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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1987)
Just entertainment Revolting women share limelight There's a revolution going on at the New Rose Theatre , and you shouldn t miss it! B Y SANDRA D E HELEN his One Thin# I Do, written by T Claire Braz-Valentine in collabora tion with director Michael Griggs brings to life two of the greatest political activists in U.S. history: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Most of us have at least heard of Susan B. — wasn't she the one who took an axe to taverns way back when? And, maybe she was a suffragist or something, and oh, yeah, she was on some coin that didn’t work out. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were fast friends and collabo rators for more than fifty years. They were both outraged at the injustice of women’s suppression from the moment they recog nized it as very young girls. They met when Susan heard Elizabeth speak for wo men’s equality at an Anti-slavery Anni versary in Syracuse, New York. At that point Susan left the temperance movement (where she had made her mark) for the women’s movement. Their history together was a long and wonderful one, with one central, burning theme. Equality for women (of which the vote was one small part). Elizabeth was married to abolitionist Henry Stanton. They had seven children. Susan never married, so was free to travel the country delivering the “ thunderbolts” forged by Elizabeth. At times, Elizabeth also travelled and spoke, bringing her children along. This One Thing I Do breathes life into the sluggish women’s movement today. Here are Elizabeth and Susan B. larger than life, speaking again the words that fired our great-grandmothers into action. To see them, feel their energy (I know they are “ only” actors, but / felt the presence of Susan and Elizabeth), to see their tears of passion and sorrow, is to feel what they felt and to wonder at the absolute fact that women still do not have equal rights under the Constitution. Kathleen Worley is Susan; Diane Olson is Elizabeth. Both women are perfectly cast, and as mentioned, absolutely repre sent their characters. The entire cast does a fine job. Joel Applegate stepped in five days before pre view to substitute for ailing Sam A. Mowry. He plays Henry Stanton and gives a long impassioned closing argument to Susan’s jury, as Councillor Selden. Plaudits for Joel. Michael Griggs is to be commended for adopting a policy (we hope it’s a policy) of casting based on skill rather than color. As ethnic minorities have been saying all along, the audiences will accept Black (Chicano/Asian/Arabian) actors in “ white” roles— if you’ll only put them onstage. D ia n e O lson as Elizabeth C a d y Stanton, Kevin Leinbach as Arthur Brenton a n d Kathleen W orley as Susan B. Anthony in This One Thing I Do at New Rose Theater. Susan L. Bonde’s costumes work wonderfully — they’re designed for quick change and transition from one scene to another. The fabrics are lush and the de- signs correct for the periods covered. The set design by Jeff Seats is also de Lesbian play to premier in Portland V T ‘ BY Mr Holly with JOHN BUCCHINO ANO^ • Cm With Willi TRET FU R E and CARRIE BARTON Arlene Schnitzer Auditorium Friday, May 8 • 8 pm Tickets $12.50 Reserved Available at the Civic Auditorium Box Office. G.l. Joes. Jean Machine at the Galleria and A Women s Place Bookstore Charge by phone 248-4496. Just Out. fß. It's a not necessarily-politically-correct-lesbian- feminist-mystery-farce ’ says the playwright . Ej W E S T L A K E istorically, musical comedies with large casts offered simple story lines with at least one or two romantic sub-plots. As society became a little more sophisticated, the sub-plots of boy-meets-girl evolved into boy-meets- boy or girl-meets-girl, but often it was a very under-played sub-sub-plot. Or worse, innuendoes were carefully placed within the text so that only those who “ spoke the language” spotted the possible J.O .: But don’t you miss working with gay or lesbian character. A new play will men/ change all that. It’s called a “ not-necessar- P .: Who sent this woman to ask these silly il\-politicallv-correct-lesbian-feminist- questions? mystery-farce.” Sounds pretty incredible J.O .: Some people seem to feel that com to me, but a mystery with a lesbian cast edy is not an art form to be taken seriously. will be presented at Portland State at the What are your feelings on that? end of this month. P.: Hey, I’ve been studying this stuff for a When I finally got the playwright on the long time and comic theory is no laughing phone (and, by the way, she’s nearly im matter. It’s a very serious art form. possible to get ahold of) I was able to ask J.O .: Well, we’ve been having this inter her a few questions about her play, The view for a few minutes now and I have to Foofy, Open-Toed Shoe. know — who are you, anyway? P.: I’m you, you nit! You’re talking to Just Out: What exactly is a “ not-necessar- yourself again. ily-politicallv-correct-lesbian-feminist- mystery-farce"? The Foofy, Open-Toed Shoe, by Ej Playwright: It’s twenty women frantically Westlake plays May 28,29, and 30 at 8:00 running around Portland looking for a per p.m. in the studio theatre, Lincoln Hall at formance space. That’s a farce, all right. Portland State University. The play is un J.O .: Don’t you feel the absence of male der the direction of Karen Thurow and is a characters is discriminatory to male actors? WACKO (Womyn’s Acting Company and P.: No. Komedy Organization) production, J.O .: Is the cast really made up entirely of co-sponsored by the PSU Lesbian Alliance. women? Admission is on a sliding scale. For more P.: There’s a dog in it, too. information call 236-5717. • H THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC H A LL PRESENTS signed for scene flow and simultaneous scenes — and is just right! Ditto for the lighting by Jeff Forbes. The last time Susan B. Anthony came to Portland was in 1905. You probably missed it. Please don’t miss her this time. •