• r 1 r r 'r ? ! ‘
D e c e m b e r 1 ,1 9 8 8 , P o rtlan d O b s erver, P a g e 5
ENTERTAINMENT
-
' ■* . ,
Publishing Magnate John H.
IBCUND
ICEPCICT
by Garland Lee Thompson
A call is going out to whose
interested in joining a new Portland-
based
w rite rs
group
and
development workshop.
Useni
Perkins, the Executive Director of
the Urban League of Portland has
put out a call for the formation of new
writers' workshop to foster the
urgently needed development of
local writers, under the currently
working title of the Pacific Northwest
A fric a n
A m e rica n
W riters
Association.
Useni Perkins, who is aiso a poet
and has written plays while living in
his home town of Chicago, has
asked a number of Portlanders,
such as Mattie Ann Callier Spears
(s in g e r-w rite r), Joe F ra n klin
(teacher-writer), Michael Grant
(actor-director-writer) and myself to
join in the development of this new
local writer development project that
is currently meeting on every other
Sunday, 3 to 5 PM in the Urban
League office at Williams Avenue
and Russell. The next scheduled
meeting of the workshop pilot group
is Sunday, December 4,1988
At the last meeting of the new
group, I attended the session to
learn of the purpose and on what
forms of writing the group is
preparing to focus.
Perkins
submitted the following guidelines
that are intended to provide a format
tor readings and criticism.
1. Purpose of Criticism - All
criticism should be accepted as
being constructive in their intent.
2. Works read during workshop
should be no longer than 15
minutes, unless special permission
has been granted
BEHIND THE
SCENES
Johnson To Be Featured
3. All works should be presented
as “ works in progress.”
4. Whenever possible, writers
should distribute copies of their
works before readings.
At the last meeting on Sunday,
November 20, 1988, in which
novelists, short story, fiction writers
were invited, poetry by Joe Franklin,
the beginning scene of a new play by
Michael Grant, was read and a
discussion critique of both followed.
Also questions of time and the best
day of the week to meet, were
discussed and the day remains
every other Sunday of the month for
the present.
James Earl Jones is set to host the "Story ot a People” * 1989 Specials
Jones is pictured here with syndicate it Production President Robert
Dockery and Producer Stafford Bailey.
New York Writers Workshop
Formed This Way
As the founder in 1973,. of the
Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop in
New York City, now in its sixteenth
season of existence, focusing on
new play and p la y w rig h ts ’
development, I was very interested
in this new Portland project.
This is basically the same way
we formed the very productive
Frank Silvera Writers’ Workshop in
the Seventies (named in memorial
for actor-director, Frank Silvera).
The Frank Silvera Workshop, now a
nationally acclaimed federal and
New York State funded program
that has read and presented more
than 3,000 new and known
playwrights, such as Charles Fuller
(“Zooman and The Sign,"
“A
Soldier’s Play"), Ntozake Shange
(“for colored girls”) and Richard
Wesley (noted films, “ Uptown
Saturday Night," "Let’s Do It Again,”
“ Native Son” ). “ Write on, to Useni
and the new writers group!
Ebony/Jet publishing magnate
John H. Johnson will be featured in
“Who is That Black Man?,” one of ♦
the two hour-long programs that
make up the “Story Of A People”
sp ecial
from
S ynd ica te
It
P ro du ctio ns, w hich w ill run
nationally in January and February,
1989.
“ Story Of A People is a profile of
Black America, presented by Black
Americans, that attempts to give a
well-balanced appraisal of the
issues and trends that affect our
culture," states Robert Dockery, J r ,
producer of the special. Dockery
says the image of the Black
American is often distorted by the
media and through the one-hour
specials "Who Is That Black Man?"
and "The Gospel According To..."
Dockery hopes to “set that record
straight.”
"Who Is That Black Man?” is a
thought-provoking special designed
to refute the myths about black men
in America today. The special will
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
HOT SOUNDS FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
HOWARD HUNTSBERRY
W IT H LOVE
Featuring SLEEPLESS WEEKENOi
UARRtf D t t f N G E I LONELY IO O /A O S E S
DON T TAKE THIS OUT ON ME
introduce viewers to hardworking,
successful responsible men like
John H Johnson, a man writ» is an
integral fibre of this nation.
Voted the Entrepreneur of the
Decade in 1987 by Black
Enterprise, John H. Johnson has
created a publishing and broadcast
empire to be reckoned with
Johnson was inducted into the
Publishing Hall of Fame last yeai
and was honored as the Most
Outstanding Black Pubiisher iri
History in 1977 by the National
Newspaper Publishers Association.
The United Negio College Fund
honored Johnson tor Distinguished
Accomplishment
In addition to profiling Johnson,
“Who Is That Black Man? will
interview Cliff Rocquemore and
Micky Stevenson, whose latest
work "The Gospel Truth ” is now a
highly acclaimed musical theatre
production eminent jazz producer,
writer ano musician B illy Mitchell,
and the Delphi ot Louisville,
Kentucky a prominent Black men's
club staded over 30 years ago, with
members now located across the
country
"Our attempt in making this
special was to show wnat these
black men have done to preserve
theircultuie and what they are doing
now to secure their future, “ Dockery
explained. "By seeing their daily
ro utines,
liste n in g in
on
conversations and watching these
men with their friends and families,
the audience is allowed the
opportunity to make a more
accurate and honest assessment of
the A m e rica n Black M a le ’s
achievements, contributions and
struggles
PO RTLAND OBSERVER
The Eyes and Ears of the Community
2 8 8 -0 0 3 3
Eva Gabor
Bom Free
Rene o f Paris
Andre Douglas
Zurv and More
Carefree
Wif>S,
Hairpieces
and
Beauty
Supplies
Magazine for dates in your area).
Jay
K in g
Sued
O ve r
Altercation - Papers were served in
Sacram ento M unicipal Court
against promoter Jay King for
allegedly attacking a financial
consultant in a local Sacramento
nightclub
The lawsuit asks for
financial compensation of $25,000,
and also names his bodyguards,
who allegedly held the young man
while Jay King hit him, as co-
aefendants Jay King, the founder
of Club Nouveau and co-founder of
the Timex Social Club, is sole owner
of King Jay Records, and manages
singer Michael Cooper.
Cosby Show Will Be Back:
When Bill Cosby made his debut on
NBC's hit series, "The Cosby
Show’ he did so with the stipulation
that he would only do the show for
five years Up til now, Cosby was
not talking about whether or not he
would renew for a sixth season
(1989-90), and NBC was holding its
breath
But earlier this month,
Cosby announced that he would be
back, and NBC couldn’t be happier.
Berry
Gordy
H onored:
Motown Records founder Berry
Gordy will be honored on December
6th in Beverly Hills The occasion is
the Brotherhood Crusade's annual
“ Walter Bremond Pioneer of Black
Achievement Award Dinner” . This
year, the coveted award named in
honor ot the Biotherhood Crusade’s
founding father goes to record
industry legend, Berry Gordy.
Entertainment tor the evening will
be p io v id e d uy Smokey Robinson.
Ike T u rn e r D isappears:
Entertainer Ike Turner recently went
AWOL from a comeback lour in
Milwaukee. Turner was scheduled
to perform at the Odd Rock Cafe in
Milwaukee, but promoter Jack
Koshick said Turner never showed
up and that he has cancelled the rest
ot his tour Koshick also said that ne
does not know Turner’s current
whereabouts. Turner, who was due
in court on charges of drug
possession will face stiff legal
penalties.
Law suit
A gainst
E ddie
Murphy Will Stand As Is: A Los
Angeles Superior Court judge
recently denied a dismissal motion
in a $30 m illio n c o p yrig h t
infringement lawsuit brought by
writer Shelby Gregory against
superstar Eddie Murphy The bid
was to dismiss the suit was brought
by Lassine Ousseni, who claims to
be a Nigerian prince and asserts it
was he who offered Giegory $5,000
to write a detailed outline of a story
that resem bled "C om ing To
America” . Ousseni, himself says
he will sue Murphy. Meanwhile, no
date for further action in either case
has been set On the home front
Murphy has reportedly bougnt the
ih re e houses next to P a jl
"Crocodile Dundee" Hogan for $10
million According to the report, he
plans to demolish the three houses
and build one big mansion in their
place.
Ebony’s Black Achievement
Awards - A Smash: It was all gilt?
and glamour tor the 10th Annual
Black A chieve m e n t A w a id s
recently in Los Angeles
The
awards which were hosted by
Clifton Davis and Jackes, were the
brainchild of ebony publisher, John
H. Johnson, to highlight the
achievements of blacks in all
arenas. Lionel Hampton received
the lifetime Achievement Award,
while Rev. Jesse Jackson picked up
the Trailblazer Award
Other
recipients included Congressman
Charles Rangel, Gladys Knight &
The Pips, Oprah Winfrey, and
Grambling University President, Dr
Joseph Johnson, Flo-Jo, Evelyn
Ashford, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee
were on hand tor a Salute to
Olympians
Presenters mcludeo
Melba Moore, Quincy Jones, Blair
Underwood, Vanessa Williams,
Kadeem Hadison, and Beauty &
The Beast's Ron Pearlman (who is
married to a black woman). The
program is slated to be broadcast in
over 100 markets from December
through Black History month.
(Check your local listings or Jet
Cleo’s Cafe
3041 N. Williams
284-7150
Ethnic Cuisine
Southern Style
H O U S E S P E C IA L T IE S
Chitterlings • Meatloaf
Mix Greens • Beef Stew
Catfish • And Many
Other Southern Dishes
Including:
Cleo's
Zesty Ribs In Sauce
—
H O M E -C O O K E D D E S E R T S
Come See ‘Luberta’
For Down Home Cookin’!
MEMBERS & GUESTS
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PROPRIETOR
On
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East Portland
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MUSIC
M ILLENNIUM
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Decem ber8,1988
On
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4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
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Next week. Find out just what
Richard Prior is up to.
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