jus« o u t T d o co m b o r 1 9 , 1 9 9 7 T 1 3
local news
The show will go on
hen Anna Ellendman thinks
about the music created by long
time folk/pop performers Cris
Williamson and Tret Fure, one
Promotion of the ‘gay lifestyle ’ becomes an issue
description immediately comes
to mind—excellence.
regarding a lesbian duofs Corvallis concert date
“Their work is of such high quality and has
T
been for so many years,” says Ellendman, trea
surer and concert coordinator for the Corvallis
by Inga Sorensen
Folklore Society, a nonprofit arts organization
situated in a city often touted as one of Oregon’s
more progressive and cultural enclaves.
Given Williamson’s and Fure’s professional
accomplishments—the two have worked singly
and together on more than a dozen albums and
attracted sell-out audiences for several years—
the Corvallis Folklore Society was more than
delighted to book the duo for an upcoming con
cert.
“Quite simply, they’re wonderful,” says
Ellendman, adding that the society books be
tween 20 and 30 concerts annually featuring a
wide array of music and performers.
She can recall no occasion where a performer
was turned away—until now, that is.
“Our first reaction was shock, then it was
embarrassment for our community,” she says.
Williamson and Fure, who not only perform
together but are also life partners, had tentatively
been slated to perform on March 6 in the 402-seat
theater of the Ashbrook Independent School, a
non-religious college preparatory school in
Corvallis.
According to Mike Meyer, a member of the
Corvallis Folklore Society and producer of this
concert, the facility, which can be rented for
public performances, “is absolutely beautiful with Cris Williamson and Tret Fure
state-of-the-art acoustics.”
He says rental negotiations were moving
avoid entertainment that blatantly ridicules or
Tam Martin has served as the duo’s booking
smoothly until school officials balked at concert
endorses gay lifestyles. We are not concerned
agent and artistic representative for 16 years.
promotional materials which mentioned that
with the sexual orientation of the renters, we are
She says contrary to Gore’s take on the situa
Williamson and Fure are “life partners.”
concerned only with the intent to use the school as
tion, Williamson and Fure were in no way going
“I was asked to remove that wording. I said
a platform for promotion of a sexual orientation.” to “promote” homosexuality while at Ashbrook.
no,” he tells Just Out.
Promotional materials sent to Ashbrook from
“They were going to perform a collection of
Meyer says he then requested to see the school’s
Meyer comprised detailed professional biogra
their hits over the years— that’s all,” she says.
rental policy, which was drafted as a result of this
phies of Williamson and Fure.
“Sure they are partners, and they’re certainly not
incident.
A few personal tidbits are included in those
going to hide that fact, but they’re also not going
In a letter to Meyer dated Nov. 30, school
bios, among them mention that when “Cris is not
to be up on stage recruiting.”
headmaster Dave Gore writes, in part: “You
singing or writing, she’s teaching songwriting
Meyer, meanwhile, calls this “a clear case of
expressed.. .an interest in our policy towards rental
and leading healing workshops. Otherwise, you’ll
discrimination [because] the application was de
of the school premises, and so I have enclosed a
find her with Tret.. .in their garden.” And “When
nied on the basis of [the duo’s] sexual orienta
copy. The proposed use by Cris and Tret appears
[Fure’s] not crisscrossing this country promoting
tion.”
to fall under the unacceptable listing No. 2 in that
a new release, building a barn, writing or garden
He is particularly disgusted with the rental
it would use the school as a platform for promo
ing, you’re likely to find her cooking something
policy crafted in response to the incident.
tion of a sexual orientation. We arrived at this
gourmet—for Cris.”
He proceeded (as an individual, not a society
conclusion after you stressed to us the importance
Gore declined to speak with Just Out, but he is
representative) to file a complaint with the city
of the sexual orientation information used in their
quoted in a Dec. 6 Associated Press report as
maintaining that the school violated Corvallis’ 4-
promotional materials.”
saying, “Our feeling was if their sexual orienta year-old ordinance which bars discrimination in
That policy read, in part, “School is not the
tion were just an incidental thing, not something
housing, employment or public accommodations
place to promote or publicly attack sexual
central to their performance, they wouldn’t mind
based on race, religion, age, disability, marital
lifestyles. If the Anti-Gay Alliance or Oregon
having it deleted. If it is something that’s central
status, sexual orientation or source of income.
Citizens Alliance wants to promote their views in
to their performance, there was a question as to
Prudence Miles, the city ombudsperson, says
our theater, we will not rent it to them. We also
whether this is family-style entertainment.”
Meyer may very well have a case.
W
PEARL COURT APARTMENTS
Now Leasing. Brand-new. Studios, 1 & 2 bedrooms.
Expansive courtyard, free bicycle storage, library, conference room.
Residential lounge & great room. Access-controlled building
Income restrictions apply.
920 Northwest
222-1999
According to Miles, while Ashbrook may be a
private school, it is making its facilities available
for nonschool-related activities, and thus its ac
tions become subject to public laws.
She says she is working with the concerned
parties to hammer out a resolution before the
matter gets more sticky than it already is.
With respect to finding a resolution, the
Corvallis Folklore Society’s Ellendman says three
points must first be met: “We want the school to
come into compliance with the law. It should also
make an information sheet available to potential
renters outlining a nondiscrimination policy—
and, when the policy is changed, we want the
school to make sure the public is aware of the fact
[Ashbrook] is in compliance with the nondis
crimination ordinance.”
According to Ellendman, since the uncomfort
able unfold ing of events, Ashbrook has offered its
theater back to the society at a reduced rental rate
and with no required censorship of promotional
materials.
Despite the offer, Meyer says the concert will
likely occur at a different venue.
Miles, meanwhile, says she is conducting some
“shuttle diplomacy” in an effort to seek resolve.
However, she says when she spoke with Gore,
he “didn’t really seem to get it.”
Miles says Gore made the argument that the
policy was equitable because it barred anti-gay
rhetoric, as well as promotion of sexual orienta
tion.
“I tried to explain that if you’re going to allow
[renters] to be blatantly heterosexual, you must
allow them to be openly gay, too,” she says,
adding that Ashbrook has since scrapped its rental
policy and suspended renting its theater while it
creates a new, nondiscriminatory policy.
“I think we’ll be able to work it out in this
way,” says Miles, who calls this “the first glaring
case” involving the nondiscrimination ordinance
since the measure’s implementation a few years
back.
“1 think it’s important to point out in most
places this wouldn’t be an issue because discrimi
nation like this wouldn’t be illegal,” she says.
“Having this on the books can make a big differ
ence.”
For their part, performers Williamson and
Fure, who live in Marcola, Ore., offered comment
regarding the brouhaha through Martin.
“Cris and Tret applaud the Corvallis Folklore
Society for standing up for human rights,” she
says. “They also say this scenario proves that gay
and lesbian rights continue to be an issue here in
Oregon.”
At press time, Williamson and Fure were
tentatively scheduled to perform on Saturday,
Feb. 28, at the Majestic Theatre in downtown
Corvallis. For more information, call Mike
Meyer at (541) 758-3243.
ROSENBAUM & ASSOCIATES
A u to B ro k e rs
B u y o r L e a s e a ll V e h ic le s
a t F l e e t P r ic e s
New & Used
No Hassle, Personal Service
All Rebates & Warranties Apply
Trades & Factory Orders Welcome
Jean Rosenbaum
Ed McMahon
503-297-5250
Licensed & Bonded Motor Vehicle Dealer