Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 1983)
The Arts Theater department and Dame Agatha present ‘The Hollow’ By DeAnn Dietrich Of The Print Beginning rehearsals for Clackamas Community Col lege’s theater production, Director Jack Shields is en thusiastic about the cast and crew for Agatha Christie’s “The Hollow.” Following a College tradi tion, the selection of the play was decided by students at a meeting for all interested par ticipants, from several choices presented by the director. In cluded in the five choices was Langford Wilson’s, “The Mound Builders,” with a cast of seven, and a play entitled, “Crimes of the Heart,” hosting a cast of six. The reason given for the selection tradition is “Becaus.e I have no notion of who will be here, in terms of numbers, interests, and competency levels,” Shields said. Creating the choice of plays, Shields considers pre vious performances. “I try to present to students and au diences as wide a range of dramatic styles as possible,” he said. Approximately 35 people auditioned for the show, one of the largest turnouts ever, allowed an ease in casting a crew of twelve. The healthy show of interest confirmed the increase of awareness in the existence of the theater depart ment within the last decade, Shields said. The stage crew personnel were also selected during the audition. David Smith-English has returned as set designer. He will function as a carpenter and supervise scene construc tion. Taking his responsibilities personally, Shields sees his job as, “Functioning as a teacher and a coach, but I also wear a director’s hat to ensure public enjoyment.” He also works closely with each individual, “By, halfway through rehear sals, I feel close to everyone,” he said. Even though com petency levels may vary, he maintains that, “The urge to communicate is a primal and natural instinct to humans. I try to break the inhibitions and bad habits to let the in stincts come out.” In “The Hollow,” as in most Agatha Christie stories, there is a murder. Through the play the audience attempts to second-guess the murderer before the final scene arrives. Not only is there a murder, but the audience will witness the death scene, complete with the last gasping words of the dying man. Is Shields worried about pulling off such a demanding scene? Apparently not, “I trust the instincts of even the first-time person on stage,” he said. Special effects for the death scene are downplayed to technical accuracy. In deciding what the wound should resem ble, great care will be taken to research the calibre of the gun, the range from which it is fired, and the location on the body to ensure those last gasp ing moments. Realistic quality is a focal point for costumer Lynn Myers. Researching the styles for the time and the area, Myers also considers per sonalities and contrasts of characters in her selections. Set in England, the play was given no specific date but was merely termed “the pre sent.” Myers was given the authority to decide thr date within the parameters of the forties and fifties. Myers chose the early fifties because “we have more costumes on hand from that period.” Rehearsals for the play will attain a total of 110 to 130 hours before the play opens on Dec. 1. This is considered ade quate time to develop a high quality show, Shields said. “If one can get over a hundred hours, it will be as good as it can get.” Appearing in “The Hollow” will be: Jeanine Kryza as Henrietta, David Harvey as Sir Henry, Maggie Bragg as Lady Lucy, Vonnie Davis as Midge, Neil Hass as Gudgeon, Patrick Sterling as Edward, Cindy Brown as Doris, Lynn Myers as Gerda, Cast, director make ‘Chill’ year’s best By J. Dana Haynes Of The Print First, put down this paper and go see “The Big Chill,” which is playing all over town.' The rest of us will wait here for you. Back? Okay, good. For those of you who took my ad vice, you have just seen the best movie so far, of the year. Those of you who didn’t —well, you got to read The Print. A no-lose scenario. “The Big Chill” is far and away the best written, best directed, best filmed, best edited and best acted film tc hit town it too long a time The creation of writer/direc- tor Lawrence Kasdan, it is the story of an American genera tion. The show begins with the suicide of “Alex,” a troubled, 30-ish man whom the audience never meets. His death brings together his girl friend and the seven friends with whom he shared a house while attending the University of Michigan in the sixties. Back then, the eight friends had been the archetypical college crusaders, trying to change the world for the better. Now, it’s more than a decade later. The group in cludes a rich running-shoe magnate and his physician wife (Kevin Kline and Glenn Close), a television actor who could be Tom Selleck’s dop- pleganger (Tom Berenger), a “journalist” working ior Peo ple magazine (Jeff Goldblum), a disillusioned Vietnam vet who is deeply into drugs and Page 4 LAWRENCE KASDAN is the director and co-writer of Columbia Pictures’ new comedy, “The Big Chill,” starring Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly and JoBeth Williams. The Carson Productions Group, Ltd. film was produced by Michael Shamberg. self-absorption (William Meanwhile, Goldblum is busy very nicely by Don Galloway, Hurt), a big city public conning himself into thinking Sgt. Ed Brown of “Iron defender (Mary Kay Place), he’s still a rebel with a cause, side”). and a housewife and mother while “condensing anyone’s “The Big Chill” is a wild of two (JoBeth Williams). life into a page and a half” ly funny morality play (what?) The eighth “leading for People. about life in these United character” is Chloe, Alex’s Mary Kay Place now sees States. Kasdan’s direction and girlfriend who is in her early herself defending “scum” in script are flawless, making twenties (played by Meg Tilly). stead of America’s down each of the eight principals This is the best cast to trodden and she wants to have unique and contrasting. In a grace any movie in some time, a baby (although she doesn’t word: Human. Kadsan wrote and I can honestly say there is particularly want a husband). (or co-wrote) “Raiders of the not one bad or even mediocre Williams feels unfulfilled in Lost Ark,” “Continental performance between them. her marriage and motherhood, Divide,” “The Empire Strikes The story is about these while Hurt is hurt, anguishing Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” eight people, what they feel, over a war injury and unsure and “Body Heat,” which he how they have changed, where of where his life is leading also directed. they’re going and where him. Like “Heat,” “Chill” is they’ve been. In hilariously These seven are counter the story of people in transi funny and frightenly personal balanced by Chloe, a genera tion, often against their will. scenes, we learn that Kline and tion younger and somehow “Heat” was dark and hyp Berenger are embarrassed by almost alien to their way of notic with William Hurt as a the amount of money they thinking. They are also slightly unscrupulous attorney make shlepping shoes and ac countered by Williams’ stuffy, drawn down by his own weak ting in a TV private eye series. execudroid husband (played nesses. In “Chill,” we see our characters also being led by their strengths and weak nesses: But laterally, not downward. The other heroes of this film are cinematographer John Bailey (whose credits in clude “Continental Divide” with Kasdan and the monu mentally moody remake of “Cat People”), who uses the lush scenery of Beaufort, South Carolina and the stately Tidalholm mansion to op timum advantage, making this one of the most picturesque movies since “The Black Stallion.” Applause should also go the editor Carol Lit tleton (“Body Heat” and “E.T.”) for making “Chill” drum-tight and yet well paced. The last brava goes to Music Consultant Meg Kasdan (the director’s wife?) for pick ing the sound track of the year. The incidental music in cludes golden oldies by Aretha Franklin, The Rascals, The Beach Boys, The Steve Miller Band, Spencer Davis, The Ex citers, Three Dog Night, The Temptations, Smokey Robin son and my personal fave rave, Creedence Clearwater Revival. However, the best touch of all is the funeral ser vices for Alex, wherein JoBeth Williams drones out a pipe organ version of The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Classic stuff. “The Big Chill” is a must. To miss it would be to miss the to-date top choice for Best Comedy. It is currently playing at the Eastgate, Movie House and Town Square (in Beaverton). Clackamas Community College