-, I» 4 * V > , s «’»*'• Ml««*-»
,. w »
< • • • « « »-w» « » « « * ■» » « w « ,*-r
í^TíPage 4, Portland Observer. June 8, 1988
“ New Film
BROAD WAY BOUND
REPORT — Rage,
heard it here first in the Broadway
Bound Report.
My friend and actor, Richard
IIA
Gant, plays the barber in "West
Memphis Mojo," and his teen-age
shoeshine boy (Tico Wells) write
songs, which they hope to sell
with the help of a friend, who is a
guitarist and singer (Tucker
Smallwood). According to the
New Times review, "emotionally,
the characters have something in
common with others in dramatic
literature — most notably those in
Lonnie Elder 3d’s "Ceremonies in
Dark Old Men," portraying people
whose aspirations have been
thwarted by frustration in this
society. Mr. Gant is amply expres
By Garland Thompson
sive of the pent-up rage of an Ar
ptly, rage, racism, rhythm-
my veteran who has never had a
and-blues are the themes of
chance to assert his individuality
in peacetime, in White America."
Martin Jones' new play, "West
The most affecting perfor
Memphis Mojo," directed by Rick
Khan. A Crossroads Theater
mance, states the Times, is given
production presented by the
by Mr. Wells as the teen-ager.
Trusting almost to point of self-
Negro Ensemble Company in
New York City. Douglas Turner
injury, he is indebted to the barber
Ward, Co-founder and president
and as his act of friendship, he
carries him along on a dream of
of the NEC, which is one of the
collaboration. Both of the older
world's most respected Black
men are wise to identify the
theatre companies (at Theater
young man's budding talent and
Four, 424 West 55th Street, New
to be amused by his enthusiasm,
York). The play comes to New
York via the Crossroads Theater
a fact that provides the play with
Company in New Brunswick, N.J.,
much of its humor.
the company that introduced
“ Ceremonies,” which first ran
George C. W olfe's wild new play,
here in Portland, last season
(1987) at the Interstate Firehouse
"Colored Museum,” that I saw
Cultural Center, also spoke of
two years ago at Joseph Papp’s
Public Theatre in New York (It is
“ the prejudice endemic to the
scheduled to play in Portland, this
society of the day, the 1950’s, not
yet the time for a large-scale
coming season at the IFCC, in
crossover of rhythm-and-blues.
January). Remember that you
With the emergence of Elvis
A
Epic Records is proud to an
nounce the release of one of the
year's most anticipated record
ings: Stronger Than Pride, the in
comparable new album by Sade,
featuring "Paradise." the first hit
single.
Stronger Than Pride is the long-
awaited successor to Sade's
m ulti-P latinum 1985 release,
Promise. The combined sales of
Promise — and Sade's 1984 debut.
Diamond Life— now total nearly
five million in the U.S. alone.
Worldwide, Sade has sold more
than 20 m illion albums and
singles
:.S
§
* >
I
J:' ’ *•
4 •
X
X
X
X
•> ’
'• \ '
K
.•s
SADE
■; V.
\ •. ; -
Racism—Rhythm/Blues
Presley, however, more Black
songwriters began thinking about
the possibilities of having a
broad, popular White and Black
appeal. This is the dream in
"Memphis," scene of Jones' play,
set in West Memphis, Ark., a first,
I’m sure without a doubt!
This same rights issue is one of
the themes of August Wilson's
play, “ Ma R a in e y ’ s B la ck
Bottom," that was presented last
season at the Winningstad Thea
tre of the Performing Arts Center
of Portland by the Storefront
Theatre.
In Mr. Jones' play, a winner of
the Foundation of the Dramatists
Guild/CBS New Plays Program,
depressed West Memphis is just
across the river from the pros
perous musical city of Memphis,
and it is a wide symbolic dis
tance. It was at a time when if
Blacks could sell their songs,
they have to forego authorship
and royalties. The Times calls,
"West Memphis Mojo,” an articu
late period piece with a sense of
character and a sense of history.
Now from "the I’ll bet ya don’t
know,” dept. — Anthony Arm
strong and Rick Jones, two
strong Portland actors, are contin
uing to perform their production
of the hit South African play,
"Woza Albert,” in touring to
several Oregon cities, such as
Corvallis. Oregon. The Storefront
Theatre of Portland, presented
the production successfully at
the Performing Arts Center of
Portland, this 1988 season.
Nina Lowry, Director of Educa
tion Activities at Portland State
University, will soon announce
PSU’s Summer '88 Program, the
first Black Theatre Festival, with
the opening of Langston Hughes'
musical, “ Simply Heavenly,” Aug
ust 18, 1988, 7:30 p.m., at Lincoln
Hall Theatre, on Broadway, in
Portland for the first time.
Now that show has some real
“ blues” tunes that haven't been
heard on the West Coast in thirty
years (since 1958). I ought to
know, I was in the February, 1958
H o lly w o o d
p r o d u c tio n
of
“ Simply,” in California, as a teen
ager, like the character in “ West
Memphis Blues,” I was looking to
“ m ake
it”
In
b ig tim e
showbusiness in America. Yes, a
view of Black life In the 50’s: its
hope, pain and dreams. Is this the
future? Stay tune, musical theatre
lovers, for love is "Simply Heaven
ly!”
And from “ the long overdue
thanks” dept. — I recall a number
of years ago, “ Gimme a Break,"
TV Star and singer, Nell Carter,
while she was performing in the
original 1976 Broadway produc
tion of “ Ain’t Misbehavin’,” is
partly responsible with the cast,
for the RCA Record Company pre
senting Black Theatre’s Alliance,
with checks of $5,000 each, total
ly $10,000, when the cast album
was released. Now that’s “ putting
ya money where ya mouth is,
Black Theatre fans, so support
Black Theatre on your local stage,
like our good sister, Nell Carter,
and "Give us a break!” A good
idea is to list your favorite theatre,
such as IFCC of Portland, in your
Oregon State tax return for sup
port.
T he
R oyal E squire
C lub
Is Having It’s
First Annual
Member Appreciation
Party
June 19, 1988
7 P.M. - Until ????
>.*•
-Invitation Only-
1708 N.E. Albert
287-5145
L>L
Don’t Forget
Clarence Carter in Concert
June 22nd <& 23rd
he Amistad Incident, an 1839
mutiny on the high seas,
staged by Africans kidnapped
to slavery will be the focus of a
major motion picture. The inci
dent resulted in international in
trigue, increased conflict be
tween pro-slavery and anti-slavery
forces in the United States, and a
precedent-setting Supreme Court
decision. The film project was an
nounced at a press conference at
the National Press Club in Wash
ington, D.C.
Prize-winning film m aker St.
Clair Bourne, who will direct the
feature film, said that production
will begin in the spring, 1989. He
was joined at the press confer
ence by his collaborators in this
unique feature film venture, in
cluding screen writer Lou Potter
and Congressman Michael Espy
of Mississippi, where the bulk of
the production will take place.
Representatives from the Na
tional Endowment for the Human
ities, whose initial grant helped
launch the project, also attended.
Professor Ronald Bailey, Director
of Afro-American Studies at the
University of Mississippi, initiated
the project through extensive
original research, planning, and
organizing project staff and con
sultants. Maida Morgan, Director
of the Mississippi Film Commis
sion, confirmed that the Commis
sion will provide significant as
sistance to the production.
Bourne said that the produc
tion, which will be budgeted
around $4,000,000, will film all its
exterior scenes in Mississippi
which can provide the architec
ture of the period and the coast
line to represent the Caribbean
where the mutiny took place. No
decision has been made as to
where the studio shooting will
take place.
Bourne also refused to com-
T
5 5
ment on casting though he indi
cated that major stars w ill be con
sidered for the principal roles.
The Amistad incident is con
sidered the most important court
case involving slavery with the ex
ception of the landmark Dree
Scott case. It began in Sierra
Leone in 1839 when 53 men
women and children were kid
napped into slavery by a Portu
guese ship and transported tc
Havana for sale. They were
bought by the owners of “ Li
Amistad" which means “ Friend
ship” in Spanish, who shlppec
them to another port in Cuba.
En route, the mutiny occurred
The Africans, led by the legendary
Cinque, took over the ship, killing
all the crew except for two mer
who were spared In order that
they might sail the ship back tc
in
Africa.
The Spaniards deceived their
captors, sailing into the sun as
ordered by day, but heading north
and west at night. A prolonged
journey ended off the coast of
Long Island on August 26, 1839,
where the Amistad was spotted
and seized by a U.S. Navy brig and
all aboard were taken to New Lon
don, Connecticut.
The Africans were arrested and
charged with murder and mutiny
and taken to New Haven for trial.
The case became a cause
cele'bre for both sides of the
slavery controversy then raging in
the U.S. Extensive legal battles
followed. Eventually, John Quincy
Adams, former President and
then Congressman, represented
the Africans in court. In the back
ground, relations between Spain
and the U.S. grew sensitive as the
state government, through be
hind-the-scenes and often illegal
intrigue, tried to settle the affair
to Spain's satisfaction.
On February 24, 1841, the
Supreme Court ruled in favor of
the Africans, who were freed and
returned to their homeland.
Famous Face
Nell Carter
• .7
« ♦* »;
HUNGRY?
Besaw’s
‘The Place To G o’
For Early Mornings,
Late Night Breakfasts,
— A fter Hours —
Opened 24 Hours
Rose Festival Special
Silver Roses
, ■ ' ‘‘
r-.—»
-Z
♦
v>e.:
ï f f
t,S.‘ »-
r
Look What’s Added To
P & J s Beauty & Barber
Roses Bracelet........................ $56.00
Large Rose Earrings.............. $40.00
Small Rose Earrings.................$4.00
Rose Ring................................ $13.00
Rose Bouquet Ring.................. $5.00
> v '.*
'"x-A'-z
.!
• ,
ONE FREE PAIR
STERLING EARRINGS
Per Person
idw.iv
(C O U litM l 1 KK
With Coupon
A New, Two-Chair Salon
Come and meet the operators
And, remember, we still have
a wide range of hair care products.
\J I L Ü £ - / r e f i
ôtPSA. to 2 .A A Í.
/ y r f ’t’KfvrL
4
Open to the Public
9:00 a.m. — 6:00 D.m.
Monday — Saturday
231 N. Lombard, Suite 200
(503) 289-0205
P roferii
-Ü
Layaways Welcome
I,
'Sææ
k'
_________ if * * *
* '
«
« 4 <
y.