Page 8 Portland Observer, June 17, 1962
entertainment
A r t M o n k e y Business
HAPPENINGS
The Pacific Northwest College o f Art's summer class schedule includes
the art o f capturing live animals— on paper. “ Drawing A nim als," taught by
Eunice Parsons, will include modeling sessions by wild and domestic ani
mals. Already scheduled are a cheetah and macaw, courtesy o f the W ild
Life Safari, plus field trips to the Portland Zoo.
The Pacific Northwest College o f Art also offers evening and weekend
classes in a variety o f subjects. Please call the College at 226-4391 for a com
plete schedule and registration information.
The W izard o f Oz
Merv Griffin, Grand Master at the Rosa Festival Parada.
(Photo: Richard Brown)
V oices From T h e B lackness D eep
by Sojourner Truth Theater
Our n a m e...
The Sojourner Truth Theater <& Dance Troupe takes its name from Pro
phet ess/Ora tor Sojourner Truth (1797-1883). She was born into slavery as
Bell Baumfree. Young Bell was sold from master to master in upstate New
York. A round 1810, she was sold to John J. D u M o n t. H e forced her to
marry a slave named Thomas, by whom she had five children. D um ont
heartlessly sold several o f her children to other masters. In 1827, she es
caped from Dumont and took refuge with a Quaker couple, and eventually
won a lawsuit to have her son Peter returned to her from a slavery in A la
bama.
The New York State Em ancipation Act freed Isabella in 1828, and she
and two o f her children went to New York City. In the mid-18402. Sojour
ner became involved in the Abolitionist (Freedom Movement) movement.
Her dynamic, powerful delivery soon made her one o f the foremost black
orators o f the Anti-slavery cause. The great force o f her personality attract
ed vast crowds wherever she spoke. To support herself, she sold “ The N ar
rative o f Sojourner T ruth. Her enemies claimed that she was actually a
man disguised as a woman. Speaking in Indiana where the charge had re
ceived wide attention. Sojourner decided to confound her enemies. Opening
her shirt to display her breasts, she cried, “ A in ’t I a Woman, Too?” When
'he Civil W ar began, she traveled to the Union Arm y camps where she took
black volunteers gifts and words o f inspiration. In the last year o f the war,
she served as a counselor to the free blacks at Freedman’s Village, Arlington
Heights, Virginia. She developed her idea for a “ Black State.” She present
ed a petition for the Black State to President Grant. Her idea is credited by
historians with spurring a large scale migration o f blacks to Kansas and
Missouri in the 1870s.
Sojourner Truth died on November 26, 1883.
The Sojourner Truth Theater & Dance was born April 11, 1981.
by Harris Levon McRae
The adventures o f Dorothy, Toto and friends on their trip down the yel
low brick road was presented by the students o f Boise School in The Wizard
o fO z by L. Frank Baum.
The students in the production were 3rd and 4th grade pupils in M rs.
Thompson’s class with the exception of 2nd-grader Vanjie Caraveo o f Mrs.
Roberts* class who played Toto.
Diane C . White, who produced, directed and narrated the play, had more
than a few difficulties to overcome in presenting the fine production.
“ The Wizard learned his lines last night,” Ms. White related.
Laru Birden played the Wizard o f Oz and did a fine job in the clutch.
D orothy was played by M onica Johnson, Ernesto Caraveo clanked
around as the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion was played by Todd Smith
and M ike Kelly, and Shaun Prince was the scarecrow.
The Munchkins were played by Ethel Sly and Marcellus Brown; Alice
Forbes growled as the Wicked W itch o f the West; Luisa Bourne played
Glinda, the Good W itch, and Christine Alcantara played the Witch o f the
North.
Rounding out the cast was Marcellus Brown as a soldier, M ike Kelly as
King o f the Winged Monkeys and Ethel Sly as Auntie Em.
The crew consisted o f Orlando Williams as stage manager, M ik i H unni
cutt, assistant stage manager and Rita Benjamin handling costumes.
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An Evening With Tai Farlow ... presented by The Vintage Restaur
ant and Lounge, 2433 S. Powell Blvd.. Portland. Appearing with Tel
Farlow will be Portland's own Eddie Wled and The Sky Trio. Show
dates are June 21, 22. and 23. all beginning at 8:00. Tickets are 66.50
in advance/46 50 at the door and will be available at the Vintage or
Longhair Music dow ntow n. For more inform ation call Jackya or
Holly at the Vintage. 231-5121.
SOJOURNER TRUTH
THEATER is c o m in g .. . .
Jazz Jazz Greatest
Brief history:
The Sojourner Truth Theater began as a Readers Theater, and remained
as such until November 26, 1981. In September o f ’81 the Readers Theater
was chosen as an Artquake ’81 participant where it performed an original
work, “ A tlanta H eartbreak.” It was a deep, stirring work, revealing The
Sojourner Readers feelings about the murder o f 28 black children in A tlan
ta, Georgia. A fter receiving high acclaim for the manner in which the work
was presented, the founding members decided to expand to Black Theater.
On January 23, 1982, the new cast members gave their first presentation
at Oregon State Penitentiary, and later the same evening, at Geneva’s. On
February 27, 1982 at the Urban League’s Fundraiser, the same cast, with
one performance to its credit, gave a memorable presentation along with
Love Congregation and The Herero Danzers. On this same show was the
“ Media Forum Players” o f Los Angeles, California. (Robert Hooks, Den
ise Nichols, Brock Peters, Charles Floyd Johnson, Tracee Lyles). Since that
tim e, The Sojourner T ru th Theater has given many supportive p e rfo r
mances throughout the black community. It is part o f an e ffo rt to revive
Black Theater as a respected Black A rt Form.
Voices From The Blackness Deep
On Saturday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m ., in the King School Auditorium , The
Sojourner Truth Theater & Dance Troupe will present its first major per
formance entitled “ Voices From The Blackness Deep.” The voices heard
will be from the Blackness Deep; a depth that goes beyond the textbook; the
logic; the debates, and arm chair philosophers; voices that ring from the
coast o f the M oth erlan d , to the funked up streets o f P ortland, Oregon;
from the Oregon State Penitentiary to the living room o f a black mother, in
desperate o f her daughter's love; Voices.. The Herero Danzers. Voices.. .
Bruce Smith. V o ic e s.. .Lois B e rry .. .V o ic e s .. Asmar S e ifu lla h .. .Voices
.. .The Sojourner Truth Theater. Now that’s d ee p .. very d e e p .. . .Sojour
ner Tru th Theater thanks the com munity for its needed support, inspira
tio n , encouragement and love. You are “ Voices From The Blackness
Deep.”
I f you were to put any three jazz guitarists in the same room, the conver
sation would inevitably involve the name o f Farlow. There are numerous
opinions as to who is the greatest jazz guitarist, but the Field is a good deal
thinner when it comes to the “ most unique.” Absolutely no one plays like
Tai. He is truly one-of-a-kind. A “ first hearing” o f Tai Farlow is an unfor
gettable experience. His choice o f notes, chord voicings, patented sense of
swing, strum and pick techniques and dynamics result in a sound unlike any
other.
Talmadge Farlow was born in Greensboro, N .C . on June 7, 1921, and he
sounds as if he began playing on June 8. He has performed with everyone
from Red Norvo to H ank Jones and Charlie Mingus. M any o f his recent
performances are well-documented on Concord Records, with whom he be
gan an association in 1976.
Tai makes his home in a small town on the New Jersey coast, playing oc
casional club dates in New York and making festival appearances on both
coasts. He is actively involved in the teaching o f jazz guitar, both as private
tutor and clinician. When not involved in musical pursuits, Tai spends his
time painting signs. And that little fact speaks volumes.
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Chocolated or pills. Ex I .ax is The Overnight
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Take ttnly as di re lie d
THE SOJOURNER TRUTH THEATER
AND DANCE TROUPE
WILL PRESENT
" V o ic e s F rom T h e B la c k n e s s D e e p "
on Saturday, June 19th 7:30 pm
King School Auditorium
4906 N.E. 6th
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VOICES FROM THE BLACKNESS DEEP premier« the So|ourner Truth Theeter end
Herrero Danrere feeturlng Bruce Smith. Theee ertlete greep the true eeeence of
Blech life through Blech theeter cepturlng the rlchneee of the ethnicity, revealing
the connecting commonellty of AfroA m erlcen culture ee en art form Within the
theeter e performance one will find variety. the unexpected, love, pein, hope, vlelon
end victory
VOICES FROM THE BLACKNESS DEEP IS THE SOJOURNER TRUTH
THEATER AND DANCE TROUP AT ITS BEST'
Ticket Coet:
Ticket Outlets:
H 00 Adults
Moueo of Sound. M34 N Williams
♦7 SO Femlly of 5 lone price!
Geneve e. 422S N W illiemt
*2 SO Student« with I D
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Broedwey Heir Weaver» end Deelgnere. 1«34 N.E 7th