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By Julia E. S. Spencer
If William Shakespeare were a
Texan, would he be known as Cow
boy Bill? This is just one reflection
suggested by local actor/director/
playwright Robbie Taylor's 'Texas
Voices," which premiered with
another one-act drama, "Self-Por-
trait," at AnNam Tea House Tues
day.
"Voices" is a collection of
monologues, perfonned by Taylor
and six other talented local actors,
and loosely connected with com
mentary by down-home philoso
pher and bard aficionado Cowboy
Bill, played by George Weir. Bill's
introductory monologue made
some good points about how
people discriminate against those
of us whose accents are less than
Shakespearean - and by the same
token - those who deviate from the
"norm" in race, religion or sexual
persuasion. Bill then offered us a
new perspective on Texas and Tex
ans in the form of seven rather
unusual and unorthodox charac
ters.
The ensuing monologues
achieved varying degrees or suc
cess. All showcased Taylor's rather
sardonic, extremely verbal wit and
his ability to get a handle on the
foibles and expressions which
make an individual unique. The
frequent humor of the pieces was
certainly very entertaining, but the
dramas open at AnNam
conclusions drawn often seemed
rather fuzzy and, with a few ex
ceptions, the insights a bit trite.
Taylor's interpretations of his
own material were energetic and
his characterizations of a trigger-
happy cop in "Robocop" and of a
country-wisdom-spouting drag
queen in "Miss Thing" were dead-
on. These bits were good for some
comic riffing a la Robin Williams,
and some commentary on urban
law enforcement cowboys and the
importance of not hiding behind a
facade.
"Polyhymnia," perfonned by
Anna Barron, was a look at the
ways music can become an exten
sion of a person's character and a
common ground for bringing a
family together. The idea was
good, but the expression was a bit
awkward and could use some
fleshing out.
Charles Pitman's turn as a tax-
dodging Jimmy Swaggart-type
evangelist in "Reverend Jim" was
hilariously apt, appropriately cra
ven and hypocritical, and had the
audience in stitches. Hearing the
preacher's rationale for his actions
(the IRS is Satan) was clever, but
this material has been covered be
fore on Saturday Night Live and
numerous talk shows.
"The Lover," a longish mono
logue about a young man's vari
ous romantic encounters was witty
and observant, and was also an
audience-pleaser. After recount
ing a dozen failed relationships,
actor Tommy Newkirk concluded
that any attempts at being "sensi
tive and caring" were misguided
and that women really wanted John
Wayne. Newkirk was fine in the
role, but his irresistably dimpled
smile made it hard to believe he
was having trouble getting dates.
'Tanhandle Hiker," portrayed
by Jessica Lowe, was a few min
utes in the life of a frustrated hitch
hiker as she thumbed for a ride
and dispensed salty wit and wis
dom, concluding that people who
know how to take care of each
other are a dying breed.
"Second Childhood," a piece
about a transplanted Scotsman
learning to cope with the heat and
frequent provinciality of Texas
demonstrated the beauty of cast
ing to type, sinceactor John Caimey
is himself Scottish. His evolution
from resentment at constantly be
ing defined by his accent to com
ing to terms with the people and
climate and even defending them,
was eminently realistic and cred
ible. Some nice points were also
made about identity and belong
ing, tying in with the Cowboy Bill'
s reassuring closing comments
about how people's similarities are
always more numerous than their
differences.
"Self Portrait," the one-act play
that followed the intermission, was
more consistent and coherent, and
gave the actors more time to ac
quaint us with their characters.
Done as a series of flashbacks and
flash-forwards illustrating the life
of the artist, it is billed as a "self
portrait that takes place in the mind
of the artist as he searches for the
proper image of himself." Lou
(Newkirk) is the main character, a
would-be comic book illustrator
struggling with his need for artis
tic expression while trying to please
a tyrannical, often irrational father,
and afraid of repeating with his
own wife the hostility of his par
ents' marriage.
Various scenes illuminate key
points in his life, and slowly reveal
the often painful conflicts which
are pulling him in opposite direc
tions. The actors' portrayals are
very convincing, even within the
limits of the stylized direction and
minimalist staging. Charles Pit
man is teriffic as the boorish, hen
pecked father who cannot accept
his son's artistic leanings, or un
derstand his vivid imagination.
Jessica Lowe is plenty shrillas Lou's
shrewish mother, and George Wier
displays an effective mix of resig
nation and resentment as Lou's
gay uncle who must endure the
insults of his brother-in-law. Anna
Barron displays talent as Lou's
long-suffering wife. Caimey also
provides expert support as Lou's
friend/manager, Lee.
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By Yvonne Salce
Surrounded by a group of overzealous 5-
year-old girls and the shrill but enthusiastic
sound of their chatter, Maruta Kajaks-Grots can't
help but wonder if all this is just a coincidence or
good karma.
"I need your signature on it," says Kajaks-
Grots in a soft-spoken voice to one of the girls.
"Put your name on it," she adds warmly, while
looking over the child's artwork, a positive and
negative image produced through black-and-
white drawing techniques, or as Kajaks-Grots
puts it "an image of reality and fantasy created
on magic paper."
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Maybe it was just a matter of sending her
resume to the right place at the right time. With
her husband working on his Ph.D. here at Texas
A&M and Kajaks-Grots working as an associate
professor of arts and humanities and as head of
the art department at West Shore Community
College in Scottville, Mich., she sent her resume
to the Arts Council of Brazos Valley in hopes of
spending the summer with her husband.
The fact that the Arts Council was looking
for an experienced artist to restructure their
summer art program seemed too coincidental.
And the fact that the summer art program meant
working with children, a passion Kajaks-Grots
has always had, put the professional artist right
at home. Immediately she was taken in as the
Art Council's artist-in-residence. Later Kajaks-
Grots and her husband, both Latvian and fluent
in the language, discovered they could serve as
translators for the Texas Music Festival, who
plan to feature the Latvian Philharmonic Cham
ber Orchestra.
For Kajaks-Grots, guiding students to dis
cover their own artistic talents, whether they be
children or adults, is all the same.
"The magic and the 'awe' of wanting to see
results is not limited to age," says Kajaks-Grots.
"Obviously they are on different levels, but the
immediate reaction is the same. There's that
same 'spark in the eye' reaction.
"Everyone starts with a single blank sheet of
paper and pencil. It's what you do with it that's
different."
Kajaks-Grots believes you are never too old
or too young to start learning art. The important
thing, she says, is that you start.
As overseer of the Arts Council's "Summer
Art Spectacular," a series of art classes for all
ages, Kajaks-Grots will instruct an adult class
entitled "Portrait Drawing for Beginners." Work
ing from photographs of family and friends,
Kajaks-Grots will guide students through the
basic techniques or charcoal portraiture.
"It doesn't matter if you haven't drawn be
fore; the technique I teach covers all the basics
first. Then we learn to customize those skills,
making it into a portrait," Kajaks-Grotsexplains.
Kajaks-Grots says her class is also for the
person who has a little experience because of the
feedback and interaction that results.Much like
a child's amazement, there is that "Hey look at
what I did" type of response, she says.
Oftentimes adults may be apprehensive
about taking an art class because of the fear of
being ridiculed or criticized.
RICHARD S. JAMES/The Battalion
Local artist Maruta Kajaks-Grots teaches children's art classes offered through the Brazos Valley Arts Council. Her
own handiwork decorates the walls of her apartment.
"To dare to expose yourself is a frighten
ing thing," she says.
She understands self-consciousness, and
stresses that students need to learn to start
from the bottom and work their way up. She
works with each student on a one-to-one ba
sis, never expecting the student to draw her
way, but rather helping that student develop
his or her own skill. Yet, she doesn't deny that
art puts one in a vulnerable position.
"Being an artist and showing your work
in public is like raising your skirt and hoping
you remembered to put on underwear that
morning. You won't know until it happens."
It is that same kind of boldness and unex
pectedness that Kajaks-Grots uses in her own
artwork. Being a working artist herself, pri
marily with watercolors but always open to
different media, she uses nature-oriented ab
stractions, such as plants, flowers, clouds and
landscapes.
"Nature is power," says Kajaks-Grots.
"Just look at an abandoned building and
how it is eventually overtaken by leaves.
Look at the sidewalk and how grass is forc
ing its way through the cracks.
"I don't have flowers in vases. I concen
trate on that flower and how it is growing. Is
it bending, plopping over or dying?"
On the outside it may look like a pretty
picture, but deeper into the picture lies a
twist and a point about nature. Kajaks-
Grots' reverence and respect for nature is
apparent. Her work tends to be forceful and
bold, but at the same time exhibits a sensu
ality, strong but gentle in contradiction.
Her ideas come from nature, its powers and
her acknowledgement of that power.
See ARTIST/Page 6
Pages f
SONORA N. ROBBINS/The Battalion
Robbie Taylor, dressed as a woman, performs “Miss Thing” from “Texas Voices" al AnNam
Tea House Tuesday night.
Scenes where Lou is trying to
choose between pleasing his fa
ther and pleasing himself and
where Lee comes to announce a
tragedy were wrenchingly real,
extremely affecting and very be
lievable. The father's blustery,
pathetically macho character re
called Willy Loman in "Death of a
Salesman," and while the play isn't
very long, it does a good job of
portraying three-dimensional
characters.
Although there were a few
rough edges, future performances
promise to be more polished. Per
formances will be Tuesday and
Wednesday of next week at 8 and
8:30 p.m. respectively at the Tea
House.
Texas Music Test
continues with
Pro Arte Quartet
By Timm Doolen mance with the fourmovements
of Dvorak's "Quintet No. 3 in E-
Four artists a t the top of their Fla t."
form, all working towards one The Pro Arte Quartet is cur-
musical goal. That was the scene rently celebrating its 50th anni-
atRudder Theater Monday night versary as theoldest ensembleof
when the Pro Arte Quartet its kind and was the first string
played three classical composi- quartet to establish residency at
tionsaspartoftheongoingTexas an American university, the Uni-
Music Festival. versity of Wisconsin at Madison.
Norma Paula and Jae Kim Next Monday the Latvian
on violin. Parry Karp on cello Philharmonic Chamber Orches-
and Richard Blum on viola were tra,directedbyToviLifshitz,will
all in fine form as they played take the stage to play pieces by
selections by Ernest Bloch, Jean Mozart, Dmitri Shostakovich,
Sibelius and Antonin Dvorak. Peteris Vasks and Bla Bartk. The
The quartet opened with orchestra is from Riga, Latvia,
Bloch's "Two Pieces for String USSR, and performs regularly in
Quartet," in two movements, the Soviet Union,
which in all honesty was musi- The following week, the
cally a little harsh for my tastes. Symphonic Brass Quintet from
The quartet next settled into the University of Houston School
the more palatable "Intimate of Music will perform in Rudder
Voices" in five movements by Theater.
Sibelius. Tickets are $8 for non-stu-
After the intermission, dents and $5 for students per
Lawrence Wheeler on viola performance. More information
joined the players to make a can be obtained from the MSC
quintet, finishing the perfor- Box Office at 845-1234.
AnNam -plans friendly
'Battle of the Bands'
By Jeffrey Brown
Local bands will showcase
their talents on Friday and Sat
urday nights at AnNam Tea
House's first-ever "Battle of the
Bands" - that is, a peaceful battle
of the bands.
The gathering will include
a variety of musical styles, from
solo acoustic guitar to reggae to
heavy metal to pop-rock.
"The battle or the bands is
not a competition; it is a group
of bands who want to help sup
port the teahouse," T.C. Nguyen,
proprietor of AnNam Tea
House, said.
The idea is to attract several
local bands togetherand to have
a good time, not just to win a
contest, Nguyen said.
"The bands are not inter
ested in money or prizes,"
Nguyen said. "They just want
to get together and play."
Even though winning is not
the goal of the shows, the so-
called best of each night will be
awarded prizes. The grand prize
will be four to six hours of re
cording time at Airplay Studios
in Bryan. Depending upon the
attendance for the two days' fes
tivities, AnNam will possibly
award four to six more hours of
recording time at Airplay. Win
ners will be determined by two
judges and, of course, by the
audience's response.
Brian Gutowski of Black
Mass, one of the bands sched
uled to perform, said to call the
event a battle was a misnomer
because of the variety of music
styles.
"It is impossible to say that
one group is oetter than another
because the styles are different,"
Gutowski said. "It's (the contest
is) just to give the groups some
good exposure."
Christy Claxton of Dream
Horse, another performing act,
said that she sees the battle of
the bands as a good chance to
check out some of the new local
acts.
See ANNAM/Page 6