The Women's Theater Company Reunion

reprinted from Serena Barton's blog

Thanks to my student, Jae, from my Women's Studies classes at PSU, former members of the unique Women's Theater Company reunited to talk about adventures we had in the old days.

The group was active from the early 80's through the early 90's and played to packed houses the whole time.

Jae is doing an extensive project on Social Change theater in Portland. I had mentioned to her when she interviewed me for this project, that I had been a member of the WTC in the mid-80's, as had my partner. My daughter appeared in one production in about 1990. Jae was very excited to hear about this company, as she hadn't heard anything about it having existed. Through talking to Jae and meeting last night with the old group, I came to realize how unusual and significant this theatrical group had been, how fortunate I am to have been part of it!

My partner and I were living in Salem when we first heard of this outrageous group in Portland. They were putting on new plays with all women casts that featured Lesbian relationships and promoted feminist ideals. When we moved to Portland in 1983, we found this group as soon as we could. I was in my first production in 1985, where I played a homophobic sorority girl, secretly in love with the main character.

The name of this play was "Alumnae News: The Doris Day Years", written by East Coast playwright Sarah Dreher. Sarah also wrote Lesbian themed novels and was an outspoken advocate of women's and gay rights. A highlight of the run of the play was when Sarah came to Portland to see the show.

In these days of so much acceptance of equality for women and gays, (yes, I know, we're still struggling) it is hard to remember how brave it was for this band of young women to mount feminist and gay positive plays. We did it on a shoestring, too. No grants for this group; just a lot of finagling and determination. I missed the early years of the group where they moved from theater to theater, scraping up rent and having to take the set down every night after performances. I enjoyed hearing more about this time last night. Several of the group remembered how they took movement, dance, and improvisation classes. When Jae asked why they did all this work, one of the group replied, "We were in love. We were in love with our art and our community."

When they first began, the group called themselves "A Real Professional Women's Theater Company." One of the early productions was a feminist Nancy Drew mystery. I was delighted to find that one of us has been a dedicated archivist, and that she had brought copies of all the posters. The posters are quite cool, especially if you consider they were made before computers were part of our lives. Company members designed, printed, and distributed them. They also made their costumes, sets, handled lighting, props, the ticket sales, etc. All in their spare time, because everyone had a day job or two.

By the time my partner and I joined, the Company had a permanent home in the Hollywood District. It was a ramshackle building, and we lived in fear of the Fire Marshal. Members with carpentry talents not only built the sets, but also made alterations to the building to improve it as a theatre and to keep said Fire Marshal happy.

Sometimes there was friction in the group, and the company had a hiatus for a while before I joined. Community won out, and after most members had started therapy, they came together again to mount more productions.

Before my time, the group took tap dancing lessons so they could put on "The Lydia Pinkham Menstrual Show." This might seem a silly title today, but remember than even mentioning menstruation in public was a radical act. The group often made its points through humor, such as using the name of an old patent medicine in the title of this show.

Jae and Deborah listen as members
describe Lesbian/ Feminist life in the
70's and 80's.







Members of the company were happy
to reunite and rejoice in what we
had accomplished.





Poster for the Menstrual Show









Poster for Last Summer at Bluefish Cove--I was in this one!










A longtime member of the company reviews a scrapbook

I'm so grateful to Jae and to all the members of the old Women's Theater Company--thanks for the old memories and the new perspective on this amazing experience!

support the arts

send a quick and simple note to your senator.

chipping away at the arts

This post is from Culture Shock: there is more on their site - click over to read it. There is also a list of other sites with information at the bottom of this post.

As the federal federal stimulus legislation worked its way through Congress this past week, it bent and shifted more quickly than we at Culture Shock were able to keep up with while holding down our full-time jobs and evening arts activities. But we were monitoring events closely through Americans for the Arts, RACC's federal advocacy update page, Art Scatter and other helpful resources.

The shit hit the fan yesterday (Friday) when the U.S. Senate, during their consideration of the economic recovery bill, approved an egregious amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) that stated:

None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, art center, and highway beautification project.

Unfortunately, the amendment passed by a wide vote margin of 73-24, and surprisingly included support from many high profile Senators including Chuck Schumer of New York, Dianne Feinstein of California, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, and our own Democratic Senators Wyden and Merkley.

Boo!

For more background on the amendment and why it's so completley unacceptable, visit this fine article at Art Scatter. Although there is still hope that the Coburn amendment language might not be included in the final conference version of this legislation, many arts groups will be prevented from receiving economic recovery funds from any portion of this specific stimulus bill if the amendment remains intact. It is clear that there is still much work to be done in the Senate and in the media about the role that nonprofit arts organizations and artists play in the nation’s economy and workforce. So here, dear readers, is what you can do to help.

Arts advocates need to quickly contact Senators Wyden and Merkley and express our extreme disappointment in them for voting for the Coburn Amendment. We need these Senators to know that their vote would detrimentally impact nonprofit arts organizations and the jobs they support in their state. Americans for the Arts has crafted a customized message that can be sent automatically to the appropriate Senator simply by entering your zip code. (For our friends from out of state, the system will recognize if your Senator voted against the Coburn Amendment and will send them a thank you letter instead.)

[note: there is more to this post - follow the link at top and read it!]

Here are some other sites with good information about this issue.
Art Scatter
RACC
Parabasis
Burk's Blog
Americans for the Arts

not really random: thought on prejudice

I wonder how it is that people can be so hateful about people who are gay. Still; in 2009. How do they think it is okay to talk so openly about their own prejudice as if there is no one else in the room fully of young men and a few middle aged staff as if no one in the room is actually gay/homosexual/lesbian/queer or questioning? With the number of humans in this one space, statistics say there will be a minimum of two and mostly likely, four to six of us who fit into the category these people are wrinkling their noses and shoulders at.

And I wonder, again, why I keep silent.

Or I don't wonder. I'm there as a professional and a professional who is supposed to be neutral on pretty much any matter that arises. I have a code of ethics I must follow -- oh, excuse me, now it's called the code of professional conduct -- which says that I am not supposed to have an opinion nor give advice nor counsel on any matter within my work settings.

So I hide behind the professional curtain. I am so 'out' in the rest of my life. In my teaching. In writing classes and workshops. Online. Pretty much anywhere. Even in this particular work setting, there is one female staff person who I've only seen three times out of the many I've been there, who I told; her daughter is a lesbian and was going through a break-up and so we ended up talking while my client was napping. But she talks is whispers and her initial mention of it was a little derogatory but I told her anyway.

Sometimes, like that setting, I am surprised at the level of hate. Shocked. I forget that these otherwise nice and responsible and generally respectable people can have such disgust over how people different than themselves love.

And I believe that nothing I say would change their minds. So I keep my face in the book I'm reading or my eyes on the stupid movie they're watching and I say nothing. I don't respond. I don't laugh. I give them the silent treatment, although I know they don't notice.

connection: "cauldron of fiction"

A friend is studying creating fiction and he has written a wonderful essay on the topic. Rather than copying the whole piece here, below are a few teasers and the link to read it in its entirety. I, too, believe that creativity is like water: there is a constant stream of creativity available to anyone if we know how o find it, we need it like we need air to breathe, and more. For now, see Sven's main ideas below and then head on over to the Scarlet Letters to read it all; it's worth the trip *wink.

I'm studying how to create fiction. Here are three metaphors I'm finding useful –– each of which has to do with water.

the stream of consciousness

There is the conscious mind, and then there is the unconscious mind. The conscious mind can attempt to work things out by logic... But the true source of thought is the unconscious.

I mean this literally: try ....

the pitcher of thought

I've heard it said that the mind can only hold seven thoughts at a time. Whether or not the number is accurate, it matches my experience that I can only consider a limited number of things simultaneously.

In a very literal way, if I can remove one thing ....

the cauldron of fiction

notebook as cauldron
Fiction is created through the process of listening to your stream-of-consciousness and writing it down on paper as fast as you can. You're allowed to think in ways ...

Thank you, Sven!

event: anti-valentine write-off

Anti-Valentines Write-Off
In anticipation of Valentines Day, the Independent Publishing Resource Center is proud to present its third ever write-off event! The theme is Love, but not as you have ever experienced it before! This unique writing contest consists of three rounds, all with the them of Love. In each competitive round, a new genre will be picked from a hat (i.e. an ode, a movie script, how-to, obituary), and contestants will write their brains out--about love, in the given genre under a time limit. Cool prizes go to the contestants who demonstrate the most versatility and originality. Moe Bowstern of Xtra Tuf and IPRC Program Coordinator A.M. O’Malley will co-host the event, and a panel of judges will award prizes for the most lover-ly writing.
February 14, 2009, 7pm
Free!

"Anti-V '09"
by Dot.

event: book arts, interdisciplinary exploration, and the creative process

Write and build your own book with Clare, Tif, and your new collaborators in an intensive two-day weekend workshop at the end of February.

"Book Arts, Interdisciplinary Exploration, and the Creative Process" is open to adults of all skill levels. Experienced book artists may find it especially engaging. Sign up by February 19 at Oregon College of Art and Craft or email studioschool@ocac.edu to receive a tuition discount.

Collaborations burst our bubble of solitude and return us to our individual work with a deeper understanding of our distinct voice. Similarly, explorations into unfamiliar disciplines and media enrich our individual creative practices while offering new, challenging opportunities for contextualizing our work.

BOOK ARTS, INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPLORATION, AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS

• Feb 28 and March 1, Saturday and Sunday
• 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Tuition received before February 19: $170
• Tuition received after February 19: $190
• Studio materials fee: $25

Collaborations burst our bubble of solitude and return us to our individual work with a deeper understanding of our distinct voice. Similarly, explorations into unfamiliar disciplines and media enrich our individual creative practices while offering new, challenging opportunities for contextualizing our work.

This workshop is taught by the collaborative team of book artist/letterpress printer Clare Carpenter and writer/editor/performer Tiffany Lee Brown. With their guidance, participants combine hands-on studio work with discussion and exercises exploring intuitive process. On the first day, students develop book dummies, maquettes, and sketches of their ideas, focusing on how content informs presentation. On the second, students integrate their writings and structures in a collaborative project.

• Class number BA 701
• phone 503 297 5544
• Oregon College of Art and Craft (OCAC)
• 8245 SW Barnes Road
• Portland, OR 97225 www.ocac.edu

TIFFANY LEE BROWN & CLARE CARPENTER, INSTRUCTORS

To read more about the instructors, go to 2GQ, where this post was originally found.

but I never go back

Next Saturday there is a reunion I was invited to attend; and I will. But I hate the word or hate the concept is probably more accurate. I don't hate this group of people and it could actually be fun. It's just that I never go back. Or haven't until now. So here I go, again, trying something new. It must be the year for stepping out of what's familiar.

I learned to not go back from my mother. She's the expert. "Don't look back because you'll only get slapped in the face. There's nothing worth going back for, anyway." My family doesn't hold reunions and no one would go, even if someone tried. A legacy of the ultimate "letting go," although it is not quite the spirit of how this phrase in usually intended.

This reunion is for the Portland Women's Theatre Company, in which I was involved for several years when we first moved to the area in 1985. It could be fun. A couple of the people I've seen here and there over the years; others I haven't seen nor heard from at all. I was involved in the middle years of the group (which has been defunct for a while). This reunion was sparked by the interest of a woman researching the history of the group along with some other resources in the area. That woman just happened to be a student in one of my partner's classes. So, in some ways, my partner is partially responsible for this reunion or at least for lighting the spark of inspiration which led to this project.

So, with hope for a paradigm shift of understanding, I will go to the reunion which is, thankfully, being held at the home of one of the people we have kept in touch with since that time. And I will go into it with a positive outlook and deep down the awareness that, again, my mother's lesson may not be the whole truth. Maybe sometimes you can revisit the past and have it be okay.

not-quite-lucid dreaming

So it seems that I actually *d0* compose stories while I sleep. Or something. (There was a discussion a couple weeks ago in the forums of a writing workshop I'm doing which was about writing while sleeping.)

I vaguely remember the following conversation - or part of it - with my partner in the early morning hours. Early morning for me, since I didn't go to bed until about 4AM - and I know that some people are getting up, or, gasp, already up and dressed, at 7AM. But not me, today. Anyway, my partner had the idea to write down "our" conversation and give me the transcript later.

So here's how the conversation went - remember that I was acting, and in the moment believed myself to be, awake and coherent - :

me: I forgot to get her weight (pause) her measurements. What's-her-name Green. I need her weight.

S: why?

me: For the rocket stuff. (pause) I don't know why. I'm just supposed to get it.

S: You're not making any sense.

me: ... I (pause) ... [snore]

It's a sign of stress when I start having these half-conscious conversations. I don't have transcripts of the previous ones, but do vaguely remember a couple of them. One, I was typing on my partner's back and talking about some filing and reports that needed to be done (this was in the early process of realizing I needed to not be at the job I had at the time). The earliest one I remember was early in my relationship with S; I was trying to get my step-son to stop eating and then throwing up cookies and chopping up the counter with a butcher knife (the little guy was actually fast asleep in bed; I was a new step-parent and was totally unprepared for the role).

Lucid dreaming? No, just processing events of the last couple weeks. It was just funny to have the actual transcript, and to remember that we had a conversation, and that I was partially conscious and it felt so real in the moment. And S has great delivery and timing - so hearing her read it back to me was a part of the smile I was given this morning.

It is also a note to self that there is a stressor in my life right now which needs acknowledgment and/or attention.

Paper Beads Through Lace Curtains
photograph and beads
by Dot.