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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2007)
J outhern MAY...2007 jUStlOUtl» regon à la Rural region is more progressive than you might realize Quilt: A Musical Celebration The Oregon Conservatory of Performing Arts in Medford is presenting the show Quilt: A Musical Celebration as part of the summer offerings for its youth theater troupe of 13- to 18-year-olds. The musical is a series of stories for, from and about the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. “We are offering more socially conscience plays to help educate our community and our young play ers,” says conservatory executive director Jeff Tahler. The production will he presented as the finale for one of five camps the conservatory does every summer. The camp runs from July 30 to Aug. 25, with the performance Aug. 25 at St. Mary’s High School. In conjunction with the production, a 12x12 piece of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will hang in the Rogue Gallery & Art Center in downtown Medford during the week of Aug. 25. For more informa tion visit www.oregonconservatory.org. • Southern Oregon Pride Mark your calendars now, as the fourth annual Southern Oregon Pride returns to Medford from 2 to 7 p.m. June 9 in Veterans Park at Dennis Vickoren (left, with Scott Clay) created Wilde Life so the intersection of Highway 99 and Stewart Avenue. Admission is $5, “young people can tune in...and see there is a life for gay people and kids younger than 12 are free. here in the Rogue Valley." This year’s event will feature a beer garden and the debut of the Big Gay Burger Joint, featuring carnivore and vegetarian selections. Blue Lightning 15th Anniversary Several nonprofit resource organizations and commercial vendors will The Rogue Valley’s favorite all-women’s dance hiind, Blue also be in attendance. Families are welcome, as face painting and Lightning, is celebrating 15 years of making music to together. Come balloon creations will highlight the day. join them and support the local music scene and the Abdill-Ellis State Rep. Peter Buckley and Sen. Alan Bates, both D-Ashland, Lambda Community Center. The concert and fund-raiser begins are expected to speak to fill everyone in on what’s happening in 8 p.m. May 19 at the Historic Ashland Armory on the comer of Oak the Legislature. Also scheduled for the afternoon is nonstop and B streets. f entertainment. Blue Lightning will be joined on stage All proceeds from the event will benefit the Abdill-Ellis Lambda by a variety of musicians who have played Community Center. For more information call 541-488-6990 or as part of the band’s configurations through visit www.abdellis.org. the years. Everyone of every age and persuasion is welcome. Tickets are $15-$25 sliding scale. Proceeds from this event will be split in half for the benefit of both the band and the community center. For more infor mation call 541-488-6990. have recorded 20 episodes that air in rotation at 10 p.m. every Wednesday on the Rogue Valley Television network (RVTV), avail able on Charter Channel 15 on Medford public access and Ashland Fiber Network Channel 95. Vickoren, a bus driver for the Rogue Valley Transit District and transportation educator, and Clay, a planner and historic preserva tionist for Jacksonville, initially partnered up to discuss gay men’s issues. The show soon blossomed to encompass the issues of the entire queer community, and they want to widen the audience with more diversity, as they are always looking for interesting topics and guests. “I like the fact that young people can tune in to Wilde Life and see there is a life for gay people here in the Rogue Valley,” says Vickoren. “t wanted to send a positive message out into the community.” Vickoren says he is excited to have his own show, as he directed programs for other people for four years through RVTV. The pair will get a chance to record many more episodes in May and June when time opens up in the community studio. Both Vickoren and Clay lived in the Rogue Valley for most of their lives, both of their fam ilies have been here for generations, and they are proud to bring a voice to the gay community through their programming. “It’s an outlet for my creativity," says Clay. “I like to try to find interesting topics and people to interview.” The proud father and historic homeowner says he loves to hear sources’ stories. “It’s incredible to just talk to people and hear how they have lived their life," says Clay. If you have a story idea for Wilde Life or would like to be on the show, e-mail wildelife@charter.net. Wilde Life State Sen. Alan Bates (left) and Rep. Peter Buckley, both D*Ashland, are scheduled to speak at Southern Oregon Pride. Scott Clay and Dennis Vickoren decided they were tired of not seeing enough gay men’s issues on television in southern Oregon, so they set about to change that with their own show, Wilde Life. Clay hosts the show, while Vickoren directs everything behind the camera. They ju stout J congratulates and our friends in the Oregon State Legislature for a job well done! Blue Lightning helps raise money for the Abdill-Ellis Lambda Community Center.
