o c to b e r & 2 ûOO ' j H s t M t | 3 5
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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