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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
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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
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Phone: 235-0027
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1987 Emerald Awards Banquet
Saluting Our Black Men
-Character, Commitment, Community”
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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!
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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 .).
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