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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1987)
• ____ __ Page 6, Portland Observer. October 14, 1987 Garland Lee Thompson: Actor, Director, Producer and Playwright After an absence of more than thirty years, Garland Thompson returns to Portland with guarded optimism about the Rose City's acceptance of the arts. He looks at Seattle's 13 equity companies (full union), and, not only wonders how that city is able to support "all those people," but also w on ders why Portland has but one. Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, of French Creole Indian and African American parents, Garland refers to himself as a true Black Indian Okie Shizum i Manale, D ancer/C horeographer. Dance in C o n c e rt at U o f P The University of Portland presents Northwest Area Affiliate Artist Shizumi Manale, dancer and choreographer, in concert Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. in Mago Hunt Center theater on campus. Manale, who blends traditional Japanese dance and theater with Western classical and interpretive modern dance, will be in residence at the university from Sept. 28 through Oct. 16 sponsored by the Northwest Area Elektra recording star Shirley Murdock, right, accepts a commemora tive poster from Leslie Billinger, Miller's coordinator of special markets, during the final concert of Miller Sound Express Tour '87 in Washington, D.C. Murdock is enjoying the success of her debut album "Shirley Mur dock," which went gold and has been on the Billboard charts for more than 60 weeks. The Miller Sound Express, America's largest free concert venue, has showcased more than 70 groups in its 20-city, 50,000-mile musical from Muskogee." His parents followed the "Old Oregon Trail" to the Pacific Northwest where he grew up exploring the beaches and the woods, and learning to canoe after his parents settled at the foot of a then "peaceful" Mt. St. Helens. His father obtained work on the construction of the Columbia River dam before finally settling the family in Van-Port. Garland graduated from Jefferson High School where he was stSected as "The Best Male Performer", but he had already make his acting debut in the musical "Kiss Me Kate" at the old Portland Civic Theatre. He pioneered the current Jefferson Performing Arts program concept, and during his senior year co-produced the hit production of "A ll My Sons." As a freshman at the University of Oregon, he wandered into the Drama department and, upon being mistaken for a member of the "hope fuls", was asked to read for a part in the major spring musical "Alice in Wonderland". He was so impressive, he was awarded the role. While on a summer break from the University during a visit with a sister in Los Angeles, he was casted by director Josh Logan in the feature marathon. Foundation. Admission to the Oct. 16 performance is free, but tickets are required Tickets may be obtained by sending a self-addressed envelope to Student Activities, University of Portland, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, OR 97203 5798, or by calling 283-7470. For more information, call 283 7258. Oil paintings and painted w ood sculpture by Tom Cramer w ill be on display in Buckley Center Gallery at the U niversity o f Portland Oct. 12 Nov 6. On Thursday, Oct. 15, Cramer w ill give a talk in the gal lery fro m 7 to 9 p.m . Both the exhibit and the gallery ta lk are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are M on.-Fri., 8:30 a.m .- 8 p.m .; Sat.. 8:30 a .m .-4 p.m .. closed Sunday. Emerald Awards Banquet * à ' Zeta Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is proud to present the 1987 Emerald Awards Banquet Saturday, Oct. 24th at the Red Lion Lloyd Center. These awards will recognize and honor out standing Black men throughout the community. The men being honored are: Dr. Edward Ward, medicine; Jimmy Walker, father; Thomas Vickers, education; Carl Talton, corporate; Antoine Stoudamire, youth; Roosevelt Robinson, law; E. Shelton Hill, senior citizen; George Hendrix, community service; George Bell, government. The banquet address will be delivered by Regina Tyner, the NW Public Affairs Director of Contel Business Networks in Seattle, Washington. The Emerald Awards program provides a unique opportunity to iden tify and applaud positive role models of the community. The vening begins with a cocktail hour at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner and the program. Tickets are $25 per person and are available by calling ¿z 5.-. . ’ ’ . !.. . .. »• # O ’• ■ -, ■ 288 1925. • «I- * •.> % ¡6 $ 7 ® Portland’s Largest Dance Floor Phone: 235-0027 Advance Tickets on Sale Now! Usual Outlets «v-r, ÍZ-' ?;<-/>< • • V 'v í , í¿' . , ,y 1 Stuffed Round Steak American Southern $4 50 Indonesian Pork $4.50 Chicken Gumbo, Creole $3.50 Terriakki Chicken Japanese $3 50 Canadian Hot Dog $1.50 Hot Dog With Chili $2.00 Kulbassy Sausage $2.00 4* Sausage W ith Chili $2.50 J.B.'s Paradise Room 3530 N. Vancouver Ave. 288-1196 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Zeta Sigma Omega Chapter V .*•* ' v2 • < m ' k ■!<.•.: ,. í . í ; r si Come Try Our Outrageous Dinner: Food c* Æ -, pres rriLS 1987 Emerald Awards Banquet Saluting Our Black Men -Character, Commitment, Community” rfS v'TM"/ iV ï ’.-Âÿ.? *'s »• «4. .■*•'1 » '<Sé? . *y -t •*• - who tested for a part was hired." After making his Hollywood film debut there, he remained to study theater and film, to teach and to direct youth actors at the Young People's Theatre, while performing on the TV series "Star Trek and Perry Mason". For four years, he was the youth drama director at the Haskell s Raskell day camp and private Summerhill School for movie kids in North Hollywood, and subsequently was invited into the Directors' unit at the Actors' Studio's west coast unit in Hollywood. While at Studio West, he directed a new play written by himself titled "Sisyphus and the Blue-Eyed Cyclops" which starred Paul Winfield. Simul taneously, Garland was assistant director for Billy Dee Williams' starring role on stage in "Ceremonies In Dark Old Men." Pulitzer Prize playwright, Charles Gordone, saw his work, hired him to assist, and later direct, the original national company of Gordones hit play, "N o Place to be Somebody" in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia; and its return to Broadway, starring Philip Michael Thomas (TV's "Miami Vice"). Shortly thereafter, the Negro Ensemble Company selected him to direct the Tony Award winning Broadway hit The River Niger" at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in New York City. Garland credits Al Freeman, Jr., (Tv's "One Life to Live") with being instrumental in helping him to refine his theatrical talents. "He was very persuasive in emphasizing the importance of learning the aspects of writ ¡ng, producing, and directing, in addition to acting," claims Garland. Al and I used each other as 'sounding boards' to counter the good, the bad, and the ugly of Hollywood during the years we were roommates and strug gling for recognition." Garland has written five plays that have been produced in Los Angeles, New York and at the Howard University Theatre in Washington, D.C. He is the founder of the Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop in New York City. Celebrating its fifteenth year, the nationally respected workshop is a devel opmental playwrights' theatre training center in Harlem that has presented over 2500 playwrights' works and produced more than forty off-Broadway productions. Three of Garland's productions at the Frank Silvera Work shop were later produced on Broadway in New York City. Currently appearing at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, at 5340 N. Interstate, Garland plays the role of Ishi, in the play Wild Indian . The Theordore Shank drama has received excellent reviews for both acting and playwright. It runs through October 18th, with performances at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $9.00-$10.00. Call 243-7930 for reservations or more information. Help! Help! Help! t \ •••';' r •*.^ :- A r’ V;/^ Garland Lee Thom pson returns to Portland w ith a w e a lth of acting, d ire cting , and producing experience. Photo by Richard J. B row n 20th Century Fox film production of "South Pacific . I was extremely fortunate to get an interview with a company that was casting for a U.S.O. tour of Asia. But, before the crew could depart, there was an outbreak of Asiatic Flu and all travel to that area was interrupted. The show's pro ducers, burdened with the prospect of an assembled crew and no revenue, frantically sought out alternatives when the call from "S outh Pacific came. And, as they were seeking people of color, virtually every Black Date: October 24, 1987 Place: Red Lion Lloyd Center Time: 6 0 0 Cocktails • 7:30 Dinner Donation: $25.00 per person The George Carter/Piedmont Loaves & Fishes Center is in need of volunteers to drive 1 hour of any day, Monday through Friday, beginning at 11 a.m. to deliver Meals-on-Wheels for elderly homebound. Please call 285-5348 (between9a.m. and2p.m .). Quality Copies - 284-2129 1*0« N I 7TM OPEN 7 DAYS DELIVERED! kinko'S 223-2056 100 J LW . JEFFERSON OPEN 24 H OURS You a n gel glen looking copies withoii ewo laving wur desk. lus a l l Kinko i We pKk up vour originals and d rlim insp c la r copies nght to vour door— within horn1 Qualm copies— Kinko s delivers1 a rw in w iM Caueuawuaa