by Stacey Mleczko
Staff Writer
Beckman Auditorium at the California Institute of Technology opened its doors to an audience prepared for laughs on March 21 and 23.
Eight p.m. marked the curtain call as the Pasadena theater hosted “The College of Comedy” with Alan King. As community members filled the stadium seats, four popular comedians took the stage.
Bill Maher, television personality on ABC’s “Politically Incorrect,” Rita Rudner, stand-up comedian featured on “The Tonight Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” Comic Relief and author of “Naked Beneath My Clothes,”and 30-year veteran nightclub performer and film star, Shecky Greene, were three of the nine entertainers contributing to the comedic event.
They were asked to appear at the auditorium for the taping of a PBS series devoted to performing arts called Great Performances. The Caltech presents catalog advertises the show’s history. It states that the producer of the show, WNET 13 New York has to date, broadcast more than 600 segments of Great Performances on music, dance, drama and artistic profiles.
Caltech Presents is currently operating in its 36th year. Its mission statement strives to “offer audiences a gateway to cultures and entertainment from around the globe.” Upcoming events are plentiful in diversity and number.
Students looking for quality entertainment or maybe the perfect first date atmosphere should inquire about the next comedy/theater show featuring Second Hand. The next show features a network of three entertainers who utilize their physical being in conjunction with costumes and props to form and express their humor. The New York Times critiques the artists, “Suburb, even spell-binding control.” The show begins at 8 p.m. on April 7 at the auditorium in Pasadena. Tickets for this spectacular event range between $22 and $14 each.
To mix things up a little, Caltech plays host to four Scottish musicians who make up the Battlefield Band. They make their debut at Beckman Auditorium on April 15 at 8 p.m.
A $17 to $25 admission fee will capture Celtic spirit, intertwined with bagpipes, guitar, cittern, synthesizer, fiddle and good old Scottish vocals.
Lonely kid brothers and sisters of busy, self-consumed ULV students would love to encounter the educational scientific principals of gravity and leverage, simple machines and human imagination in a presentation by Garry Krinsky in his critically acclaimed show, “Toying with Science.” Treat a younger sibling to some quality time Saturday April 29 at 2 p.m. Adults cost $10 and children cost $5, for admission
The Lowell Sun raves about the series, “Krinsky’s show is bright, fun-filled, and audience interactive. And learning a thing or two didn’t hurt either.”
Last, but not least, Caltech Presents reintroduces veteran performers in their much anticipated 10th annual appearance at Beckman Auditorium. Capitol Steps, coming to Pasadena in May, uses political satire and song parodies to amuse the audience and lighten serious governmental issues and staffers through humors. Seating will cost between $24 and $32 per person.
All tickets are available through TicketMaster, online at http://tickets.caltech.edu and through the Caltech ticket office at 1(800) 225-8324.
The Beckman Auditorium is located off the 210 freeway on Michigan Ave south of Del Mar Boulevard.
