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 —Short Stories —Poetry Submit your ideas to Rhapsody Magazine. Trailer B, ext. 309 Clackamas Community College I