Coffee Talk Professors, James Eisentrager and Dan Howard

1 'Princess and the Pea'tale retold on stage BY CHRIS JACOBS performance. porary twist/ Shomos said of the musical. Theater in 1959, propelling a young Carol Burnett Produced by the UNL School of Music Opera "It's simply great fun, a comedy/ to stardom and fame as she played the part of The Star-City Dinner Theatre will open its Program under the direction of William Shomos, Rook, who has worked with Shomos before in Princess Winnifred. In 1997, Sarah Jessica Parker doors Thursday for "Once Upon a Mattress," a professor of voice and opera, the show will run one of his own pieces, said he was impressed with earned a Tony Award nomination with the role for musical comedy that has helped define the careers Thursday through Sunday over the next two week- the bright colors of the set design, which was built Best Musical Revival. of Carol Burnett and Sarah Parker. ends. The starts at Jessica show 7:30 p.m. Thursday by members of the UNL Theatre Department, and Said Shomos: "If I give you a moral, it’s going to This year, however, the lead role (Princess through Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. the modem day references Shomos added to the be too serious and heavy." will a are Winnifred) be played by Suzanne Lee, Tickets $13 for the performance, $26 for the script Shomos went on to admit a lesson of die story: of University Nebraska-Lincoln junior music performance and dinner and can be purchased in In one scene, characters ask to use a life line "Don’t judge a book by its cover. We've heard it a major. advance by calling 477-8277. The Star-City Theatre when demanded to answer questions in one scene million times, but it is, nevertheless, true!" "I think they have a brilliant lead role," said Bob is located on Eighth and Q streets. of the musical, Rook said. Shomos' bottom line: "The show is entertain- Rook, artistic managing director of Suzanne Lee’s "It’s “The Princess and the Pea’ with a contem- “Once Upon a Mattress” opened at the Phoenix ing." RIGHT: Brandi Michael, 15, Erica Hansen, 16, and Jenna Old hall Smith,15,al of I inroln. hang out with a group of friends at Ihe Coffee Home on changes Monday night Smith said the group of friends comes to The its look Coffee House before weekly ■After a two year facelift, going to see Richards Hall is ready for MIDDLE: re-dedication and opening. Sophomore BY SEAN MCCARTHY finance major Hie outside of Richards Hall Erica Dhtsmore may be one of the stories only things Monday that looks similar to the build- night at the MM. ing's original look. Dhtsmore said For two years, the building the MM offers a was closed from faculty and stu- pleasant study dents as extensive repairs were made. Asbestos removal and gMdciflfeiL lead abatement began in 1998 and renovation construction started in 1999. Hie cost of the BOTTOM: Max renovation was $8.5 million. and Ruby Reis Today, Richards Hall is set to enjoy a cap of be officially re-dedicated. coffee Tuesday Chancellor Harvey Perlman, meriting at NU President Dennis Smith and Coffee Culture, Lawrence Mallet, interim dean where their son of the Hixon-Lied College of Terrance is the Fine and Performing Arts, are among die key speakers. Along with tours of the building, the Eisentrager/Howard Gallery will be dedicated. Hie gallery is named after two former University of Nebraska-Lincoln Coffee Talk professors, James Eisentrager and Dan Howard. The gallery is comprised of three gallery spaces and is named in recogni- the tion of the two professor's dona- Analyzing ever-popular tions to the University of Nebraska Foundation. The new additions to trend of coffee-house culture Richards Hall include a kiln pavilion for ceramics and a new Coffee is a beverage to state the obvi- sculpture foundry. Joseph ous. So why do people come together all “We don’t care what Ruffo, chairman of art and art over the world and spend time with one history, said Richards Hall was all about as another in the presence of coffee? you're basically gutted during the ren- It's coffee culture much like the bar or ovation as you agree with period. The biggest dance cultures with a different face and long challenge of the renovation was it's often ignored as a vital form in the art of us on enjoying a cup to reorganize the building to be social interaction. more efficient Ken Kavanaugh* general manager of of coffee." "The old building had a lot The Mill at 800 P St, said there was a trend of wasted space," Ruffo said. in coffeehouses over the last six to eight Mark Shriner While the inside of the but the trend had been a of our years, part The Coffee House owner building went through signifi- society for generations. cant changes, much of the exte- “Once people start, they stick with it,” rior to Richards Hall remained said Kavanaugh* who has been working at “It's an opportunity to be sociable ... unchanged. The shape of the The Mill for six years. meet people you otherwise wouldn't windows remains intact, but Mark Shriner, owner of The Coffee meet,” said Kuzara, who frequents the energy-efficient glass is now House on 1324 P St., said drinking coffee establishment almost every day of t(ie installed in the panes. was a good alternative to drinking alcohol school week. Kathryn Scherfenberg, a and being part of the bar scene. Kuzara’s argument for going every day junior ceramics major, said she Shriner, who bought the establishment makes sense. liked the new look of die build- in 1990, said the coffee culture was com- "If you have an hour or two-hour break ing. posed of diverse individuals. between classes, where else do you go?" “There’s a lot of space," she Said Shriner “We attract anybody and she asked. said. everybody- allraces, ages, sexual orienta- Kuzara said she liked coffee because it With the new renovations tions, religious backgrounds... adults, gave her an energy boost, but that wasn't and added space, the Ceramics kids, college students, businessmen, sales- the main reason she went to The Coffee Department moved into men. House. Richards Hall from its former “We don't care what you’re all about as "Coffee is a side effect,” she said. "You home at the Woods Art long as you agree with us on enjoying a cup drink coffee because you’re here.” Building. Eddie Dominguez, of coffee.” Shriner said coffee was an important ceramics professor, said the Shriner said coffee houses were origi- part of our history, citing examples of cof- increased space allowed stu- nally designed as meeting places for con- fee being banned by kings, women in dents to increase the scale of versation, and in England, die tip originat- Hirkey divorcing their husbands because their work. so waiters wouldn’t tdl authorities what they couldn’t make a good cup of coffee "It’s a very functional build- people talked about while enjoying the and popes saying it was a wonderful bev- ing,” he said. dark beverage. erage to prevent it from being cast away by Su Harvey-Sorensen, a sen- I Scott Brewer, an anthropology major at the Church. ior ceramics major, has taken Nebraska Wesleyan University, said he had Shriner also said coffee was responsi- classes at UNL since 1977. She gone to The Coffee House to study, hang- ble for our 24-hour work days. took many classes in Richards out and have conversations since he was a Kavanaugh talked about people gath- Hall and occasionally worked in junior in high school. ering around coffee pots at work because h the basement as the building Said Brewer on why he liked the place: was a legal stimulant was deteriorating. “This place doesn't have any pretensions. But most people don’t look at coffee as “It was like a system of cata- Sometimes I view this as an alternative a drug, said Brewer, who admitted to not combs down there," Harvey- version of a soup kitchen. really liking coffee, preferring the coffee Sorensen said. “It looked like a “All sorts of people are coming here house environment instead. scene from a ‘Dracula' movie." some to just get out ofthe cold for a while.” Said Brewer of his past experiences in Although she loved the Brewer said coffee houses gave him a high school at coffee houses: "I’d come design of the basement, she comfortable place to hang out here every Friday and Saturday, play a cou- also said it was dark, poorly lit "You have a set of regulars you know, so ple of games of chess and go home at mid- and disorganized. She planned there's a sense of community,” Brewer said. night thinking I’d solved all the world’s on attending today’s reception. "It’s the Elders Club or bowling alley of problems.” “I’m really glad they kept younger generations.” Coffee might not bring divine inspira- Chris Jacobs Richards Hall," she said. “I've Jennifer Kuzara, a senior anthropology tion, but it certainly can provide people Story by always loved this building." and German major at the University of with an inclusive environment to try. Tours of the building will IedNebraska-Lincoln, said she had been Said Shriner ofThe Coffee House: "We run from 4-6 p.m. The re-dedi- going to The Coffee House since her fresh- advertise to all minorities in town.

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