Page 68 - ThePhoenix1995-96

On The Hill Thursday, November 16,1995, Page 8 A closer look at: 'Man Mountain' Richard Kortum George Stephanopoulos. preparing for classes and writing a novel Kortum is enjoying his stay. SARAH E. SHECKEI..LS SwjJWriler But after a year in England, it was back to called Black & Blue: Brushes with the "I do like Western Maryland and its You might find him in the basement of Big Duke again for Kortum, who received a degree in Law, which he is three-quarters finished. rural setting. small town environment, and Baker, teaching philosophy, or perhaps lounging Philosophy and Fine An, specializing in figure "I call [the book] a sort-of cops and small liberal arts [status). Ionly wish that outside on a fall afternoon, strumming his guitar. drawing, painting, and ceramics. He graduated robbers meets St. Augustine's 'Confes- there were some higher, rugged mountains Or you may catch him reminiscing about those summa cum laude with nearly a 4.0 G.P.A. sions' ," said Kortum. "It is a way to re- next door to climb, but cornfields and cows years when he traveled the country, when he was So, what was next on Kortum's unpredict- count some of my many (mis)adventures are fine," said Kortum with a smile. "The known as "Man Mountain." able agenda? - and addresses the private lives of public rolling hills are lovely." Dr. Richard Kortum, originally from He went to the University of Southern Cali- citizens." Kortum says that a small liberal arts Rockville, MD, arrived at WMC this year, teach- fornia in LosAngeles on a William Keck Fellow- Despite such a busy schedule, Kortum college is ideal because it gives him a ing two undergraduate courses, one graduate ship to study philosophy, but dissatisfied, he left still has time to write philosophy articles chance to do different things without be- course, and, to add 10 his busy schedule, two after a year of postgraduate work. for journals. Although he hopes to finish ing overly confined. evening classes a week at Villa Julie College near '" love 10 teach because I get excited Baltimore. by it and can't help sharing it," he said. To say that Kortum has led a fulllife would "The world of ideas is tremendously ex- be a huge understatement. citing and to participate in it is an extraor- In 1971, Kortum was a freshman walk-on dinary thing." forthe basketball team at Duke University in North Kortum believes that students should Carolina But after a year of engineering smdies, take advantage of the college experience he left and went on what he calls a "walkabout." while they are young and not hesitate to For a student who was at thetop of his class, challenge things. captain of three varsity sports teams, student body "Who' am, what I am, and what I'm president, and a congressional intern on Capitol about is why I am here [at WMCl. My Hill in high school, Kortum's departure from col- purpose is to start people on fire with their lege was a bit surprising. own thoughts," said Kortum. "So, 1 want '1realized I needed to find out things on my as many students as possible to come own," said Kortum. "So, Ispent the next five years, through my philosophy classes and for bushwhacking my own way." them to develop skills and creative capaci- Kortum's adventures included traveling ties." across the US. on spare change and being nick- Whether sitting in the quad with his named ''Man Mountain" after encountering the guitar, teaching students, or working on Sierra Mountains. He found his way through some original composition, Kortum seems Central America, and lived for six months in a to be close 10 the college community al- Mayan Indian village in the highlands of Guate- ready. mala '" would love to slay at WMC because "[I lived] in a one-room adobe hut in the Receiving a graduate school offer from writing his book this summer, he has made Ienjoy the atmosphere and would like very shadow of smoking volcanoes-no cars, no elec- Oxford in the fall of 1987, Kortum ac- plans to travel to Nepal ana. to do research much t6 become part of this community," tricity, no running water;' said Kortum. "[It was] cepted because he said it was the top place in Vietnam for his next novel. he concluded. just the way I like it!" ... in the world in his specialization, the phi- "[The book] focuses on the idea of he- If you've got the time, ask him to pitch Eventually, his travels led him to the Oak: losophy of language. While at Oxford, roes and how one's enemies have heroes you a baseball with either hand (he's got a Grove School, a small private school in the moun- Kortum became captain of the varsity bas- 100," said Kortum. "I think it is a very patented ambidextrous glove), or to describe tains of southern California, where he taught for ketball team, eventually taking his team to powerful story." As far as WMC goes, the scene from ~he rooftop of a Mexican jail. .. five years with a world-renowned Zen master. two consecutive British National Champi- 'Pippin' has 'magic todo'forWMC After his "vagabonding" years, Kortum onships and to victory against Cam- found himself back on campus at Duke studying bridge-the same school that he played for philosophy and studio art. However, he was there a decade before. ing lxn his underwear, Keough says that he blocks for only two years when he got "antsy" again and Kortum lived in and around Oxford for RY SARA B.:TII R.;YDURN everything out so completely "I don't even know SwfflVriler decided to take a leave of absence to study in En- the next six and a half years, studying and Want to support the Western Maryland the- that I'm on stage." gland at Queens' College, Cambridge University. teaching logic and philosophy to under- atre department and enjoy a nice show at the same "Pippin does what all of us do;' Keough says There, Kortum read philosophy and resumed graduates at two of Oxford's colleges. In time? Then go see the current production Pippin. of his character. "But he does it to an extreme, his basketball career. In fact, when Cambridge May of 1994, he was awarded what Ox- Written by Roger O. Hirson and Stephen trying different things in an attempt to find what beat Oxford in the annual Varsity Match for the ford calls a "D. Phil," the equivalent of a Schwartz, the play depicts the coming-of-age of he wants." first time in history, Kortum scored the winning doctor of philosophy in the U.S. Pippin, the son of King Charlemagne. Amidst Both McFaul and Keough are freshman at point. The opponent guarding him, he recalled, Being back in the states for over a exotic costumes, elaborate dance and song num- WMC, making their debuts in a college produc- was current chief advisor to President Clinton, year, Kortum has spent most of his time bers, and numerous sex scenes, is the story of a uon. WMC alum returns as Tri-Beta speaker young rnan striving to find the meaning of life. renee Douce, Katie Brown, and Joanna Lajewski. ROo Amongtheotheroutstandingplayersare CorieMcFaul stars as the leading player who guides the audience through the production. Douce is perfectly cast as the sultry, seductive degree in dentistry and has since become Mcfaul uses her beautiful voice to invite the au- Fastrada, Pippin's stepmother. Brown is sweet By AARON CORIIETT dience into the play and proves herself to be a and appealing as the widowed nurse with whom SwffWriler a paradontist. The Tri-Beta club invited alumnus Dr. His work at preserving teeth has also very capable actress. Pippin falls in love. Lajewski steals the show as Dale Welch to do a motivational and informa- led to a vast knowledge of caring for teeth. Ryan Keough, as Pippin, appears to enjoy Pippin's grandmother, Berthe, who still gels tional speech on November 2. His message Dr. Welch has found that, "being a doctor is himself on stage, while impressing the audience around. She makes the audience laugh, and even invited students to bring cutting-edge thinking like being a professional observer." The most with his strong, sweet voice. His portrayal of the sing along. Clearly, her scene is a major highlight of this production of Pippin. skills to their studies and field of expertise. interesting observation he shared was on the young innocent prince is keen and enjoyable. Dr. Welch left WMC as an average stu- topic of caring for teeth. He explained the Keough has been acting in plays and musi- Overall, Pippin is highly entertaining and dent realizing that he wasn't going to at- dangers of excessing in any modern form of cals since he was seven years old but admits that well worth paying five dollars to see. The set and tend the most competitive graduate schools mouth wash or .teeth whitening. He reported Pippin is a "different experience because it is a costumes are visually appealing, although some in the country. However, he discovered at that mouth wash in extensive overuse can coUege production and I've never done a college costumes and scenes are rather promiscuous. 'The cast works well together, both in acting and in-the the University of Miami that he would have lead to cancerous lesions. He also discour- production before." He describes his co-workers to excel in everything he did and set his aged the practice of baking soda and perox- as a "really talented cast." Pippin is the biggest song and dance numbers, considering the produc- own competitive goals. He attempted a, ide as it does not have any scholarly re- lead part Keough has had and admits that it is "a tion has only been in rehearsal since September. degree in microbiology but found that the search to support it. His advice: "Nothing is lot of hard work but it's also a lot of fun," Atone There are a few elements, mainly the special ef- world of scientific research was greedy. a cure-all; use [these things] in moderation." point in the action, Pippin swings out over the fects, in the play which obviously owe credit to Western Maryland alumni, Scon Gmeki. These He warns that there are people to watch As a professional in the true sense of the audience while still singing. That song is particu- out for as you venture into the world. word, Dr. Welch feels he has trained to do the larly difficult because he is singing while dancing effects add to the mysteriousness and grandeur of Although he learned a tough lesson, work he does and has found success and ex- all over the stage. Keough says that after each the finale. he found success at the University of citement in it. He wished everyone attending' performance he is physically exhausted. When Pippin continues its run in Alumni Hall on Maryland where he receive his masters the curse of education would "think." asked how he feels about being on stage in noth- November 16, 17, and 18.