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Show The Signpost Pace 5 Arts & Entertainment A & E Editor: Kendra Allred Phone: 626-7105 i rulav, January ) o, 2004 WD M By Jonah Napoli sr. a&e writer The Signpost Imagine a world where Shakespeare literature is mixed in with an era of roller discos. Electric Light Orchestra and the end of an era for Beatles fans around the world. In this modern take on "A Midsummer Night's Dream," director Kristi Cox has done just that by throwing the classic comedy into the 1970s. "The themes of the '70s dealt a lot- with free love, war, discrimination," Cox said. "We have a lot of people voicing their own opinions about the same topic. We have the art class, the coffee house people, the beatniks, the national guard, the political ring, and we've taken the characteristics of each character and placed them in one of those groups of people." Beginning its five-day run on Tuesday, students are welcome and encouraged to attend. The opening-night event is free for Weber State University students with Wildcards only. "It's a new and exciting, innovative theater experience," said Rosie Ward, who plays the mischievous sprite, Puck. Originally the story was written in the late 1500s and used the themes of teenage angst and the irony and irrationality of love. Because these themes are a&e briefs Jan. 16-22, 2004 Utah Symphony Friday, January 16 Utah Symphony Encore Series presents Gerald Elias on the violin. Peery's Egyptian Theater at 7:30 PM. Tickets for students are $5, or two for $10 with school ID. $12, $16 or $20 for general admission. touch Friday, January 16 Teens of Ogden United for Community Harmony present the 3rd annual Interfakh' Teen Celebration of Martin Luther Reality TV currently on air Americas Next Top Model Ncvvlywcds The Anna Nicole Show Queer eye for the straight guy The Apprentice The Osboumcs Average Joe The Real World The Bachelor Road Rules The Bachclorctte The Simple Life Blind Date The Surreal Life Celebrity Mole: Yucatan Survivor Llimidatc Todd TV Lxtreme Dating My Big Fat Obnoxious liUornunion conncsv ;' Hancee i:!,;ih!iiiks.co!u. "We have a lot of people voicing their own opinions about the same topic. We have the art class, the coffee house people, the beatniks, the national guard, the political ring, and we've taken the characteristics of each character and placed them in one of those groups of people. " Kristi Cox director still prevalent today, it was easily modernized for the 21st century. The dialogue was specifically altered since few people still speak in iambic pentameter, with hopes of making it more understandable to the audience. Characters have the same names, See Wild page 6 King Jr. at noon in the Austad Auditorium, free admission. , Master classes Friday, January 16 Saturday, January 17 Vocal studies master classes taught by John Janssen, a tenor, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday in the Garrison Choral Room (BC 1 36) of the Val A. Browning Center for Performing Arts. Admission is free. Information courtesy of the performing arts department. v V John Copier (Theseus) and Mary The reality reality television , " By Kendra Allred f , : " f a&e editor i -dim Mr -.a -fti Reality television. Even many people who publicly complain about, it have a secret weakness for a show or two. Most reality shows don't do very well. Many attempts fail miserably in ratings and only last a season. Last year's "The Family" opened with such low ratings that they pulled it and premiered it again a few months later, pretending the embarrassing first showing had never happened. Even worse are the cable attempts at reality shows. A short-running show. "The People's Champion" on FX boasted people willing to degrade themselves on television. The challenges people set lor themselves ranged from the pointless and ridiculous (flinging hot dogs into a moving vehicle and m.r.seu v enivj a uo'JhMi dow i: V r- J Anderson (Hippolyta) rehearse a disgusting (elevator farting and blow-up-doll sack racing). The most successful shows, the ones that run season after season, are the ones that are least like reality. The people who participate in the most popular reality television shows are not too different from the stars in Hollywood. They are beautiful ("Bachelor." "Bachclorctte"). til ("Survivor") rich ("Joe Millionaire") and not always intelligent ("Fear Factor"). They are just the sort of people others like to watch. Producers use these programs as an excuse to provide even more eye candy for the masses. What we call reality shows arc actually just a reflection of Hollywood. However, they arc under the guise of the misleading misnomer: reality television. Reality television is nut just lame; it is damaging. American children in general have low enough self-esteem because of the constant bombardment of images thev see on television every day. Turn on any program and most oi the people m u'I! sec will be vMtsm ttnattn an. I ir.iiscui;:r men. "1 '4 .A A 1 i scene in the last act. a types make up a small percentage of the population. Television doesn't portray reality accurately, but many younger viewers believe it docs and they feel bad aboe'. themselves when they can't lot the same. The problem with realt; television is that even the very name tries to pass fiction off as fac, Any other industry trying to do th.a would gel into big trouble. Some reality show s try to pi.; . off this irony. "Mr. Personality' and the recent "Average Joe" both explored whether looks really matter to people. In "Average Joe," a beautiful woman was given her pick of not-so-beautiful men. At the end of the show, they threw a group of "hotties" into the competition. Average Joe introduced to audiences to men who really do represent the diversity in the population. However, the twist in the show allowed the woman to push the average men aside and choose I surprise, surprise i bout |