-long programs take a hard look at how three pioneering communities are coming up with innovative solutions to address the roots of violence to prevent troubled youth from becoming lifetime wards of the justice system.

In the 10 years between 1984 and 1994, the number of juvenile homicide offenders in America tripled. While crime rates in America have begun to drop, teen-on-teen violence, especially in poor, urban neighborhoods, is still out of control. Year after year, more juveniles are killed by guns than all other causes combined.

Against the backdrop of these bleak statistics, a number of communities across the country are taking a fresh approach in dealing with "bad" kids. Realizing that locking up juveniles is expensive and does little to reduce violence, these pioneers are addressing the roots of violence with innovative programs involving schools, rehabilitation programs and unique multi-agency partnerships.

The series focuses on Boston, Mass., (March 7); Fort Worth, Texas (March 14); and Richmond, Calif., (March 21), and profiles their successful initiatives in the war against juvenile crime and violence.

In Search of Law and Order includes ambitious plans for stimulating dialogue and catalyzing change in communities across the country.

Nebraska ETV Celebrates St. Patrick's Day with an Irish Double Bill

From its green hills to its dancing heart, America has fallen in love with Ireland. And what better way to indulge that passion than to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a full evening of Irish entertainment on the Nebraska ETV Network?

Don't miss the lilting Irish tenor of Frank Patterson at 7 p.m. and the spectacular dancing of Michael Flatley at 8:30 p.m. on March 17 on the statewide Nebraska ETV Network.

Frank Patterson-Ireland's Golden Tenor: Ireland in Song, airing at 7 p.m., is a celebration of the music and beauty of Ireland. Filmed throughout Ireland, the program touches on the magic of the country, from the pubs of Dublin to the beautiful fields of Tipperary. Patterson sings the beloved songs that have made him an international phenomenon, including "My Irish Molly 'O," "An Irish Lullaby (Tooraloora)," "Galway Bay," "Maggie," "How Great Thou Art" and, of course, "Danny Boy."

Irish dance sensation Michael Flatley returns to public television in Feet of Flames, airing at 8:30 p.m., his final, triumphant performance of Lord of the Dance. With charismatic stage presence and amazing technical precision, Flatley leads a troupe of more than 100 dancers in a high-energy performance recorded July 25 before an audience of 25,000 in an outdoor amphitheater in London's Hyde Park.

Learn About Benefits of Herbs on Nebraska ETV

Ancient cultures were the first to recognize the positive qualities of herbs . . . their delicious flavors and fragrances, simple beauty and remarkable healing powers. Now, in an age of modem technology and scientific breakthroughs, millions of people are rediscovering these natural wonders. Award-winning, best-selling author Roger Tabor explores the myths and miracles of herbs in a fascinating new special, Wild About Herbs! with Roger Tabor, airing at 7 p.m. March 11 on the Nebraska ETV Network.

The special is telecast with closed captions for hearing impaired viewers. A naturalist, biologist and gifted presenter, Tabor discusses 12 of today's most popular herbs. Not only will viewers learn how easily they can grow herbs, they'll find out how to use herbs to improve their quality of life and how herbs can actually help them enjoy life longer.

In a studio setting that includes garden area and cooking areas, Tabor demonstrates simple and effective ways to enjoy herbs at home, in everyday life. Spice up your meals, freshen your home, make fragrant gifts, take control of your health-viewers will learn to appreciate the pleasure, power and cultural significance of these precious plants.

David Crosby & CPR Special to Air on Nebraska ETV

Experience the revitalized sound of two-time Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame inductee David Crosby when David Crosby & CPR-Through the Music airs at 8:30 p.m. March 14 on the statewide Nebraska ETV Network.

Filmed at the 1998 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, David Crosby & CPR-Through the Music is a live concert performance by David Crosby and his new band, CPR. Crosby rose to fame four decades ago as a solo folk artist and as a founding member of The Byrds and of Crosby, Stills, Nash and (on occasion) Young.

Woven throughout the program is the compelling human-interest story behind CPR. Crosby met his 33-year-old biological son, James Raymond, for the first time in the early '90s. Their musical bond was so strong that they enlisted guitarist Jeff Pevar-with whom Crosby had played previously-cut a record in 20 days, and commenced an international tour that climaxed with this performance. The concert features new songs from the band's self-titled release, as well as fresh versions of classics from Crosby's years with The Byrds and with Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Energized by his new band and his newfound family, Crosby is looking forward to creating a new chapter in his musical legacy.

Lawrence Welk Special Broadcast March 20 on ETV

No one knew how to celebrate a special holiday as well as bandleader Lawrence Welk. His long-running television series was filled with salutes to holidays throughout the years. Lawrence Welk's Favorite Holidays, showcasing Welk's love and respect for special days of celebration, airs at 6 p.m. March 20 on the statewide Nebraska ETV Network.

Former Lawrence Welk singer, dancer and featured performer Mary Lou Metzger will appear live in the Nebraska ETV studio during breaks in the broadcast, which features highlights from Welk's special holiday shows produced in the late 1950s, '60s and '70s. Metzger will talk about working on the Welk show and will answer questions phoned in from viewers.

Nostalgic clips highlight such holidays as Valentine's Day, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Hosting the program are featured Welk stars, including Metzger, as well as Bobby Burgess, Norma Zimmer, Kathy Lennon, Jo Ann Castle, Ken Delo and Tom Netherton. The hosts recall favorite holiday memories and personal stories from their experiences on The Lawrence Welk Show, taking viewers on a fun-filled, sentimental journey.