P o rtla n d O b s e rv e r D E C E M B E R 13, 1989 Page 5
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Lou Rawls, Marilyn McCoo Host Celebration
for 10th Annual Parade of Stars Telethon
Broadway
Bound Report
by Garland Lee Thompson
NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON
THE ARTS IS THE TOP MODEL OF THE
LINE
The tops in the USA is the New York
State Council on the Arts, which gives
annually more than $40 million to the arts.
But of course, NYSCA is the original model
for the pilot project of the National Endow­
ment for the Arts (in the Johnson Admini­
stration - 1965).
With a $5 billion cultural industry in
the state of New York, it is understandable
that those cultural dollars do not * ‘grow on
trees,” unfortunately for the Oregon Arts
Commission, with years of recession and
only the timber, paper industry and farming
to tap for funding for such “ frivolous”
programs as the arts.
Howsomever, if the economy show
any improvement with new “ high-tech”
industry, film and communication devel­
opment in the state, the arts will receive a
higher agenda status as we enter the 1990s.
(Note: Among the few ethnic minority
and Black theatre, visual arts and dance
groups to receive OAC funding for 1989-90
were; Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center
- $6,300, Passinarts Theatre Company -
$750, Homowa Foundation for African Art
- $500, and the American Dance Theatre -
$1,300. There would no OAC Literature
grants to African-American or minorities
in 1989-90.)
THE OREGON ARTS COMMISSION
1989-90 GRANT AWARD CYCLE
After dealing for years with the New
York Slate Council on the Arts, as an organ­
izational grant recipient (as founder of the
New York OBIE Award-winning Frank
Silvera W riters’ Workshop, since 1973, to
date receiving $40,000 plus annually), and
serving once as a grant panelist on the New
York City Department of Culture & Art; In
1 9 8 9 ,1 have served for the first time as a
grant panelist for the Oregon Arts Commis­
sion.
OREGON RANKS LOW ON THE
STATE ARTS FUNDING SCALE IN THE
USA
It was interesting to me to leant that in
the 1989 funding cycle that I served as a
grant panelist (Literature), the total amount
of Oregon Arts Commission grant awards
was $40,000 to all art disciplines (Theatre,
Dance, Visual Arts, Literature, Opera/Music,
Special Projects, Presenting, Program, Arts
Education, & Multi-disciplinary).
The State of Oregon, with an annual
arts budget of roughly $4 million, is near
the bottom of the state funding scale, with
only Idaho giving less state funding support
for the arts in the fifty states of the country
(at the last reports).
OAC
Oregon Arts Commission
835 Sum m er Street NE • Salem, Oregon 97301
(503) 378-3625
Garland Lee Thompson
Portland Observer
Portland, OR 97211
Dear Garland,
Again, a belated THANK YOU for your hard work on the OAC grants panel. The
Commission met in late June, and made its final funding decisions on more than 250
applications, alloca'ing over one million dollars. This mammoth effort could never have
been accomplished without your careful review of the applications, and your thoughtful
recommendations to the Commissioners. We had some very strong applications this session,
and I hope you enjoyed getting to know the groups a little better.
Enclosed is a list of all the grants made by the Commission. Within the Program and
Special Project grant categories the panel funding levels were still over the amount available,
and the chairpersons o f those panels were responsible for presenting funding recommenda­
tions which balanced with the funds available. Overall, though, you will see that the
Commission had great respect in the panel process, and although many of the grants were
discussed by the full Commission, very few funding recommendations were altered.
Thank you once again for your dedication. Please do share with me your impressions
of the panel process, as well as any recommendations you may have for future panelists. We
are always looking to make this process as fair and open as possible.
Sincerely,
Leslie Tuomi
A ssistant D irector
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C R E O L E C O O K IN ’
»I
ENTERTAINERS LOU RAWLS AND MARILYN MCCOO-Hosted a special
celebration for the 10th annual “ Parade of Stars Telethon” benefiting the
United Negro Fund. Pictured with the entertainers are Bruce Goodyear,
Manager Special Market Promotions for American Airlines, and Alex Agee,
Division manager, Company Meeting and Incentive Sales, American Airlines.
This year’s “ Parade of Stars Telethon” will be aired nationally on Dec. 30th,
check your local listings for time of airing.
HOLLYW OOD-The United Negro
College Fund (UNCF) will celebrate a decade
of telethon success on Saturday, Dec. 30,
when some of the entertainment world’s
top performers appear on a special 10th
anniversary edition of the “ Lou Rawls
Parade of S tars" telethon.
Led by telethon host and Grammy-
award winning singer, Lou Rawls, the 1989
“ Parade of Stars” promises to continue its
tradition of providing spectacular enter­
tainment during the holiday season.
The telethon’s 10-year milestone sig­
nals a successful partnership between UNCF,
Rawls, the entertainment industry and lead­
ing U.S. corporations.
“ The "P arade of Stars’ has been an
outstanding team effort for the past dec­
ade,” says Rawls, who provided the initia­
tive to make the telethon an annual star-
studded event. “ Everyone involved has
truly made a difference to help keep the
doors of opportunity open for today’s youth,”
Rawls noted.
Since the show ’s inception in 1979,
more than S65 million in cash and pledges
has been raised to benefit the 41 private,
historically Black colleges and universities
supported by UNCF.
Celebrities from stage and screen-
singers, dancers, actors and comedians—
will take center stage at the Aquarius The-
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atre in Hollywood and the Desert Inn in Las
Vegas for seven hours of nonstop energetic
performances. Among the greats scheduled
to appear will be Bill Cosby, Bob Hope,
Patti LaBelle, Lou Gossett Jr., Julio Igle­
sias, Lola Falana, Frank Sinatra, Charley
Pride, Anita Baker and Gregory Peck.
Co-hosts for the “ Parade of Stars”
include the versatile Marilyn McCoo, a
telethon anchor since 1983, along with
popular television game show host Alex
Trcbek. Sharing co-host duties from Las
Vegas will be supreme song stylist Nancy
Wilson and Ed McMahon, who first served
as co-host 10 years ago.
Known for showcasing a variety of
talent that appeals to a broad viewing audi­
ence, the Parade of Stars telethon will once
again feature contemporary artists along
with vintage greats. Telethon viewers will
be treated to musical sounds ranging from
adult contemporary and rhythm and blues,
to gospel, pop and country.
Among the stars making debut appear­
ances on this anniversary telethon will be
“ Tony! Toni! Tone!,” the Oakland-based
trio that was chosen as 1989’s best new
singing group in a Ebony Magazine music
poll; Vanessa Williams, the former Miss
America whose successful singing career
has netted her two Grammy nominations;
and Sheena Easton, a versatile singing and
acting talent who has worked with such
The New Queen In Prince’s C o u rt? Well, rumor has that actress Kim Bassinger and
Prince are living together. Bassinger (who starred in "B atm an “ & “ Blind D ate” ) is also
said to have Prince working with heron an album. W hat’s more, she reportedly helped direct
part of his current "Scandalous” video, and has done some writing for one of Iris artists—
Mavis Staples. (Who would have thought it?)
In other recording news! People can’t seem to get enough of Paula Abdul. So much
so that her record company is releasing a collection of the star’s hottest videos (including
* ‘ Straight Up” and ‘ ‘ Forever Your Girl ” ). Also included is an interview with Abdul, as well
as behind-the-scenes footage of Paula in her early days as an LA Lakers cheerleader . . .
Chaka Khan's 15-year old daughter, Millini, was recently signed to Motown Records.
So W here’s A1 B. Sure Been Keeping Himself Lately: It’s been a busy year for A1 B.
Sure, what with louring, recording and off-stage exploits (including an alleged rape incident
that landed him national exposure). But lately, A1 B. Sure has been in New York keeping a
low profile and wrapping up his next album which is due out this spring. According to
sources close to the singer, vocally he’s been doing a lot of woodshedding. Said publicist
Gene Shelton, “ you’re going to be hearing a new, fresh, stronger, and more mature A l.”
Lovers Lane: Word has it that Stephanie Mills recently recited her “ Id o ’s ” to lighting
technician Dino Minilure. According to sources close to Mills family, word of the marriage
came as a surprise. Meanwhile, some of the proceeds from Mills upcoming limited
Broadway engagement will go to benefit Hale House, a non-profit child care agency based
in central Harlem. The week-iong engagement will culminate on New Year's Eve . . .
Columbia recording artist, Sade, wed Spaniard Carlos Scola in a small castle outside of
Madrid last month . . . Still going strong are Jackie Jackson and actress Lela Rochon.
(Rochon played the role of a young hooker, “ Sunshine,” in “ Harlem N ights” ) . . . Despite
persistent rumors, Robin Givens still denies (at least officially) that she is seeing Iron Mike.
On The H om efront: MCA recording artist, Pebbles, recently gave birth to a baby boy.
It is the second child for Pebbles, who wed producer Antonio ‘ ’LA’ ’ Reid (of the dynamic
producing duo of “ L A & B aby face ’ ’) earlier this year. (Pebbles has a daughter from a former
m arriage). . . Meanwhile, Babyface and his wife Denise (of four years) are expecting their
first-bom in May .. . The son of superproducer Quincy Jones was recently arrested on the
charge of assault with a deadly weapon. 20 year-old Quincy Jones III was arrested following
a shooting incident near the campus of UCLA. While no one was injured, the DA is being
asked to file a felony complaint . . . Actor Taurean Blacques ( “ Generations” ) has been
invited to the White House to pick up an Humanitarian Award for his efforts with regards
to adoption. Blacques, who is the natural father of two, recently adopted eight children. O f
course, the actor whose other talent seems to be in investing in real estate, has amassed quite
a fortune. But then it takes a fortune to raise ten children.
Oregon Stage Company Premieres
With “The Holiday Broadcast of 1943”
Cast from "The Holiday Broadcast of 1943"
Oregon Stage Company, a new profes­
sional theatre located in Washington County,
will present its first pnxluction, “ The Holiday
Broadcast of 1943,’ December 1-24 at the
Forum Theatre, 17705 NW Springville Rd.
(on the Rock Creek campus of Portland
Community College).
First produced by Oregon Cabaret
Theatre in Ashland last December, “ The
Holiday Broadcast of 1943” is an original
script by John Stadelman featuring popular
music and radio comedy material from the
forties. It takes place December 24,1943 in
an Armed Forces radio station in the south
Pacific. All the troops are huddled around
their radios eagerly awaiting the Christmas
Eve Big Broadcast to be transmitted from
New York, with an all-star cast including
Bing Cosby, Bums & Allen, W.C. Fields
and the Andrews Sisters. When the short
wave receiver breaks down moments be­
fore showtime a group of four Marines, A
W. A.V.E and an Army nurse decide to pool
their talents and fake the broadcast. Re­
views called the show ’ ‘absolutely delight­
f u l. . . full of good music and high spirits .
. . designed to make you leave the theatre
humming a tune and generally feeling good
about life . . . nostalgia at its best . . . a
Christmas treat that warms the heart.”
“ The Holiday Broadcast of 1943’ ’ will
run until Dec. 24 at 8 p.m., Wednesday
through Saturday nights, 7 p.m. Sunday
nights, with 2 p.m. matinees on some Sat­
urdays and Sundays.
Tickets prices are $14 regular and $10
students/seniors on Friday and Saturday
nights; $12 regular and $8 students/seniors
for all other performances. The Forum Theatre
is located at 17705 NW Springville Road,
in Building Three of Portland Community
College's Rock Creek campus. Take the
185th Avenue exit off Sunset Highway
(Hwy. #26) and turn north; turn right at the
third Stop sign onto Springville Road. It’s
approximately a 15-20 minute drive from
downtown Portland; ten minutes from
Hillsboro or Beaverton.
To reserve tickets for “ The Holiday
Broadcast of 1943,” call the Oregon Stage
Company ticket office at 690-9433.
Membership is Required with Fitness Card.
A ‘iV o n d c r f id C h ris tm a s C jif t l /
NOTE COMPUTER TICKET OUTLETS • CALL 224 TIXX FOR INFORMATION
Genuine D ra ft
TICKETS ALSO AT PCPA BOX
AND COLISEUM • CALL 248-4496
SUBJECT TO SERVICE CHARGE ANDIOR USER FEE
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