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 ”