arts___________________
The Performing Arts Festival: a fine show
By Tina Riggs
Of The Print
I
The second annual Perfor­
ming Arts Festival, held last Fri­
day, was pulled off with a
minimum of problems. The
show, which included dance,
drama, music, and video pro-1
grams, began with David
Harvey, as master of
ceremonies. Harvey not only
introduced each act but also
acted out several excerpts of
Feiffer’s People by Jules Feif-
fer.
The music department
presented two separate pieces.
The first was the Vocal Jazz
Ensemble (VJE) under the
direction of Lonnie Cline. The
ensemble featured special
soloists during each of their
numbers. Scatting, a style of
singing in which voices are us­
ed to imitate instruments, was a
fascinating and delightful part
of the VJE’s performance.
The other mUsic depart­
ment contribution to the festival
was Leroy Anderson’s Dix­
ieland Jazz Band. The band
finished the show with the
pizazz that only a Dixieland
band could.
The dance department
performed two dances. The
first, “Night People,” used not
only dancers and props, but
video feedback as well.
“Hill Street Blues,” their
second dance, was a modem­
jazz dance. Although the
dances contained bits of in­
teresting choreography, they
lacked a sense of Continuity
and seemed almost unrehears­
ed.
The video department
took a major role in the festival
year, contributing a documen­
tary of the “The Wheelers: A
¡Fiddlin’ Family” and filming the
Friday night show for Storer
Cable T.V. Their documentary
on the champion fiddle players
was informative and interesting
and is the first of a series of new
projects for Video Tech class.
The highlight of the Friday
night show was the excellent
performance of “Les Mimes
Feminiques,” a mime duet.
Joette Rose and Rebecca
Proulx held the audience cap­
tive with their interpretation of
‘Inflation’ and gave a new
meaning to the old tales of ‘Lit­
tle Jack Homer’ and ‘Little Miss
Muffet.’ Rose and Proulx end­
ed each of these old tales with a
surprising new twist that the au­
dience understood without one
spoken word.
Friday night’s perfor­
mance was the second of three
shows scheduled for the festival
every year. The first took place
last Wednesday at noon.
Wednesday’s show was almost
a success. The show was fine,
but the mall at lunchtime is not
the place for the best perfor­
mance. Another noon show is
scheduled for today.
Staff photo by Tina Riggs
“LES MIMES FEMINIQUES” made a special appearance at the Friday night show­
ing of the Second Annual Performing Arts Festival. ‘Little Miss Muffet’ (Joette
Rose) is shown here conversing with the spider (Rebecca Proulx).
(continued from page 4)
Band blends charm, charisma
Staff photo by Tina Riggs
MASTER OF CEREMONIES, David Harvey, introduced
three characters from “Feiffer’s People” by Jules Feiffer.
art briefs
“Big Band Ball” slated
A cornish game hen and barbequed rib dinner will precede
this year’s Big Band Bail, Saturday, February 27. The dinner will
take place from 8-9 p.m. in the Community Center Mall, and the
dance will follow from 9 p.m.-midnight.
Leroy Anderson’s Rhythm Section play favorites from the
sounds of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.
Cost for the dinner and dance is $11 per person or $9 per,
person with groups of 10 or more. Cost for the dance is $5 per
person.
The Big Band Ball is open to the public. For reservations or
information call 657-8400, ext. 245.
page 6
band members. As he paces
from side to side and back and
forth in his allocated “space,”
his witty comments seem to
flash by as fast as lightning, ac­
companied by broad grins and
huge smiles.
Wolfford specializes in
picking the mandolin in addi­
tion to vocals and guitar. The
mandolin’s high-pitched vibra­
tions give a special flavor and
character to the band’s souncT.
And Wolfford’s hands, whizz­
ing so fast that they sometimes
appear to be a blur, are a show
in themselves.
Standing in the center of
the other band members, his
amiable demeanor and calm,
even-keel appearance add a
coordinating factor to the
group as a whole.
Hugh McClellan, sincere
and earnest, bends down to
reach the microphone'and pro­
vides a diversion with the in-
depth pitch fluctuations of his
harmonica.
While strumming the
guitar, McClellan’s voice rings
deep and true in the “Ten­
nessee Stud.” On some other
songs, though, he hits some
low notes that initially can be
startling; they match the lows
of one of the Oak Ridge Boys
in the song, “Elvira.”
And finally, Monte Traut­
man maintains the steady beat
on the bass guitar with a quiet
confidence. But when he per­
forms vocally, the notes follow
through in an uninhibited,
steady flow.
In addition to furthering
their artistic abilities, the band
members have all put in con­
siderable time in the educa­
tional system. They are all
teachers or prospective
teachers. (Wolffard teaches
psychology-related classes and
Misley teaches a blue grass
class at the College) Baker will
start teaching beginning in Spr­
ing.
Wolfford feels that they
are “possibly the best-educated
bluegrass band in town. We all
became musicians as a way of
coping with going to college for
that long.”
Just out of curiosity, how
did the group come up with the
name GOLD RUSH? Wolf­
ford commented: “There is a
bluegrass fiddle tune called
“Gold Rush;” it was avlittle bit
different. And my son, Saul,
liked it too.” The name also is
advantageous due to the fact
that it’ is commonly used for
promotions.
The band’s banner, which
hangs directly behind the stage,
is just as unique as the band; it
is an appliqued soft sculpture,
made from brightly colored
fabric by Dennis Burbridge.
The huge words “GOLD
RUSH” curve over a visual im­
age of mountains and valleys
with individually stuffed leaves
overhanging them. This fabric
applique adds to the mood of
the performance.
Last year, GOLD RUSH
played for the Oregon State
Fair. “We are trying to increase
our exposure in Washington
and Oregon and play fairs and
rodeo circuits in the summer-
timé, ” Wolf for d explained.
“Oregon has 30-35 fairs in the
summertime.” The band also
plays for private parties and
weddings.
According to Wolffórd,
the band’s goal is to become
known
and
perform
throughout the Northwest.
With their growing popularity
at the local scene, this may not
be far down the road. One
thing is for sure—no matter
where the group is playing—the
band members and the au­
dience cure both bound to
have a good time!
Clackamas Community College