The Arts
Confidence high
for Jack Shields as
‘Hollow’ opens
By Charlene Jensen
Of The Print
“It’s almost a guarantee to me that everybody
is going to be better off for being involved in
theater and that’s exciting to me,” Jack
Shields, theater director, said.
Photo by Joel Miller
'Suburban Blight" seeks
identity in strange name
By DeAnn Dietrich
Of The Print
Admit it. Isn’t it everyone’s unsung dream
to be a “member of the band?” It begins with
the nobility of living the life of a starving musi
cian. Then the discovery scene and, none too
soon, critics are searching for new phrases of
praise.
For some, the story isn’t quite so reminis-
cient of a rags to riches Story. With one local
band the unadulterated truth is told by member
Steve Andrusko, who openly admitted, “it
started as a joke.”
Beginning with their identity, it’s only fair
to relay the sheer mental torment involved in
conceiving a name for a band. Some say
‘what’s in a name?’ but for a beginning “mod”
type band, a name can hold the secret of life. It
takes more than the respect of the “local 99” to
gain an audience around the Portland area.
First, the band has to prove they are visionary.
They need a name people will drop their jaw at
and say “God, what a concept.”
Because the name is such a statement of
content, this band didn’t rush into a title. In
fact, for all intents and purposes, the name was
not decided upon until this interview was con
cluded. Bill Hoshil, sax player in the band, in
sisted the procrastination was, “not really
apathy.”
After serious contemplation without much
success, Hoshil and Andrusko began seeking
outside references from “experts,” in this case
friends passing by. After twenty minutes of
soul-searching and such rejected ideas as Men
Without Ears Underwater, (perhaps a private
joke), and Pressed Rats, a final decision was
reached. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing
Surburban Blight, (just the right touch of social
vulgarity and wit).
As an introduction to the music scene the
band recorded their first track entitled, simply
enough, “Masochism.” The idea for the song
originated one night at a party that managed to
last till the next morning. The words were
Page 4
worked out by drummer Brad Hirsch, presently
attending the University of Oregon, and a
friend. The musical end came from a collabora-
tion of Hirsch, bassist Carl Schricker and
Adrusko. Thus the ball was sent rolling when
the band played the song at a party. The party
was also attended by the up and coming group
“Sequel.” Sequel liked the tune and encourag
ed the band to do something more with it.
Labeling for the sake of labeling, Hoshil
and Andrusko both agree that the song is
definitely, “new wave, punk, jazz.” As Hoshil
explained, “it’s too musical to be classified
punk and too rough to be classical.”
The classical claim comes from the piano
line in the background which has an underlying
Tchaikovsky theme. Hoshil equates this as “in
terpolating an idea.” The Keyboardist Greg
Keiser needed a little convincing to understand
the concept.
Playing opposite of the classical theme is
the beat which could possibly accommodate
slam dancing if taken to the extreme. And there
is a truly artsy touch added in the vocal area
with a well executed scream by Paul Mueller.
Taping the song cost the band $150, which
included the three hour recording session on the
first day, approximately two hours for the mix
ing on the second day, leaving the third day to
make the master copy.
It will be interesting to see what happens to
these self-proclaimed “fun-loving guys” in the
future. Several members have independent
musical ambitions which they are pursuing,
such as Hoshil who has played in several clubs
around Portland. Included in the band is Frank
Kessler on vocals. All the members are young
and share a background in the Clackamas High
School Jazz Ensemble. Andrusko, Hoshil and
Mueller are attending Clackamas Community
College this year.
Does the band plan to pursue fame and
fortune? Right now the members are
geographically split but they do “need another
song for the other side of the tape,” Hoshil
said.
Opening night for Agatha
Christie’s play, “The
Hollow,” is only days away
and Director Jack Shields is
confident. “I think the cast is
going to be a solid unit by the
time we open and the audience
is going to have a good time
with the play,” he said.
“People love Agatha
Christie. She knew how to
write a play people can be in
terested in. The audience is
always thinking about ‘Who
dunnit’,” Shields said.
“There’s still a lot to do
before we open,” Shields said
of “The Hollow,” which plays
Dec. 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 at 8 p.m.
There will be a Dec. 11 perfor
mance at 2:30 p.m.
In this production there
are a number of people which
have never been on stage
before and, “everyone of
them has made monumental
leaps from where I had even
considered we might possibly
be at this point,” he said.
Shields pointed out that
one of the main differences
between theater and either
film or television is the latter
can shoot the same scene 50
different times and choose the
right one to plug into the
movie.
“I fully believe that ac
tors will learn in the progress
of performance. Therefore,
the notion that the first perfor
mance is exactly the same as
the last performance can never
be so,” Shields said.
“Our task is to make sure
that first opening night perfor
mance is of sufficient energy
and quality that the audience
will enjoy it and have a good
time with Agatha Christie. I
think it’s likely they will,” he
said.
Shields feels the primary
function of the theater depart
ment is to allow people the
range of roles to play, with the
main goal of learning.
Shields attended Clark
College where he took theater
classes. “They were easy for
me and brought my GPA up,”
he said. The director there sug
gested Shields go into theater
education. “At the time the
idea seemed appalling but the
words and the possibilities
kept echoing for another year
in my brain until finally I
decided to do that and finished
up my degree,” Shields said.
Shields attained his first
job teaching drama at
Clackamas High School.
Seven years later he wias of
fered his present position at
Clackamas Community Col
lege and, “leaped at the
chance,” he said.
“I can’t think of a job I
enjoy more than the job I am
doing now,” Shields said. “I
would prefer to do what I’m
doing rather than being a pro
fessional actor.”
There are certain rewards
Shields gains from directing
and teaching theater. “If lear
ning is one of the most
valuable tasks a human being
can achieve, then being a part
of that process is valuable to
me personally,” Shields said.
With the study of theater
so complex, Shields doesn’t
pretend to know everything,
but does admit that theater
holds a high potential for lear
ning. .“When one studies
theater there is always real
human growth, Personality
growth occurs. Because
theater is so diverse it includes
psychology, history, sociology
and more. It’s almost a
guarantee to me that
everybody is going to be better
off for being involved in
theater and that’s exciting to
me,” he said.
“Perhaps one of the big
gest lessons the study of
theater can do is teach a group
of people to function together
toward a common goal, and
it’s a lifelong lesson to get
along with folks and get
something accomplished,”
Shields said.
About the cast, the direc
tor said, “I think we’ve got a
marvelous mix in the cast. We
have some real strong
horsepower in a lot of the
roles. Folks that have had less
experience have the opportuni
ty to work with good solid per
formers and thereby grow. I’m
excited about this production
and would be most pleased to
‘sell out’ this theater every
single night. People who come
will be pleased that they did,”
he said.
Cast member Jeanine
Kryza said, “Jack (Shields) is
a wonderful guy. I think the
play will be great. Everyone’s
working together well.” “The
play is going wonderfully, and
Jack is a fantastic director,”
Chris Parrish who portrays
Sargeant Penny in the produc
tion said.
Linda Kuntz, who per
forms for the first time in a
Clackamas Community Col
lege play said, “The play is
really
looking
good.
Everyone’s really profes
sional.”
General admission for
“The Hollow” is $3; students
$2; CCC students 50 cents,
and seniors free with reserva
tions. Reservations are recom
mended. Call 657-8400, ext.
356 or 283.
Clackamas Community College