The State from Columbia, South Carolina • 55

COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA Theater Trustus theater puts controversy on stage in No Play5 Despite the title the play is the straightforward story of a North Carolina family indie 1940s The father Rawl Creeks wants to move north to escape overt racism land a factory job and make a better life for daughters Matoka 11 and Joyce 17 His wife Mattie clings to her roots especially to her Aunt Cora a ghostlike presence in the play who never speaks only hums Yaveni Aaronson a Jewish man researching how racist signs affect African-Americans makes friends with RawL The play refers to terrible tilings but it is not graphic and has an almost nostalgic tone For the younger cast members the title and subject matter especially violence against black women has to be handled care- SEE NO PLAYPAGE E6 By JEFFREY DAY Staff Writer During its i 5-year history Trustus theater has produced many plays about tough topics AIDS racism homosexuality war Its next offering is controversial just because of the title: "No Niggers No Jews No The title is based on a sign playwright John Hemy Redwood says he saw in the South Such a sign plays a role in the show the primary challenge that we face in marketing this pfy is the title itself" said Laurens Wilson Trustus marketing "It is a title that will instantly attract some patrons because they are intrigued It will also instantly repel some because they are Like the playwright Trustus organizers have taken to calling it The No The theater has received only one call anonymous criticizing the decision to pep form a play with such a title Mischievous monkey still teaching kids lessons Zuri Wilson plays older daughter Joyce and Marilyn Matheus portrays her mother in No Play' By WILLIAM STARR Staff Writer SEVEN BOOKS 25 million copies and 60 years later the most inquisitive monkey is as incorrigible as ever Curious George has been getting into trouble since 1941 but the irresistibly charming little aided by the ubiquitous man with the yellow hat always comes out unscathed smiling and ready for a new adventure Millions of readers have shared George's monkeyshines The Curious George books never have gone out of print and the monkey has become one of the best-known and most-loved figures of literature Mary youngsters have been introduced to Curious George at home others may have had a teacher like Carolyn Williams whose affection for George found its way into her first-grade classroom At St John Neumann Catholic School in Northeast Richland Williams uses the Curious George books as a learning tooL "George is so inquisitive and we want to foster curiosity in the children to show them that learning new things is not only important but fun Of course George gets into trouble time after time but everything turns out happy and the children need to know that" Williams said She begins by reading die youngsters the Curious George stories "They love every one of and when done the first-graders make puppets and begin a series of activities related to SEE GEORGE PAGE EG Television Most curious 5 RENEE ITTNER-MCMANUWTHE STATE JASON CUWVTHE STATE SEE RATINGS PAGE E6 to draw viewers We talked with WACH general manager Scott McBride WIS station manager Jeff Hoffman WLTX general manager Rich O'Dell and WOLO general manger Chris Bailey about key areas of that strategy SEE DRAW PAGE E6 Back row from left: Mel Stebbins Dawn Mercer Ken Aucoin David Stanton Judi Gatson and Jeff Hoffman Front row from left Ben Tanner Susan Aude Steve Crocker and Rick Henry Its rivals are rising news stands tallest in ratings newscasts multipart special reports focusing on issues from crime in the city to senior health care During sweeps months in February May and November networks roll out the specials and local news stations turn up the heat on reporting Nationally though most of the networks are treating February 2002 with some disdain noting that the Winter Olympics on NBC and the Super Bowl on Fox are going to skew the ratings Anyone who thought WIS was in danger of losing its top position in the Columbia television news market had better think again Despite some increased competition from its rivals WIS continues to lead the TV news wars in the Midlands And that battle for viewers will escalate as the February sweeps period unfolds The Midlands audience can expect to see on local Strategies aim ByDOUGNYE Teievltian Editor A LL FOUR OF commercial stations counter 1 competition from the other stations from cable channels from home video and the Internet with a strategy to keep viewers coming back St John Neumann Catholic School teacher Carolyn Williams quizzes her first-graders about aCurioua GrorwTSSL1 She started incorporating the inquisitive little simian into her lesson plans five years ago.