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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1981)
A SOMETHANG SKETCH (fo r Asmar »40404) By Nyewusi Askari Grassroot News, N.W. - The Northwest was treated to a theatrical produc tion with an Eastern tint. The Wiz. which is the latest adaptation o f L. Frank Baum's classic children's story. In 1971, Ken Harper, the producer, came upon the idea of an urban production using an all-Black cast. Charlie Smalls composed the score and it ran fo r four years on Broadway w ith mixed reviews from the critics. The production which toured the Northwest had as Dorothy, a youthful Martine Girault, 16, whose professional career began in 1979 with the East Coast run o f "The Me Nobody Knows. " Martine discussed with Grassroot News reporter, Landa Duke, the various audience reactions to The Wiz. M arline: We’ ve received different kinds o f reaction, depending on the location o f the production. Color really has nothing to do with it. Sometimes we get an all-Black audience who crack up on everything and sometimes we get an all-white audience who do the same. And sometimes we get an aud ience that just sits there. Duke: Theatre, as an art form , will be competinn with other form s o f en tertainment- T.V., music and so forth. What’s the future o f theatre as fa r as you 're concerned? Martine: 1 think for the poor people they w ill just stay home and watch T.V., and wait for it to air. It costs a lot of money to go to the theatre and 1 hate to see it become a plaything just for rich people, who might, because of their money, decide what’ s good and what s not. Him fire eyed red/m intal reflex gettin slow/can’ t slcep/skin itch from thi feel o f m ornin staleness & he wanna make love to A retha. H in toss/turn/turn/toss til his last solid emotion is lost in a sea o f frustration Him cry/him diie a little bit more. Him roll over & Outta bed/and head to th< shower room & using his last bit o f natural energy/he step in & masturbate/i be te rrib le /fle s h beatin against flesh/50 strokes o f p a in /ra in /th e n h< By Nyewusi Askari come...he come like he ain’ t never come before/& as he watched the come hil the flo o r /& work its way in to the d rain/he cry like he a in ’ t never criec It was learned today, that Portland’s Black Repertory Theatre, is in danger before. C ount Tim el o f having to cancel its Spring, Summer, and Fall, 1981 season, because o f lack o f support from both the Black community and the City o f Portland. According to Rosemary Allen, Director o f the Theatre, the problem is three fold: 1) Lack o f monetary support; 2) Unavailability o f space to rehearse and 3) No permanent place to perform this season’ s plays. “ It seems that whenever we think we are close to finding space for rehear sal, the botton falls out. The owners either demands money for use o f their faciliteis beyond what we are able to pay, or they are only able to allow us to use their space for 2 or 3 days at a time. Having to function under this kind o f condition, is not conducive to a professional, productive season. Most people don’t realize that our actors and actresses are working people, famdy people, operating on tight schedules and it is very difficult for them to move from place to place every two or three days. Another problem, and one just as Betty Cabine, Proprietor heavy is the lack o f monetary support and not having a permanent home to perform. 47 Wig styles in stock. “ Last season we were forced to perform our plays at Catlin Gabel Per forming Arts Center because o f the unavailability o f a Theatre or adequate space within the Black community or the City. This year, we face the same problem. So, if we are unable to get the support we need, the Portland Black Repertory Theatre will cease to exist. The outlook is dark indeed,” concluded Featuring wigs by NAOMI SIMS. ANDRE DOUGLAS. BILLIE & NATALIE COLE Ms. Allen. It is a tragi; situation especially when one realizes that 1980 was the best season ever for the Black Theatre, and already performances are sold out for the April-M ay performance at Cannon Beach, and for a June performance o f the same play (Fingerpoppin) at the Willamette Center. The performance at Cannon Beach will be performed as scheduled, but only because the director o f the Coaster Theater pledged the necessary monetary support needed by the theatre to present its firs t showing. However, the June perform ance scheduled for the Willamette Center is iri serious doubt. Anyone wishing to help keep Portland Black Repertory Theatre alive, can do so by contacting Nyewusi Askari, C /O Portland Observer, 2201 N. Killingsworth (Portland) or by calling 283-2486. Portland's Black Repertory Theatre forced to cancel season MRS. C’s WIGS (AND HAIR BEADS) $10 Wig Sale Hundreds of Wigs & Hairpieces a t 1 0 % - 5 0 % S a v in g s The Wiz was directed by Stephanie Terry whose other theatre credits in clude: The Great Black Way and Jesus Christ Superstar. Stephanie talks about her responsibilities as director. Terry: The role o f a director is to plan the production and lead the actors in their intentions on stage. In a traveling production like this one, you sometimes can’t have the control that you want but we end up doing what we are out there to do and that’ s to perform. One thing that’s nice in a traveling production is to see how the different cast members grow. Their perfor mance becomes more fu lfillin g for them and the audience. One thing I ’ ve noticed about Martine is that her voice has gotten stronger, more intense, and now has a great deal of body. She has a child-like quality about her that was missing from the Wiz movie. People who have never seen The Wiz were in troduced to a 40 year old Dorothy and this took some o f the fantasy away from it because Black people have so little fantasy in their lives. So if you are going to give them a subject on that level, you have to stay with the dream and the dream was a child and now a grown woman. Duke: Do you consider The Wiz a Black theatrical classic? Terry: It became a classic after it won a Tony Award. It was one o f the last large production’s on Broadway. It’s not just Black people singing and dan cing M AR TIN E GIRAULT STEPHANIE TERRY Terry: It became a classic after it won a Tony Award. It was one o f the last large production on Broadway. I t ’ s not just Black people singing and dancing; I hate that concept. There are many messages in The Wiz. You know more than you think you know. The Scarecrow was searching for brains yet throughout the production he came op with ideas which helped him get along. The Lion speaks for courage, and the Tin Man wants a heart, yet he gives love so freely. A ll these things makes The Wiz what it is and the singing and dancing are just a means to an end. Duke: What's the future fo r Black theater? Terry: Black theater goes in various stages and right now we’ re out. There was a time when we were in. We had Raisin on Broadway and A in ’t Misbehavin' along with The Wiz. We were allowed to do all sorts o f things and then it started to filter out. There is just one Black production on Broad way now, "Sophisticated Lady. ” It’s not our time. I think in the next couple of years we’ll come back in again. Now once we get in this time we’ ll find a method to stay instead o f letting them filter us out. But there’ s nothing like live theater - being there with the performers. It’ s not done in slots like in other mediums. It’ s done for you all at the same time. If a play is written well and for all audiences it then becomes a classic. Certain plays are written just for Black audiences and it can’t go anywhere or make money. Well, we know about these things and we don’ t need to hear it as badly as the rest o f the world needs to. Rasta. Community Calendar Reg. $35.00 Now Y ^ - V P eacock Im p u ls e F ashions P resents: First Annual Pre-Easter Children’s Fashion Show, Sunday, April 5, 1981, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - North west Service Center, 1819 N.W'. Everett Street. Tickets $3.50 at door $4.00. Door prizes. For more information ell 284-9394 or 287-9608. T IM E S O U N D I The C reative Jazz O rchestra under the direction o f Thara Memory, w ill be in concert May 2, 1981 at 8:00 p.m. at the Civic Auditorium. For more information call 222-1457. Slide-Talk on Kenya, presented by Kathy Paxton, A p ril 9, 1981 in the Lincoln Cafeteria at 7pm. For more information call 226-3483. Lucius W illiam s M em orial Tea, April 5, 1981, in the afternoon, at the Royal Esquire Club at 1708 N.E. Alberta. For more inform ation call 289- 9684 or 289-5881. Nutrition in Cancer Care is the title of a two day conference for nurses, dieticians, physicians, and allied health care professionals to be held April 6 and 7 at the Jantzen Beach Red Lion Inn. For additional inform ation call 225-7338. Forum fo r A rtis ts : Friday evening A p ril 10th at 7:30 w ith a panel discussion “ Art As A Political Force,” and continue all day Saturday, April 11th at the M allory Christian Church, 126 n.e. Alberta. For more in fo r mation call 222-4479. The N A A C P -E u g en e Branch w ill sponsor a Candle Light March on Friday, April 3, as a demonstration against harassment and racism in Eugene and in L.ane County. The march will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Lane County courthouse flag pole. Classes in oil painting, slimnastics, yoga, cooking, crocheting and play reading are being offered this spring at the N.E. YWCA Center, 126 N.E. Alberta. Scholarships are available, f or more information call 288-5173. Free H ea rin g S c re en in g W o rk s h o p sponsored by In fa n t Hearing Resource on April 30, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., in Good Samaritan Hospital & Medical Center's T hird Floor Conference area. To make appointment telephone 229-7526. Portland School Board. School closures, April 4, 1981,9:30 a.m., A d ministration Building, 501 N. Dixon. Com m unity Organizing W orkshop. April 4, 1981 - 10 am to 2 pm, Por tland Community College Stadium Center, 1736 S.W. Alder. (First o f two sessions). $7. Call 243-1194 foi* more information. City Council. Budget deliberations, April 6, 1981 -9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., Room 106, City Hall. Portland School Board. Budget deliberations, A p ril 6, 1981 - 4 p.m.. Administration Building, 501 N. Dixon. City Council. Budget deliberations, April 7, 1981 - 1:30 p.m., Room 106 City Hall. Portland School Board. Budget deliberations, A p ril 7, 1981 4 p.m., Administration Building, 501 N. Dixon. in c o n ju n c tio n w ith the N a tio n a l B la ck F ro n t, calls to g e th e r th e B la ck c o m m u n ity and all c o n c e rn e d P o rtla n d c itiz e n s to p a rtic ip a te in MRS. C’s WIGS 707 N.E. Fremont /. Marvin Gave In our Lifetime 2. Ozone - Jump on It 3. Gap Hand ill 4. Shalamar Three for Love 5. Gil Scott-Heron - Real eyes 6. Eloise Laws 7. Ehe Whispers - Imagination 8. Aretha 9. Millie Jackson I had to say It 10. Yarhrouxh A Peoples The Two of Lie I Rapp Payback • James Brown S O U L 45 2. H hat's Wronx svtrh our love Affair S O S 3. Watching You - Slave 4 E vervihing is Cool - T Connection 5. Thighs High (Grip your hips and move) Tom Browne 6. Hon Hon Pie T S Monk 7. Here's To You - Skyy 8 Toxelher Tlerra 9. Eunkm Around Rote Royce 10. Little Girl Don 'I You Worry - Jermaine Jackson P e rk NE 19th and A lb e rt« at 12 00 noon and and a t th e K ln 9 F a c ility 4I1B N E 2th A v e n u e T h e re w ill be S p e a k e r« b o th lo c a lly e n d nationally N e ig h b o r h o o d For inform ation Call 249 9601 [SATURDAY APRIL4-19ft1 281-6525 .Closed Sun. ft M on. Open Tues, thru Sat. 11:30 a.m . to 6:00 p .m .^ . A MARCH AGAINST RACISM APRIL 4 1981 A Q A 0 0 1. Mighty Clouds o f Joy ■ Cloud buret GOSPEL LP 2. Waller Hawkins The Hawkins Family 3. Kristie - 1 Can’t Let Go 4 Beverly Glenn - Take Me Higher 5. AI Green The Lord Will Make A Way 6 James Cleveland - Sing with the world’s greatest Choirs 7. Inez Andrews The Remarkable 8 Hilly Preston Universal Love 9 James Cleveland Presents Henry Jackson 10 The Gospel Music Workshop Mass Choir of America Recorded live In Philadelphia PA "I Give My All To You ”
