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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 2002)
12ÛÜ2 42 Theatre, 171 years later, the story of Nat Turner remains controversial. The Portland company stages Jerusalem : N at Turner’s Uprising through May 26 at the Alberta Station Ballroom. (See Page 32 for details.) Turner was bom into slavery 200 years ago in Virginia. According to his community, he was marked by holy signs, plagued by visions and regarded as a psychic and healer. His preaching and leadership skills were known even to whites, making him a threat to the social structure. In 1831 Turner organized an uprising and, with his followers, began a slow advance from their farmhouse to the nearby town of Jerusalem, Va. Their plan: to kill every member of every slaveholding family on the way. Turner was caught and during his trial was asked, “Do you not find yourself mistaken now?” He answered, “Was not Christ crucified?” Hand2mouth will explore the abolitionist’s role in U.S. history and whether his story is one of courageous struggle or of terror and violence (or both). The multiethnic cast has drawn inspi ration from African music and dance, Eastern European physical theater, puppetry, masks and multiple accounts of oppression and revolution. In the vein of Imago and Do Jump! Theatres, they plan to dazzle the audience with stilt walking, pyrotechnics and aerial choreography. The company is providing a limited number of free and discounted tickets to nonprofit and youth groups. Call 503-235-5284 or e-mail hand2mouththeatre@yahoo.com for more information. East meets West P hotographer Tseng Kwong Chi was bom in Hong Kong in 1950 hut left as a teen ager to study in Canada and Paris. In 1979, the young, talented, queer boy wound up in New York, where he quickly became ensconced in the art and performance scene. Worldly Tseng adapted to the city that never sleeps but found himself still rather alien ated as a gay Asian. Thus sprouted the East- meets-West Expeditionary Series, part of which is on display through June 1 at S K Josefsberg Studio, 403 N.W. 11th Ave. Tseng began photographing himself against the backdrop of world landmarks such as the Great Buddha in Kamakura, Japan, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and New York’s Empire State Building. He wears a Chinese Mao-period official uniform in every one. Visually distinctive, the photos either reflect Tseng as a very small everyman or as a symbol of the tourists insistence on fitting in * with the renowned subject. The photos suc cessfully convey his own sense of the outsider yet also the longing of all travelers to blend in with their current environment. And you can’t help but come away from his Statue of Liberty or Disneyland shots with a perception of chiding the cultural monuments we find so important. The complete series consists of 150 photographs taken around the world over 10 years. Having been given new meaning, Tseng’s photo of himself in front of the World Trade Center buildings will be part of the Cascade A ID S Project A rt for Life auction May 11. (See Page 31 for details.) Tseng’s sense of humor is evident, too, in his most famous series, as it was in his real-life shenanigans. In the ’80s, the artist donned his Mao duds, signature dark glasses and a self-made identification tag to slip into various high-society parties, private receptions and celebrity fund raisers. The mysterious “ambassador” posed with many a big name the likes of Andy Warhol, Nancy Kissinger and Yves Saint Laurent. The photographer also shot the residents and artists of his stomping grounds in Manhat tan’s East Village and used 50,000 frames of film on his close friend Keith Haring’s graffiti and murals, mostly in the New York City subway. Tseng died of AIDS 12 years ago. His sister, New York choreographer Muna Tseng, created a multimedia dance production titled Slut for Art in his memory. Esther Kaplan wrote in FOZ maga zine shortly after the 1999 opening, “Muna’s trib ute is never just about a single life that ended at 4 a.m. on March 10, 1990, but, as she says, about ‘the death of a community, an era,’ a gay subcul ture that AIDS nearly wiped out.” Flower power T he Daisy chain Music Festival returns to Mt. Tabor Theatre & Pub for a second year J Thursday, May 8 to Sunday, May 12. The event is the primary fund-raiser for the Old Town Clinic’s Women’s Safe Passage and Respite Fluid, which assists women as they break the chains of violence. Last year Daisy- chain raised $6,500 and received national attention as a new model for music Rich sounds, sweet tastes festivals in linking art with social issues. “The camaraderie enjoyed by the performers, volun | are 400 volunteer slots to fill for Port 'here teers and attendees was one of the fund-raiser’s land Pride 2 0 0 2 — this year’s theme is “On most empowering byproducts,” says event he annual classical music and decadent a Queer D ay...”— which takes over Water dessert revue A Class Act returns to the coordinator (or head gardener) Lisa Lepine. front Park on June 15 and 16. Volunteers are “Thousands came together to support women Old Church 8 p.m. May 17. (See Page 31 needed for stage, parade, festival grounds and for details.) affected by poverty and violence. It was a security in three-hour to all-day time slots. You linkage— one person to another— that The popular event— can also help in the weeks before Pride by made Daisychain bloom so brilliantly.” always a sellout— includes helping schedule volunteers. live music followed by a A total of 55 female-fronted Port- A big festival takes a lot of helping hands. dessert reception featuring land-based bands take to two stages for rich delights from some of To offer yours, call 503-295-9788 or e-mail the 21 -and-over event, and queer per redcowboyboots@excite.com. Portland’s finest sweeteries. formers are not in short supply. Pride also announces a national call for We can report from experi Susie Blue’s Los Angeles-honed indie ence there is nothing, nothing pop/rock will soothe your soul 11:15 p.m. artists for the Codex of Queer Art exhibit on Thursday in the Acoustic Room. like waltzing about a room the festival grounds during Pride weekend followed by a show at O ur Dream Gallery/ picking up any delectable tid Saturday night at 8:30 Alberta Arts Pavilion. in the Acoustic Room is bit you please and moving on to the next brownie, éclair or the “Songwriter Circle," Submissions are open to all lesbian, gay, bi * J T which showcases the tal or trans artists older than 18 residing in the piece of chocolate fudge cake. Singer Susannah ents o f five local alternative All proceeds go to the United States. Mediums include all two- and Mars graces the Old chicks— all of them “members Bill & Ann Shepherd Legal three-dimensional projects, including photog Church on May 17 of the community” in some Scholarship Fund, which raphy, sculpture, mixed media, fine crafts and for A Class Act shape or form. You get Leila benefits third- and fourth- prints. N o film, video, wearable art or mechan C h ieko’s progressive pop/rock, Angie year law students dedicated to donating part of ical reproductions are allowed. G olleher’s alt country, Patricia J u ’s coun their legal expertise to fighting bigotry and dis The postmark deadline for submissions is trified pop, Maria W ebster’s folky blues and crimination against sexual minorities. May 11. Send four slides in plastic or cardboard Juliet W yers’ “holy science acousto-pop.” . This year musical theater mount only or a (This could get confusing, but probably performer Susannah Mars, fresh CD-ROM or zip disk they’ll take turns.) from her run in Artists Reperto 3 with four images (jpegs ry Theatre’s Dinner with Friends, Headlining the Main Room at 1 a.m. Satur I or tiffs) formatted for a day night is Captain Rock, who are queer in will join musician Bill Wells for PC to Reggie Petry, more ways than one. Led by the outrageous the evening’s entertainment. Alberta Arts Pavilion, antics of Beth Kelly (who, frankly, could beat 2315 N.E. Alberta St., up your dad), this hard-hitting group gives butt Portland, OR 97211. rock a good name. Include a $20 check or Closing out the Acoustic Room on Sunday money order made out Turner, Nat: 1800- night is Vivian’s Keeper, who recently wel to Alberta Arts Pavil 1831; brilliant visionary comed Chieko into the fold. The band’s urban ion as a submission fee. who, acting on divine folk starts at 9:30. For more instructions, led a revolt to An all-event pass costs a startlingly H P information visit free his people from slavery low $30. (Consider the average cost of www.pridenw.org, See Captain and was martyred. just one band or how much you’ll fork e-mail albertaarts® Rock and other over to see Ellen.) Wednesday and b) Turner, Nat: 1800-1831; yahoo.com or call hot Portland Thursday only is sliding scale $8-$ 12; religious fanatic who organized 503-288-3024 or chick hands at Friday, Saturday and Sunday only is the brutal massacre of 63 men, 503-282-7700. J H the Daisichain $10-$ 15. Tickets can be had from women and children and was Music Festival Mt. Tabor Theatre & Pub, Music hanged for treason. Compiled by Deaths pays a surprise visit to a field Millennium or Fastixx. According to Hand2mouth hand in Jerusalem: Nat Turner’s Uprising L isa B radshaw History via Hand2mouth Helping hands for Pride T :
