The San Francisco Examiner from San Francisco, California • 44

lay calendarThe best of tonight and tomorrow E2 S.F. EXAMINER a Oct. 14, 1980 ,1 'a" lecture series of Stage fl Mostly free Tonight me Founaation tor Architectural Heritage begins with a presentation by urban historian Randolph Delehanty I entitled "Up end Down San Francisco: Early and Enduring Patterns." The program begins at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Fireman's Fund Forum, 3333 California St. Call 441-3000 for further information.

S.F. AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS: Kenneth Wilson offers a free lecture, "Arizona Astronomy," 8 p.m. Wednesday, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park. FREE POUTCAL PUPPET SHOW: Height Street Puppet Theater presents "Close Encounters," 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Park branch library, 1833 Page St.

ABALONE ALLIANCE FILMS: "A Tale of Two Cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki," and "Medical implications of Nuclear Technology," 7 p.m. Wednesday, Marina branch library, Chestnut and Webster streets. Free. HOT NOON MEALS: Served daily to senior citizens for a suggested donation of 50 cents, Stonestown YMCA. HEADACHE LECTURE: Dr.

Neil Raskin discusses "Mechanisms for Prevention and Treatment," noon Wednesday, Room 303, Health Sciences West, UC San Francisco. Free. BLACK REALITY, BLACK THOUGHT: Lou Turner presents a recently completed essay, 2 p.m. Wednesday, S.F. State University Student Union.

Free. Classes in "How to Buy Your Own Home," guitar, real estate investment, needlecraft and personal journal writing begin this week at the Central YMCA. 220 Golden Gate Ave. Call 885-0460 for further information. The reptilian creatures of artist Jeff Key are on view Wednesday through Nov.

1. at the Center for the Visual Arts, 1333 Broadway, Oakland. liyillllll' mmm. Mm I 't i i WHOSE LIFE IS IT Laurence Luckinbill and Lucie Arnaz star in Brian Clark's drama, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, about a paralyzed man who wants to die, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Curran Theater.

MY FAIR LADY: Rex Harrison and Cheryl Kennedy star in the Lerner Loewe musical based on George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion," 2 30 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Golden Gate Theater. ACT: William Shakespeare's "Much Ado -About Nothing," directed by Jerry Turner and starring Barbara Dirickson and Mark Murphey aa Beatrice and Benedick, 8 p.m. Wedneaday, Geary Theater. BLEACHER BUMS: A nine-inning comedy about the characters who frequent Wrigley Field, home of the lowly Chicago Cubs, 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, New Zephyr Theater, 596 Mission St. BEACH BLANKET BABYLON GOES TO THE STARS: Steve Silver's kaleidoscopic musical revue, with dialogue by Armietead Maupin, 8 p.m. Wedneaday, Club Fugazi, 878 Green St. COMEDY: Frankly Ajaye headlines at Punch Line, 444-A Battery St, 9 p.m. Wedneaday.

FOOTLIGHT FRENZY: Low Moan Spectacular, the creators and performers of "Bullshot previews a comedy about a has-been impressario who is mounting a shakey theatrical venture, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Marines' Memorial Theater. Doug Johnson directs. COMEDIANS LOUNGE ACT NIGHT: Bobby Slayton acts aa master of ceremonies in a program with Dana Carvey, Jane Dornacker, Jeremy Kramer, Kevin Meany and Tony DePaul, 9:30 p.m. Wedneaday, Other Cafe, 100 Carl St.

LUNCHTIME THEATER: One Act Theater Company of S.F. preaenta Anton Chekhov's "The Tragedienne," starring Bill Oliver, noon Wedneaday, 430 Mason St. BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATER: Bertott Brecht's "Galileo," directed by Michael Leibert and starring Brian Film fell Sfe sa A' Lucie Arnaz tends to her patient, Laurence Luckinbill, in 'Whose Life Is it Anyway? 4 'J. 'You Can't Take it With You," with James Stewart and Jean Arthur, is at the Gateway ACT opens its production of Henrick 'ben's drama, "Ghosts," a new English translation by director Allen Fletcher, at 8 in the Geary Theater. Anne Lawder and Thomas Oglesby star.

Tickets are $5 to $12.50. Calvin Simmons conducts the Oakland Symphony in its season opener at 8 in the Paramount Theater Oakland. The program includes Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25, with pianist Jean-Philippe Collard, excerpts from Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music" and Bartok's "Miraculous Mandarin." Tickets are $4 to $10.25. Two Oscar-winners directed by comedy, opens 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Alcazar Theater. THE JUBILEE MINSTRELS: L.O. Sloan's soulful tribute to Bert Williams and the minstrel era, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Julia Morgan Center, 2640 College Berkeley. WHY DOESNT FATHER COME HOME: A musical based on the long-running melodrama, "The Drunkard," 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Open Theater, 441 Clement St. Thompson and Roberta Callahan, 8 p.m. Wednesday, 2025 Addison Berkeley. ASPARAGUS VALLEY CULTURAL SOCIETY: A vaudevillian revue with music, magic, comedy, juggling and more; written, directed and performed by Penn Jillette, Wier Chrisemer and Teller, 8:30 p.m. Wedneaday, Phoenix Theater, 430 Broadway.

EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE CITY A MUSICAL LOVE LETTER: A revue with original songs and sketches, dancing and Music 1Ma Frank Capra are playing at the Gateway Cinema, 215 Jackson St. "It Happened One Night" (1934), Zero Mostel, a blacklisted comic, tells his troubles to Woody Allen in 'The Front' S.F. INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Satyajit Ray's "The Elephant God" (India), 7 p.m., and James Ivory's "Jane Austen in Manhattan" (USA), 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Palace of Fine Arts. Arturo Ripstein's "El Lugar Sin Limites" (Mexico), 7 p.m.

and Sohrab Shahid Sal ess' "Ordnung" (West Germany), 9:30 p.m. at the Castro Theater. Call 775-2021 for further festival information. PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE: Martin Ritt's "The Front," about TV blacklisting in the McCarthy era, starring Woody Allen snd Zero Mostel, Nancy Flak's "A Good Example" and Emile de Antonio's "Point of Order," Wednesdsy st 2821 Durant Berkeley (642-1412). starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, and "You Can't Take it With You" (1938), with James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore and Ann Miller will be THE BEST OF RAYMOND CHANDLER: Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep" (1946), starring screened.

Call 421-3353 for times Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and "Murder My Sweet" (1945), with Dick Powell, and prices. Wednesday at the Gateway Cinema, 215 Jackson St. (421-3353). SCI-FI: Phil Kaufman's "Invasion of the Body Snstchers" (1979), starring Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright and Leonard Nimoy. 6: 15 and 10 p.m.

Wednesday, Roxie Cinema, 3117 16th St. "The Blob" (1958), the first film with Steve Low. Moan Spectacular, the it4Vr S1 ik Ak I I J' S.F. OPERA: Mozart's "The Magic Flute," in English, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Opera House.

S.F. SYMPHONY: Edo de Waart conduota Gabriell's Sonata XX, Schumann's Symphony for Strings, Stravinsky's "La Sacre du Printemps" and Mozart's "Sinfonia Concertante," 8:30 p.m. Wedneaday, Davies Hall. 1 OAKLAND SYMPHONY: Calvin Simmons conducts works by Mendelssohn, Mozart and Bartok, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Zellerbach Auditorium, UC Berkeley.

Pianist Jean-Philippe Collard is guest soloist. CANTATAS OF J.S. BACH: Lauretta Goldberg in a lecture concert, 8 p.m. Wednesday, S.F. Conservatory of Music.

SUPPER CLUB: Lana Cantrell in Pluah Room at Hotel York, through Sunday. JAZZ: Richie Cole's Alto Madness at Keystone Korner, through Sunday. SUPPER CLUB: Blood, Sweat and Tears appears in the Venetian Room at Fairmont Hotel, Wednesday through Oct. 22. FOLK: John Renbourn and Jacqui McShee, Tony Roberta, Oak, Ash and Thorn at Great American Music Hall, Wednesday.

WHISTLING: Jason Serinus st Mirs's Kabballah Koffee House, Wednesday. FOLK: Lenny Anderson at Mission Blue Cafe, Wednesday. SONG SHOW: Distractions at Chez Pat (formerly Chez Jacques), Wednesday. -SONGWRITERS' JAM: Joshua Bowes, Billy Wisconsin, Ben Bope at Comedy Closet, 1450 Grant Wedneaday. COUNTRY: Eagle Ridge at Paul's Saloon, Wednesday.

CABARET: Tim Collins at Fanny's, Wednesday. ROCK: Beluga Whale at Last Day Saloon, Wednesday. BLUES ROCK: Steam Roller at Mooney's Pub, Wednesday. ROCK: Das Blok, Verbs, Spys at The Paima, Wednesday. ROCK: Psychedelic Furs, Units, Vctms at Old Waldorf, Wednesday.

ROCK: Readymades, AKA, Silhouette, Visitors at Rock City, Wednesday. JAZZ AND SWING: GailForce at Red Chimney, Stonestown, Tuesday through Saturday. ISRAELI: Nimovitz, Taubman, Mercer at Ashkenaz, Berkeley, Wedneaday. ROCK: Nu Modela, Elements of Style, Dangerous Curves at Berkeley Square, Wednesday. PIANO JAZZ: Andrei Kitaev at Larry Blake'a, Berkeley, Wednesday.

ROCK: Trouble Boys and Sweetcheeka at Niles Station, Fremont, Wednesday. COUNTRY: Back in the Saddle at The Cellar, Los Altos, Wednesday. ROCK: Atlanta Rhythm Section at Flint Center, Cupertino, Wednesday. 1 creators of performers of "Bullshot Crummond," returns to Ban Francisco with "Footlight Freniy," about a has-been impressario who is mounting a shaky theatrical venture. The backstage comedy previews at 8:30 in Marines' Memorial Theater.

Call 673-6440 for ticket information. McQueen, 8:20 p.m. TWO BY SAMUEL FULLER: "The Big Red One," a war story starring Lee Marvin, Robert Carradine and Mark Hammill, and "Shock Corridor" (1963), with Peter Breck and Constance Towers, Wednesday at the C. Theater, 2036 University Berkeley (843- 6267). MYSTERIES: "Double Indemnity" (1944), with Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Edward G.

Robinson in Raymond Chandler's adaptation of James M. Cain's novel, directed by Billy Wilder, and 'The Glass Key" (1942), Dashiell Hammett'a tale, starring Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, Brian Donlevy and William Bendix, Wednesday at the Richelieu Cinema, 1075 Geary St. (771-5200). Pop music highlights: B-52 rock ETHNOGRAPHIC FILM SERIES: A program of short films themed "Africa," with a variety in UC Berkeley's Zellerbach of footage on that continent's music and dance, will be presented at 8 p.m. Wednesday, in the San Rafael High School Auditorium.

The program will be repeated at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Randall Junior Museum. Auditorium; Lana Cantrell opens in the Hotel York's Plush Room; Richie Cole's Alto Madness takes the DOCUMENTARIES: Michael Anderson's "Midwife" and "All My Babiea," a 1953 film about Miss Mary, a midwife in Georgia, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Olney Hall, College of Marin, Kentfield. STRAND: Pier Paolo Paaolini's "Salo" and Derek Jarman's "Sebastiane," Wednesday at stage at Keystone Korner; Rastaf arians, Good Samaritans and Sponges play Rock City.

Jason Serinus warbles at Mira's Kabballah Koffee House 1 127 Market St. (552-5990). II I III .11.. WMIWMMlpMpyt, ,41 111! jtiiiiiilii i in ii in i urn mWS. First of 2 parts known came late, years after her own dancing had ended.

Audiences now must seek the rich, performing power of Martha Graham's dancing through the shadow of herself that hovers over the dancers who inherit the famous roles. During an interview with Graham, I asked her about modern dance as it had evolved since she started teaching in 1919 if she thought the interchangeability of several disciplines important to the training of a dancer? "Yes," she answered, "I think it's very important And, of course, in dance, there are no other terms except action terms, which you do find in ballet modern dance hasnt yet got to that point "Dance, when it came in as 'modern a dreadful term but we got saddled with it was a catalytic agent It charged everything, set fire to certain things. It was a great to many people who are supreme classicists. I always remember Mrs. Isaacs, the editorfounder of Theatre Arts Monthly, who said that modern dance was the unspanked baby of the American stage, which it was at that time I'm not sure we're completely out of that period yet' MERGE CUNNINGHAM There is little in the Graham patterns of exercises and movements that resembles the techniques of Merce Cunningham who, from 194045, was a young soloist with the Martha Graham company before going on to form his own group with experimental composer John Cage as musical director.

A Graham class starts on the floor and the body is wanned up through a number of exercises that develop the focal Graham dynamic of contraction and release. With Cunningham, we always begin in a standing position, even during the first moments of the class, and the initial focus revolves around making our spines malleable There is a peripherial similarity between his pulsating spine and Graham's contraction-release since both utilize a fluid spine; but. the physical beginnings in the body are entirely different In addition, the motor dynamic of a Graham contraction-release is a force that is used often to express an emotional connotation, while the pulsating spine Cunningham works with is Just that a pulsating, fluid spine that is the physical center of the body. Cunningham is an attentive, purposeful teacher who makes the work seem simple: We have muscles, bones, a head, torso, spine, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes and we move them separately, together, in an infinite variety of combinations. It seems easy, until he demonstrates a combination for the students to copy.

They do, but what he does with ease and grace they do laboriously and awkwardly. It takes time to develop strength and control over our bodies, something that many of us in the class must still do, but there is something else. Somehow, the unique personality of each individual is revealed through his or her own moving body. Technique provides the discipline and form to mask the barest idiosyncracies, but the essence of a person's spirit gives an individual quality to the physical presence. Sometimes a personality transforms itself, through dance, into a form of beauty.

Cunningham is one of these people, and it is very much in evidence as he carefully demonstrates the simplest patterns to his students. During the 1960's and 70s, Merce Cunningham was acknowledged as the major influence in American contemporary dance. He spearheaded the avant-garde movement and many young dancers are still influenced by his ideas on both movement and aesthetics. Over the years, he also has collaborated with many contemporary composers, musicians, painters, sculptors and designers. Collaboration is an overall term that defines a working relationship that is usually an association of two or more people working together on one project The Implication is that they work together to create one idea.

In a loose sense, this is what happens when Cunningham works with his collaborators on one of his dance pieces. But -instead of defining the parts dance, music, set, costumes, lighting as one, Merce chooses his collaborators, sets some specific elements like the length or the mood of the dance and then each person works out. his or her own individual vision. Finally, at dress rehearsal, the parts are brought together and what emerges can be strikingly cohesive, as in the dances "Rain Forest" and "Summerspace." Surprise is a recurring element in Cunningham's, work. Movement patterns, staging and concept are totally unpredictable from the audience's point of view; partly, I think, because of the choreographer's own puckish sense of humor and partly because of his use of chance jn plotting the dances.

Eventually, after seeing the company dance on different occasions, I move away from associating the dance pieces with anything other than their own An evening of Cunningham dancing is hard work because there is no story line, no characterization, no sequential pattern or movement as a handle for bringing the dance work into an aspect of associative meaning. The technique of the dancers is obviously important to the complexity of their movements; but, unlike the classical ballet, the dancers do not exploit their technique- as a thrilling feat to the accompaniment of beautifully melodic, rhythmic music. No, the Cunningham work is its own poetry that frees the imaginative experience and extends it beyond a verbal experience through the force of our basic kinesthetic sense. Excerpted from the book, "The Dance by Elinor Rogosin Graham and her company In 'Primitive Myttertoa' Betty Ford. "She was my teacher and helped shape my life The press ran to Martha Graham and she responded with candor and grace.

"It's always nice to be remembered in that way and it is unique that a woman so much in the news has said that she studied with me. Very few are so gracious. Part of the training of a dancer is to meet a situation with courage and complete honesty." Through this unusual set of circumstances, Martha Graham became a familiar name to the public, though people generally remained unaware of the nature of her work. And there was irony in her popularity. The greatest outpouring of recognition and support that she had ever How does the doyenne of modern dance, Martha Graham, translate into motion her feeling that "you have so little time to be born to the instant?" How does a Graham class differ from Metre Cunningham 's and what makes surprise a recurring element in his work? Behind the recent and astonishing resurgence of dance in America are its gifted choreographers.

Author Elinor Rogosin, herself a former dancer, looks at several of the greats from Graham and Cunningham to the zany, talked-about Tv-yla Tharp and that powerful original Alvin Alley. First of a fascinating, tuopart series excerpeted from the book, "The Dance Makers." A small woman, elegantly gowned in black and goW, stands dramatically alone on an empty stage. She waits, motionless as a votive figurine, until the thunderous sound of applause subsides, before smiling and nodding her head in gracious acknowledgment Then, in her low, melodious voice, Martha Graham begins the lecture that the opening-night audience at the Mark Hellinger Theatre expects as a special introduction to the spring 1974 season of the Martha Graham Dance Company. Sitting regally in a chair at the edge of the stage, Graham starts the evening by scolding the audience as she might chide students in a classroom. Theater was a verb before it was a noun.

It was an act before it was a building." Everyone is attentive, and obviously captivated by her words and by her performance, which bristles with the authority of a superb theatrical instinct Martha Graham speaks fluently, with notes and without an instant's hesitation. Her words and thoughts are iUumined by a poetic sensibility and her imaginative, searching mind constantly seeks confrontations with every aspect of life Obliquely, she refers to the immediate cause of the audience's overwhelming reception: "Relinquishing dance was a great sorrow and great bitterness. When you've geared your life to dance, your body wants to go on, but time has a curious way of saying, This far and no The statement is made simply, without The effect has a tragic dimension. We in the listen and share with her the devastating power and finality of time and age. Behind the astonishing renaissance of aesthetics and techniques that dance in America has undergone in the past few decades are the choreographers, the men and women who make the dances we see today.

Perhaps none of them is more renowned for strong personal style and intense creativity than Martha Graham. In 1973 when, at age 80, she pulled herself back over the edge of ill health to reassert control of her dance company and to choreograph once again, she unwittingly set in motion an extraordianary epilogue to her life's work. At first, support for her appearances and for her company came from the faithful dance audiences. But when Gerald Forrf succeeded to the presidency in 1974 Graham, through the first lady's attentions, became a nationally-known figure. "She (Graham) is my very, very favorite person, one of the outstanding women of the world," said Marmaduke Erma Bombeck that chair would have been a fire or possibly a cab offering me a ride to the bedroom.

At that moment I looked at my husband and our eyes met in one of those rare moments of understanding. "He Ii going out at this time of night? THafi ridiculous! What can kidt possibly do at this hourr "If you cant remember, you won't understand tt when I tell you," I said. "We never started out that late even when we were dating! Did we?" "Are you kidding? I was 23 before I ever saw my mother dressed. She was in night clothes when I went to school and by the time I got home, she was in her bathrobe again." "That's ridiculous. Why do we bother furnishing mem with a bed? We could Just get out of ours and they could crawl in." "You want them to store their wet towels on the floor?" Tm serious.

You cant tell me restaurants arent open at four or tlx." "Do you remember the last time you took me to dinner at six? They were still serving lunch. You know the trouble with us? We cant figure out how they stay awake." Our ton came through, showered, fresh, smelling wonderful, full of zip. "Don't get up," he motioned. "Catch you later. Bye, Mom, Dad." My hushxnd sighed, "How do YOU speQ relief?" We recited in unison, "B-Y-E MOM and D-A-TT A case of bad timing It has been 20 years since children first entered my life, and in an that time, not once have our bodies been on the same time cycle.

When I was on wash, iron, shop, cook and run, they were on penna-sleep and off. When I was on sleep and frhatmUon, they were on spm-arouixi-thecrih, damp, dry and flH. I have never understood that How can you live with someone an those yean and never adapt to their days and nighta? When I was awake, the baby was asleep. When I went to bed, the baby woke up. My husband never understood It either.

He'd ask, "Whafi the matter with that kMr and I'd explain, "Birth lag." The other night, the phone rang at 10 o'clock. My husband and I had been asleep in our chain since 7:30. (We always like a nap 10 we wont go to bed exhausted) The call was for one of the children inquiring what the plans were for the evening. My Wood sugar dropped Just thinking about it The only thing that could possibly have gotten me out of rt fiL "I started carrying him when he was a WVJ HI IU MO 9Ap7Vi9 II..