September 29, 1988, Portland Observer, Page 5
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ENTERTAINMENT
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BICC a KICW^
BEHIND THE
SCENES
IBCHJMC
IEIEIPOICT
by Garland Lee Thompson
Well, the “ Moor of Venice" is
in town, co-produced by its stars,
Rick Jones and Joel Morello and
directed by Tom Lasswell at the
Interstate Firehouse Cultural
Center, 5340 N. Interstate Avenue.
It runs September 23rd through
October 16th, 8:00 P.M. Friday,
Saturday and 7:00 P.M. on
Sunday.
The Director’s notes in the pro
gram states: “ For years the three
of us have wanted to work to
gether on a p ro d u ctio n of
“ Othello” . We were all convinc
ed, however, that we wanted the
performance to be something
more than just another Shake-
sperean production.
First, we
didn’t want to use pseudo-British
dialect, or even the modern ap
proach which is an elevated
speech style call “ Translantic” .
We wanted to use American
sounds which would communi
cate this glorious poetry to
American ears."
[Note: A few years ago, this
same technique was tried at the
New York Shakespeare Festival
when producer Joseph Papp
wanted to form a new Black
Shakespearean company]. The
technique didn’t work there and I
have some problems with the
“ Americanization” concept at the
IFCC. Mainly because “ Othello”
has to have and must demon
strate great power and statue
before we can understand
Othello’s fall from grace. We
must be able to witness this
trememdous change for the pro
duction to work. When it doesn’t
happen, the production ends up
as just another “ Hey Dessie
Baby” rendition of "the Bard's
Blackamoor Blues.”
From the legendary Black actor
Ira Aldridge, who toured Europe
many years ago, to the great Paul
Robeson, who played Othello on
Broadway for three years and
aven Sir Lawrence Olivier of
England, who played Othello in
“ Black face” in the movie, the
bottom line in Othello was power
first, then the weakness and flaws
appear to create the real drama of
this Shakespearean masterpiece.
The power so creativity projected
by those legends are missing
from the “ Othello” production at
the IFCC.
The Director’s notes continue:
“ We wanted to recapture the
sense of an audiences’ imagina
tion, which in Shakespeare’s
theatre supplied the scenery
costumes and spectacular ele
ments in their minds eye. We
have set our play in a rehearsal
space in the theatre. Iago is our
stage manager.” Frankly speak
ing, to the degree that the actors
are involved directly in the trag
edy, they don some semblance of
period costume. But to the extent
that they are on the periphery, the
actors at the IFCC have merely a
suggestion of costume or they
may s im p ly be re a d in g a
character’s part.
It is listed in the program that
the set and lighting is by Joel
Morello and the “ Master Carpen
ter” is the entire cast. So, the
question is “ does it work?” As
Iago, Morello did make a good
stage manager - cold blooded and
method in his acting of the role.
He has had the most experience
w o rk in g at th is h is 15th
Shakespearean play.
Yes...it
shows through everytime. And
also, I am told that Morello need
ed to cut the cost of the produc
tion, however, we, the audience,
need to see the actors on a set
that gives us a true sense of the
reality of the scene that takes
place in the play. The production
needs to get us out of the rehear
sal hall mentality of a low-budget
production. The theatre is magic
and illusion that should take us
somewhere special and not just
backstage, especially when the
audience pay real money for
tickets.
And finally, the Director’s notes
tell us that “ We wanted to offer a
different, much more contem
poraneous picture of the women
in the play.” In my opinion, the
three actresses, Trisha Todd
[D e sd e m o n a ], Sarah L u c h t
[Emilia] and Gretchen Savage
[Bianca] did just that. I loved
Bianca in her scene with her
lover.
I felt for Desdemona,
whose only crime was to get in
volved with some mad men’s
hangouts...and Emilia was ex
cellent.
♦ ♦♦
Apart from life in the spotlight as one of the famous Jacksons, Marlon
Jackson lives quietly at home with his wife Carol, and their three children
Valencia, 11; Brittny, 9, and Marlon Jr., 6.
reamgirls, the sizzling pop
Broadway musical smash of
the decade, will premiere
Portland Tuesday, October 25 at
the Civic Auditorium.
Dreamgirls chronicles the story
of three young singers “ The
Dreamettes,” a singing group
from Chicago who struggle to
break into the Pop Charts, out of
the commercially limiting rhythm-
and-blues scene, and end up as
superstars a la the “ Supremes."
Dream girls was directed on
Broadway by Michael Bennett,
creator of ‘A Chorus Line’. Its
dynamic score became the big-
gest-selling show album in Broad
way history. ‘Dreamgirls’ was the
winner of 6 Tony Award and 2
Grammy Awards when it debuted
on Broadway in the early ’80s
In 1987 ‘Dreamgirls’ was reviv
ed for an extended engagement
on Broadway further attesting to
D
the show's continued popularity
and earned an additional Tony
Award nomination for “ Best
in
Revival.” In re-examining the pro
duction, Frank Rich of the New
York Times wrote:
’ “ Still the most exciting staging
of a broadway musical this
decade! Dreamgirls lives, and so
does the striking vision of
Michael Bennett, one of the most
brilliant showmen the Broadway
musical has known!
‘Dreamgirls’ will play 8 perfor
mances at Civic Auditorium.
Evening performances Tuesday,
Oct. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 30
are at 8:00 p.m. Two matiness are
scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29
and Sunday, Oct. 30 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets are price from $21-$32 and
are on sale at all G.l. Joe/Ticket-
master outlets. PCPA Box Office
and the Galleria Jean Machine.
¡M edia
T alent
C entre
by Lisa Collins
Black communities being abandon
ed by major banks: California
business and civil rights organiza
tions have appealed to federal
regulators to develop a national
plan to aid minority communities
abandoned by major banks. In a
six-page letter to the Federal
Reserve Board, they stated that
federal agencies have no policies
or programs to save minority
communities from the improvi
dence of giant white-owned
banks, and pointed to a dispropor
tionate number of bank closings
in Black communities in the wake
of deregulation. They also ex
pressed concern that minority
branches are set-up for failure
citing competitive pressures and
poor bank service.
What’s the most expensive Black
art going for these days? Among to
day’s Blacks, Jacob Lawrence and
Romare Bearden are the most
reknown artists, and their works are
selling anywhere from $15,000 to
$75,000. “ But Black art goes way
beyond that,’ ’ says Alitash Kebede,
a private LA art dealer. Among the
most valued Is work by Henry
O’Tanner. According to Kebede.
“ Bill Cosby purchased Tanner’s
work at an auction for somewhere
around $250,000.“ But, says
Kebede, “ if you’re interested in
collecting, it’s essential to read
about it.” Her own recommenda
tion is “Two Centuries Of Black
American Art“ by David Driscoll.
Willie Davis purchases station
near Denver for $5.5 million: All-Pro
Broadcasting recently announced
that it has acquired KPOU in
Greeley, Colo. This brings to four
the number of stations owned by
former all-pro Willie Davis. Other
stations include WMVP-AM and
WLUM-FM in Milwaukee, KACE in
Los Angeles.
LA Street Rappers show big
business savvy: West Coast
Distributors is made up of four
small record labels formed five
years ago, individually, by a hand
ful of rap a rtis ts in th e ir
20’s — Greg Broussard (Egyptian
Empire), Rudy Partee (Kru Kuts).
Each had experienced prior suc
cess, selling as many as 600,000
units w ith Macola Records.
However, when Macola persis
tently cut them short of profit,
they began seeking a better
means of distribution for their
music. In January '88, that better
means became West Coast Distri
butors, and this year, collectively,
they expect to earn $2,000,000.
Ironically enough most of them
have deals for theirselves and
many of their artists with major
labels. Rudy Partee’s LA Dream
Team record for MCA. With a staff
of eight, they operate out of
South-Central LA as a record
company, complete with artist
development and promotions.
“ The biggest problem" says Lisa
Allen, who oversees day-to-day
operations, "is that everytime we
make some noise with a new ar
tist like J.J. Fad, and put a dent in
to the sales market, here comes
the majors wanting to buy them
out.”
Systems Management American
Names Hattie Chadwick Director of
Procurement. In this position,
Chadwick assumes full reonsibili-
ty for SMA’s purchasing depart
ment, a staff of nine, its policies,
practices and compliance to
Federal & Defense Regulations.
Baseball gets a raise: The
average salary of major league
baseball players in 1988 will reach
all-time high of $433,(XX). This
represents an increase of $31,000
over the ’87 average of $402,000.
Now that Jesse Jackson has won
his suit against MPI Video over
the rights of his “ We Can Dream
Again” keynote address, did you
know that the Rev. Martin Luther
King stopped a record company
from selling recordings of his
famous “ I Have A Dream”
speech.
A footnote on Emerge: Time Inc.,
one of the backers of emerge, the
much-talked about new magazine
targeting upwardly mobile and
progressive Blacks, that recently
suspended publication pending
some financial turmoil, has said it
will go ahead with its earlier plans
to invest $1.5 million, should
Emerge raise the balance of $4.5
million.
Number of Black manufcturers
down: The latest statistics show
that minority manufacturers ac
count for only 1.5% of all firms
owned by Blacks, Hispanics and
Asians. That's down from 2.2%
five years ago, however, those
companies averaging $350,000
per year, stand among the minori-
ity firm s w ith the highest
revenues.
COMING AT YOU
7 NIGHTS A WEEK
Broadcasting
& M odeling Classes
— A ll A ges —
NEVER ANY COVER
220-1865
2 26 -7 1 3 1
THE SHANGHAI LOUNGE
AT THE DOWNTOWN RIVER PLACE MARINA
UNIQUELY VOUftS
1988-89 SEASON
Boutique & Nail Salon
HAIR
Mainstage
September 23 - November 6
MARRY ME A LITTLE
Blue Room
October 21 - November 27
And of course —
Portland Civic Theatre’s
Christmas Gift To Portland:
PETER PAN
The Musical Company’s 1 9 8 8-1989 Season
Mainstage
THE BOY FRIEND
December 9 - January 15
September 2 3 -October 16, 1988
SHERLOCK HOLMES
February 17-March 12, 1989
ALL NEW
Bazzar Corner
splay Your Handcrafted Items
Just In Time For Christmas!
Weekly Or Monthly Rental.
Space As Low As
*15°° per month
WORKING
Mainstage
THE FANTASTICKS
WIZARD OF OZ
KISMET
Space Going Fast ...
So Call Or Stop By
Blue Room
November 18-December 11. 1988
April 14 May 7. 1989
Today!
4 Shows for the priee of THREE!
Season tickets *3()-*42
Call 2 3 5 -4 5 5 1
517 N.E. Killingworth
287-5827
All performances at the
The Musical Company
February 17 - April 2
March 17 - April 30
BABY
Mainstage
May 5 - June 18
1530 S.W. Yamhill
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 226-3048
Titles and Dates Subject to Change
EASTMDE PERFORMANCE CENTER
SE 14th off Stark
51 1 SE With
Portland. OR 97 21 5
2.15 1551
or 2SO 6 5 9 2