Just out., January 07, 2011, Page 19, Image 19

OREGON !
1 NEWSMAGAZINE
JANUARY; 2011
19 J W
STATE OF THE ARTS
umphs, and me, imagining myself to be one women, a butterfly and a cat in the play—
found parallels between herself and Lorca
of his friends.”
Malan began to realize how similar these and utilized those to mold D uende into a
letters were to the stories of some of the much more personal creation.
working professionals she had interviewed
“Because of the work I have been doing
for American Suefio.
with the LGBTQcommunity, I found Lorca’s
“Since 1930, not that much had changed in life so compelling and tragic,” says Malan.
the world of working professionals who live a “That’s when I realized I was on the right
closeted life, always working to be ‘normal,’” path in telling his story.”
says Malan.
W ith a cast of just four actors rehearsing
Portland-based actor/musician Rory Stitt since early December, the creation of this
plays Lorca. Though he wasn’t very familiar new piece of theater has proven a bonding
with Lorca’s work prior to auditioning for the experience for the crew.
role, his own life as a young gay artist has
“The cast is both excited and nervous—as
helped
inform
the
is every cast at this point!”
characterization.
“In this w ay the play
exclaims Zrebski. “Pre­
“I think I was drawn to
mieres are always tricky;
has moments of
the idea of portraying an
you are literally offering
artist because it is some­ naturalism an d then—
the audience something
thing I felt I could do
no one has seen. It’s a
often quite suddenly—
truthfully and with integri­
huge obligation. But that
ty,” explains Stitt. “As I read the ch a racte rs are
obligation and responsi­
Lorca’s work, I found a fas­
bility is also a privilege.”
p ro p e lle d into a dream
cinating character full of
“There is a genuine ex­
conflict, passion, darkness w orld with dream
citement to be creating a
and a deep love for the
new work together,” says
logic, sometimes
beauty of the natural world.
Stitt. “The sense of en­
His poems are hot-blooded, nightm arishly so. It's a
semble is intimate and
articulate, lonely and reve­
tight, which I think will
w ild ride.“
latory. The chance to try
be perfect to take on the
-MATTHEW ZREBSKI. road.”
and bring the voice behind
DIRECTOR
the words to life excited
Summing up the play
n
me.
would be impossible see­
Director and sound designer Matthew ing as how it’s never been staged. But who
Zrebski—himself an accomplished play­ better to attempt to convey the essence of the
wright and composer, in his first collabora­ production than its lead actor?
tion with Teatro Milagro—says he’d always
“I think ultimately the play is about identity
admired Lorca’s rhythmic language and his and the struggle to communicate with oth­
place in the world of surrealism. Still, and like ers,” muses Stitt. “Lorca certainly struggled
Stitt, he admits that prior to this project, he with his sexuality and identity as an artist and
had little knowledge of Lorca’s life.
spent his life finding ways to express that
“Having the chance to explore that was in­ conflict. In the end, you only have yourself,
credibly appealing,” relates Zrebski. “Rather and I think this play tries to illuminate the
than approach the project as a hiopic with a importance of expressing who and what you
straight-forward narrative, Dahel Malan has are to the world.
crafted a piece that attempts to project Lorca’s
“There is only one of you. Share it.”
mental state onto the stage through the use of
highly theatrical moments. In this way the D uendf . df . L orca opens Fri., Jan. 14 at 8
play has moments of naturalism and then— p. m. at 525 SE Stark St. an d includes a com pli­
often quite suddenly—the characters are pro­ m entary post-play reception catered by Pata
pelled into a dream world with dream logic, Negra restaurant. The p la y runs through Jan. 22.
sometimes nightmarishly so. It’s a wild ride.” Tickets, S12-S23, may be purchased by calling
Malan—who also portrays six different 503-236-7253 or online at milagro.org.
"Jenny (Bed)." 2009, is featured in
C atherine Opie's Girlfriends exhibit.
Opie’s Butch Opus
A QSA with renowned queer
photographer Catherine Opie
BY WAYNE B U N D
Lesbian royalty is about to grace Portland.
Catherine Opie, world-famous photogra­
pher known for intimate portraits of individ­
uals in the LGBT and S/M communities, has
an exhibit, G irlfriends, at the Portland Art
Museum on view until February 6. Opie pays
a visit to Portland Thursday, January 27 to
discuss her work (6 p.m., PAM’s Mark Build­
ing, 1219 SW Park Ave.).
As one of America’s most formidable pho­
tographers, she has turned her lens from por­
traits of the queer community to quiet Gerhard
Richter-inspired landscapes to social docu­
mentation of high school football players and
an upcoming book of street photography docu­
menting President Obama’s inauguration.
Just Out caught up with Opie via telephone
on a cold December morning a few days before
the new year. What follows is an edited version
of that almost hour-long conversation; visit
blogout.justout.com for a complete transcript.
Just Out: When did you start taking
photographs?
Opie: When I was 9, actually.
Just Out: What kind of camera did you use?
Opie: It was a Kodak camera my dad got
me. I proceeded to photograph everything in
my neighborhood and all of my friends—pret­
ty much the work that I do now. It’s kind of
ironic, it’s become more sophisticated. I was
very serious about it. I wrote a book report on
Lewis Hine. I announced to my parents that I
wanted to be a social documentarian. So they
did that, they got me a camera for my ninth
birthday. I pretty much never put it down.
Ju st Out: How did studying in San Fran­
cisco, and then eventually Los Angeles, in­
fluence your work?
Opie: San Francisco was perfect in the ‘80s.
It was amazing to be there. I got to come out.