Page 5 Portland Observer SEPTEM BER 28, 1989
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Exhibits by Al Goldsby
BOUND
DEBOUT
Broadway Bound Report: is hanging out in a graveyard “ More Fun
Than Bowling”
by Garland Lee Thompson
About the Playwright
In the program credits and notes,
for the Storefront Theatre season
opening (thru Oct. 15th, 1989) play,
“ More Fun Than Bowling,” at the
Winningstad Theatre, it reads as fo l­
lows:
“ When we were choosing our
Twentieth Anniversary season, two
plays by Steven Dietz stayed on our
list through many whittlings and nar­
rowings until we were faced with a
choice: which one should we do? But
the plays were so good and so unlike
each other that we finally gave up
and decided to showcase the versatil­
ity o f this rising young playwright by
opening with the off-beat, funny, and
tender “ MORE FUN THAN BOWL­
ING and following it with TEN
NOVEMBER, haunting, beautiful,
brutal and chilling.
Steven Dietz has had playwright-
ing fellowships from the McKnight
and Jerome Foundations and National
endowment for the Arts. He is both a
member playwright and resident d i­
rector at The Playwrights Center in
Minneapolis” (As founder of the Frank
Silvera W riters’ Workshop in New
York, I remember this well known
playwrights’ group from important
regional playwrights development
closed meetings at the National Play­
wrights; Conference, in the late sev­
enties, at the Eugene O ’ N eill Center,
in Waterford, Conn.Their director at
the time, was in on a plan to divide up
the Mid-West “ t u r f ’for their region’ s
playwrights conference and festival.
It was a “ deep” power trip).
A bout the D irector
The program notes further states:
“ Anne Gerety has been a theatre
professional for over 35 years, has
acted in over 100 plays, and takes re­
sponsibility for having found a fine
old storefront space at 933 North
Russell on a rainy day in the winter
o f 1970, rented it for $50 a month,
and with the help o f a small group o f
fellow theatre artists and family,
started chipping plaster o ff the walls
for the purpose o f experimenting with
theatre in a personal way without the
interference o f a repressive hierar­
chy. Heavy duty! Write on Miss Anne.
A t the time she was with the
American Theatre Company at Port­
land State (was this the place o f “ a
repressive hierarchy,” o f which she
speaks?). And she was seen in the
“ The Cherry Orchard, “ prior a
member o f Seattle Repertory The­
atre, Trinity Rep, Yale Rep, etc.
Remember “ The Four Big W ’ S”
So, with this playwright and d i­
rector’ s extensive theatre background,
you would think that they, as an ex­
perienced playwright and director,
would remember “ the Four Big W ’s” :
The What, the Who, The When and
the Where,” while “ hanging out in
the graveyard” scenes equipped with
three “ planters earth” grave mounds.
Yes, out o f which, one actor, Ed
Collier, playing “ Jake,” the wid-
ower/father, from dirt, dust and all,
makes his entrance (and he’ s the live-
one, no less!).
I kept waiting for the other two
graves to open up and produce some
more “ bodies,” but these were sup­
pose to be the truly ‘ ‘dead ones,’ ’ the
late wives, “ Loretta” (Raissa Flem­
ming), and “ Lois” (Megan Taylor).
Now mind you, the dead people,
they did show up, but here’ s the
problem that 1 had with the piece and
direction; with the dead ones just
walking on stage. Now the live one
( “ Jake,” the husband whose had two
wives die from lighting striking her
carrying their bowling trophy and a
freak bowling alley accident), he just
pops out o f a covered grave, talking
about trying to get use to “ the hang
o f it,” death and lying around for­
ever in some potted plant covered
graveyard.
Do you believe it, he tells us, the
audience that he’s just practicing for
“ his death trip;” equipped with an
air straw and a dime novel, in the
opening scene. Is this “ mummy-
daddy” not wrapped too tight or what?
A ll o f this and his daughter, ‘ ‘ M o lly ”
(played very “ Stephen K ing” and
quite well by T w ila G riffin , a sweet
child, who is also just playing around
“ the old graveyard fam ily plot,”
ploting. She inadvertently pulls out
his air line (it must be a trip every
night for the actor, getting buried
alive and waiting for the open stage
house at the Winnie “ gravesite” to
fill up, excuse the expression, before
he makes his “ graveyard smashing,
dirt fly in g ” entrance. Was it kinky
or what? Maybe he’s “ a moleman”
and they built him a tunnel to his
“ tomb.”
Now back to the problem; first the
opening character,’ ’ Dyson” (played
by Rick Jones), the black on black,
gun-toting, gimmick briefcase car­
rying, dark deed-type weirdo-dude,
lurking about this very same popular
grave scene, “ falsely” set up for
deadly doings. He tells us that he
always gets “ his man,: as a hit man,
and w ill lay out here in the self same
graveyard, until he gets this “ Jake
dude,” who is “ his special assign­
ment” on his “ hit list.” He turns out
to be just “ a pussy cat o f a dude,
working for “ Miss Maggie,” Jake’s
first and former rich wife.
And how many kids do you know,
looking like they’ re from “ W ho’ s
the boss” T V , riding a “ mean” b i­
cycle around her two late stepmoth­
ers’ and father’s future grave plots,
to deliver a fresh bowling pin with
pin wheels and potted plants? She,
“ M o lly ,’ ’ talks to “ the dead wives,”
just as she speaks to her living dad, in
what turns out to be theatre “ flash­
backs,” but this is “ the time and
space” confusion o f the four Big
“ W ’ s” that I ’m talking about. I t ’ s
kind o f ‘ ‘Waiting for Godotish’ ’ here
and i t ’s hard to follow when and who
these dead women arc, and coming
in what order o f sequence and event.
The playwright just throws them at
us and we have to figure it out the
best way we can as to just who they
are and when did they live and die on
“ poor old Jake,” “ M o lly ’s” bow l­
ing alley-owning, old man.
What's “ Driving Miss Maggie”
Is the playwright, who is making a
statement about death and bowling
alleys in small-town America, trying
to tell us that it may be better “ to be
dead in the graveyard” than forever
hanging out in funky little old local
bowling alleys, setting endless pin
machines that could fall on one and
struggling to win back meaningless
trophies that could cause one to be
“ struck by lighting?”
Yes, while waiting for death to
appear like a bad joke and the chauf­
feur, “ Dyson,” as in “ Driving Miss
Maggie” (referring to the popular
New York play, “ D riving Miss
Daisy” ), turns out to work for “ the
first rich ex-wife, Maggie,” who ran
o ff long ago and has also now died in
the greek islands (almost everybody
dies in this play and we are still
laughing).
And she left Jake “ a bundle,” so
he can die a rich man or what? The
point of space, time, “ plot” and reason
for this “ grave matter,” for most of
the play, is as clear as the dirt in this
show. Steven Dietz, “ you are not
w ell,” at the Storefront, but I came
to “ dig you” anyway, because you’re
weird!
I f anyone has further questions,
have or want reservations for this
piece o f ‘ ‘ slice o f life after death and
bowling Americana,” call 224-4001,
and ask for yourself just what the
“ grave plot” o f this cryptic little
play is all about. Is death a guttcrball
in a laneless alley or something. Who
knows, maybe the Shadow do!” Write
on, Steven and Storefront. Bring back
the question and answer sessions after
the show, okay?
PORTLAND OBSERVER
“ The Eyes and Ears of the C om m unity"
288-0033
Portland Opera opens its 25th Season with the
grandest opera, of them all— Verdi’s
AÏDA
A ttitudes o f Portland A r t G al­
lery is proud to present metal sculp­
tor and prints by a premier Portland
sculptor of renowned reputation, artist
A L GOLDSBY.
M r. Goldsby epitomizes the com­
pany’ s concept o f a symbolic rela­
tionship between the artistry o f sculp­
tor and stylist.
The show opening and reception
for the artist w ill be held on THURS­
D A Y , OCTOBER 5th between 5:00
pm. and 8:00 pm. The show w ill
continue throughout the month o f
October.
Mr. Goldsby’ s many exhibits in ­
clude; Salishan Lodge, University of
Oregon A rt Museum, the State Capi­
tal Museum o f Washington, the Port­
land A rt Museum, Coos A rt Museum
Thrill to the spectacle— the music— the magnificence!
In Italian with projected English translations
FEEL THE MUSIC
soul n soul
Sept. 5(). Oct. 2 .4 ." ’
Saturdays 8:00 I’M— Monday & Wednesday :.3O PM
The Opera House. Civic Auditorium
Four spectacular performances. Best seats Mon & Wed.
$18.00
in Coos Bay, Corvallis A rt Center,
Graystone Gallery, Randells Associ­
ates. His work is among the collec­
tions o f Haseltine collection. M u­
seum o f A rt, Boeing A ircraft Corp.,
Blue Cross, First Interstate Bank,
Hoffman Construction and many
private collections. Commissions
include the Washington Park Zoo,
Lloyd Center Corp., Canby United
Methodist Church and many other
private homes throughout the local
area.
Pope & Talbot, Halsey M ill, Halsey
Oregon and the Central Oregon
Welcome Center, Bend Oregon are
his most recent commissions to be
completed later this year.
For further information contact:
Robert W right, Gallery Director
keep on movin’
Order without delay!
$27.00 $5600 $65.00
CHARGE BY PHONE (503) 241-1802
9.30-5:00 weekdays
Tickets at Portland Opera. C. I Joe s Ticket Master statewide.
Civic Auditorium and Performing Arts Center Box Offices
T 'orn ane
1516 SW Alder
Portland. Oregon 97205
at
Storefront Theatre
Remounts “Woza
Albert!” at Third and
Burnside After Highly
Successful Run at
IFCC Theatre
East Portland
32nd & Burnside
“ A poetic, powerful impassioned
production that teems with the
myriad emotions o f suppressed
people and their culture. This is
the kind o f work I associate with
MUSIC
MILLENNIUM
NW Portland
23rd & NW Johnson
248-0163
231-3926
Expires 10-12-89
023
Due to audience demand. Store­
front Theatre is extending W O Z A
A LB E R T ! at its Third & Burnside
theatre, after a very successful five
week run at IFCC Theatre. Store­
front Theatre’s highly acclaimed
production o f the South African play
w ill run Tuesdays and Wednesdays
September 26 th ru October 25.
Written by Mbongeni Ngema,
Percy M lwa and Barney Simon of
the market Theatre in Johnannesburg
South Africa, W O ZA ALBERT!
shows what might happen i f the sec­
ond coming o f Christ took place in
present day South Africa. Actors RICK
JONES and AN TH O N Y P. A R M ­
STRONG portray a myriad o f char­
acters to create a vivid tapestry o f
South African life as its citizens react
to the return o f the savior.
Reviews o f the show have been uni­
versally positive:
“ Powerfully comic, firm ly com­
mitted social theatre. It has the
humor o f the underdog and the
rhythm o f the streets, and it cer­
tainly has a satiric edge...but
W OZA isalsoasuprisingly hope­
ful play.” -Oregonian
$6.99
Album
or Cassette
$2.00 off
Compact Disc
MORE FUN THAN
BOWLING
by Steven Dietz Now Thru October 15th
At The Portland Center For The Performing Arts
Exciting 20th Season
Opening Production
WOZA ALBERT!
By Ngema, Mtwa & Simon
Now Thru October 25th
At SW 3rd & Burnside
I imiled Engagement
Back B\ Popular Demand
Storefront: brilliant, controversial
, redefining theatre’s potential for
education as well as outreach.” -
Oregon Public Broadcasting
W O Z A A L B E R T ! is directed by
JOHN ZAGONE lighting by JEFF
FORBES, vocal/movement coach­
ing by BRUCE SM ITH, and dialect
coach was C O L L IN JONES.
(COLLIN JONES was arrested Sep­
tember 1 in South Africa along with
Bishop Desmond Tutu and released
later that day. The issues dealt with
in W OZA ALBER T!, such as apart­
heid and racism remain as current as
todays news.)
Performances at Third & Burnside
began on Tuesday September 26 at
8pm, and w ill continue Tuesdays and
Wednesdays thru October 25. A ll
shows are 8pm, tickets arc $12 regu­
lar, $10 for studcnLs/scniors; student
groups o f 20 or more pay only $8/
For tickets call Storefront at 224-
4001
Phone
224-4001
For Reservations
I