New Group Aims To Aid, Coordinate Arts Efforts In City

Judy Riecker, a pastTresident of the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, is interim chairman of the Ann Arbor Council on Performing Arts, a new group aiming to coordínate and aid local groups in dance, theatre and music. Robert H. Luscombe, assistant to the dean for University School of Music relations, i is interim vice-president of I the council, which already has held one meeting to desígnate its aims. Ann Cooper is ad hoc corresponding s ecretary and ot-l } I I ' ■ Dwight Stevenson, a former vice-president of C i v i c Theatre, is treasurer. Luscombe is chairman of the bylaws committee and Michael Harrah, producer of the Ann Arbor Junior Light Opera, is chairman of the goals committee. Groups which have expressed interest in the council are the Ann Arbor Dance Theatre, Black Theatre, Civic Ballet, Ann Arbor Symphony, Junior Light Opera, Our Own Thing and the Civic Theatre. Asexplainedby Mrs Riecker and Luscombe, the council will aim at distributing knowledge among the groups so they all can benefit from a coordinated effort. It also will attempt coordinating performance and rehearsal requirements so that optimum use can be made of the available facilities, which are at a premium. Another project which the council is considering is the establishment of a central ticket office, where ticket buyers can obtain tickets to j performances of any one of kl the groups. ' The council further will disI cuss with the groups some I ways in which they can I become financially solvent, I leading to stronger arts I organizations in the area. ■ - In its long-range planning, the qouncil may try to obtain a theatre building, which could be used by all the groups, The Post Office, branch on Main St, which soon may be abandoned by the government, might be obtained for such a purpose. Other people with arts connections who attended the first meeting of the council, which will hold more meetings before September, were Willis Patterson, director of the University Glee Club; Nicholas Jacquor, Cathenne Spingler, Richard A. English, Rusty Schumacher and Selmaj L Odom of the Ann Arbor Dance Theatre; Emil A.l Holz, Ann Arbor Symphony conductor; Douglas V .1 Doane; Nancy Carroll Abbey;l Reid Klein, who has directedl Civic Theatre productions, I and Marnie Powers.