Don't sleep through 'U' productions

We think that we live on the cutting edge of diversity and artistic expression. We think that we have our eyes wide open to the spectrum of little worlds that make up the entire society. We think we know what life's all about.

Coming from south-suburban Chicago, I thought I knew what was going on. My parents taught me well. I thought that I was in touch with the latest in living culture. From the classical concerts to multicultural events, I thought I had it under control.

How wrong I was.

Kristin Long State of the Arts

What a shock it was to come into Ann Arbor and be put in my artistic place, so to speak. When it comes to the world of the creative arts, this town, city, community or whatever it is that you want to call it, has no artistic limits. It's taken me a while, but I have finally learned my lesson.

From the step competitions that are performed throughout the year to Generation APA, an Asian Pacific American culture show that showcases everything from hip hop dance and lyrical dance, the students and the University community at large beam with amazing talents.

The dances, the music, the words of what these performances represent are something so intrinsically unique that it defines a crucial aspect of local life.

The culture of this campus isn't limited to the ethnic productions either. From the Woman's Glee Club to the State Street Poetry Project, student talent consumes our lives, whether we know it our not, and the result is exquisite spectacles of talent and creativity.

There is but one problem: The people who don't take advantage of these moments, and let the performances pass them like sports cars on South State Street. The people who "forget" to go or "don't have time."

C'mon, you know who you are. You are the one that says, "That sounds cool to go to (insert performance at issue). I'm definitely there."

But then when the day of the event comes, for some reason you forget to go. One time it's too much homework. Then another, you think it'll take to much time, or you're too tired or, now here's the kicker, you're just too lazy.

Then, Monday comes around, and so-and-so friend, who happened to have something to do with the show, asks you if you were there. All you can do is smile and nod, and hope that he doesn't notice the sweat on your brow, and respectfully, and I mean respectfully, weasel your way out of this mess.

How do I know you so well? It's all because I speak from experience, silly folks. I know how terrible the guilt is to say, "Sorry pal, I just couldn't make it."

It's such an awful scene.

But you move on, wipe the sweat from your brow, and try not to ever go through that again.

One of my friends is an aspiring comic, and when I attended his shows, I have to admit, he was simply wonderful. After the first performance I attended, I tried to make all that followed without missing a minute of each.

In all of his productions, he worked with other students, and while at times the audience wasn't rolling on the floor with laughter (not from my friend, of course, he was amazing and near perfect), it was simple, good, old-fashioned fun. No, not lame, fun, good fun.

The local musicians who are either in a band that plays at venues like the League or Rick's, or those who play in orchestras at Hill Auditorium, also have tremendous talent. There young and essentially just trying to get their foot in the door, but hey, maybe they'll make the Top 40 some day.

There's something really wonderful about these student productions. It's refreshing to see people perform merely because they want to perform because they love to perform.

It's not about the money, the fame or the glamour, yet, I don't think, but for the sheer joy of entertaining others and actually having an audience to entertain.

Those of us who miss these shows are missing a tremendous opportunity to give new talent a chance and to see someone's artistic passion to flight.

Fellow students, aspiring talents, true beginners - whatever we call them - express their artistic muses with great dignity and pride. Even if the comic doesn't make us laugh, or the actor forgets a line or the dancer misses a step and falls face-first on the stage, at least they tried, and at least we can say we where there to give them support, enhancing our culture one show at a time.

- Kristin Long can be reached via e-mail at klong@umich.edu.

09-08-98