UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 6
October 10, 1996
Full slate of events for Trabant Center opening

     Aweek of light-hearted special events, some with nationally
known comedians, are planned from Oct. 19-26 for University
students and the public in celebration of the official opening of
the new E. Arthur Trabant University Center.
     The special week between Homecoming and Parents Weekend has
been set aside to welcome new students, returning students,
faculty, staff, alumni, parents, families and the surrounding
community to the Trabant University Center and all it has to
offer.
     All events are free and open to the public and will be held
in the center, which combines the beauty of a renovated structure
from 1868 with a modern building containing a neon-lit Gallery
and Food Court, a Campus Shop, a flexible and large multipurpose
room, a restaurant run by the University's Hotel, Restaurant and
Institutional Management Program, program space for a variety of
student functions, a state of-the-art movie theatre, student
organization offices and conference rooms.
     Guests at the opening events are eligible to win an all-
expenses-paid vacation for two, and a set of Amtrak tickets,
compliments of the new University Travel Services and Ambassador
Travel office located in the center. The winners will be
announced at the final activity at midnight, Oct. 26.
     The festivities begin on Saturday, Oct. 19, when comedian
and actor David Chappelle, who starred in this summer's smash
comedy hit The Nutty Professor, performs at 8 p.m. in the
Multipurpose Room. Chappelle also has appeared in the movie Robin
Hood: Men in Tights and has performed on The Arsenio Hall Show
and on HBO's Comic Relief. His appearance is cosponsored by the
Cultural Programming Advisory Board.
     On Monday, Oct. 21, also at 8 p.m., in the Multipurpose
Room, the Delaware Undergraduate Student Congress and the
Resident Student Association will host their own version of the
MTV hit game show, Singled-Out. Brave audience members may
qualify as contestants for this version known as Single-Way-Out.
     The Philadelphia-based comedy improv group Comedy Sportz
returns to UD on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 8:30 p.m. in the
Multipurpose Room. During the performance, two comedy teams
compete with each other for audience laughs, hosted by a referee.
The fun-for-all event includes audience participation and
improvisation.
     On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the "Generation X or Not" film series
will screen Dazed and Confused at 7 p.m. in the Trabant Center
Theatre. The film explores the lives of students in the decade of
disco-the '70s. Free compact discs of the music from the movie
will be given away, sponsored in part by Rainbow Records. The
"Generation X or Not" series, which explores students and young
adults from the '50s to the '90s, runs through Nov. 20.
     Local band Gingham Shmuz, with UD alumna Jill Janota as one
of the lead singers, will make its on-campus debut on Thursday,
Oct. 24. The concert begins at 8:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose
Room.
     America's zaniest radio personality Doctor Demento, who
helped make popular such songs as "Fish Heads" and "Pencil Neck
Geek," will appear Friday, Oct. 25, at a 9 p.m. program in the
Multipurpose Room. Earlier in the day he will make a guest
appearance on campus radio station WVUD (91.3 FM). This event is
presented by the Student Center Programs Advisory Board.
     Concluding the week on Saturday, Oct. 26, is a Comedy
Showcase of two of the hottest touring comics, A.J. Jamal and
Rodney Johnson, in a return appearance at UD. Both appeared on
the campus last year. The evening will begin at 8 p.m. in the
Multipurpose Room.
     After the comedy act, local author and storyteller Ed
Okonowicz, an editor at the University, will close the week with
a program on "UD Ghosts and Graveyard Tales." Okonowicz will spin
tales appropriate for the week before Halloween from 11 p.m. to
midnight in Daugherty Lounge.
     Throughout the week, special lunch-time activities will be
offered, including an appearance on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
by Paul Kleba of Personacards, who makes personalized greeting
cards for all occasions while you wait. On Thursday and Friday,
those visiting the center can have caricatures drawn.
     Throughout the week, all visitors can pick up free pens,
magnets, key chains, candy and more. Specials also will be
offered in the Campus Shop, the Copy Center and the Food Court
areas.
     All activities are sponsored by the Trabant Center's
Activities and Programs Office. For more information, call UD1-HENS.
                                                     -Beth Thomas