ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604050069
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: out & about
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS-BANKS
"He was a boy, just a boy, when I was a very young girl. When I was 16, I made the discovery - love. All at once and much, much too completely. It was like you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow, that's how it struck the world for me."
- Tennessee Williams'
"A Streetcar Named Desire"
And so we meet Blanche DuBois, the aging Southern belle who lives in her make-believe world. When that world falls apart, so does Blanche.
Tennessee Williams' 1955 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, "A Streetcar Named Desire," is the latest offering from Radford University's theater department. Guest artist Bridget Hanley joins the university's student actors for this production directed by professor Chuck Hayes.
You may have seen Hanley on some of your favorite TV shows. She's a former star of the series, "Here Come the Brides," and co-star with Barbara Eden on "Harper Valley PTA." Her guest appearances include shows such as "Murder She Wrote."
In addition to her work in television, Hanley has experience on the stage and the silver screen. She recently received a Dramalogue Award for her solo performance of the Preacher Woman in James Dickey's poem, "May Day Sermons."
Hanley is the 18th performer in the theater department's guest artist program. Each year, professional actors and actresses work closely with Radford University students on a production.
"A Streetcar Named Desire" opens Monday and continues through April 13 in Porterfield Theatre. The curtain goes up at 8.
For reservations, call 831-5289, weekdays from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets for general admission are $5.
THEY'RE A BLAST: The Atomic Brothers, a hot East Coast band featuring guitarist Buck Brown, will visit the Cafe at Champs in Blacksburg tonight. Put on your dancing shoes - these guys play nonstop instrumentals that make you want to hoof it!
In addition to Brown, the band features Eric Cathcart on saxophones and flutes, Bob Bush on electric and fretless basses, Bronson Hoover on keyboards and Wes Crawford on drums and percussion. Crawford was born and raised in Blacksburg and graduated from Virginia Tech in 1979. He now makes his home in the Washington, D.C., area where the band is based.
The Atomic Brothers hit the stage at 9 tonight. A $4 cover admits you to the blowout.
BORN IN THE BLUE RIDGE: Doc Watson was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains 73 years ago. He still clings to his mountain roots - in the music he plays and the lifestyle he chooses.
"He's a man as warm as his voice, a man who just wants to share a few songs," said a recent review of Watson in The New York Times.
Known for his skill with the flat pick, Watson became the hero of many other great guitarists, including Clarence White of the Kentucky Colonels.
The blind musician has received five Grammy Awards for his work, a blend of traditional Appalachian folk music with blues, country, gospel and bluegrass overtones. His latest album, "Dockabilly," is a revival of his early style. Released in 1995, it includes such classics as "Heartbreak Hotel," "Shake, Rattle and Roll," "My Special Angel" and "Walking After Midnight."
Doc Watson performs at 8 p.m. Saturday in Radford University's Preston Auditorium. Tickets are $10 if you're over 18 or $5 if you're under 18. Admission for Radford University students and staff is free.
THINK POSITIVE: Mixed Generation, a group of performers from Milwaukee, will adjust your attitude with a motivational show Saturday. It starts at 6 p.m. in Blacksburg's Wesley Foundation.
The group blends classical, soul, R&B, rock, pop and inspirational music with movement. Members are between the ages of 13 and 48.
Charles Walton, organizer of Mixed Generation, said the group's purpose is to motivate people through "positive music" and to promote "positive intergenerational communication."
The younger performers hail from inner city Milwaukee. To be a part of the troupe, they have to maintain a B average in their schoolwork.
Mixed Generation travels around the country, performing in prisons, hospitals, schools and churches. Members also do volunteer work in food pantries and at youth rallies. Their local appearance is sponsored by the Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association.
Saturday's show is free but an offering will be accepted to help pay expenses for the group. The Wesley Foundation is at Roanoke and Otey streets near Virginia Tech's Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center.
FOREVER YOUNG: The Collegians haven't hiked a college campus in 20 years, but they're still playing some of the best shag, blues and beach music around.
The group from Bluefield has been together for two decades. In that time, they've collected quite a few names to drop, playing with such bands as the Drifters, the Embers, the Tams, the Coasters and the Atlantic Rhythm Section.
You can catch the Collegians at the Highlander Brewery and Pub in Radford tonight. The show starts at 9. The cover charge is $5.
MMMMMMM... It stands for Michael Mulvaney!
Mulvaney, a self-described "singer, songwriter, blues man, rhythm man, self-styled and road worn," has been performing for the past 30 years. He has spent the last 10 on the road without a break.
Actually, he did get a break last month. He fell while loading equipment for a gig and ended up in the hospital facing knee surgery.
Well, he's back on his feet and ready to roll into Radford's Alleghany Cafe tonight. This gig - the first since his operation- starts at 10:30.
Mulvaney, who records at Virginia Arts Studio, plays a variety of styles, including R&B, classic rock and Chicago blues. He also does original compositions with a folk and country flavor.
Tonight's cover charge at the Alleghany Cafe is $1. Mulvaney will return to Blacksburg this summer for a concert series at Virginia Tech.
LENGTH: Long : 109 linesby CNB