Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 38

1111 mil -rri tTrttTtT I'm Variety PAGE E2 STAR TRIBUNE TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 4 1997 Strong acting doesn't save Tomboy' PBS series helps root out viewers' family trees Video notebook 9 I i A. mL By Peter Vaughan Star Tribune Staff Writer Interesting lives don't necessarily make for interesting plays. That's the lesson of "Tomboy Stone," Roger Nieboer's shallow and hard-to-swallow biography of Tony Stone, the first woman to play big-league baseball when she joined the Indianapolis Clowns in 1953. In the play's premiere at the Great American History Theatre, Stone, who grew up in St.

Paul, is depicted as a child driven to play baseball at a time when girls were consigned to the softball diamonds, and only boys were considered for hardball. She is relentless in her determination to join a playground team and remains obsessed as she pursues a career with black semipro teams until she is signed by the Clowns. Along the way, she falls in a love with a man 40 years her senior, marries him and continues playing ball over his objections. Of course, she also continually confronts foes and teammates who question her right to enter this masculine world of runs, hits and errors. That's the skeletal framework Nieboer was given when he took on the job of bringing Stone, who was 75 when she died last November, to the stage.

After 2V4 sometimes funny, rarely moving hours, the skeleton remains in need of flesh. A lot of errors We learn very little of what made Stone tick. We don't begin to sense the enormity of the barriers she must have had to cross. All Nieboer can offer as insight is that Stone continually had to parry jibes of the "lesbo" and "dyke" variety. Racism and sexism are mentioned in passing, but we are never given convincing examples of how Stone dealt with them.

Similarly, her marriage to the first Photo by Julie Michener and Brlanna Kennedy-Coker give standout performances as Tony Stone at Stone," but can't overcome the weak script Tomboy Stone Who: Great American History Theatre. Directed by Kim Hines. Where: Crawford Livingston Theatre, 30 E. 10th St. Paul.

When: Through Feb. 23. Tickets: $10-516. 292-4323. Review: Strong acting and sharp direction can't overcome the shallowness of Roger Nieboer's biography of Tony Stone, the St.

Paul native who became the first woman to play big-league baseball when she joined the Indianapolis Clowns in 1953. From left, Dee Wade, Tasha Marie West different moments in her life In "Tomboy Theater review black officer in the U.S. Army isn't explored or illuminated. Some scenarios just don't ring true: a visit by the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige to see Stone do her stuff on a St. Paul playground, and later, a chance to bat against Paige when he most likely was retired.

What is also galling is that Nieboer omits the very essence of baseball: stats. We never learn Stone's batting average, her fielding ability, or how she stacked up against her competitors. Some of these shortcomings could be marked off to a white man writing about a black woman, but others are basics of playwriting: inscribing a dramatic arc and Finding a focus or event pie roles. "Tomboy Stone" is a minor-league effort about a major-league person. the Beast Magic in short supply From News Services Who am I and why am I here? It's not just a certain vice presidential candidate on Ross Perot's ticket who has wondered that More than 60 million Americans have written a family history or created a family tree, making genealogy a pursuit surpassed in popularity only by coin and stamp collecting and gardening.

And now there's a television program for those beginning to dig up their roots: Ancestors, a 10-episode series that began in December on PBS. The series also is available on home video 1-800-424-7963), and is supplemented with a companion book and teacher's guide. The series might not stir the genealogical fervor that followed the airing of Alex Haley's Roots sagas in the 1970s, but it does provide tips on how to start historical research as well as creative ways to make facts and figures about those long dead spring to life. The series downplays tracing the lineage of blue bloods as well as the practice of "hanging of a lot of names and dates on the family tree," Colletta said. "The important thing is that when you research times and conditions, you begin to see a real person emerge." Each half-hour "Ancestors" episode features a person whose life has been changed or even saved through family-history research, then has hosts amateur genealogists Jim and Terry Willard elicit practical information from professionals.

"Ancestors" also tackles the challenge of tracing African-American families and the usefulness of researching family medical history. The finale features three moving stories of Americans who have created a family-history legacy. "Ancestors who live good, clean, moral lives, you just put them on the chart and move on," Colletta said. "But most families have a murder or a suicide, so doing genealogy is like reading the Bible: If it has ever happened, it's going to be in there." Games people play Among several new sports videos on the market, the one that might win the most interest comes out today: NBA at 50 contains not only the splendid TNT special that aired last year, but profiles of the 50 men named the "greatest players in the history of the NBA." The video is priced at $19.98 and can be ordered by calling 1-888-NBA-AT-50 (1-888-622-2850). Among the highlights are segments on the old Basketball Association of America, the precursor to the NBA; the emergence of George Mikan, the first "big Red Auerbach and the Boston Celtics; the merger between the ABA and the NBA; the classic struggles between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamber-lin, and, of course, Michael Jordan's impact on the game.

Boxing fans might want to check out the Champions Forever Collector's Edition from American Home Entertainment. The 115-minute video profiles five great heavyweight fighters: CD featuring Puccini arias and Mexican folk tunes in her latest novel, "The Law of Love" (Crown, $25.) The book was promptly remaindered, nevertheless. But as far as retailers are concerned, the beat is likely to go on. AEI's Consumer Products Division, which distributes the In-house soundtracks, is expanding rapidly. Victoria's Secret has added a new musical category, "Songs of Love," featuring crooners including Tony Bennett and Michael Bolton.

The Ralph Lauren line will be expanding soon, and the Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic will continue to replenish their cash register racks with fresh tunes. Purists who decry the trend had better watch out, Brodlieb warned. "My twin sister, who works at Carnegie Hall, is unfortunately a music snob," she said. "She walked into the director's office the other day, heard some music and said, 'Where can I get that great It was the de Beers diamond commercial music on a CD called 'Diamond Music' She was completely embarrassed and I couldn't help laughing." Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and Larry Holmes. The collector's edition also features a never-before-seen "Dinner with the Champs," in which all five are brought together for the first time and Reggie Jackson tries to serve as a moderator referee.

The collector's edition is $19.95, while the original is priced at $14.95. And for hockey fans, there is Ice Hot: The Best of the 1995-96 NHL Season, a 45-minute look at the best plays of last season. The $14.98 video includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and memorable moments of the four players who reached the 500-goal mark for their careers Mark Messier, Mario Lemieux, Dale Hawer-chuk and Steve Yzerman. Vidbits With a flurry of major kids' films due out in March, Paramount has moved up the release of its first Nickelodeon movie, Harriet the Spy, to Feb. 25.

That will give it a week's jump on Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (due out March 4) and a two-week jump on Space Jam (March 11). Disney also has the made-for-video sequel, Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, slated for release March 18. Disney also plans rereleases of Mary Popplns on Aug. 26 and Sleeping Beauty and the four "Love Bug" movies on Sept. 16.

The Bambi being released today includes a 14-minute program titled "Bambi: The Magic Behind the Masterpiece" as well as a special anniversary booklet, "The Magic of Bambi." Priced at $26.99, the video will be available for 55 days. With Valentine's Day approaching, a number of romantic films have been repriced and rereleased on home video. CBS-Fox has mined its vaults and come up with Love Among the Ruins, a courtroom comedy starring Katharine Hepburn and Sir Laurence Olivier, the classic comedy Lovers and Other Strangers and For Love of Ivy with Sidney Poitier and Abbey Lincoln. Fox Video has dropped the price on three recent films A Walk in the Clouds, Nine Months and The Truth About Cats and Dogs. All six films are priced at $14.98.

Top rentals The week's top 10 video rentals, courtesy of Billboard: 1. "The Rock" 2. "A Time to Kill" 3. "Kingpin" 4. "Phenomenon" 5.

"Chain Reaction" 6. "Tin Cup" 7. "The Island of Dr. Moreau" 8. "The Nutty Professor" 9.

"Fled" 10. "Fargo" Today's major releases: "Bambi," "Jack." If music to retailers' ears To hear samples of retail chain recordings, call 673-9050. When prompted, press the following 4 -digit numbers: Willie sings about Elvis for Ralph (Ralph Lauren, that is): 5391 Coffee retail chain Starbucks chose an Aretha Franklin tune. Maybe it should decaf-feinate: 5392 Wonderbra's cover art on a Christmas CD is what you'd expect. The music is not: 5393 The Gap's got religion too: 5394 At the Pottery Barn, they're not stepping to the Macarena, frug or a barn dance: 5395 The Banana Republic should have given this cut to Starbucks: 5396 Novelist Laura Esqulvel goes multimedia, enclosing a Puccini opera with her book, "The Law of 5397 Theater review A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings Who: Based on a story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Produced by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. Directed by Andrew Kim. Where: 1500 E. Lake Minneapolis. When: Through March 1.

Tickets: 721-2535. Review. Little of the magical realism of Colombian writer Garcia Marquez comes through in this masked telling of his short story. Despite flashes of creativity, it's a far too literal telling that fails to fuel the imagination. By Peter Vaughan Sfar Tribune Staff Writer The magical realism of Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez is barely in evidence in the puppet version of his story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" produced by In the Heart of the Beast.

On the page, Garcia Mdrquez's world is steeped in magic, a blend of harsh reality and improbability that surmounts the possible to become a lyrical journey into the fantastic and, at times, absurd. He creates a world that depends on the reader's imagination and willingness to suspend disbelief in service to characters and situations only barely connected to our practical sensibilities. It is a world suited to the reader, reliant on an individual's ability to accept magic and embrace the fantastic edges of his creations. It is a world not suited to the stage, as Andrew Kim's staging for Heart of the Beast clearly demonstrates. Puppetry depends on illusion and imagination, just as does Garcia Mdrquez's writing, but its images are three-dimensional constructs which appear to audiences as skewed or masked versions of recognizable animals and people.

At least, that's the effect one gets in Heart of the Beast's telling of "A Very Old Man," marked with far too much realism and far too little magic. Garcia MSrquez's short story recounts the arrival of an old man in a seaside village teeming with scurrying crabs and poverty. around which the story can rotate. The vapid script is in stark contrast to this production. Kim Hines directs with energy and a sense of the mystery and allure of baseball.

She also summons fine performances. Brianna Kennedy-Coker shows once again that she is among the best and brightest young actresses in town. Portraying Stone as a child, she paints a portrait teeming with spirit, ambition and guile. Tasha Marie West gives a forceful and convincing performance as Stone as a young adult and Dee A. Wade adds a touch of wisdom in her portrayal of Stone at the end of her life.

Clyde Lund plays a series of white father figures, lending each a distinctive voice and style. J. Nathan Thomas and Edgar L. Davis add strong support in multi- at Heart of has hit label recordings Is compelling. At $8 to $12 for a CD and S5 to $8 for a cassette, most are less expensive than those sold in stores.

Melin said they offer a better value than albums with only a couple of hit tunes, since "you can pick the cream of the crop and put together a really tremendous compilation." Retailers can use the recordings for special promotions: Wondcrbra's collection of holiday favorites, "Naughty or Nice," comes free with a $30 purchase of underwear. The stores can even link their private label music CDs to image-building community-action programs. Eddie Bauer and the Body Shop have sold their own CDs to defend the environment and battered women, respectively. Ralph Lauren's Brodlieb thinks it's only logical that people would buy their music where they shop for suits, sheets and socks. Customers who arc loyal to a particular brand name probably trust Roy McBride Very Old Man becomes a the old man, as weak The Pham, who, a dignity greed and The villagers take him for an angel.

A priest has his doubts and writes to Rome for advice. A couple exhibits him as a circus freak, gets rich on admission fees and builds an immense house. When he loses his novelty, the old man is returned to the chicken coop where he has been kept. On the page, the tale is filled with magic and a cheeky knowledge of the silliness, avarice and predictability of mankind. Little of that message comes through at Heart of the Beast.

Roy McBride narrates bits from the text, including inane references to Minnesota winter and the Mall of America. Intermission Photo by Melissa Gerr narrates Heart of the Beast's "A With Enormous Wings." carnival echoing the hawking of but the telling is flat and listless depictions of the settings still the imaginations of the onlookers. strongest performance is by Luu without words, gives the old man and spirit that lift him above the opportunism of his captors. MUSIC from EL Bop-while-you-shop stores selling fashion, foods the people who created it enough to follow their musical recommendations, she reasons. "Getting a suggestion from somebody who knows your taste is so great," she said.

The trend is expanding into fresh markets with music-and-magazine tie-ins. Windham Hill has teamed with Redbook and the classical label Angel Records joined forces with Cosmopolitan for a series of music compilations designed to expose their catalogs to the magazines' combined circulation of 35 million. The packages are tied together by a theme, such as Redbook's "Tranquility" or Cosmo's "seduction" and "Intimate Evening." Even cigarette companies are joining in. Beginning next month, tobacco giant Philip Morris will push its Virginia Slims brand to young women through a scries of pop, and country CDs by female musicians. Recordings on the company's Woman Thing Music label will come free with the purchase of two packs of the cigarettes at supermarkets and convenience stores.

The just-add-music formula is hardly foolproof, however. Novelist Laura Esquivcl Water for Included a music LOSE WEIGHT WHY PAY MORE? Tickets mjmg. Ml 1151 or www.tlclutmMtar.eom qr Tha O'Shaugtinatty 890-6700 Ni I T.T.J Some companies invest a lot of effort in creating their musical identity. Starbucks employs a corporate music director who se lected performances by Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, Rod Stewart and the Allman Brothers Tor the coffee chain's anthology CD, Peace, Love St Music. Victoria's Secret departed from (he typical practice ot repackaging standards and assembled the London Symphony Orchestra for fresh recordings of its classical pieces.

And the four-CD Ralph Lauren Music Collection includes favorite selections of the designer-in-chief himself. "We didn't choose songs he-cause they were best-sellers. Truly, this is music we have used in our runway shows, in our stores, and songs that Ralph Lauren really likes," said Jennifer Brodlieb, a spokeswoman for PoloRulph Lauren Inc. Its a sound business The business case for private- 'T .1 .1 .1 .1 J. i .1 i..