1*
».»-»» * * * * * * * *
' > •• » »
Page 4, Portland Observer, June 15, 1988
£ & ENTERTAINMENT
BROADWAY BOUND
In The Know
REPOR T
me about the possibility of pro
ducing my musical, "A Gypsy
Girl." And I am working like hell
on a new play, "The Tenure Track
Position.” There are just not
enough hours in the day to com
plete all that I should be doing.
Anyway, like you, I am in there,
trying.
We'll be talking, meantime,
keep on keeping on.
Best, best,
Lotten Mitchell
P.S. - I’d like permission to send
your wonderful letter to Boston
University archives. There is a
Loften Mitchell Collection up
there.
By Garland Thompson
received a letter from my friend,
playwright, and scholar, Loften
Mitchell, whose career and Works
span the Federal Theatre, the
American Negro Theatre, Author
of the Broadway Musical, "Bubbl
ing Brown Sugar,” a numbers of
plays and productions. I want
share with all you theatre "affl-
cionados” some of his words and
my response, which he is includ
ing among his official papers in
the Loften Mitchell Collection at
the Boston University archives.
Also, if any of you theatre buffs,
especially Black Theatre, have
some interesting “ tibbits” or
questions to raise, please do to
by writing to us, care of the
‘Broadway Bound Report,’ Port
land Observer, P.O. Box 3137,
Portland, Oregon 97208.
I
Memorandum
To: Loften Mitchell, Playwright
and Historian
From Loften Mitchell:
I
■»
<v
Dear Garland:
Thank you for your writing to
me on Feb. 5th, 1988. I believe I
answered this while I was running
in and out of California. At any
rate, I have just re-read it and I
thank you again.
Now — what am I doing? Get
ting ready for a book party that
Horace Carter and the Emanuel
Pieterson Historical Society is
giving me on May 26th, at the
Salvation Army on Lenox Avenue
(in New York C ity). “ T ell
Pharaoh," (Loften’s play) - revised
edition ' has been published. And
Chet Cummings is talking with
From: Garland Lee Thompson,
Playwright, founder of the Frank
Silvera Writers' Workshop Foun
dation, Inc.
Re: A update "Newsie” bulletin
and response to your recent let
ter.
Date: February 5,1988
Happy New Year to you as we
enter Black History Month, 1988.
Thanks for your nice letter telling
me about your working on a new
play and about you and Chet
Cummings talking “ production
talk.”
Speaking of February 14th, that
is the day that the West Coast
production of another aquarian
(born Feb. 1st), Langston Hughes’
musical comedy, “ Simply Hea
venly,” opened in 1958 at the old
Carmel Theatre In Los Angeles,
California. It will be thirty years
ago, as of this year, 1988. The
show, as you may remember,
opened on Broadway in August,
1957, before it opened in Holly
wood, six months later.
I made my professional stage
debut in that West Coast produc
tion, as “ John Jasper,” the news
boy and son of "Arcie and Bodid-
dly.” The West Coast cast fea
tured: Helen Humes, the late
great blues singer, as "Mamie” (I
*i* -
$
•- «f
r
>1 '
Hear the pounding of the Afri
can drum — July 1. The heartbeat
of Africa comes alive at the Ore
gon Art Institute, with African
drummer and drum maker, Kobla
Mensa Dente. His “ informance”
(interactive-performance) begins
at 8:00 p.m. in th Sculpture Mall
outside the Pacific Northwest
College of Art.
Dente s work is based on the
aesthetic tradition of the Akan
people of West Africa, among
whom he lived and studied. He
introduces the African culture
and music to audiences across
the country in an effort to provide
a greater understanding and
by Danny Bell
here is unheralded group of
young black musicians, who
have been professionally perform
ing in the Portland, S.W. Washing
ton and rest of Oregon since
1978, this has been since they
were just adolescents. Who’s this
you ask yourself, as well you
should? Its Romeo which is what
the band goes by now; a high
tech, sophisticated, creative, in
tense energy urban contemporary
band that really rocks.
Comprised of band members
Darrnell Love; bas, keyboards,
T
appreciation of this rich heritage.
He encourages audience par
ticipation during his performance
which includes solo drumming
and storytelling.
Immediately following Dente’s
performance, Boka Marimba, a
Portland marimba band, will play
upbeat and danceable marimba
music! Tickets for the event are
$5 and are available at the Pacific
Northwest College of Art and Ar
tichoke Music.
This event is sponsored by the
Oregon Art Institute's Pacific
Northwest College of Art, KBOO
Radio and Artichoke Music. For
more information, call 226-0462.
Exciting Mini-Fashion Workshop!
Experienced Make-Up Artistry
• Poise & Projection
• Wardrobing Of Course
• Ramp Techinques
For Information And Reservations Cal:
293-7999
JUNE
MON.-SAT 13th-18th
‘The Heros’
(Las Vegas)
SUNDAY, 19th
‘Curtis Salgado
& The Stalettos
MON.-SAT 18th-25th
Ron Haywood & Stripes
(Vancouver, B.C.)
SUNDAY, 26th
Michael Harrison
(Album Release)
MON.-SAT. 27th-May 2nd
Ron Haywood & Stripes
(Vancouver, B.C.)
THE SHANGHAI
LOUNGE
220-1865
— Limited Space Available -
at the Downtown Marina
Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful!!
Besaw’s
HUNGRY?
‘The Place To G o’
For Early Mornings,
Laie Night Breakfasts,
— After Hours —
Opened 24 Hours
„ hd * open /> v
INNER-CITY
SWAP MEET
0
«n »*
“ ? <F
Z *;
I. * > :
i '-'
O*'
^2 6 ^
*
Look What’s Added To
P & J s Beauty & Barber
-'VÄ
• Vendors Needed •
NEW or HAND-CRAFTED ITEMS ONLY
CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION:
(503) 288-45270
Ask for Steve or Blanche
Cleo’s
3140 N . W illia m s • 284-7150
Ethnic Cuisine Southern Style
★ HOUSE SPECIALTIES ★
Come and meet the operators
Including: Cleo’s Zesty Ribs In Sauce
— HO M E CO O KED DESSERTS -
Come See 'Luberta' For Some Down Home Cookin'!
And, remember, we still have
a wide range of hair care products.
Open to the Public
9:00 am . — 6:00 D.m.
Monday — Saturday
- - fjf
.«
5ç3<
o
T
Calvin Walker and The Answer
have a pop music sound with a
to
funk edge. It is great dance music
with soulful texture. Walker’s new
group has been garnering critical
acclaim for their crisp and origi
nal sounds. The three piece band
Dial Memphis will open the set
with more dance music that is
funky and rooted in soul. They
draw from such greats as James
Brown, Jr. Walker, and Wilson
Pickett with some original sounds
thrown in.
A New, Two-Chair Salon
Of r e * *
California Style Shopping Arena
he kickoff performance of the
"Music By Blue Lake” sum
mer concert series promises
be a popular event as Calvin Wal
ker and The Answer, with special
guest Dial Memphis perform on
Thursday, June 23rd from 6:00 to
9:00 p.m. at Blue Lake Park. The
cost is still only $3.00 per car.
Multnomah County Parks Serv
ices Division puts on the series
which is co-sponsored by 62
KGW
R a d io
and
K a is e r
Permanente.
Chitterlings • Meatloaf • Mix Greens • Beef Stew
Catfish • And Many Other Southern Dishes
AM'®
June 17th, 18th, & 19th — 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
1834 N.E. Alberta (formerly Y.O.A. Club)
Oregon extensively and by the
summer of 1986 had opened for
such major acts as Tyrone Davis,
Con Funk Shun, Zapp & Roger.
However by this time they had
come to realize that there was
more to show business than just
playing a song in some tidewater
flat. The desire to define their own
personal kind of music and an
youthful curiosity as to what suc
cess could be in terms of fulfilling
their lives lead the threesome to
attend Clark Community College
in an effort to become familiar
with the business aspects of the
entertainment industry.
It was during this period that
Visions dissolved, and after some
lead singer, and primary song
brainstorming and maturation the
writer, Tony Winters; drums, busi
concept for Romeo came into be
ness manager, Bobby Winters;
ing. Although the band members
lead & rythmn guitar, keyboards,
readily admit they are from
contributing writer and public
Prince’s Minneapolis School of
relations, and Tracy Stone; lead
contemporary music. They have
and background vocals. Romeo
been able to separate themselves
makes up a self-contained musi
from the generic brand X label.
cal unit that can be heard all to in
A good example Is when I
frequently at the likes of Eli's and
caught them at Eli’s opening for
Key Largo.
Shock. They have what is describ
B a sica lly the nucleus of
ed in the business as "the pack
Romeo is made up of the two
age” ; that is they are high energy,
Winter brother and their cousin
with tight choreography, a theatri
Darrnell Love. They got their start
cal look, that conveys youth and
in the church, writing gospel ma sex appeal, with just a splash of
terial for the Hughes Memorial
nasty, maturity. Their delivery ap
United Methodist Church back in pears effortless held together
1978. The experience of working
with first quality profession
in the church environment led to alism — and on top of all that the
various engagements throughout
bars clientele was partying down.
the state of Oregon playing the
church circuit. By 1982 the group
, . . To My Father
Visions was created. It was dur
Mr Edward William Callivcr, Jr.
ing the period between 1982-1986
May God Forever Bless You
plus a good working relationship
and Sustain You!
with talent agent Tom Stinette
/ Love You, Daddy!
that the aspiring artists cut their
teeth as professionals. As Visions
— Your daughter. Teal
these young gentlemen toured
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
— MODELS WANTED —
African Drummer Performs
V-
think that’s the correct spelling of
Her last name), the late Spencer
Williams ("Andy" of the "Amos ’N
Andy" TV show), as "Bodiddly,”
Robert DeCoy, as "Simple,” (after
Johnny Lee of the Old "Amos ’N
Andy" TV Fame, became ill in re
hearsal), Isabel Cooley, as
"Sarita” (remember her following
Hilda Simms in “ Anna Lucasta,”
correct spelling?) and Pauline
Myers, was my mother, “ Arcie."
Yes, it was my beginning in
theatre, after first landing a small
"dance bit” role in the 1957
movie, "South Pacific,” a few
months earlier at Twentieth Cen
tury-Fox Studio, as a teenager on
a visit to Hollywood. That was
some thirty years ago. Some be
ginning in “ the BIZ,” huh? I was a
black teenager in Hollywood! I
would sit everyday during breaks
and lunch, at the great Spencer
Williams' side and listen to all of
his endless stories of his life and
the history of black folks in
SHOWBIZ and the theatre.
Yes, it was my introduction to
the real black theatre history from
a truly "living master” and artist,
Spencer Williams, who told grip
ing stories of his “ young spy” role
days in the army as well as his
performing career as an actor.
This was “ a walking library
history book” that made me hang
on every word that came out of
his mouth! And bless his heart,
he was my "daddy” in Langston’s
play as well!
So, I’m here In the Pacific Nor
thwest, to teach in the Upward
Bound Program at PSU and direct
some projects before returning to
New York, the Frank Silvera
Writers’ Workshop and other pro
jects. I would like to get the 2nd
Frank Silvera Film Festival plann
ing, underway and begin the
publishing and documentation of
the best of the more than 3.000
play manuscripts, currently on file
in the Workshop’s collection, at
the Schomberg Center Archives,
as a part of the Frank Silvera
Library Of The Living Playwright.
Indeed, we must leave a clear
record of this current period in
our theatre history for future
generations, or like so many art
ists and their works in the past,
such as in the Federal Theatre
years, may be lost forever! We
must not let that happen!
231 N. Lombard, Suite 200
(503) 289-0205
*• * * •
* * * *
* * • * “
< . , I » # 5 « M * 1
V?-
MEMBERS & GUESTS
Actors, Actresses, Models Wanted
for local productions and advertising
F ÏU v
f \ ’ ‘ »._
Steve Cary Talent Agency
(503) 233-1035
>