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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 2000)
o c to b e r & 2 ûOO ' j H s t M t | 3 5 ----------------------------- ▼ BULGARIAN Winging it muro « Along came a spider, and WYMPROV! was born by a M ary A nn P eterson H ere’s how it all started. Debby M artin played a frog; Sally Sheklow played a spider. It was around 1973, and the women were in a play for children at the University o f Oregon. Fast-forward about 18 years to 1991. Vicki Silvers invited Sheklow and Enid Lefton to join a comedy improv work shop that was so much fun, the group o f friends decided to meet on a regular basis and play— kind o f like Parcheesi night, only different. During this sam e time, Martin saw Sheklow perform The Sound of Lesbians, a com plete rewrite o f The Sound of Music. A s M artin watched the show, she recognized Sheklow “as the woman who was the spider!” Inspired to do theater again, M artin was brought into the games. These four lesbians have entertained Eugene audiences as W YM PRO V ! for nearly 10 years now. Originally playing for gay and lesbian crowds, From top: Vicki their popularity has spread to Enid Lefton include people o f just about every age, political belief and background. “ I think one o f the neat things about improv is that the audience is with you,” Martin says. All the women beam when talking about their experience on stage. “ It’s so fun to really take in the appreciation, the laughter and joy people are experiencing,” Sheklow enthuses. M artin adds: “We could spend eight hours a day on W Y M P R O V ! T h a t would he no problem .” Interestingly enough, the basic components o f improv, Lefton explains, only have improved the other parts o f their lives. “Saying yes, sup porting one another— there are no mistakes. It has really helped us in our business discussions.” They just attended the first National Funny Women’s Fest, where participants had a chance to bounce off each other with comedy and improv jams. “ It was really neat to go to Chicago, which is like the home o f improv, and have the best teachers in the country,” Martin explains. Although the women have enjoyed success as performers, they’re primarily self-taught. After getting a glimpse o f other improv groups attending the conference, they cam e to the conclusion that being an out lesbian group helped them survive, because it freed them from falling into stereotypical w om en’s roles. The W YM PROV! members seem to have found a sort o f old happily married groove, which has brought forth growth, creativity, trust and friendship. For all the wisecracks, spontaneous play and laughter, they attribute their longevity to their amazing understanding of each other. “We had to get to a place where we realized what our roles were— individually what was important to us— and to honor that. And get over it! I think that has been the most amazing thing for four people to be able to do,” Silvers says. Sheklow adds: “ I think it is a challenge to have four really strong personalities who are all stage hogs. W e’ve found our cooperative bal- uh & SUX. OCT. 15 ALADDIN THEATER a TICKETS AT Till: Al.AHIlIV ItO\ IlITII E TI E SAT HUM I.I’M \ AIJ. TIIK ET S A S TEK NUTLETS Oil III.IK KE ItT PIUIXE »»I HIM» THÜR. NOV. 2 Sun. Nov. 12 Silvers, Debby M artin, Sally Sheklow and IT. JOHNS PUB T IC K E T S AT ALL FASTIXX O U T LE T S. CHARGE BY PHONE 22 4 TIXX J Aladdin Theater Tickets at the Aladdin Box Office Tue-Sat 10am-6pm & all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone 224-4400 ance. In improv, you jump out of the window, trusting that the other people are going to be there with a net.” W hat are their future goals.7 “ Be the enter tainment on an Olivia cruise,” Sheklow says without hesitation. “We’ve also talked about having an ongoing summer camp, Camp Laugh- a-Lot.” It would he similar to a women’s music festival, except the focus would he comedy. Another item high on their wish list is to have their own theater. It would be a space to lead classes and workshops, share with other commu nity groups and, of course, give performances. When and if this ever happens, they are at least ready with a name: the Lesbian International Church of Music and Entertainment—or Lie Me. O n a contemplative note, for being a bunch o f cutups, they do seem wise. From the past 10 years o f playing and performing together they have come away with perhaps a little more than they expected. Silvers has learned to “take it as it comes and roll with it.” “ Improv is an offer,” Lefton explains. “Life has offers all the time; you just have to take those offers.” Martin thinks it has given her a freer, more open approach to ideas. Finally, Sheklow imparts her greatest insight from her W YM PRO V! experience: “ I learned that a small elevator cannot carry all four o f us.’ ' i n Don't miss W YM PROV! & FRIENDS: A H uge E xtravaganza of T remendously F unny W omen at 7 p m. Oct. 17 in Corvallis. Joining them at the Majestic Theatre, 115 S.W. Second S t., will be the Hamazons, Carol Steinel and Jennifer Self. Tickets are $15 at the door or in advance from Mother Kali’s in Eugene or G rass roots Books or Rice’s Pharmacy in Corvallis. F re d M e y e r M ary A nn PETERSON is a Eugene free-lance writer. CH ARC f H II C K I I 2 2 4 JIHH