The Times from Munster, Indiana • 73

THE TIMES Sunday, September 3, 1989 F-5 Televisiontheater You'll find this "Ima' a tasty delight indeed "Greater Tuna" by Ration Will, lams, Joe Sear and Ed Howard. Directed by Ed Howard. Produced by Charles H. Duggan. Set design by Kevin Rupnik.

Lighting by John Curcio. Costumes by Linda Fisher. Presented at the Halsted Theater Centre, 2700 N. Halsted Chicago, lor an open ended run. Performances are at 8 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday; 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday; 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday, and 2 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are Call (312) 3484110.

CAST Brent Briscoe.as 11 characters. John Hawktsas 10 characters. By RICHARD SHERMAN Tun Correspondent This is the third "Greater Tuna" production I've seen and while the script is the same, the feeling has been essentially different in each one. A regional production was excellently folksy with a boy-girl team effectively playing the 21 characters. A prior professional production played it raggedly and though it burst as much corn as possible, many of the kernels were left heated but unpopped.

The Halsted Theatre production uses two talented actors who have logged much time elsewhere with "Tuna." The humor is very much there, but somehow the mean-spirited and spiteful essence really comes to the fore. The show evolved from Jaston Williams' and Joe Sears' radio shtick. 'Tuna" is the mythical third smallest town in Texas. Framed within the hub of the local 250 watt radio station OKKK, we see vignettes of some of its notables and its not-so-leading family, the Bumillers. Deep in the hearts of these Texans we find thoughts and actions racy enough for the supermarket tabloids.

Brent Briscoe plays an assortment of townspeople, with Bertha Bumiller reigning as one of his longest presentations. It's sort of a rural Benny Hill in drag affair with Briscoe bringing a definite snap to this feisty matron and mother of three youngsters all played by John Hawkes. Among the trio are a half-witted youngster who collects stray dogs, a frustrated Charlene who never becomes a cheerleader, and a diabolic juvenile delinquent. Hawkes also makes numerous appearances nerdy environmentalist Petey Fisk. The characters' tightly woven incidents and town doings make 3- T' Brent Briscoe as Pearl Burras and John up a plot of sorts and though these characters are out to offend, naturally they are often the butt of their own jokes.

wn-ir ir i ww i tmrfktvm, 3 yrjj 1 1 nmrmm mit' -wlrr w-rmriir tmrmmmr-mt I 'if I It's a funny show with some hard biting right wing, countri- fied humor and you'll probably laugh in spite of yourself. Area native's key to acting success is keeping himself busy of roles In the comedy "Greater of over-studied shuffling in his various exits. None of the charac- ters seem to be plucking with all their guitar strings rightly strung, intense character to broad comedy in "Let it Ride." That's probably being the best part of being an actor is just going from one extreme to another. I like always changing jobs," he explained. Another feature he likes about his profession is the people with whom he works.

"In 'Let it I got to work with Richard Dreyfuss. I think he's wonderful and a terrific actor who is totally committed to what he is doing. He's got a great energy and really wonderful to watch work. Richard wouldn't intrude on another actor's work, but he was always there. He's that kind of an actor.

"There were a lot of wonderful actors and we had a good time down in Miami. David Johansen who is a very funny man who plays Richard's close buddy. He plays a character named "Looney" which I thought that was quite appropriate. Teri Garr, Ellen Garfield are in it. And, Cynthia Nixon a wonderful actress who plays my girlfriend." Despite just coming off the if Vi VA to Wiminnu.

By RICHARD SHERMAN Times Correspondent '1 guess the wish of any character actor is to always be working," Ralph Seymour explained on a gloomy day in Los Angeles. The 1974 Thornton Fractional South High School graduate has a new movie released and he just finished filming the opening episode of the "Empty Nest" television series. "I play an owner of a bad diner that one of characters The former Calumet City and Lansing resident has appeared in "Empire of the Sun," "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," "Backroads," "Meatballs IT and "Fletch." Seymour said, "In "Rain Man' I play Tom's (Cruise's) partner in the car deal which is falling apart and that's why he seeks out his brother (Dustin Hoffman). I think the best thing with that picture was that they didn't come up with a false ending even though it's easy to do to send people out of the theater happy." His current film release is "Let it Ride" in which he plays Sid Hawkes as Vera Carp play a variety The quick changes are effective and some are short of examples of miraculous timing. One of Hawkes' weaknesses is his variety ing jobs, cleaning apartments, "and washing dishes for a wonderful restaurant down in the Village that was a speakeasy one time.

I was fortunate to land a role on Broadway within a year a half." He played Alan Strang for a year in Peter Shaffer's "Equus." "They were going to close the show at that point and I was auditioning for the bus and truck company. At the last minute, they decided the play had a little more life. I got to work with Tony Perkins and then did it in Chicago with Ken Howard. It was great experience and a nice way to start. It was ironic growing up and leaving Chicago to go to New York to work in the theatre." Seymour left for Hollywood in 1979.

and appeared as a regular called Al "Kingfish" Sorrentino which lasted for only 13 episodes. He was planning to return to New York and the last minute decided to stay. Among his steady work is appearing as Roy Cohn in the serious play "McCarthy." In effect he went from playing an opera plot mieres Tuesday, Sept. 12. The opening show is Thumbelina." KENNEDY 6735 Kennedy Hessville 844-9769 The Rocking Chair Theatre $3.00 WS'UfSfWS HOMY, I SHRUNK TW KIDS ote-Rwp Ratolt In TUMMY TR0UKE The Ultimate in Seating Luxury SPECIAL PLAIN POPCORN POP $1.00 PARENTHOOD IP6-13)(0olby THX) Daily Sat-Sim-Mon LOCK UP (R)(Dolby) Daily Sat-Sun-Mon FIELD OF DREAMS (PGUDoltrv) Dally 20 Sat-Sun-Mon CHEETAH (GKDolby) Sat-Sun-Mon Only RUDE AWAKENING (R)(Dolby) Dally 00 THE RIGHT THING (RWDolby SR) Dally Sat-Sun-Mon WIRED (RWOoibyl Daily Sat-Sun-Mon NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST.

(A) Dally Sat-Sun-Mon THE ABYSS (P6-13)(Dolt)y)on 2 ktmik) Daily (M-9 40 Sat-Sun-Mon IATMAN (PG-13)(Ooiby) Dally Sat-Sun-Mon CAGE (RHDolby) Dally Sat-Sun-Mon CASUALTIES OF WAR Dally Sat-Sun-Mon 45 TURNER AND HOOCH (PG) Dally Sat-Sun-Mon DOUBLE FEATURE STAR TREK 5 (PG)(Dolby) Dally 7:10 Sat-Sqn. Mon INDIANA JONES AN0 THE LAST CRUSA0E PG-13)(Dolby) Daily 9:40 Sat-Sun-Mon Actress researched storyline for soap Booten who is one of the losers in the local bar. "It's a Runyonesque story about a man who goes to the track one day. He gets little tips in nefarious ways and parlays that into a great day at the track from the losers to the Jockey Club. Nobody ends up as a loser in this movies.

It's a very funny picture." Seymour is the middle of five children. His parents still live in Lansing. At 33, he doesn't have family yet. The acting bug bit him fairly early. "I started acting the summer before I entered high school.

I decided to take a summer school course just to find out whether I liked it or not. I had a wonderful teacher R. J. Phillips who ran a wonderful program for years. I really enjoyed that summer, so in the fall I auditioned for 'Odd Seymour said, laugh, ing at the memory of 14-year-olds doing that show.

He did one play after another, and decided by his junior year that it was definitely what he was going to do. "After high school, I went right Bell has gone through a lot of trauma in her time on "The Young and the Restless." Her character's mother has AIDS and earlier this year she learned her fiance is actually her brother and his father is actually her father. Bell, whose own father is the boss of the top-rated soap opera, has been with the show full time for the past two years. She made her first appearance at 9 and at 13 began making regular appearances as Cricket whenever she had time off from school. "The audience liked it because they'd never seen someone so young grow up on a show before," said Bell.

"I became a teen model for the cosmetics company that's the focus of the show. The children of viewers could watch me and get tips on makeup. The message was don't overdo your makeup, but I didn't buy that myself. I went through the makeup phase, too." Her father is William J. Bell, who is executive producer and co-creator with her mother, Lee Phillip Bell.

They're also the creators of CBS's The Bold and the Beautiful." One brother, Bradley, is a writer for "The Bold and The Beautiful." Another brother, Billy, is in charge of finances for both shows. Lauralee still lives at home with her parents. In fact, all of the family lives in a large compound in the Hollywood Hills. The Bells moved here only a few years ago after writing and pro DEAD POETS SOCIETY Sun. 5:00 8:00 8:00 No one under 12 admitted intensity of playing in "McCarthy," about the dark so-called Communist threatening dema-goguery period of the recent past, Seymour still cherishes his role in "Equus" as an important career high point "It was the first professional job and the idea that what I had chosen to do had become real and, in a way, I was validated.

Also, it is one of the best plays in the last 20 years." On the tube he has been seen in "Winnie," "L.A. Law," "Amazing Stories," "Maximum Security," "Mr. Roberts," "Hill Street. Blues," "St. Elsewhere," "Archie Bunker's Place," "21 Jump Street" and "Crime Story." In addition to acting, Seymour produced a play last season and would like to produce more.

But, you may not see Ralph Seymour in live theater in Chicago for quite a while. "I'm not really itching to tour because I can work in the theater here or in New York, but to go out on the road, I don't think I could do that right now. I don't like living out of a suitcase." 11 Newsoaoer in S.E. Suburban Chicago RALPH SEYMOUR into a summer stock company in Decatur, 111. One of the actors was from New York and in the fall, I got in my car and went to New York." Seymour had a short struggle, but kept himself alive doing mov ducing the show from Chicago.

"It was great that my father was the producer. But you have to work twice as hard," Lauralee says. "People expect you to come in and be this obnoxious. little thing. I never complained about my work schedule, I never complained about my hair or makeup.

I worked hard to prove myself. I don't run to my father and I don't carry tales. My parents never come on the set when I'm working." Elsewhere in television: STORYBOOK HOST Danny Glover will be the host of the third season of Showtime's "Storybook Classics," which pre- RIVER RUN WiJJ 1S62f T0RKNCE 0TRIVER OAKS 895-0052 IFTUUWUrONII(R) IDiKTUSS(R) WHEN HARRY MET SAUY (R) MIUENNIUM (P6-1J) THE PAOU6E (R) 57:4045 UNCLE HICK (TG) SEX, UfSt HrjNIY I SHRUNK THE UBS (K) CHEETAH (GJI2J0 S3 he- dlseontlnuad $350 unS 6ffl) WaeUn CrtiWwn undw 5nol adrwttaii IHr6 put 1 7:45 CASUALTIES OF WAR (R) 8:45 CAQE(R) 730 MOHTMARE ON ELM St (R) 9:15 RELENTLESS 3 ISO BATMAN (PO) 9:45 LETHAL WEAPON I (R) General Cinema I BARGAIN ALL LOS ANGELES (AP) Actress Lauralee Bell visited rape treatment centers and talked to counselors before starting a summer-long story about date rape on the CBS daytime serial "The Young and the Restless." The story followed the rape of her character, fashion model Cricket Blair, by her boyfriend played by Ken Olandt, and his subsequent trial. "We've just finished the trial and the jury was about to turn him loose when my brother found another girl he had raped on a college campus," said Bell, 20. "The judge allowed us to bring in the new witness.

I just got a script where I tell the college officials that if they'd listened to her I wouldn't have been raped." The trial ended last month with his conviction on a charge of Bell went to the Los Angeles Commission on Violence Against Women and treatment centers, where she talked to rape victims and counselors. 'This is a good story to do in the summer when a lot of students are home," said Bell. "The people I talked to said the incidence of date rape on college campuses is going up and up. I was just on a personal appearance in Oklahoma where two women told me they had friends who reported rapes after seeing our show." She said the boyfriend in the show gave little indication that he would attack her. "He was the handsome All-American boy," she said.

"He was always looking after me. You'd never suspect. The only sign was that he was a touchy-feely kind of person. "We've stressed that you should learn about a person. And when you go on a date set your limits right away.

We've tried to make it realistic so girls will know what to expect if it should happen to them." "The Young and the Restless," the top-rated daytime soap opera, does a major story aimed at young people every summer. In past years they've done stories on alcoholism, teen-age pregnancy and AIDS. When your student goes away to school this fall, send a friend TIMES. There's no better way to keep your student in touch with news on the home front than with The TIMES. By providing a more complete report on regional, national and international news, The TIMES keeps students attuned to today's vital issues.

With 1 sports reporting- from prep coverage of your student's alma mater to the college and pro scene, plus youth happenings in Friday's Breakaway section, your student will feel that much closer to home. And you can enjoy the savings of 50 off the regular mail subscription rate. Simple call 933-3333 (Toll Free 1-800-228-9357), Illinois: 312-891-0243 and send a friend to college with your student this TIMES. Be Informed First MATINEES-EVERYDAY V2 AA SHOWINGS BEFORE Mel Gibson LETHAL WEAPON II (R) MCHrMARE ONELMSTV(R) CHtTTAH Ml IWHW HAMT Mil UU.T B) FIELD Of DREAMS (R) MIUINNUM (PO-13) tHl PAOCAOI R) 20-7309 40 530 7 do-iao AITU (PO-UI iflo-4 ao-Vioo-aas CASUAU1IS Of WAI (R) WIMD IR) 2-0O9 INDIANA JON IS (PO-UJ rTlMES 2 CALUMET i ADULTS ONLY I ON BIG SCREEN NOT VIDEO I 1 o. FIRST RUN ADULT MOVIES TomHvks TURNER It HOOCH (PO) John Candy UNCLE BUCK(PG) 1 i aw 30 BATMAN 1 (PO-13) ijyham The N.W.

Indiana.