July 1 5 ,1992...The Portland Observer...Page 7
Portland Observer
ENTERTAINMENT
PSU’s Summer Rep
Theater Presents
Uncommon
Women”
tit
“With this record, I’m emerging as
a more versatile and disciplined per­
former,” declares Milira. She has stron­
ger produc tion behind her and even stron­
ger pipes. Surrounded by widespread
acclaim for her powerful debut album,
MILIRA, the singer has achieved a most
difficult task: she has grown by leaps and
bounds when critics and fans thought she
had already arrived.
Higher knowledge of her voice in­
forms every note on MILIRA. Back
Again!!! As it wide-tracks over rich bal­
lads, supple neo-soul hip hop and jazz-
infused testifying, the album showcases
vocals arranged by the singe to make
maximum emotionalsense,.“! benefitted
from a voice coach - I’m projecting
more from my diaphragm. And the pro­
ducers 1 worked with brought me to a
certain level, then let me go free and just
explore my capabilities," says Milira.
She wrote and produced the thought­
ful closing cut, “Love Always, Milira,”
herself. “That track weaves in both scat-
ting and reggae toasting as it delivers
sweet sentiments to a far-away boy­
friend. It’s one facet of a complex con­
cept. The album is all about love, the
different things people experience in
relationships,” says Milira. “It’s also
about passion, quality and experience."
Coming from a musical family -
her mom and aunt were members of
Jackie Wilson’s backup singers, The
Wilsonettes - Milira became exposed
to singing at an early age. “I used to walk
past my sister’s room, hear Nancy W il­
son or Sarah Vaughan, and say, “ Boy!
They’re tremendous,’’recallsMilira. She
once dreamed of singing like those jazz
legends. That’s before she was practic­
ing scatting around her Queens, NY
home or singing to the faithful at her
mom’s Baptist church. “I try to always
grow and never become complacent,”
says Milira.
From listening to jazz and soul
records, Milira further defined herself
musically, when she started entering
high school talent contests, people said,
“That girl that can sing!,” recall Milira
(the name is a conjunction of Millie and
GENEVA’S
Ira, her two grandmothers). She took
steps towards the limelight when she
entered The ApolloTheatre’s Amateur
Night contest; she became a two-time
winner at age 17.
That triumph led to Milira secur­
ing a recording contract with Apollo
Theatre Records. She became its first
artist, releasing an album that Black
Radio Exclusive (BRE) hailed as “a
voyage into listening pleasure, remi­
niscent of past r&b greats insofar as
musical content and flavor.” Essence
called Milira “a dynamo we’ll be see­
ing and hearing lots from in years to
come.” Then produced by Donald “Dee”
Bowden, MILIRA presented the singer
scampering over the bombastic edge.
On MILIRA Back Again!!! the 21 -
year-old singer finds utterly new ways
to make her signature tone (husky, stri­
dent, felt) simmer slow or burn incan­
descent. The first single” One Man
Woman,” begins softly before whip­
ping up a feverish froth. “Put your arms
around me and tell me I’m your woman,”
she demands before expounding on the
monogamy theme in “If You Really
Love Her.” She commands, “You and
me and she could never be!”
MILIRA Back Again!!! is a gor­
geous bouquet plucked from an ever-
evolving singer’s garden of nourishing
style and sass. It’s another triumph of
Motown, known originally as Hitsville,
USA.
DIVE
INTO THE
FUTURE
3 Anniversary
Congratulations to Geneva of Geneva s Shear Perfection
Sunday Geneva celebrated her 30th Anniversary in the hair business at the
Red Lyon in Vancouver, Washington. It was a Gala affair, featuring a Hair
Fashion Show that included various hair salons throughout the city of
Portland; Geneva’s Shear Perfection, Broadway Hairwcavers, Dean's
T om orrow ’s world needs people
with high-tech jo b skills, and the
ability to provide leadership in a
high-tech work environm ent. In
the Navy, young m en and women
are learning those skills today.
With high-tech training and jo b
opportunities, the Navy can
provide an opportunity to get a
head-start on the future. Find
o u t m ore from your local Navy
recruiter.
Beauty - Barber Shop, Ebony Choice, Hair El’egance, Golden’s House of
Style, Wave’s Beauty Salon, Purple Palace Salon, and Love-Lee-Ladies
IT’S Y O U R NAVY.
Beauty Salon. The show was put on in grand style with a buffet style dinner
and music from the Calvin Walker Band.
Music, Culture, Physics, And Books
For Kids At Blue Lake Park
Hop with Portland’s newest rap­
pers; explore the physics of mass and
motion; select a good book; and expe­
rience authentic American Indian per­
formances at upcoming “Especially for
Kids” programs at Blue Lake Park. This
exciting series for kids runs Wednesday
afternoons, from 2 to 3 p.m. through
August 26th. Admission is just $2 per
car. On July 22nd the nationally ac-
c iaimed rap music group Krowd Kontrol
will charge the audience with their origi­
nal tunes, groovin, rhythms, and solid
dancing.
The following week, on July 29,
OMSI presents physics for kids in Mo­
tion Commotion. This program makes
the science of movement fun as Isaac
Newton’s three laws of the nature of
mass and motion are explored! Kids
learn about inertia, forces, actions and
reactions as they investigate type of
movement produced when many forces
are applied at once.
Also on July 29, Multnomah county
Book Mobile will roll into the park with
books for kids of all ages - pick favorite
topics! Mystery, friendship, nature,
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crafts and more will be within arms
reach. Remember to bring your library
card.
Observe the c u stoms and uadi lions,
and learn the lore of our indigenous
peoples in Native American Perfor­
mance on August 5th. This American
Indian grouppcrformsccrcmonial danc­
ing, drumming, songs, and storytelling
from the Northwest Coast and Sioux
legends.
Plan to spend a wonderful summer
day at Blue Lake Park. Bike and paddle
boat rentals, the swim beach, food con­
cessions, wetlands walk, and playground
areas are just a few of the activities
available to visitors at this 180 acre
park.
Blue Lake Park is located on North­
east 223rd Avenue, between Marine
Drive and Sandy Boulevard. Take 1-84
east to 181st A venue (G resham /
Fairview Exil 13). Head north to Sandy
Blvd, turn east and follow signs to the
park. For more information call Mult­
nomah County Park Services Division
at 248-5050. Sorry, pets arc not al­
lowed.
Fairgrounds To Sell
Tickets In Advance
Beginning Monday, July 13, the
public will be able to purchase tickets
for 1992 Oregon State Fair in advance
and at a discount, by dialing: (503) 1-
800-643-2597.
Callers may order tickets by phone
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5
p.m., until Wednesday, August 19. Af­
ter August 19, tickets must be pur­
chased at G.I. Joe’s TickctMaster out­
lets. Tickets may also be purchased at
GI Joe’s TickctMaster counter on a
walk-up basis until August 26.
Tickets by phone will cost $5 for
adults (regularly $6), and $1 for chil­
dren under 13. No season passes will be
sold by phone. To order, callers must
use either Mastercard or Visa.
Advance sale tickets sold by the
Fair are available only by phone order.
These advance tickets are not available
through the State Fair Office. Those
interested in purchasing tickets should
use the “ 1-800” number listed above.
The toll-free number works in both
Washington and Oregon.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
‘The Eyes and Ears of the Community
Office: (503)288-0033
Fax#: (503)288-0015
Beth Harper and Pal Gration head
a talent cast of students and Portland
actors in Wendy Wasserstein’s play of
female discovery, "Uncommon Women (
and Others." Harper, a graduate of
Portland Slate’s theater program, is a !
Drammy Award winning actress and .
founder of the Training Ground Actors
Studio and The Oregon One Act Festi­
val. Gration is well known for her work '
in television, radio and films and in
theater around the Portland area, in 1
Seattle, Washington and Bonn, Ger­
many.
“Uncommon Women" is the sec­
ond of this year’s PSU Summer Reper­
tory Theater productions. Its creator,
Wendy Wasserstein, won the 1989
Pulitzer prize in drama for "The Heidi
Chronicles."
"Uncommon Women" plays Thurs­
day through Saturday, July 30 through
August 22, at 8 p.m. in PSU’s Lincoln j
Performance Hall. Tickets are $8.50
general; $7 for senior adults, non-PSU '
students, andPSTJ faculty/staff; and $5 j
for PSU students. Tickets for the pre­
view performance on Wednesday, July •
29, at 8 p.m., and the Sunday matinee,
August 9 at 2 p.m. are $7 general; $6 for
senior adults, non-PSU students, And
PSU faculty/staff; and $5 for PSU Stu­
dents. Tickets will be available in Lin­
coln Hall one hour before the perfor­
mance. They may be purchased in ad­
vance through the Ticket Office at the
corner of SW 5th and Broadway, Mon­
day through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Call 725-3307.
Wasserstein’splayfollowsagroup
of women during their last year at a
prestigious women’s college. It pro­
vides a funny, perceptive look into
their lives, loves, aspirations and the
events that shape them.
Alan Hemingway is guest director
for the PSU production. His work in
theater and (lance has taken him to
several parts of the country, including
New York’s Lincoln Center and Circle
in the Square. His honors include an
award for excellence in theatre from the
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
“ I wanted to do this play because
its issues are timely,” says Hemingway.
“ It’s about choices, and choices for
women today seem to be shrinking
rather than expanding.”
Lighting design is by Drammy
award winner Jeff Forbes. Scenery de­
sign is by John Gerth. Costumes are
designed by Margaret Heatherington
and Sara Andrews-Collier.
For more information regarding
Summer Repertory Theater and the the­
ater arts program at PSU contact the
department at 725-4612.
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PORTLAND BLACK REPERTORY THEATRE
p re s e n ts
July 8 - August 2, 1992
FRATERNITY
By Jeff S tetson
Thursdays and Sundays at 7pm
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Portland Civic Theatre Building
1530 SW Yamhill
226-4026
Special on THURSDAYS ONLY at
Ja'Bell's Beauty Supply with this coupon
2 tickets for the price of one
Women Artist To Meet
The O regon C h ap ter o f the
Women’s Caucus for Art will hold its
monthly meeting on Sunday, July 26,
1992,at5 p.m.at the Downtown YMCA,
1111 SW 10th Avenue in Portland, in
Conference Room 2 on the main floor.
The organization, which meets on the
fourth Sunday of each month, is a net­
working group which promotes the
political and financial parity of women
artists.
The program for the July meeting
will be presented by Lois Marie Lewis,
Poet and storyteller. Lewis is a high
school dropout who returned to school
17 years later and obtained a B.A. in
Business Administration. She has been
a Math Teacher, has a black belt in Tae
Kwon Do, and is founder and poet-in­
residence of Poet*Trce in Portland.
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Woodland Park Hospital Continues
Health Informatlon/Referral Phone Line
Because of reccntchanges. Wood­
land Park Hospital would like to remind
citizens of the Portland-Metro area that
24-NURSE is still available to lake
health related telephone calls. 24-
NURSE is staffed by emergency nurses
available 24 hours a day to answer
health related questions, refer callers to
their nearest emergency room or to
contact 911 in case of a severe em er­
gency. 24-NURSE is also available to
assist callers in obtaining a personal
physician or specialist.
24-NURSE is a free, community
service provided by Woodland Park
Hospital. It was established in 1985 and
handles over 50,000 calls per year.