The Arts
Director submerges
in arts while abroad
By D. Dietrich
Of the Print
Where else would a theater
director go to on a summer
vacation but to a theater
festival. That’s precisely what
Clackamas Community Col­
lege’s theater director Jack
Shields did this year on his
month long trip to the British
Isles and France. Shields
visited the Edinburgh Festival
in North Wales along with the
co-existing Fringe Festival.
“A really significant theater
festival worldwide,” described
Shields of the annual cultural
exchange. Theater troups
from various countries im­
migrate there to present a
spectacular week with an as­
tounding forty different plays
runnng
simultaneously
throughout the day. Even the
most determined of theater
goers couldn’t possibly see
every production.
As a non-competitive
Olympics of theater, the
festival attracts top billing
theater companies for a
cultural bonanza. Shields
described Fringe theater as the
equivalent of off Broadway,
the Broadway equivalent an
area called Westend. The
festival’s hometown size is
close to that of Seattle’s with a
mountain lofted castle as an
epicenter.
“Magnificent
for
antiquity,” is how Shields
described the street scenes of
theater, mime, and dancing
although not all of it of
historical nature. Shields also
said that there were many
brand new productions show­
ing their wares at the festival.
Not only are the theaters hum­
ming with action but the local
pubs are filled with the sweet
sound of touring jazz groups.
Each group may only play a
one or two hour set and then
move on to another of the ap­
proximately twenty jazz clubs.
With only three days spent at
the
festival,
Shields
remembers being “barely able
to feel the impact,” he said.
After the festival, Shields
continued on to Hereforshire,
a town known for its beauty
and that of the surrounding
area, making it a major source
of landscape art, Shields said.
Herforshire lies near the River
Wye as does Shields’ next ex­
cursion site, Hay on Wye. A
book town, Hay on Wye is
literally just that. Shields
estimated that nearly sixty per­
cent of the businesses in the
town are book stores, many
offering a wide selection of
first editions from as early as
the 17th Century.
Shields himself indulged in
buying a book printed in the
1800’s with lithograph prints
titled, “A Doctor’s Advice to
the Sick, the Lame and the
Lazy.”
Illustrating the summer vacation Clackamas
Community College’s Theater Director Jack
Shields’ next stop on his
loosely scheduled agenda was
London, where he managed to
attain tickets normally bought
months in advance, for the
Broadway smash hit “Cats,”
based on a novel by T.S.
Elliot. The show was a double
treat for Shields as it was play­
ing in the newest theater in
London which Shields noted
as “perhaps the most flexible
and functional theater com­
plex in the world.” Before the
show began and the house
lights were down, the theater
Calendar of community events
Joanne Sullivan, author of
Orchids in the Sand is seeking
interested poetry writers to
form a poetry club. Fellow en­
thusiasts will meet for a brown
bag lunch for an hour of shar­
ing their own works plus
hosting seminars by published
authors and members of the
Oregon State Poetry Associa­
tion. The club will meet once
or twice a month. Those in­
terested contact Sullivan at
230-2903.
“Sylvia” appearing for the
first time in full-color anima­
tion.
Workshops for Artists will
begin a series of specialized
how-to programs Oct. 22 and
24, with “Tile Making and
Decorating’’ in the Art
Center. Other workshops in­
clude Photographic Documen­
tation of Artwork, Etching:
Soft GroundTechnique, Print­
making: Embossing and Color
Printing and Marketing Your
Women’s Voices: The
Art.” Registration is available
Gender Gap Movie will be
by mail or on campus. For
shown Oct. 8 at noon and 7
more info call ext. 230.
p.m. at the Fireside Lounge in
the Community Center. Spon­
Celebrating its tenth an­
sored by Women’s Programs,
niversary
of the Focus Pro­
this free event includes inter­
views with a suburban gram, Women’s Special Pro­
housewife, senior citizens, gram’s will present the
Single
high school students, a dairy seminar, “Being
Again.
”
Marilyn
Bohan
will
farmer, blue collar workers
and the former co-Chair of the discuss problems, feelings and
Republican National Commit­ options when you find
yourself with a single status. It
tee. Also featured is Nicole
will be held in the small dining
Hollander’s nationally syn­
room and has a $5 fee. For
dicated cartoon character
further info contact ext. 306.
Page 4
Among a series of scheduled
events featuring Oregonians,
William and Kim Stafford will
present “Poems, Ballads and
Visual Images of Oregon,”
Oct. 3, and on Oct. 10, the
film “Loggers of the Nor­
thwest” will cover the history
of the Oregon lumber industry
“The unique character of
Oregon,” is the focus of this
four month series sponsored
by the College’s Humanities
and Social Sciences divisions.
All programs are scheduled
from 7-10 p.m. in the
McLoughlin Theater and are
free to the public. For more in­
fo contact Kevin McMurdo at
ext. 441.
“Women and Nutrition: To
Your Good Health,” is a one
night presentation focusing on
nutrition and special health
care at Gardiner Jr. High Oct.
4 from 7-9 p.m. Other topics
will include pre-menstrual syn­
drome, Osteoporosis, stress
and weight maintenance. For
further info or to register call
657-2446.
Shields stands by map tracing his route
through the British Isles and France.
Photo by Joel Miller
- auditorium made a 270 degree important to keep up with
turn. Although certainly not what’s happening in the pro­
intrinsic to the show itself, fessional theater world. For all
Shields said the effect was fun intents and purposes one could
because it was “a little splashy easily say that he indulged in a
and just a techy thing to do.” brief immersion of the con­
Next Shields was off to Nor­ temporary arts.
But Shields claims he hasn’t
mandy for four days, a place
he remembers quite well for its seen any major changes in
fine cuisine for about half the theater styles, for one main
price one would find at any of reason they are already in ex­
Portland’s comparable French istence.
And one more note of in­
restaurants. And concerning
those rumors about the rude terest. When he was mingling
and coarse attitude the native in Wales, he spyed a familiar
Parisians hold for foreigners, poster. Who else but
Shields finds it an unfortunate Portland’s mayor elect, Bud
rumor. After four of five trips Clark in his obviously interna­
to the city, Shields said he has tionally reknown pose in the
always found them to be “very picture “Expose yourself to
art.” Nice to know we had
cheerful and helpful.”
Shields said that the found it something to contribute.
Are you interested in:
—Creative Writing
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—Poetry
Submit your ideas to
Rhapsody Magazine.
Trailer B, ext. 309
Clackamas Community College
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