8 Friday, December 1, 2006 9

No scripts, no problem Q & A with a SEC headliner: catching Campbell backstage for Alpha Psi’s improv By Jess Decina By Jess Decina the concept of having the audience create With just two hours until a movie for the actors to perform. For show time, Jared Campbell Sophomore Kim Vogel has played vari- each “movie,” the cast divides into teams was pumped. As he wandered ous roles in the past year and a half, but of two. Half of them become the actors in the lobby of the Bart Luedeke none so challenging as this: “a human the film. The other half of the performers Center (BLC) on Thursday, being trying to be the girlfriend of a become members of the production staff, Nov. 30, his eyes fell upon one tractor.” such as a props person and a director’s of the many posters advertis- “It was a game called ‘Tractor assistant, Sabatino said. ing his concert. A broad grin Accountants,’” she said. “It’s beyond crazy, “We get up there and we have no spread across his face. the kind of characters that we come up ideas,” he said. “We get every element of “This is ridiculous,” with.” the plot from the audience and it’s the he said. “[The poster] looks This game, bizarre as it sounds, is all actor’s job to make sense of it.” great.” a part of Alpha Psi Omega’s improvised Many elements of short-form have Just before his perfor- extravaganza entitled The Moving Picture been integrated into the show. According mance in the BLC Theater last Show, which opens tonight in the Spitz to Vogel, an actor portraying the director’s night, Campbell shared a few Studio Theater. But instead of a series of assistant often will interrupt the scene to thoughts on his music and his games that are unrelated to one another, suggest improv games that are more famil- current tour. this show follows the premise of long-form iar to the audience. improv. According to senior Eddie Egan, “They decide which scene would be Q: Are you nervous for this per- one of the show’s co-directors, this type good with which game,” she said. “If we’re formance? of improv is something the University has doing a game with three people in it, they yet to see. might play ‘Sit, Stand, Lean.’” A: I’m feeling awesome. I’m Photo by Caitlyn Berardi “When people hear improv, they usu- And while the rehearsal process has really feeling good. The prepa- The acoustic guitar notes of Jared Campbell filled the BLC Theater and gave the SEC Concert ally think of Whose Line Is It Anyway?” he certainly been a learning experience, it has ration that has gone into the a different sound last night. Before going on stage, Campbell, who was pumped for the show, Photo by Karly Hamburg said. “It’s something different. It’s exciting not been easy. show is amazing, especially for jokingly categorized his pop- as “lesbian rock.” because it’s something that’s really difficult For junior Greg Binder, a veteran of Frog Boy, (Greg Binder) a half man-half frog hip hop artist, is comforted by his adoptive amphibian father (Kim Vogel) and an artist traveling all the way to do.” improv shows, learning the long-form mother (Casey Jost) after learning they are not his true biological parents at a rehearsal on Tuesday night. to come play for people he has up. It was a long way from that’s pretty much the only Q: Who are your musical influ- Egan, along with fellow director and ropes was a challenge. never played for before. home for a small crowd, but, place I played. Right out of ences? junior Joe Sabatino, is no stranger to “In the other shows, you wait for your short-form.” As the shows approach, Egan feels the seems pretty straightforward and throw a nonetheless, I rocked as hard as high school, instead of going improv. When they decided to direct this name to be called, did your little short For Vogel, it’s all about listening. cast is more than ready. After all, they’ve different twist on it.” Q: Do you have any memorable I could. You make the best of to college, I dove right into a A: U2 has been a huge influ- show together, they agreed to try some- scene, and that was it,” he said. “Now, Actors have to keep in mind “names, rela- played characters “ranging from lobsters The Moving Picture Show will be experiences from going on tour? what you’ve got, right? musical career and started to ence on me, both musically thing new for a change, Sabatino said. with long-form, you constantly have to tionships, plots, places [and] scenes you to crayons to farm equipment [to] various performed tonight at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. play outside the church and be and how they live their lives. “We thought that it would be some- be thinking about the next scene, you already did,” she said. animals,” he said. and Saturday, Dec. 2, at 10:30 p.m. and A: My last show was quite Q: What inspired you to become a marketed more in the main- I really look up to those guys. thing really interesting to experiment with constantly have to be listening and you “You have to keep all the details inside “You can think outside the box a midnight. All shows are $5 and will be per- interesting. [I was] playing at musician? stream circuit. It has been a Lately it has been guys like and try,” he said. have to do five things at once. It’s very of your head,” she said. “And you’re trying little bit and create an entire world that formed in the Spitz Studio Theater. North Carolina. I flew all the blast ever since. I still play for Martin Sexton, Ryan Adams The cast spent weeks trying to develop fast-moving and it’s a lot harder, but if you to figure out which way it’s going to go, you can’t create in short-form in just one way down for the show and A: I grew up for about eight the church sometimes. [and] Bruce Hornsby. a theme for the show, until it settled upon get it right, it’s worth so much more than what’s going to work, what’s not going to game,” he said. “I think the audience is about four students showed years playing in the church and work.” going to like how we can take an idea that shines not one, Viewers must think twice about the plot of ‘Déjà Vu’ Carlin soon learns that the govern- Film Review ment is looking into the past to find but ‘Two Lights’ on listeners’ ears By Leo D. Rommel answers. Scientists, he’s told, inadvertently discovered a hole in the time/space con- filled with heart and soul that will upbeat rhythm that vividly brings back CD Review Stop me if you’ve heard this one tinuum that allows them to look back undoubtedly resonate with listeners. Take the past joy rides. In the lyrics, Ondrasik before. A deliberate and malicious assault exactly 102 hours. It’s a handy technology By Jamie Papapetros one listen and Two Lights will go off with remembers the Mustang not only had paralyzes a city. Recognizing the magni- for catching the football game you missed a realization bearing the same title as one “been four colors” and “broken forty laws” tude of the attack, local authorities bring back on Thanksgiving, but largely ineffec- of the album’s songs, “I Just Love You.” but “she goes where she wants.” Ondrasik’s Hold off on calling the special inves- in a self-important yet charismatic hero to tive when trying to solve a crime when the The hit single, “The Riddle,” attempts words steer an unforgettable journey that tigators to crack the code on Five for investigate, who, in the process of crack- culprit is unknown. to find “a reason for the world.” The make this piece an instant classic and one Fighting’s latest album, Two Lights. If there ing the case, falls in love with one of the The film spends the bulk of its time song includes lyrics about the eyes of an to take on the next road trip. ever was a mystery, it has been solved. victims and somehow travels back in time trying to persuade the audience that innocent child combined with a father’s Time to put aside the fond memo- to prevent the explosion. This group is no stranger to musical Photo copyright Aware/ this outlandish science, sending a note life experiences. Ondrasik’s soothing voice ries of long drives for “Johnny America.” success. “ (It’s Not Easy)” from Yes, there have been at least half a to someone in the past, is a realistic blended in harmony with the piano makes The song presents a story about Johnny Five For Fighting’s newest album, Five for Fighting’s album dozen films with a plot like this. I sup- possibility. for a song that will surely be music to the that is reminiscent of the hours a col- Two Lights, was released a couple of in 2000 became Grammy-nominated. posed that’s why they named it Déjà Vu. It’s all a set-up for a not-so-thrilling ears. The lyrics aim to strike an important lege student spends daydreaming about months ago. The 10-song compilation Its previous popular song, “100 Years” Even though it features an thriller that includes gunfights, angry out- chord to remind listeners – don’t take life the future. With a spicy tempo and tone from The Battle for Everything, became an is the band’s third album. extraordinary pedigree, including Denzel bursts and (stay with me here) a car chase for granted. After all, “you can’t live in a that jogs the mind, Ondrasik declares, Washington as its main star and Jerry instant smash hit. shines through in the lyrics is not drowned Photo copyright Touchstone Pictures with a suspect who went the same road castle far away.” While that does make for “There goes Johnny America/Riding hard Bruckheimer as its top producer, Déjà Vu After a two-year hiatus, Five for out; to the contrary, Ondrasik provides a Agent Carlin (Denzel Washington) must travel back in time to solve a crime and four and a half days earlier. a nice fairy tale, it doesn’t help answer the up Mission Hill/Some think he’ll make it simply cannot break away from the weight Fighting has re-emerged onto the scene mixture of fast and slow-paced pieces that Filmmakers brag the movie is age-old riddle the lyrics ask, “What’s the to the top today/Some say he never will.” of its cloudy science, action-film formula save a life in the sci-fi thrillerDéjà Vu. The film hit theaters on Friday, Nov. 22. with 10 new songs that only build upon harmonize the music and words. entrenched in factual theories about sense in life?” Even though Johnny is a “child at heart,” and utterly preposterous ending. cap is sitting with a toddler in his lap; the powers of detection, Carlin is the kind of its tradition to write eloquent lyrics on the Even though listeners had to wait two wormholes and parallel universes. Maybe This leaves the listener to do some Ondrasik provides a tune with an under- And that’s a shame, because the movie next, the same sailor is soaring through investigator who all but walks on water to backdrop of powerful melodies. years in anticipation to hear from Five it is, but those premises are far too compli- soul searching. In the meantime, take “’65 current of perseverance. had clear potential, predominantly with its the air, his snow-white uniform cutting a determine the what, where, when and why John Ondrasik’s compilation with fel- for Fighting, its latest collection was truly cated to be explained thoroughly in a two- Mustang” for a spin. The days of youth Through Johnny’s version of America top-notch special effects. The film begins stark picture against the fiery backdrop. behind a wrongdoing. In other words, he’s low band members Curt Schneider and worth it. Ondrasik once again “find[s] the hour movie. And its ending, in addition to stretch for Ondrasik to where he took his created by Ondrasik, emerges the overall with a nerve-racking sequence — an Unfortunately, the opening sequence the typical captivating male protagonist Andrew Williams is an artistic creation answer” and brings home another beauti- being hackneyed and predictable, seemed classic Mustang. He recollects, “She’s my sentiment of this album. Some songs explosion aboard a New Orleans ferry that is ultimately the film’s best. found in almost every movie. But because inspired from frank conversations with ful masterpiece. It lays the ground work forced and unnatural. time machine/She’s my rolling memory/ take the listener on a journey exploring a incinerates 543 men, women and chil- Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agent Washington plays him with such allure Americans, as the band’s Web site points for the sweet “Road to Heaven.” In the end, all the film does is make She’s my family/And I love her so.” contemporary issue and others play to the Doug Carlin (Washington) enters the and realism, we kindheartedly forgive the out. dren, including hundreds of sailors. One the viewer wish he or she could go back in A shake of a tambourine creates an inner emotions. Still, the significance that scene. Blessed with almost supernatural cliché. From these dialogues emerges an minute a grandfatherly type in a veteran’s time to prevent this letdown of a flick.

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