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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1982)
Portland Observer, September 8,1982 Page 11 \ I ■ JOE TEX DEAD Wright Blumfield prepares for hie demanding role In David Rabe's Photo by John Zagone Streamers, at the Storefront Theatre. Streamers by Lucretia Gardner A powerful black man sprawls on (he barracks bed sharing a bottle with three other soldiers. A tension has begun to build and the joking turns mean and hard. The powerful black soldiers’ rage, never far from the surface, erupts into violence. A quiet voice comes out of the dark. "Take that scene again." The sol dier stops and momentarily relaxes tense muscles before beginning again. Wright Blumfield is an actor preparing a demanding role in Streamers. David Kabe’s award winning play about a barracks com munity during the Vietnam War. Blumfield is rehearsing at Store front Theatre, preparing the role of Carlisle. Carlisle is a man full of rage and the certainty o f his own death in Vietnam. It is a hard show, demanding o f both actors and audience. The real ities are honest in this play but so arc the insights. Tenderness is pres ent in the small barracks community even in the midst of a brutal envi ronment. Close bonds are devel oped, and shattered by the violence that tears the community apart. Carlisle is (he catalyst for violent change in this play and Blumfield has been exploring him for weeks. " H e ’s a man who jives people and ends up jiving himself," says Blum- ficld. " In the end he just goes o ff — explodes. I t ’s a good role with a,, range all (he way from playful to tragic.” Blumfield is experienced in devel oping a character. H e’s been acting, directing and producing for twelve o f his thirty years. Home, recently playing at the Wilson Center, was done by his own company, "Three B Productions." A lengthy list of • credits includes The Trial o f A bra ham Lincoln with Henry Fonda and Billy Dee Williams, appearances with the Black Repertory Company, and The River Niger at PSU. PSU. For the role o f Carlisle, Blumfield showed o ff his mustache and has been running daily to get into as good physical condition as a man who has just gotten out o f basic training. "Acting is ’what iP ,” says Blumfield. " I spend the rehearsal period experimenting and constant ly saying, ‘ I f 1 were Carlisle in this situation, what would I do?’ The character becomes a part of me.” " I was trained in Los Angeles bv Frank Sevilla, who has the ’Theatre o f Being. ’ He taught me how to use my own feelings and tune in to the feelings o f the character so that the character’s responses become natu ral. You have to listen to what the other actors are saying and respond.” Working at Storefront has been a positive experience for him. " I have a lot o f respect for John Zagone (the director) and the rest o f the compa ny. They are professionals doing the job. The play comes first here and there are no ego trips." Although there arc sometimes few opportunities for black actors in Portland, Blumfield is optimistic about his future here. "Y o u need to make your own opportunities,” he says. " T h a t’s why I started my own company. Everything special that has been done in the world has been done by someone making his own opportunities. T h at’s reality — you've got to make people want to see what you do best.” Streamers, by David Rabe, di rected by John Zagone, runs Satur day September 3 through October 16th at Storefront Theatre, 6 S. W . Third Avenue (224-4001). H E A R T A T T A C K C L A IM S L IF E O F JO E T E X A T H O M E IN T E X A S The entertainment world was shocked to hear o f the untimely death o f rhythm and blues singer Joe Tex. Tex died August 27 from heart failure., He was admitted to Grimes Memorial Hospital in Nara- sota, Texas on August U th after suffering a heart attack at his home in Navasota. Joseph Arrington, Jr. was bom in Baytown, Texas, but music officials are uncertain o f the date, which has been published as 1933 and 1935. Powerhouse ber of gospel groups and perform ing popular music at local functions in his home town. A Baytown amateur show gave the song stylist his first big break at the age o f 18. Taking first place, Tex was awarded a two-week stay in New York C ity., Once in New York, Tex found his way to the famed Apollo Theatre where he took first place in a weekly amateur show, place in a weekly amateur show. Powerhouse, a unique concept in family programming, will debut nation ally over the Public Broadcasting Service in mid-December, 1932 (check local listings for exact time). It combines the spirit o f The Hardy Boys and Huckleberry Finn, and examines comprehensive concepts of mental and physical health appropriate to the young through the adventures of a con tinuing group o f characters. Featured are several young people between the ages o f 12 and 18 (known as ‘The Powerhouse Gang’) and their adult friend and helper at the local after-school youth center (CaUed 'Powerhouse'). The singer’s biggest hit came in 1967 when he recorded “ Skinny Legs and AH ” on the Dial label. “ Skinny Legs” made it to the top 10 o f the Billboard record charts and for 15 weeks was listed in the Bill board top 100. Over 25 of Tex’s songs made it to the Billboard top 100, including “ I Gotcha.” “ You’ve Got What It Takes,” “ The Love You Save,” “ One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show,” and others. Geneva’s HAPPY HOUR W ell drinks 2 for 1 Tue-Sat 4-7 pm Inflation Fighters Speci all 2® drinks are 1® Tue-Sat 5-9 pm Tex gained notoriety for his ram bunctious, energetic and creative style and many experts have com pared him to such greats as Sam Cook and Big Joe Turner. In 1972 Joe Tex retired from the music business due to religious be liefs but returned in 1977. SINGER JOE TEX Tex began his singing career in the church. By the time he was in high school, he was singing with a num- Tuesday is Blues Night! In the late 1970s he recorded the LP "Bumps and Bruises” on CBS Epic label which featured the hit tune “ A in’t Gonna Bump N o More W ith No Big Fat W om an.” In recent years he adopted the Muslim name Joseph Hazziez. Blues Momma will be spinning your favorite blues. Bring yours, we'll spin them tool N. Williams ALL YOU NEED FOR MINOR ITCHES AND RASHES. M ost A nyw here You Live / / ■> / Sharp TV Reception Is Now Available ism ( I M 282-6363 b U w W • v /v j ‘I \ loiumiwm ln a m llo r tlb m .n o I. 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