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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 1989)
♦ »'*■ P a g e 5 P o r tla n d O b s e r v e r A n ril 2 7 ,1 9 8 9 ENTERTAINMENT « r t* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IBOHJMD * * * IEIEIPCICT * * b v Lisa Collins “YANKEE DAWG YOU DIE,” AT IPCC * * ON THE MONEY by G a rla n d Lee T hom pson * * B lack S c u lp to r’s B attle IN S u p rem e C o u rt C ould M ean M illions F o r F reelan ce A rtists: Nationally renown hom eless activist M itch Snyder has charged that Jam es Ear, Reid, a black Baltim ore sculptor has been blinded by dollars., Reid, on the other hand, has said “ the real greed” is on Snyder’s side. W hat th ey ’re battling over is rights to reproduce a life-sized sculptor o f a hom eless family (dubbed “ Third W orld A m erica” ), that Reid created for Snyder’s Com m unity For Non-Violence in W ashington, D.C. Reid, who donated his services, is fighting for the right to profit from reproductions of the work, com m issioned by a corporate sponsor on behalf o f Snyder’s center. Corporations m aintain they should control w orks they com m ission. Freelance artists insists that millions are at risk., A decision is expected in June. M av erick B lack D esigner P a tric k Kelly T o L a u n c h A M ore A ffordable L ine: Large m ulticolored buttons, buttons m ade o f real dice, and stuffed teddy bears affixed to lycra body dresses are the mark o f designer Patrick K elly, a V icksburg, M ississippi native w hose rise in today’s fashion industry has been meteoric. His collection averages in the $500-600 price range, and som e o f his favorite clients include Princess Diana., Next year, he is said to be offering a secondary collection called “ :Patrick Kelly Loves Y o u ” , and at half the price o f his prim ary collection. Fact is, Kelly has proven him self to be quite the businessm an. He is the first American to be accepted into the Cham bre Syndicate, a federation o f top Paris designers. This year, estim ates are his wholesale volum e will top $7 million. So incredible is K elly’s own rags-to-riches story, that on his most recent visit to Los A ngeles, he took a meeting with a film producer to discuss a project based on his ow n life story. D ressing T h e S ta rs A t T o p D ollar? As a top H ollyw ood stylist, Cecile Parker specializes in creating a total celebrity look for clients such as Janet Jackson, N atalie Cote, Karyn W hite, M iki H ow ard, Jeffrey O sbourne, and has on occasion Sylvester Stallone and Neil D iam ond,-m ostly for public appearances from live TV to prom otions, even inter-views. Said Parker, “ it’s not so m uch that they d on’t dress well, but they have other things to worry about.” And for a fee o f about $100 per hour (with three-hour minim um , Parker reorganizes closets in ordered to assess needs, ventures out on shopping expeditions(searching out the latest from designers like Patrick K elly, Ralph Lauren, V alentino, and D onna Karan), and even suggests hairstlye and m akeup for a total look, m atching personality and lifestyle. A s far as cost, Parker says” m ost celebrities d o n ’t look at cost. W hatever they want, they’ll pay for it.” Parker got into this line of work quite by fluke. W hite w orking as a fashion coordinator and assistant m anager at a Y ves St. Laurent boutique, she put together outfits for other stylists, before realizing she w as doing their w ork, and could make a pretty penny doing it for herself. T op stylists earn up to $100,000 per year. C o u rt O u tlaw s F C C D istress Sales T o M in o rities: A federal appeals court has deem ed that federal rules giving m inorities preference in the purchase o f “ distressed” radio and TV stations. A panel o f the U.S .Court o f Appeals said the Federal Com m unications C om m ission’s “ distress sates” rules, which allow quick sales at reduced rates o f defunct or disenfran-chised stations to m inorities, violate the equal protection provisions o f the Fifth A m endm ent to the Constitution, Stating that there was no indication the FCC “ sought to em ploy race-neutral program s to aid m inorities before resorting to a racial set-aside.” N ext w eek: w e ’ll find o u t w h at some black ra d io o w n ers have to say a b o u t this. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Saluting: Rose Festival Princesses And * Court. Marshall And St. Marys * J i 4c 4C * 4c * * * * * 4c * 4C African 4c American * * 4C * (Introducing;; 4c * * 4c England, first had her work read at the Frank Silvera W riters’ W orkshop in New York City, where I produced readings of several o f her plays, in the mid-seventies, and she taught writing at the Fredrick Douglas Creative Arts Center, also in New York. She has won playwright grants and her powerful play, “ Long Time Since Y esterday," was originally produced bv mv good friend and associate, W oodie King Jr. at his New Federal Theatre in New York City in 1985. It won the New York AUDELCO AW ARD for Best Black Drama for that year. This will be the Oregon premiere on this work. W rite on, P.J. Gibson! T H E “ D REA M S O F C H IL D R E N ” R E V E A L E D AT A M E R IC A N D A N CE T H E A T R E W hat did you dream as a child? This was the primary theme of a dynamic Spring dancer concert program that I cau g h t at the A m erican D ance Theatre(S W Park & Alder in downtown Portland) Saturday evening, April 15th (It ran April 6, 7, 14, and 15, 1989). Chisao Hata Elizabeth Abts, took the audience “ boldly where no else has been’ ’ (or dare to go), on a “ astral trip” into the minds o f their young and very exciting com pany of dancers (ages 9 to 109!) of both girls and boys too (Whoray!) Ms. H ata’s little ones (in size onlv). those “ dippled darlings” (bless their little hearts), “ held court,” with an “ iron grip in a cuter little pony-tail,” for the first half and her “ partner-in- crim e-of-the-arts,” “ Betsy, the floor burner,” Abts, brought the point “ home” to us during the second act with her piece, “ W ork” and the news and sign o f “ The tim es.” From “ W ar dream s,” that “ first d ate” in first grade, to “ Car dream s” (shades of the broadway show “ Grease” & burger TV ads) and weird things that run through their TV cluttered “ little” m inds, we experienced the inner workings o f (ah...) sweet youth. The key to this unique dance company is energy, a sense of humor nd unity (everybody works hard, “ ’’busting their chops,” on and off stage; striking the set and props)! They should “ get their act together and take it on the road!” The next time the American Dance Theatre is performing in town, check them out! They are not ju st cute, all colors, teenager-bubbly and pimply, they are damn talented, bordering on power- mad for the performing arts! Since I have a daughter, who is also a dancer, I know how all those ADT parents must feel seeing their super-kids flying around the very functional stage o f the large studio of the A merican Dance Theatre, a block off Broadway. It’s a great space that would cost millions in New York (D on’t tell the landlord, please)! And I believe the very next performing event for this strong new company of “ monster dream -kids,” is their Spring Concert with Michael H arrison’s band. May 4 th, 5 th, 8:00 pm, and 6th, 2;00 pm M AT., & 8:00 pm at the W inningstasd Theatre o f the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. Dance on, ADT company! For more information, call (503) 227-0911 (Better yet,book ’em) PLAYWRIGHTS: * Left To R oght Sarah H iem an, Michele M cK ee, C hristina Galrn iehe, Deanna Connell, Debbie Spitznagel and Amy Rogers M Lora Durst, Marshall Left To Right M elanie Rouse, Pauline Pangaviban, Erica Larson, N icolettc ★ ★ ★ * : JoH cx ★ ★ * •IIL L IS RICHARDSON ¡ARLAND ANDERSON AKNA BONTEMPS W ILLIAM BRANCH A LIC E CHILDRESS LANGSTON HUGHES LORRAINE IIANSBERRY O SSIE DAVIS I1UHY DEE LEHO1 JONES( BARAKA J IAMES BALDWIN JOHN O. KILLENS GERTRUDE JEANETTE ED BULL1NS RICHARD WESLEY CHARLES FULLER DOUGLAS TU IIN E R 'V a RD LONNL ELDER I I I CHARLES GORDONS ELAINE JACKSON KATHLEEN COLLINS P . J . GIDSON HTO7.AKE SIIANGE ANDtllEHNE KENNEDY HON MIENEII TED SHINE OWEN DODSON REN CALDWELL A. MARCUS HEMPHILL J . E . FRANKLIN H IL L Y GRAHAM GARLAND LEE TIIOMI’SO ARCHIE SIIEPP MAXWELL GLANVILLE CLIFFORD MASON OLIVER PITCHER I’ ll IL L IP HAYES DEAN JOSEPH A. WALKER AUGUST WILSON GEORGE WOLFE C . B r illia n t n e w d a n c e s tw o d if f e r e n t p r o g r a m s tic k e ts : 8 5 , 8 8 , 811 a v a ila b le a t PCPA B ox O ffice, T lc k e tM a s te r O u tle ts * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * f * * * * THE JEFFERSON DANCERS * * * * 5 - 6 7 - 8 * p m I n te rm e d ia te T h e a tre P o r tla n d C e n te r fo r P e r f o r m in g A rts * * * * * IT’S TOUGH TO BE A BLACK HERO. * * * * * 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 HIRO «IBIS '"5 » WAV PROOUCIIW M W MR PBÍJÜUI I'll GONNA Gl! YOU SUCW • M l » MANS • BÍRNK fflV • ANiONiO I« • ¡!ito£ » • JW BROWN ■ JUKI DIRKS “Î JA»! M . DODI »10 "’S «CHAH A «HIB 1011 M Ä HAYMOND MU . ERIC 1 GOlO [Rie BARRfn . 1AHADA MF PIER McCAfllHY. CARI CRAIG ÏS .S BOB » M S IA ' ; w w w w z: __ R • » c JB . ’ B • « w »K i ß C i M SSi Starts Friday! Ml BAGDAD 2 3 2 26®5 • 3702 SE HAW THOW M I * i E.U. WINS SOUL -k * * * * * * * * * * THE IH CRAFT A. LEGACY GARLAND LEE THOMPSON PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY PLAYW RIGHT-FACILITATOR S .W . DROADWAY AT MARKET STREET Deanna Connell, St Marys Hortsch, Lora Durst and Tracy Guy The Interstate Firehouse Cultural C enter opens its latest production, “ Yankee Dawg You D ie,” a new dram atic com edy by Asian American playwright, Kan Gotanda. This Oregon prem iere is billed as a “ provocative social com m entary,” on the plight and problem s o f Asian A merican actors searching to build professional acting careers in the “ h o n o r halls o f H ollyw ood” and the A merican film industry. The character o f “ Vincent C hang,” played by Harold Shirakawa is the proud older Asian American, V eteran o f stage and screen, who has com e up the hard way, taking the only rotes available to him in Hollywood, at that time; “ bits, day players and walk on heavies.,” The racist clim ate o f Holly wood and the United States in the W orld W ar II era made it very difficult and next to impossible for actors of Japanese descent to be cast in film rotes during that time, so he was forced to change his name to “ C hang” and take w hat rotes he cold get, “ passing” for Chinese. The role o f “ Bradley Y am ashita,” played by a new-com er, Eddie Mui, is the brash young “ new w ave” o f Asian American theatre and actors, who is fired by his new ethnic pride. He insists that his acting career be on his own term s, and is determ ined never to take “ a stereotypical oriental” rote, such as a part with dem eaning lines like, “ Yankee Dawg You D ie,” etc.(Can you blame him?) Directed by Bea Kiyohara, who is Artistic Director of the Northwest Asian A merican Theatre o f Seattle, Yankee Dawg You D ie,” opened Friday, April 21th, and runs through May 21th, 1989, playing Fridays, Saturdays at 8:0C pm and Sundays 2:00 pm. The IFCC Theatre is located at 5340 N.Interstate Avenue in Portland’s N ortheast community. The IFCC Theatre production staff, under Executive Director, Sue Busby, includes set design by Charles Tyndall, costum es by W anda W alden, lighting by David Harrington and sound design by Ralph Coulson. The ticket prices are $10 on Fridays and Saturdays, and $9 on Sunday matinees. For reservations or more inform ation, call Tery Nelson at IFCC, 243-7930. C A ST IN G C A L L S FO R N EW B L A C K W O M A N ’S PLAY The PassinArt: A Theatre Company, is casting for a new play, Black woman playw right, P.J. G ibson’s tragic drama, “ Long Tim e Since Y esterday.” It includes six Black professional, middle- class women, who have gone through the turbulence o f the sixities and have com e into various levels o f success and failures in the eighties. The “juice News” o f the project is that Passin Art company manager, Connie Carley is scheduled to direct this new production. W rite on, Connie! The playw right, P.J. Gibson, who came out of Brown University, in New ★ * * * * * * B E H IN D T H E { SCEN ES t _ > < 5 ♦ * * * * Virgin recording artists E.U. have taken go-go music to new heights by winning the prestigious Soul Train Award. E.U. won the award for “ Best R& B/Urban Contem porary Single by a Band or G roup’ ’ for their recording of “ Da B utt.” The title to watch for next year’s round o f awards is the latest offering from E U . “ Buck W ild,” the first single release from their debut album ‘ ‘L ivin’ L arge.” “ Buck Wild” is #21 * on the Billboard black singles chart and is breaking out on airw aves across the country. Band leader and founder of E.U., TRAIN HONORS Gregory ‘ ‘Sugar Bear’ ’ Elliott said, ‘‘It is a thrill to finally reap the fruits of over a decade o f hard work and maintaining our go-go roots.” They will be touring the Southeast with headliners, Salt & Pepa and Guy. The schedule includes dates in their hom etow n o f W ashington D .C ., M ichigan, Kansas, and North Carolina. E.U. can be seen on Soul Train on May 6th, Ebony/Jet Showcase later that same month and in the pages of Essence, Right On!and more The band is singing and appearing in Spike’s new feature film, “ do The Right T hing,“ due this Summer. * * * AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AT NE YWCA The Northeast YW CA has begun an After School Program for the last few w eeks o f school. The elem entary After School Program is for children in the 1st through 5th grades. The program will offer cultural enrichment, recreational activities and personal growth and development. Tutorial and home work assistance will be provided to those who request it. The program will be developed into a six-week sum m er program this year. The program will run M onday-Thursday from 3:00pm - 5:00 pm at the NE Center, located at 5630 NE Union Avenue. There is no fee to participate. Parents can drop by to fill out a registration form. For more inform ation, contact the NE YW CA at 282-0003. PORTLAND OBSERVER "T h e E y e s a n d E ars of th e C o m m u n ity ” 2 8 8 -0 0 3 3 K