Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page B4

Reminiscing from her home in Westchester County, N.Y., Moore said one of the creators persuaded her to wait for a traffic break, walk into the intersection and throw her tam a gift from her aunt as a sign of exuberance. the seminal moment of the she said. not only speaks to Mary feelings, but to my feelings as well. The show represented my hopes and dreams, and I wondered if my abilities were honed enough to carry my own If that toss was truly representative of the future, the hat must have landed on top of the IDS Tower. The sitcom, about a Minneapolis TV news station, won 30 Emmys during its 1970-77 run and is considered as vital a part of TV history as the remote control.

why TV Land, the cable outlet dedicated to classic TV, chose to make Mary Richards the second member of its TV Land Landmarks project. A statue of Ralph Kramden, the bus driver created by Jackie Gleason in Honeymoon- was installed in front of New York Port Authority bus terminal in August 2000. Land hopes this statue will remind passersby of the freedom and optimism that Mary has come to said Larry W. Jones, the general manager and executive vice president. Moore said she see Richards as a role model until activist Gloria Steinem asked her to come to Washington to help support the Equal Rights Amendment during the run.

Despite presence, the effort failed. The obstacles it faced were reflected in the reaction of House Speaker Tip when he heard that Moore was visiting. came into the office with his arms stretched out and said, is that little honeybunch? Gimme a Moore said. The May 8 unveiling of her statue, created by Wisconsin sculptor Gwendolyn Gillen, promises to be more respectful. likely that either or Morning, will cover the event live, which means those who want to see Moore next to her statue will have to get up early.

An exact time has not been set. Jones and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak are expected to be on hand. Moore scheduled to appear at any other local sites. In fact, never spent much time in the city that claims her.

But she is happy to take on the role as one of most famous residents. a funny way, I feel I do know the she said. talked to so many people, I feel like walked through the city so many times, even when not Neal Justin is at By Larry Fuchsberg Special to the Star Tribune There was no mayoral proclamation and the parade route had a prior engagement. But for concertgoers in St. Paul, Saturday and Sunday amounted to Schoenfield as both the St.

Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society of Minnesota unveiled works by this erstwhile Twin Citian, an esteemed yet elusive composer. First came Nocturne for Cello and Orchestra, commissioned for the SPCO to celebrate the 70th birthday of retired physician and amateur cellist Paul Redleaf. The soloist was SPCO principal Peter Howard, who is teacher and friend. In the unaccompanied opening measures, Howard set the tone of the piece: somber and introspective, but not without hope. Probing deeper as it goes, the music traces a path from anguish to something like resignation.

There are no histrionics nothing to break the spell. playing was masterly yet self- effacing, untarnished by the slightest mannerism. This heartfelt, darkly urgent music in which we may discern the disquiet of a thoughtful Jew who lives much of the year in Israel deserves frequent hearings. Partita for Violin and Piano was premiered Sunday by the Chamber Music Society with the composer (a terrific pianist) and violinist Young-Nam Kim (his longtime recital partner). It is a longer but lesser piece.

Schoenfield is an immensely fluent composer, possessing serious contrapuntal cunning, rhythmic drive, a gift for mimicry and a sly wit that tends toward self-deprecation. Often, he seems unsure how to harness this formidable endowment. In the new partita, he uses Bach as a sparring partner with mixed results. The piece crackles with intelligence, but seems addressed to its antecedents rather than its audience. Many learned games are played, some of them intriguing, but I found myself missing the simpler, less self-conscious utterance of the cello nocturne.

Filling out the Chamber Music program were the from Richard early sonata for violin and piano and septet in E-flat. The Strauss is salon music with pretensions. The Beethoven had no lack of animation but was saddled with some scrappy fiddling. The low point of the overly eclectic SPCO program was violinist Leila unprovoked assault on Max tender Violin Concerto No. 1, which even in its grander moments does not profit from the kind of expressive hyperbole she meted out Saturday.

Ovation notwithstanding, her performance of the last movement verged on the vulgar: a classic case of interpretive energy misapplied. The high points included Kathryn ambrosial oboe playing in the movement of Ottorino Respi- and conductor Gilbert to-the- manner-born account of of homage to a gypsy band in the Hungary of his youth. This piece needs an orchestra bigger than the SPCO, and it has more bite in Budapest. But in shrewd hands, spiced with savory solos by clarinetist Timothy Paradise, it conjured up a vanished world. Larry Fuchsberg is a St.

Paul freelance writer. PAGE B4 MARCH 19 2002 Guthrie season to include 2 world premieres By Rohan Preston Star Tribune Staff Writer As if to answer critics who question the Guthrie contemporary relevance, the theater Monday unveiled a 2002-03 season with two premieres a previously reported Arthur Miller work and a play by Jane Martin. The Guthrie will offer a complement of newer plays alongside its mainstay classics. The Miller play, is about a public killing staged by a Latin American dictatorship. The event is televised by reality-show-obsessed networks.

about a school shooting, will premiere at the Guthrie Lab. It has racial overtones, revolving around two father-son combos one black, the other white. Both shows will open in August. containing my Guthrie artistic director Joe Dowling said Monday. happy with the fact that we have two world premieres.

important for the Guthrie to signal its interest in contemporary works and major American The theater also will engage several Twin Cities directors. Dominique Serrand of Theatre de la Jeune Lune, who last directed at the Guthrie in 1993, will stage Comedy of and Eye of the Casey Stangl will direct Caryl only statement that making is that the Guthrie is part of the Twin Cities theater community and we collaborate with theaters around the Dowling said. not a statement of any significant change, but of deepening and Two of the 11 plays offered by the Guthrie on its mainstage, Lab and tour will be directed by women. Lisa Peterson, of Los Mark Taper Forum, will direct George Bernard The contemporary selections will include John Degrees of to be directed by Ethan McSweeny, and Charles a comedy to be be staged by John Miller-Stephany. The other classic offerings are by Eugene Ionesco and Chekhov Three Daniel Aukin, artistic director of New SoHo Rep, will direct artistic director Joe Dowling will stage The Guthrie also will revive its cash cow, Christmas Car- under the hand of Gary Gisselman, who directed it last year.

play selection reflects many influences, including that of literary manager Michael Bigelow Dixon, who came to the Guthrie from the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where Mee and Martin were favorites. In fact, it is widely believed that Martin is the pseudonym for Jon Jory, longtime head of the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Jory directs The Guthrie will do all of its plays at the Lab in the proscenium arch, with assigned seating. The configuration is in preparation for the move to the Guthrie-on-the-River. The Miller work is one of the most highly anticipated theater works of the year.

In a recent Star Tribune interview, the playwright said he was eager to come to Minneapolis. looking forward to it he said. theater is serious, solid, and I like Rohan Preston is at Dates listed are openings and closings. Guthrie mainstage: Arthur directed by David Esbjornson. Aug.

9 to Sept. 8. Comedy of directed by Dominique Serrand. Oct. 4 to Nov.

3. Charles Christmas directed by Gary Gisselman. Nov. 22 to Dec. 29.

George Bernard directed by Lisa Peterson. Jan. 17 to Feb. 16, 2003. John Degrees of directed by Ethan McSweeny.

March 7 to April 6, 2003. Anton directed by Joe Dowling. April 25 to May 24, 2003. Guthrie Lab: Jane directed by Jon Jory. Aug.

28 to Sept. 22. Eugene directed by Daniel Aukin. Oct. 30 to Nov.

24. Charles directed by John Miller- Stephany. Feb. 5 to March 2, 2003. Caryl director by Casey Stangl.

May 21 to June 15, 2003. Guthrie tour: Bill Stuff of directed by Jef Hall-Flavin. February to May 2003. More information: Guthrie season-ticket packages are $75 to $205 for the mainstage and $57 to $88 for the Lab. Single tickets $16 to $46 for the main- stage and $22 to $30 for the Lab go on sale July.

8. Tickets to Christmas go on sale Sept. 3. Call 612377-2224. Season at a glance: Plays by Arthur Miller and Jane Martin are part of the 2002-03 lineup that also will engage several local directors.

By Graydon Royce Star Tribune Staff Writer The closest come to a comedy room is when I watched Rob, Buddy and Sally mix it up on the Van Dyke Unless you count Star Tribune news meetings. Badump-bump. But seriously folks, soared because it drew from creator Carl wealth of experience as a on Sid variety shows throughout the 1950s. That milieu also fed the 1982 film Favorite produced by another Caesar alum Mel Brooks and the 1993 Broadway comedy on the 23rd written by Neil Simon, perhaps the most successful graduate of stable of writers. Pigs Eye Theatre serves up feast of one-liners in a madcap staging of that succeeds on the comic timing and instincts of director Zach cast, a fine ensemble in which every actor at one point or another carries the torch effortlessly.

Edwin Strout, cast as the Caesar character Max Prince, gives an over-the-top performance as a pill-popping meg- alomaniac approaching paranoia. Max seethes, laughs, forgets what day it is, stumbles but glides. Strout takes full advantage of the best role had on a local stage. If seen Ari Hoptman do his timid, bookworm shtick you have to catch him as Ira Stone, the character modeled after Brooks. never been this animated, manic and funny.

Alex Cole, Tim Perfect, Randall Funk and Bob Malos all disappear into well-defined personas at the same time retaining their skill as zany performers. Simon wrote for Show of from 1952 to 1954 and for the subsequent from 1956 to 1958. revolves around the final days of the first show, a celebrated 90- minute comedy variety show that was performed live 39 weeks a year. Joining Simon in the room were Reiner, Brooks, Mel Tolkin, Lucille Kallen and Larry Gelbart, among others. not a brilliant play.

Rather than stick to his surfeit of gold-plated zingers, Simon tries to crowbar in political and social commentary about the McCarthy witchhunts (entirely expendable) and the desire of NBC executives to dumb down the show (defensible as a story hook). One trip he takes to the dark side, though, does fit in as dramatic grist growing dependency on booze and tranquilizers. Simon seems to recognize that he dwell on these forays into relevance without ruining the comic rhythm, as none of the serious themes gets more than cursory exposition. make the same mistake. Just peel back your skull and let this funny production wash over your head.

Graydon Royce is at disquiet informs new nocturne Music review MOORE fromB1 Statue symbolizes independence Laughter on the 23rd Floor By Neil Simon. Directed by Zach Curtis for Pigs Eye Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Thursday- Sunday (and Monday, March 25). Through March 30.

Cedar Riverside Center, 425 20th Av. Minneapolis. Call 612362-5987. on the 23rd provides lots of it Theater review Rock Hall honors Petty, punk and picker The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame welcomed punk first generation, along with Tom Petty Brenda Lee and maestro Isaac Hayes Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder who sported a mohawk as he inducted the Ramones at ceremonies in New York City Monday night, said the group was a blueprint for a new generation of rockers. The timing of the induction was bittersweet, since lead singer Joey Ramone died of cancer last April.

The Ramones were joined in the hall by the Talking Heads Country guitar picker Chet Atkins who died last June, singer Gene Pitney and Stax records cofounder Jim Stewart also joined the hall. Wallflowers lead singer Jakob Dylan inducted Petty by recalling the time he used to watch Petty in his band from the side of the stage in 1986. His dad, Bob Dylan played with Petty briefly in the Traveling Wilburys Supportive hubby Al Gore beard has vanished. The former vice president said he shaved the beard he has worn since last summer in preparation for his possible run for the Senate. His first beardless public appearance was Monday before a classroom of students at Fisk University in Nashville, where he teaches.

wanted to demonstrate my support for her in case she decided to he said. The 2000 Democratic presidential nominee shaved early Sunday, associates said. By late Sunday, Tipper Gore had announced she would not run for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Fred Thompson was doing this as a supportive spouse and before I made the final decision, he shaved his she said. think really A down-home concert The Brother, Where Art juggernaut continues. The Grammy-winning, chart- topping soundtrack to the Coen Brothers movie is spawning one of the most anticipated tours.

The Down from the Mountain Tour featuring Ralph Stanley Alison Krauss Union Station Emmylou Harris Patty Loveless, the Del McCoury Band and others from the soundtrack will visit 29 cities, including St. Paul on July 23 at the Xcel Energy Center. The first leg of the tour was an instant sellout at the Historic State Theatre in February. The key addition for the summer tour is Ricky Skaggs the bluegrass star who was not involved in the movie. Tickets for the St.

Paul concert are scheduled to go on sale April 20. Jon Bream Birthday people Ursula Andress 66. Ruth Pointer 56. Glenn Close 55. Bruce Willis 47.

People The 8-foot statue created by Wisconsin sculptor Gwendolyn Gillen is the second of the TV Land Landmarks project. Al Gore.