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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1989)
January 5, 1989 • Portland Observer • Page 5 ENTERTAINMENT ★★ ;• BEHIND THE SCENES py Lisa Collins C a u g h t Up In C h ris tm a s C ru sh : M otown’s new wonder group. “ The Boys” were almost caught up in the Christmas crush, when fighting broke out while they were perform ing in a California mall over the holidays. Things got a little tense as some of the stage equipm ent cam e tumbling down. The Boys, who w ere under standably a little shaky, stiff m an aged to retain their composure. Gangs were said to be at the root of the near riot, and the entire mall was shut down for a few hours until calm could be restored. Speaking of the Boys, it appears NBC has given a green light to begin development on a cartoon series that will feature the new hit group. in o th e r h o lid a y h a p p e n in g s , actress ‘Beverly Todd of Clara’s Heart soon-to-be-released “ Lean On M e," had a few people over on Christmas Eve. Among those who turned up were Natalie Cole and Sheryl Lee Ralph ... A n d S h a u n ic e W ils o n ’s v e rs io n o f “ R u d o lp h The Red- N osed R e in d e e r” was a smash hit as Radioscope’s Christmas Caravan Concert held annually at the Watts W illowbrook Center. Backing her up were her mother, Crystal and aunt Penny who are them selves scouting about for a record label under the name of Crystal Penny. It seems talent runs in the family. A N ew Day For J a s m in e G uy At A D iffe re n t W o rld : Jasm ine Guy is finding her work much more exciting this year. She even likes her own character more. “ “ W hen I first read for the role,” said Guy, “ I thought W hitley was too mean and too south ern for people to accept. This year, she's more hum an." She attributes most of the show's newfound suc cess to the contributions Debbie A l len has made as producer. "Debbie has brought so much energy to the show, and I don’t think that she is afraid. Last year, I believe the show’s producers were scared to touch some of the issues that w ere relevant to IB O IJ M D K IE IP D IC T today’s youth. This year, for me, is more fun and relevant to the tim es.” As to her sexy image, Guy says she’ll leave that to her TV viewers to de cide. “ I'm just being me. I’ve always gotten a lot of attention from m en." Yet, it is undoubtedly an image she dresses to suit, and hopes one day to parlay into a successful recording career. S he’s already recorded a demo, but for now no one is biting. Arsenio Hall Struts His Stuff: The long-awaited hour-long talk show starring com edian-actor Arsenio Hall will debut this week, with a lineup that boasts Brooke Shields, Victoria Prin cipal, Luther Vandross, W hoopi Goldberg, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Robert Downey and singer Bobby Brown. Now that’s drawing power. Richard Pryor Faces Paternity Suit: G eraldine Mason, a 28-year old actress w ho had a small part in Richard Pryor’s 1986 feature “ Jo Dancer, Your Life Is C alling,” has filed a paternity suit against the ac tor-comedian and is seeking $10,745 a month in support. By all accounts, Pryor is not denying that he fathered Franklin M atthew Pryor, now close to two years old, and has reportedly been paying $1,000 a month. A hearing has been set for January 19th. In the meantime, Mason’s lawyer Marvin Mitchelson is hopeful that the tw o will com e to term s out of court. Did She O r D idn’t She: Only 30- year old W alter Bridgeforth knows for sure, but according to the Detroit Free Press R&B superstar Anita Baker married Bridgeforth, her steady of two years on Christm as Eve in De troit. The $1,500 wedding dress was reportedly bought at Jacobson’s in Gross Pointe. Baker recently pur chased a hom e in Gross Pointe. Both bride and groom are Detroit natives. There had been much speculation that it was only a m atter of tim e until the couple tied and knot, and even that Baker was pregnant. Baker denied the rumor, stating to Radioscope, a nationally syndicated radio program that “ I am just fat and happy.” THE N A A C P’S RECENT THIRD GREAT BLACK AM ERICAN ARTISTS AW ARD GALA honored Jacob Lawrence, the great Am erican painter, humanist, historian and teacher. A m em ber of the American Academy of Arts & Letters, Mr. Lawrence is a past winner of the NAACP’s coveted Spingarn Medal (1970). Mr. Lawrence was raised in Harlem and recently retired as a professor at the University of W ashington. Pictured at the Gala were (left to right) Granville L. Stevens, Senior Counsel for Revlon, Inc. and a m em ber of the Benefit Urban League Guild; Gwendolyn (Mrs. Jacob) Lawrence; and Jacob Lawrence. CORETTA SCOTT KING PRESENTS John H. Bryan, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Sara Lee Corporation, with a com m em ora tive plaque of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s fam ous speech, “ I Have a D ream .” Metropolitan Human Relations Commission Announces Awards Luncheon The 15th Annual Metropolitan Human Relations Commission Awards Luncheon will be held at Noon, Fri day, Jan. 13, 1989 at the Red Lion Roberta Flack And Ossie Davis Named 1989 Sony Master Innovators SO N YC O R PO R A TfO N OF AM ERICA hasannounced that Gram m y Award-winning arranger/vocalist Roberta Flack and distinguished actor/director Ossie Davis have joined Sony as Master Innovators for the 1989 Sony Innovators Program. Begun by the com pany last year, the Program honors up-and-com ing Black artists who have dem onstrated excellence and creativity in their work. MRS C’S WIGS T, place in Virginia, in the fall to early winter of 1864. There are several scenes of various out-door and inte rior lacales; work fields, ex-slaves’ campsites, a Yankee prison )(Where “ Prince” who is an ex-slave turned Union Army soldier, is a jailer), reli gious meeting hallos, etc. Samuel L. Jackson, powerfully plays “ Prince,” the black jailer, who finds himself in the juxtaposed posi tion of guarding a new Southern White Confederate spy (Raynor Scheine), who forced to run again now as an escaped ex-slave, turned killer, “ Prince” hides among other ex-slaves, played convincingly by Ed Wheeler ( “ B u rn e r” ), G ra h a m B ro w n (“ Stubbs” ), Rosanna Carter (“ Car rie"), Carl Gordon (“ Quash” ) and Peggy Alston (Quash's wife, “Mary"). Carla Brothers is very interesting as “ Tiche,” the mulatta ex-slave girl, who offers herself to “ Prince," who rejected her as too young. This sets up the scene for Prince’s apparent (but maybe not) knife murdering by “ Lu,” the ex-slave woman, played with great depth by Hattie Winston,! who thinks he has tried to rape Tiche while he really spawned her affec- tions. I see this as Fuller’s “ Black Play.” A simple one-fits-all, set design by Charles McClennahan, with helpful jail cell pattern and area lighting by Arthur Reese. The correct Civil W ar period costumes are by Judy Dearing I envision another “ m ovie” here for Charles Fuller, who neatly audi tions well his pieces at the NEC “ class act” for Hollywood and all the world to see, first on stage. Yes, this appears to be this playwright/screen- w riter’s working device, rather than just submitting to Hollywood another long historical screenplay about Blacks in racists America in the 1860’s. Why not show them the concept first, since “ LA Land” seems to have such “ a short attention spare” and lack of vision when it comes to reading unpublished or produced Black or even White new works for that m at ter. It usually has to make the best sellers or Broadway hit list first, to receive proper notice from ‘th e movie m oguls,” to be seriously considered for film production. “ W rite on,” Charlie, I’ll see you at ‘th e movies” after w e’ve first seen your new work on stage at NEC. It “the form ula” works, why not? “ Write on.” G rand O pening ! Stop & Go Restaurant o WHOLESALE & RETAIL HUNDREDS OF WIGS (Inn, Lloyd Center in the Multnomah Room. U.S. Congressm an Les Au- Coin will be the keynote speaker. The luncheon is $12.50 and open to the public. Reservations are re quested by January 6 and may be made by calling the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, 796- 5136, during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The facility is wheelchair acces sible and the program will be signed for the hearing impaired and deaf. For more information about accessibility, call Jan Campbell, Disability Project Coordinator, Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, 796-5210. The TDD num ber is 796-5393. The luncheon is held each year in com m em oration of the spirit and work of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and is scheduled tw o days prior to his birthday. Several awards will be pre sented. The Russell A .Peyton Award, named for the first executive director of the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, is presented to an indi vidual who makes outstanding achieve ments in the areas of human and civil rights. The Sonja Hilton Award is presented for advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities. A Special Recognition Award will be given, and students who have written com peti tively superior essays on the subject of improving intergroup relations will be recognized with a Harriet Tubman Essay Award. by Garland Lee Thompson For those of us who are Charles Soap" scene in the saga and play STRONG BLACK ACTORS Fuller fans ("Zoom an and the Sign” ), AT NEC the latest of his works just opened at Director of the Two-part Series of the Negro Ensemble Com pany’s Theatre Four in New York City. This plays is NEC co-founder, Douglas time, it is a two-part series of Am eri Turner Ward, who once again has can Civil W ar plays entitled, “ W E," some of the strongest acting en with Part I, called “Sally” and” Prince," semble talent (Black and White) in the country and the world to draw on is the title of Part II. I saw “ Prince," in preview prior to in one of New York's most famous its official opening on December 18th, Black Theatre companies. Forever youthful, Alvin Alexis seals 1988. This NEC production of the the plot line aptly, with his role of series is dedicated to the memory of “ Norm an,” the young black Union the late great actor, Adolph Caesar, soldier, who immortalizes “ Prince’s who created the Academy Award Legend,” as he embellishes the tale nominated film and stage perform of the jail killing of the so-called, ance of “the Sergeant” in “ A Sol important Southern spy until it be dier’s Play.” Fuller won the Pulitzer come “the new Soldier's Story” of a Prize for that NEC Off Broadway Black folk hero. Playwright, Fuller production and was also the first continues to work out his historical Black writer to be nominated for Academy Award for Best screenplay Black soldier’s "Karma" with this new of the Norman Jewison directed Film, work as he did with “ The Brownville Raid” (Originally read in 1974 at the "A Soldier’s Story." Frank Silvera W riters’ W orkshop in COULD THIS BE ANOTHER New York and produced by NEC) FILM AFTER IT ’S STAGED? “ Prince (Part II of “ W E ” ) takes and the award-winning, “ A Soldier’s FOR YOUR EVERCHANGWG LIFESTYLES 1 NAOMI SIMS • BORNFREE • MICHAEL WEEKS BETTY CABINE TU« »-»AT 11,3O4i0a EVER W M » FROM CURRBiT STYLES TO SPECIALTY WBS UM0UE HAM ORNAMENTS HAM BEADS A BEAUTY SUPPLES MRS. CS EBONY ESSENCE COSMETCS ZURI COSMETCS 5 - --------------- « T r y O u r P h il a d e lp h ia C h in e s e S te a k ! BEAUTICIAN A STUDENT DISCOUNTS 100% HUMAN HAM FOR BRAIDING » 7th & FREMONT (? 0 7 N.E. FREMONT) WEAVWG " » $3.95 Pot k Fried Rice • Pork Chow M ein • Fried Prawns 281-6525 i'iASI Chinese Food ■ Seafood • Philadelphia ■ Hoagies • Burgers SPECIAL Combo Dinner AND OTRBt NAME BRANDS proprietor Koko Bar-B-Q Spare Ribs & Chicken Full Meal Menu r FREE Drawing 283-9740 Every Saturday Take Out Orders OPEN: 11 a.m .-10p .m . 230 N. Killingsworth • Portland, OR LUk- - • ♦ • • * ».» • ' * ♦» *<t^*A«* ♦* * LARRY NEAL M EM ORIAL SEMINAR SERIES with Charles Fuller (left) Pulitizer Prize W inning Playwright and Garland Lee Thom pson (right), 1983-84 season. ä f e ; .v.’ -> W ; • • ‘ •V i •• . y?.. O .’ 'f t . XV