Chuck Workman Is Your Idol. You May Not Realize It Yet, but You Will
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Chuck Workman is your idol. You g | Artsweek: What sparked your interest in making a docu about these people and what they believed in that rings à may not realize it yet, but you will. mentary about the Beats ? bell with younger people of today, it makes sense to them. How many people do you know that . Workman: I had done a film about'Andy Warhol called Most of that generation was either stoned or interested in have won an Academy Award, created ■ “Superstar” and an artist named Hiro Yamagata, the execu money, and now I think your génération is kind of interest the original “Star Wars” trailer, made a tive producer of “The Source,” had seen it and he wanted ed in both, among some other things. documentary about pop icon Andy to do a film about Allen Ginsberg. I thought that there was That's a pretty good assessment. Warhol, and created film shorts for nearly a more interesting story about the counterculture since Back then, it was a very narrow world and the Beats every major award show? Chuck World. War II and where it’s led us and how it lejd to the were saying, “There’s much more out there. If you just look Workman, filmmaker of “The Source,” hippie movement. And, four years later, here we are. outside yourself, or inside yourself.” There’s much more has done it all. W ith a lifetime of I Do you see a connection between Andy Warhol and the Beat going on, in the arts especially, and in society. In the late achievement and recognition under his / M ovem ent? ’60s, that became political as well because the hippies took belt, Workman now turns to the counter Yes, certainly. Their whole idea of alternative lifestyle, over thè political side of it. culture of the ’50s and ’60s and the enig not just the gay thing, but there is an alternative ^lifestyle, Do you think the Beats were political? ma of the Beat poets in his film, “The , too. The Andy Warhol world and the Beat world that was No, they weren’t political. They were just interested in Source.” He’s here to tell us all about it. not necessarily thé way that everyone else was living their doing their own thing. They were mostly interested in the life. The middle class people who were not living that life arts and living an alternative lifestyle so there was a certain were very fascinated by those people. They were ahead of amount of drugs and free sexuality that would have been their time. Their lifestyle, as wild as. it was, is still some shocking to the middle class values of the ’50s and ’60s. thing that led to a great deal more freedom. They weren’t trying to change the world, trying to just live H ow do you see the influence o f the Beat culture in today's their own life; whereas the hippies wanted to change the society? world. People who are under 30 are very interested in this film. V I think it has to do with the fact that there’s something SEE SOURCE, P.5A 2A Thursday, February 24,2000 Daily Nexus GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY OVERCOMING BLINDNESS + ALCOHOLISM IN MOLLY SWEENEY LISTENING IN I LINDSAY FARMER “Molly Sweeney” follows three interpretations of a challenge. to re-evolve to blindness when she loses her sight once young woman’s life as she, her husband and her doctor Speaking o f challenge, how was it to portray someone more. It’s a bitter, sorrowful tale. It is fascinating to know deal with her blindness and restored sight. Artsweek took with a disability, like Molly’s? what we, as humanity, are capable of doing. time to interview longtime UCSB Theatre director It was a big challenge. I mean, who are we to say what Is there anything in the play to counteract the bitter-sor Judith Olauson about this upcoming performance. it is like to be blind. We just have stereotypes and row? assumptions. But Friel took his inspiration from a case Oh yes. There are profound themes in the play, but it Artsweek: Why did you choose this play a t this tim e? study by Oliver Sacks. The playwright picked up lots does have some happy moments, especially with Frank, Olauson: We chose “Molly Sweeney” for two reasons. from the case study and wrote it into the script to help Molly’s husband. The doctor is also an alcoholic, which The first is practical. We wanted something to offset the us. He writes how a patient has to learn to see and when provides another break from Molly herself. But there is musical performing this quarter. A lot of resources go to the patient is not ready for that, it can be very frighten- definitely hope to all these characters. the musical, but we still wanted to put on a rewarding The play is written in a unique style. Did this pose a production so we chose “Molly.” The second reason is : WE TO SAY WHAT challenge to you and the actors? more personal. I fell in love with the play. I love Irish lit The play is written as a collection of monologues. erature and theatre. It’s a passion for me. I wanted to ¡E BLIND” There is no interaction between the characters. They vir bring something from Dublin to Santa Barbara. tually never directly address each other. It is not a form What is so important about Irish theatre that it needs to that everyone will take to. Our generation is not used to be brought here and performed? listening to a story for two hours. The Irish are great at The Irish are very aware of their heritage. The Irish mg. storytelling. It is their heritage and Friel takes advantage people are on the upswing with lots of youthful views and Does the play focus mainly around Molly’s blindness, or of that and does a wonderful job. energy. [Playwright] Brian Friel digs deep into the per are there sideplots as well? sonality and character of people. His plays are about Molly is the main focus. The characters build their “Molly Sweeney"performs Feb. 25-27 and Feb. 29-March 4 ordinary people who live in small towns. They seem to lives around her as they deal with their own circum at 8p.m., Feb. 27 and March 2 at 2 p.m. at the Performing have no traumas,-but a deep sense of humanity. His play stances. She has to evolve to her surroundings. She has to Arts Theatre at UCSB campus (free parking in lots 22 and is intended to be done simply. The focus is on the lan originally evolve to blindness, then she has to learn how 23). 116 general/ t l 2 students; seniors. Call 893-3535 fo r guage and poetry which, in turn, becomes the actor’s to see again when her sight is restored, but then she has tickets and information. m w m ■ •lift «K m » S Wj* -X' V i s i t tHe A ll New VeRsitY.com Lecture noTes.tutorials. resEarcH cem er (we'Re eveN givinG away a BreaTh-taKing trip to E u ro pe) V E r s i T Y W■—.c m m r n o m m —wmmm - a l w a y s 1 6 5 o p e n - Where to go when you noed to know Daily Nexus Thursday, February 24,2000 3A If someone were to mention “Santa Barbara” to you, REVIEW | LINDSAY FARMER still holding on to the old ways in a world that condemns what would you picture? A beautiful beach, downtown them going to do? State Street or a Montecito mansion? Dramatic Women “Fast Forward” follows a young man through his life looked at “Santa Barbara” and came up with nine differ were disappointing. The basic plot of “The Pathfinder”: as he watches his relationship with his parents, who live ent views of what it means in its current production of boy has to write paper on history of Santa Barbara, boy in Santa Barbara. His father always talked about how “Santa Barbara Confidential.” The night is a collection of falls asleep, boy dreams of meeting characters from the beautiful it was here, but the son could never really grasp nine short plays written, directed and performed by past he is studying in his books, characters help boy write it. It takes an entire lifetime of moving and living in New locals, for locals, about locals. The variety of life between paper, dream ends. Boring! Unfortunately, the acting in York, getting married and raising two boys, summer vis the mountains and the ocean is displayed through the this play made the plot look good. its to the beach, and finally watching a parent die to plays, as they look at everything from a pair of homeless So, where does the enjoyability factor enter the show? finally see the beauty that his father saw So long before. 20-somethings telling stories of how they ended up on The creative play, “Omega Night,” focuses on a woman Finally, the night closes with “Bedtime in Montecito,” the streets in “Street Dreams,” to personifications of staying after hours in a thrift store on State Street and a clever, hilarious play about two women and the little emotions universally felt in “Screaming in the Dark.” For her conversation with the store manager about knick- things we do to make ourselves feel better.