Students Try to Revive Cookin'

Students are again trying to rekindle the fire under Cookin'--the campus wide nightclub for students--but are waiting for a grant from any one of several campus organizations before they start up.

Students say they are planning to reopen the nightclub in Cabot House sometime in mid-March. The club--which could also host events at other locations besides Cabot--would feature student jazz, folk and rock bands Thursday and Friday nights every other week, said club organizer Joel L. Kurtzberg '91.

The nightclub, which first started in Cabot House in 1983, shut down its operations last year because of a University policy that prohibited students from charging admission to house events at which alcohol was served.

Because Cookin' organizers were unable to break even without charging guests, the project was abandoned, according to club organizers last year.

This year the club will have fewer events with alcohol and will thus be able to charge admission at most shows, explained Kurtzberg.

While Kurtzberg admitted the lack of alcohol could hurt attendance, he emphasized that this year's organizers wanted Cookin' to be "more of a show than a party." The new organizer stressed that the focus of the club would be to promote the arts and display student talent.

Though admission will be charged at most of the club events, Cookin's future is is still contingent on outside funding, Kurtzberg added.

"We hope to get enough money to be self-sufficient," he said. The group is applying to the Undergraduate Council, the Office for the Arts, and other organizations for grants, Kurtzberg said.

Plans are also being made for the nightclub to host several special events, such as a "battle of the bands" and a "contest of comedians," Kurtzberg said, with winners to be featured at Quadfest.