Tribe Aid showcases staff and faculty talent
Related content Staff and faculty members of the College dug deep into their
reserves of talent to put on an exciting and moving Tribe Aid benefit
at the Kimball Theatre early in November to raise funds for the Gulf
Coast victims of Hurricane Katrina. Through a combination of ticket
receipts, proceeds from a blind auction, T-shirt sales and outright
donations, more than $3,500 was collected to help Katrina victims
recover, according to Lisa Grimes, associate director of the Charles
Center, the sponsor of the event. The show featured performances ranging from a subtle rendition of
Debussy by classical pianist Christine Niehaus to a gutsy
interpretation of the blues by Rob Leventhal. Among those who generated
the most interaction from audience members were Mike Ludwick, who
created much hand-clapping and footstomping as he sang the Garth Brooks
hit “We Shall be Free,” and Tom Linneman, who elicited cries of
laughter and feigned sympathy during his deadpan reading of pop-song
lyrics he billed as his “most personal poetry.” Also much appreciated was “The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel
Death of Pyramus and Thisby,” performed with verve and bawdiness by a
collection of actors representing the College’s program in literary and
cultural studies. The death of Pryamus, consisting of over-the-top
wailing and gyrating by actor Simon Joyce, was playfully accentuated by
the melodramatic grieving on the part of actress Colleen Kennedy. The event also featured a heartrending performance by Harris Simon,
who used a piano and a harmonica to captivate the audience with a
version of “Georgia On My Mind.” Toward the end, Ken Reczkiewicz’s alto
saxophone performance of “Amazing Grace” left everyone mindful of the
New Orleans’ spirit and of the power to overcome adversities. Clay Clemens, as emcee, kept the performances moving smoothly
despite some glitches that would have threatened a show consisting of
less dedicated acts. “There were a lot of interesting things going on backstage,” said
Rob Leventhal, who was rescued by Arthur Knight when his vocal
microphone became dislodged from its holder in the middle of his
performance. “Despite the scrambling, the performers exhibited a lot of
esprit de corps,” he said. Sharon Zuber, who represented moonshine in the Shakepearean skit,
said the event was great fun in that “it was live, that people gave
their time, that they just got up there on the stage because they had a
heart for people who are hurting.” Said Grimes, “The show was a success, not only because of the
performers but because there were a lot of people who put in the time
behind the scenes. Backstage the energy was great. Everyone’s attitude
was that we’re supporting a great cause and that we’re having fun doing
it.” Photo: Pyramus, played by Simon Joyce, is caught in his death throes. By David Williard. Make your own contributions to the College’s Project Relief.
-Tribe Aid photo gallery
-Tribe Aid unseen acts (mpeg)
