Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1996)
The Clackamas Print hZk Wednesday, February 21,1996 Feature Guest performer Lennie Edwards Getting to know set to play lead role in CCC play your ASG President Joel P. Shempert Staff Writer Several drama students, un der the watchful eye of instructor David Smith-English, met on Feb. 14 for a rehearsal of the Ed ward Albee play, The Lady From Dubuque. Lennie Edwards joins them as a guest performer, play ing the role of a {Pivotal charac ter. After warm up and-stretch ing exercises, the players took their positions and began rehears ing Act 2. Unfortunately, Edwards was not in attendance, he is an instruc tor at Jefferson High School who was detained on school business, he was expected to arrive some time later. The clock was tick ing, however; and a girl took the stage with lines in hand to stand in for Edwards. As the rehearsal progressed and the plot unfolded, the char acters solidified and the story came to life. Something, how ever, was obviously missing. The students were all quite capable actors, but the story’s flow was impaired somehow and at times seemed to lack punch. The char acter of Oscar, played by the stand-in, had virtually no pres ence and came across as awk ward, erratic and at times even annoying. Then, at 4:30 p.m., Lennie Edwards arrived. His lanky form leaped on stage and he took over his role. Immediately the char acter gained new dimensions and when they rehearsed the earlier portions of the act, everything became much clearer and fasci nating. What had before been interesting, but hard to follow, be came compelling, entertaining and dynamic. The Lady From Dubuque is the story of a dying young woman and her friends. It also involves the title character, who arrives claiming to be the woman’s mother, though the woman’s hus band knows better. Edwards’ character, the Lady’s conspicu ously black companion, is delight fully eccentric and alive and car ries most of the action. Thus, the play suffered without Edwards’ abundant acting talent. Surprisingly, Edwards has had but a smattering of formal acting experience, though he does affirm that there is considerable acting that he does every day. Edwards, a teacher of Television Productions and a linguist by trade, has performed most of his theater work at Jefferson High where he teaches. He also per formed several walk-on parts in various productions during high school and produced a video around 1990 in which he played a guidance counselor. It could be said that Edwards is self-taught as an actor, he agrees that he comes by his abil ity naturally. Edwards is defi nitely a eharacter actor, which is no doubt because he is such a character himself. In relating how he came to play the role of Oscar, Edwards confides, “I must admit that it’s ordinarily not anything I thought I would have done... but it’s been very enjoyable working with the students.” Edwards had not had any contact with CCC and its sur roundings at all, except hiking and camping in the area. Until he received the call from Smith-En glish to play the part. He has now come to enjoy familiarizing him self with the college and its drama department. , As far as the work of Edward Albee is concerned, Edwards con fesses only cursory familiarity. “I knew Edward Albee much more by his reputation than his work,” Edwards disclosed. He had seen part of The Zoo Story during high school, but the expo sure didn’t reach much farther than that. However, that doesn’t mean Edwards doesn’t enjoy Albee’s work. Very hopeful that many people would come to see The Lady From Dubuque, Edwards asserts that “it’s an in teresting play. I think that differ ent people will get different things from it. It’s not one-dimen sional.” The play opens on Feb. 29. The actors are all talented and en tertaining, and the rare opportu nity to see Lennie Edwards in ac tion is not to be missed. - r 1 Espresso, Italian Sot>as, ani> Morel! Regular Hours? fy/ton. thru FrL - 7:30 a.m» io 1 Photo by Lora Wahrgren ASG President Mike Caudle says he ran for office ¡because he wanted to make a difference. Brad Zimmerman spare time watching C-SPAN (a Assistant Feature Editor political news channel), and “I guess the reason I got into spending time with family and it [ASG] was because I thought I friends. While Caudle is work could make a difference. I’ve ing as ASG President, he attends always had a desire to do what’s the “President’s Council,” right. And, I’ve always had an headed by CCC President John interest in politics...I thought this Keyser, where issues are first could be a way to do both...to brought up and discussed. have a positive effect on the po After discussing any rel liticai arena, as well as to help evant issues at the President’s the CCC community,” said ASG Council, Caudle presents them President, Mike to the ASG for Caudle. further discus it Caudle is 19 sion and com years old and has ment. After been attending ASG reviews CCC since Fall of the ideas, they 1994. Caudle de are rehashed at cided to go to President’s C C C , e v e n Council. th o ugh One of the Chemeketa was many issues fac closer to his ing Caudle is of -Mike Caudle, the hometown of alleged ASG President statement about Canby. “The reason ——9 9 the faculty staff that I decided to member who re come to Clackamas is two fold: putedly said that students ought I’ve always considered to be graded down for behavior Clackamas County my home. outside of class. Also, I came up here and the girl On Feb. 14, ASG sent a let who gave the tour was real nice ter to the Faculty Association to me.^.she was nicer than the President, asking for a public lady at Chemeketa,” said Caudle. apology in relation to that al He got involved in ASG dur leged comment ing the winter term of 1995 by “There are faculty here who being elected as a senator and h^ve a lot of honor and are very working on legislative issues. In big people...and there are a lot the spring term of 1995 he was of faculty here who aren’t. I elected as ASG President. think that this is a microcosm “Well I think that this ASG for politics in the state, and in group is, in my honest opinion, the nation...There are people a culmination of probably 16 of who are willing to take the lead the best student leaders in the on some things. And then there state...and that’s regardless of are the people who aren’t,” said whether you’re talking about Caudle, when asked how he felt community college student gov on Faculty Association’s refusal ernment or four-year student to make the audio tape (with the government,” said Caudle. alleged comment) available to Caudle spends his available The Print and ASG. I’ve always had a desire to do what’s right. VZirvlaige Clocking Encore Hours? From Perry Aiason £o the Brady Bunch!! Come in and experience the Coffeehouse atmosphere of Encore Hours. Study or socialize while enjoying an espresso or a snack in the intimate Skylight Dining Room. Open M-Th, 3-6pm; Fr-Sa, 9am-6pm; Sun, Noon-5pm. Phone: 659-4919 16703 SE McLoughlin Milwaukie, Or. 97267 (in the old Tax Service office) Don't miss Mocha Mondays: All 8oz. mochas are $1.25, Corner of Naef Rd. and McLoughlin L All Items Vnber $20 J
