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Show The Thunderbird Monday, November 21, 1983 Pcuje 1' Parks brings comedy to SUSC marrieds' week by Jay Hill Laughter filled the Thorley Recital Hall Tuesday night vhen Tom Parks, college '.omedian of the year from Los Angeles, performed to an audience of about 100 college students and people from the community. The overall performance was Parks very executed his routine in a storylike fashion his audience could easily relate to. His stories fit together smoothly; one minute he would be talking about college freshmen and the next hed be riding rides at Disneyland, without confusing his subjects. A probable reason for his seven years of success is the way Parks related to his audience. All of his subject matter was projected at college life. Most colleges want to show me what theyre most proud of, what they want to be remembered by. I come here and the first thing they show me is the cafeteria. Then with a confused look on his face he said, You mean to tell me you actually eat that? I couldnt eat anything that was still moving. Parks demonstrated his ability to keep his audiences attention as he kept them laughing during the entire performance. He told his comical stories as if he were talking personally to each member of the audience. Tom Parks delivers his monologue to SUSC students and Cedar City residents filling the Thorley Recital Hall with laughter Tuesday evening. His ability to be witty with explains it. answering questions and these real life situations was witnessed by those he singled out and questioned about themselves. On one occasion he asked a man on the front row where he was from. When the man told him that he was from Panguitch Parks looked down with his mouth wide open and said, Now I know Im in Cedar. Whats your major? The mans reply was, history. Parks looked up, shaking his head as he walked away, and quipped, That His act interjected comedy into every day occurrences. He would poke fun at college life and at people. Then he rounded out the monologue with little things like playing songs on his calculator, using soap opera titles in a prayer, and asking the audience questions about themselves only to be subjected to his comical reply. When he had finished the crowd exploded with applause. Afterwards he talked to people, signing autographs. Tom Parks career as a comedian began seven years ago when he heard singer Harry Chapin at a small club. Chapin talked about his life, telling funny stories and jokes in between songs. According to Parks, Chapin was telling the same stories Id been telling my whole life. The audience loved him, I loved him, I wanted some of that love he was getting. Parks was with a date that x evening and she encouraged him to pursue that kind of life. Within two weeks Tom Parks walked on stage. I loved it! he said. When I first came out on stage I got people to laugh. When people respond and laugh it is a real feeling I am getting from them, and it feels good. I like doing it, I like the response I get from my audience. Pausing for a brief second, his comic's personality was put aside and a more serious Tom Parks said, "There was a good audience here tonight but obviously not a large portion of the campus. I think that it is important for college students to see what the activity council brings in, no matter what it is. It is important to see what the college is bringing in because it is part of their education. New ideas, new ways of thinking to be examined, and that is why everyone comes to college, to expand yourself, your world. According to Parks, 75 percent of the people we polled here had never seen a live comedian, and I would bet that 90 percent of the audience here tonight hadnt seen a live comedian before. If Tom Parks is right on those calculations, there are a lot of people who pave missed a chance to laugh. After the performance, people leaving the recital hall were still laughing about the material he had used. He showed us how to laugh at everyday life and at ourselves. Works in Progress to play Monday and Tuesday The fall quarter Works In Progress (WIPs) will play Monday, Nov. 21 and Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. in AU 108 on the studio classroom stage. The student-directe- d plays are free to the public. Advanced directing student John Waters will direct selections from Beth Henleys Crimes of the Heart, a story of relationships between three Southern women, featuring Suzanne LeClair, Mitzi McKay, Heather DeSart and Christine Fuller. Director Rick VanNoy will present The List, a one-aplay centered around actors reactions to the posting of a cast list, by SUSC alumnus David Howard. His cast includes Angela WinterroSe, Margie Green, David Mills, Varlo Davenport, Kammy McComb, Bernie Miller, Mark Lee Seedig, Annie Marie Jacobson, Paige White and Jackie Miller. Theatre faculty members will offer constructive criticism during an open critique session following the Tuesday night performances; the audience is invited to share comments. The WIP program was established in the fall of 1982 to give SUSC students more experience in acting, playwriting and directing than the scheduled season has time to allow, according to Douglas Baker, assistant theatre professor and WIP coordinator. Students submit scripts to a committee of theatre Pulitzer-Prizewinni- (We try to limit it so were concentrating on the acting more than the technical. Its a practical application of their classwork. 10 hours of formal rehearsal and very simplified sets. We try to limit it so were concentrating on the acting more than the technical. Its a practical application of their classwork, explains Baker. The critique session provides directors and actors with a more detailed response from the audience, what points it did or did not like about the plays and why, as well as suggestions for improvements or changes in interpretation. Baker notes that theatre students have been The WIPs give extremely supportive of the program kids an opportunity to stretch s and the seem to be building a reputation on campus and in the community. Last years productions attracted audiences of about 80 people per showing, a good turnout for studio pieces. The only problem the program has encountered is lack of space; the theatre building just doesnt have enough rehearsal areas for two plays and several Baker adds that the deadline for submitting scripts for winter quarters WIPs is Monday, Nov. 12. mini-play- student-produce- professors who review them with an eye toward production goals, simple technical requirements, quality writing and the availability of actors. The chosen plays are then given to advanced directing students to cast and produce. Directors ae limited to d one-act- |