ocioher 6.2000 » Coventry based on the prescribed program and protocol set forth in its stated purpose and bylaws. Troen does N O T follow these stated rules. A segment of each church service is for the lighting of our “wellness and liberation candle” by a single speaker reflecting on enlightening points of our spiritual journey as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and straight people. The Rev. Roy Cole does N O T then invite “everyone to say some words on the subject.” Troen stands; he does not “sit quietly” during this part of the service. The candle he insists on lighting is not a prescribed part of the church service. Christ left us one instruction: “to love one another.” Perhaps Troen should consider that his abusive oppression of the church’s congrega­ tion feeds the refusal and rejection he severely complains about. R ich K ibbons Portland Poison pen To the E ditor : Steffen Silvis should have left well enough alone and not responded with his “Equal Time” [Sept. 15], because he obviously hurt his credi­ bility even more. Why does he care who gets funding for their theaters and who doesn’t? Seems to me that should be up to the indi­ vidual boards— and only them. Maybe he is jeal­ ous because he really wants to have his own the­ ater company. He’s a critic; that’s his job. Period. As far as his attacks on triangle productions! owner/director Don Horn go, he needs to get over it. This theater company is a business. Horn is not a stupid man; I believe he has a master’s degree in business. He’s going to pro­ duce entertainment that fills the seats; thus, in turn, he stays in business! Sometimes nudity and language, in the right context or not, will attract an audience. It’s too had Silvis doesn’t understand that fact. Being part of the “queer community,” I, for one, appre­ ciate Horn’s hard work and endless hours at the theater to put on mostly gay works— something Portland desperately needed. W hat really buries Silvis’ defense is when he calls residents of Gresham “slumming” and Port­ landers “ignorant” when they come to Horn’s theater. He should know most gay men, and the straight community for that matter, have taste and know what they like. They are not force-fed anything, as Silvis implies. 1 have seen many outstanding plays and musicals at Theater! Theatre! Among them were Forbidden Broadway and Blood Brothers. And for Silvis to knock the acting is hilari­ ous. Just this year, a superb actress named Kellie Johnston won the Drammy for triangle’s pro­ duction of Blood Brothers. 1 don’t see him up there on stage. O f course, he probably wouldn’t “fill the seats.” And really, the large grants triangle receives benefit us all. They now can produce more work, and we can pick and choose what we want to see and what we don’t. Silvis wants to cut off the theater’s nose to spite its face! Cycle (V Works M O R E LA N D V ETERINA RY HOSPITAL 1 ^ Dogs • Cats • Reptiles Pocket Pets J eff M atteson Quality Care f o r you r variety o f pets. Portland Get over it To the E ditor : “Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot That it do singe yourself.” — William Shakespeare I am a triangle productions! season ticket holder. I never read reviews— not anybody’s. I have been to stinkers and good performances there. 1 never let a critic be my guide to good enter­ tainment. I let the performance speak for itself. Hear! Hear! I enjoy lowbrow entertainment. Life is low­ brow. I often find the highest ideals expressed in the lowest places. Don Horn’s shows have given us many laughs. I don’t think it is avant-garde, just fun and periodically very moving. Although I agree Steffen Silvis’ calling of grant funders as well Mark Zusman’s approval were inappropriate, I have found that in life, some people will give themselves a hernia trying to overhear and meddle in other people’s busi­ ness. It’s going to happen. No one else can be the arbiter of their morals. This is the nature of voyeurism, muck­ raking and gossip. If triangle productions! has contacted the granting organizations and the relationship is still amicable, what more could be wanted? If triangle’s funding is a concern for other theater companies, triangle productions! cannot be held responsible for any demoralization they might or might not be experiencing. Perhaps some low­ brow entertainment will serve to hook more grant money and boost those other theaters’ ticket sales. R obert B ru n o, D V M Prof e lu v ia l Service K ay L. B ru n o, D V M Com fortable Bikeo Reçu nib en to a Specialty! O p en T u esd a y -S u n d a y (5 0 3 ) 230^ 7723 2 0 2 5 SE H a w th o r n e Boarding Available 10% O ff Vaccines on Thurs 7201 S E M ilw a u k ie A ve. 239-9972 Mon.-Tues.-Thurs. 8:00 - 7:30 Wed. & Fri. 8:00 - 6:00, Sat. 8:00 - 1:00 Corner o f Sandy Blvd. & NE 64th 3106 NE 64th Portland, OR 97213 Gifts for Romance in an Elegant Setting It14 My Ptl644+Wl 503 2 8 0 -8 0 8 0 www.teIeport.com/-pleasure A Place o f Romantic Invention S tephen C allihan Portland Bravo! To the E ditor : Thanks so much for your coverage of the dis­ pute between triangle productions! and Willamette Week theater critic Steffen Silvis. It’s good to see a publication giving equal time to both parties in this dispute. I’d also like to thank you for your interesting article on Chris Coleman’s plans for Portland Center Stage and on his general philosophy. Many people are anxious to see what he will do, and I found Marc Acito’s article enlightening. Keep up the good work! H arold P hillips Portland tV» * 1 — ----- Watch for it monthly at your local pet business or coffee shop jllS tr T T T ^ H Welcomes letters ti tlie «Hör Letters must be accompanied bv a phone number for verification purposes. Anonymous letters and letters without sufficient contact information will not be published. A newspaper about dogs 5519 NE 30th Avenue Portland, OR 97211 503-281-2041 Issue 3 October 1st