> A&E Snippets

The lights dim and the actors take their places. Jim Taylor, played by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee alumnus Joe Fransee, and his theatre company stand before a funding committee asking for money to finance their play in “Louisiana Purchase.”

When asked for a performance of the play by the committee, Jim begins assigning roles in a hurry and the cast launches into a pseudo impromptu performance of the play-within-a-play.

An intimate crowd of about 45 people, mostly familiar campus faces, flocked to the Miramar Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 24, for an intimate concert by the jazz combo made up of keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo, collectively known by “The Duo.”

While most of their recent fame is attributed to their string of shows featuring Phish’s bassist Mike Gordon, to fully appreciate The Duo, they should be seen without a bassist.

What: David Lehman talk

When: Thursday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m.

The “Out of Fashion” runway show brought its art exhibit to a close in the Union Ballroom on Friday, Sept. 16. More than a dozen designers showcased their work, which ran from simplistic statements of alternative dressing to haute couture-esque gowns and everything in between.

The most successful designs seemed to be those closer to body sculpturing than those that tried to mock more traditional high fashion patterns.