Page 57 - Phoenix1998-99

FEATURES Thursday, November 5, 1998 - Page 9 H oroscopes Van den Berg fosters her theatrical muse on the Hill A Naughty November 8Y SARAH RADICE Scorpio (10/24 - 11/22) Features Editor It's your month, Scorpio. You might get laid! (Even "The word above all is truly though nobody likes you.) magical, not only by its meaning but by its artful manipulation" Sagittarius (11/23 - 12121) -Anna Devears Smith, Fires in the Mirror Last time, I warned you to choose wisely between hot monkey love and a grilled cheese sandwich. For Elizabeth van den Berg, WMC's those of you who now have the clap, don't say I didn't new assistant professor of theater warn you. art~, b~ings to the ~ho?l a fervent belief m both the magIc of words and the power released in bringing Capricorn (12122 - 1120) them to life through theater. What are you doing reading this, Capricorn? It's Hal- Van den Berg is an experienced loween! Put on your ski mask costume and go trick or actress, director and voice/dialect treating at the liquor store. coach, She credits her talents to a natural "ear for the formation of sound," complemented by an inter- Aquarius (1/21 - 2119) national upbringing. You will find the secrets of life while eating space Her father's job working for the "Voice of America" necessitated a cake and watching Teletubbies this week. Twenty min- to Mo- utes later, you'll forget the secrets, but you will know move from San Francisco Van den rocco when she was five. the entire episode of Teletubbies verbatim. Berg then bounced to the Philip- pines, Greece. Switzerland, and Pisces (2/30 - 3120) Beirut. She first became involved in theater in the American Commu- Trick or treat. Smell my feet. Eew, your feet smell COURTESY OF in the TV show "Homicide" like fish. nity School. van den Berg returned Elizabeth van den Berg has appeared "My Fellow Americans," and "Contact," including Finally, several movies to the United States and entered the "Ddhn"den Berg came to the Hill shocking ... but Itry to be honest and Aries (3/21 - 4119) San Francisco State University, in 1992 as an adjunct instructor, and tell [students] the truth," says van where she started out as a music was promoted this year to assistant den Berg. Some people call you a space cowboy, Aries. Some major ("I wanted to be a folk singer professor in order to accommodate Van den Berg loves to teach, a people are not very creative. ala Joni Mitchell," she laughs) but the growing enrollment fO.rtheater trait she attributes to her mother, a soon changed it to theater. classes. former elementary school teacher. Taurus (4120- 5/20) After graduation, she worked" She is also a memberofWMC's "Acting is thrilling, scary, briefly as a receptioni~t in an insur- Theater on the Hill, working as a moving.cgood acting can take you You notice how these horoscopes are getting shorter? ance firm before bolting to New voice/dialect coach, actress and di- places in the imagination nothing Well, Taurus, you suave individual, I could write a book York to pursue her fortune as an rector, else can ..J love to see it when a stu- about what a wonderful immediate future is in store for actress. Van den Berg teaches voice dent "gets it" and starts acting," you. Oh, wait. That's Leo. 'They were actually offering me classes at UMBC, and has taught says the married mother of two. a promotion," van den Berg remem- at the Studio Theater Acting Con- Van den Berg can articulate and the National Gemini (5/21 - 6120) bers, "and at first I was ...ready to servatory of Dramatic Art, Conser- in many reasons why she loves the then I thought .. .1don't both theater: say yes.but the feeling of community, vatory Knock knock. "Who's there?" Boo. "Boo who?" like being an underwriter, dressing D.C. the adrenaline rush of getting out Don't cry, Gemini. We all wish we could be Leos. up, being in an office .. .so Isaid no." Van den Berg believes that hon- on the stage, the fact that each per- After working in various pro- esty is the best teaching aide. "No formance is something new, the ductions, van den Berg was ac- matter how good a scene is, I'll al- conviction that art is a force for Cancer (6/22 -7/23) cepted to New York University's ways find something in it that can change in the 'world. If your last name is Suzuki, you're probably Japa- Tisch School of Arts in Acting, be improved," she says. Ultimately, the words that van nese. If you're a Cancer, you could be pretty much graduating with a Master of Fine Her major teaching influences den Berg values so highly are in- anything. Except a Leo. Arts. are Olympia Dukakis and Joy adequate to express her love: the "They almost didn't lake me," Zinneman. Zinneman in particular moments of joy and sadness the she explains, "because they -only instilled within her the value of theater produces are Leo (7/24 - 8123) trained actors and I wanted to be a honesty in instruction. "indescribable .. .ir's not really Well, Leo, what can I say? You're long overdue for a teacher." Fellow students at Tisch "She may tell you the scene something you can describe to any- beatdown from irate Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer folks. included Eriq LaSalle of "ER" and you're in is a piece of crap but then one." But she continues to try to But you're still a Leo! Tony Kushner, author of "Angels in she'll tell' you why and how to kindle this "indescribable" feeling America." make it better .. J try not to be as in her students at WMC. Virgo (8/24 - 9123) Skip class at least once to go to the Aquarium. Write Where does all the money gO? a poem about it. Then cry because you missed a big test. little fo<;>dfor thought listing ways in which money is waste Libra (9/24 - 10/23) Value if saved and Wasn't it E-40 who said, ''Them sick-wid-it Libras Annual Cost invested at 8% for 20 years get the cash mon-eee." You'll find a quarter in your uying frozen dinners $1,680 $84,711 belly button this week. nstead of cooking wo 60¢ cans of beer per day $438 $22,085 xtra cable TV channels for $186 $9,378 month 3 weekly for lottery tickets $156 $7,866 by Matthew Thomas Duree: Countdown to a Thousand Dollars b