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Staff photos by Duffy Coffman
Theater finishes term with world premiere
By Darla J. Weinberger
Of The Print
“It’s a comedy set in current times,
in Portland, Oregon,” director Jack
Shields said about the Winter term play,
Not Any More.
The show was written by Linda
Barr, a former Clackamas Community
College student, and will be premiered
tomorrow through Saturday at 8 p.m.
in McLoughlin Hall, with a 2:30
matinee on Sunday.
Not Any More is about Jane
Smith (Laurel Cates) a young divorcee
who is coming to grips with her single
life. There is a nagging older sister who
lives in the same apartment building, a
hypocondriac neighbor and a parade of
prospective gentlemen, mostly as blind
dates set up by the sister, Barbara (Terri
Kemp), who can’t rest until her little
sister is remarried.
The cast also includes the former
husband who comes back into Jane’s
life; another problem for the leading
lady to deal with. Finally, there is Mr.
Right, or Wright, played by David
Harvey.
This is the first leading role Cates
has had to tackle. Her past experience
has included two plays at Oregon City
High School; Flowers for Algernon
(“I had a whole six lines,” Cates said)
and a singing and dancing role in
Fiorello. Cates also had a supporting
role in the College’s fall production,
“Monique,” which was also directed by
Shields. .
“This is a good healthy reach for
Laurel,” Shields said of the role, “She’s
doing a terrific job.”
Cates, an elemen
tary education major, is
from Aurora, Colorado,
and has only lived in
Oregon for two years.
“I can live without the weather here,”
she said. Cates is only now recovering
from a bout of strep throat, but she
doesn’t expect the problem to interfere
with the run of the show.
“This play has a lot of character
development. I’m not like Jane at all,
but I can relate to her,” Cates said.
“She’s very real, and I think that a lot of
people have a little of ‘Jane’ in them.”
Cindy Lyndin, a professional ac
tress from the Portland area is playing
the part of Elaine, the neighbor. During
auditions for the show, only two ac
tresses tried out, forcing Shields to hire
Lyndin as a guest artist. “The reason I
selected Cindy is because she fits the
role,” Shields said. Shields and Lyndin
have worked together in theater for
years.
As Terri Kemp’s first play, she
plays the shrewish sister. Kemp has
“...always wanted to act.” She said,
“The first time I read this play, I didn’t
like it. But it’s had some rewrites and it’s
really good now.”
David Harvey’s role is Mr. Wright,
Alex Wright, that is.
Harvey said, “I’m the ‘knight in shining
airmor’.” Harvey plays a TV repairman
who meets Jane after her television
blows up. “Ifeel honored to be involved
in this project. It’s exciting to be part of a
world premiere.”
Shields first read Not Any More
early in Fall term. “When I first looked
at it, I though it was a pilot for a televi
sion series,’' Shields said. After a few
rewrites, Shields chose it for the winter
play.
“It’s a good activity for the College
to be engaged in. It’s a world premiere,
and I Can’t think of a better way for us to
be involved in the education program
and service the community. We’re sup
posed to help people who are from this
area, and that’s what we’re doing.”'
The play will run for four perfor
mances in the McLoughlin Theater.
After a one week rest, the cast and crew
will take it on the road to the Coaster
Theater, in Cannon Beach, Oregon.
“We’ve been at the Coaster for nine
years now, and they like our work,”
Shields said.
Clackamas Community College