L
ENTERTAINMENT
Betty Carter &
TrioToNCSU
Stewart Theatre
On Sunday, April 28, at 8 p.m., ip
NCSU’s Stewart Theatre, the WUNC
Jan at Center Stage series is proud to
present Betty Carter and her trio.
named Female Jazz Vocalist of the
Year by Downbeat’s.Critics’ PoU and
winner of a Grammy for the album
“Look What I Got,” Betty Carter may
finally be reaping some long-awaited
recognition. Her career in jazz spans
10 years, during which she remained
true to her vision of performing jazz.
Even when rock took over record
companies in the ’60s and ’70s, and
Ella Fitzgerald could be found croon
ing Gershwin, Carter retaliated by
forming her own label, Bet-Car, and
learning the producing end of the
business. After years of sitting tight
through the thick and thin times of
jazs, Ms. Carter’s commercial and
critical acclaim seem to be going
hand in hand. In 1988 she had three
albums, from No. l on down, in
Billboard’s top 20. She has appeared
and performed on “The Cosby Show”
and in a soft-drink commercial
But Betty Carter has never been
one to simply go for the glitter or rest
on the jazz laurels she’s acquired. She
made a commitment to the artform
when she got started singing with
Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie,
and she hasn’t strayed from it yet.
Her latest release, “Droppin’
Things,” explores more of the scat
filled, expressive Carter voice. She’s
also trying out new performance
styles, such as segueing all the songs
of an evening’s show into one piece.
Her professionalism and onstage elan
come from her many years in the
business, but her attitude belies those
years—she's still, and probably will
remain, quick, aggressive, and ready
to take a risk.
Tickets for Betty Carter are $17 for
' the general public and $2S for special
reserved Inner Circle seating. Call
(919) 737-3104 for convenient Master
Card/VISA orders, or come by the
Stewart Theatre box office Monday
through Friday 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.
Special accommodations available
for people with special needs.
Inspired Black
Filmmakers
Create Movement
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Inspired
by box-office success, young black
filmmakers are doing movies their
own way and, in the process, creating
a new black cinema movement,
House Party producer Warrington
Hudlin says.
Hudlin, former president of the
New York-based Black Filmmakers
Foundation, said movies like She’s
Gotta Have It, Hollywood Shuffle, I’m
Gonna Git You Sucka, To Sleep With
Anger and others have established
the trend.
Filmmakers such as Spike Lee,
Keenan Ivory Wayans and Charles
Burnett aren i cnurning out '90s
versions of “blaxploitation” movies
of the 1970, like Shaft and Superfly,
Hudlin said.
“They’re low budget films aimed at
a particular market and some
tremendous revenues have been
generated,’’ Hudlin said.
"The advantage that black 4
filmmakers have is that because our
particular experience in this country
has been historically kept off
camera, we have 400 years of
undocumented experience,” he said.
“So we can be free of those kind of
dried-up, played-out formulas and get
into some incredible human drama.”
PAMMELA D’PELLA
Actress Pammela D’Pella’s
Career Continues To Spiral
Actress Pammela D’Pella began
her career in the time-honored tradi
tion of generations of actors before
her... in theatre. A string of highly
successful commercial and modeling
assignments put the statuesque
D’Pella on the map, soon winning her
a guest spot on ABC's popular soap
“General Hospital.’’ This exposure
led to more ambitious roles on other
soaps... “The Bold and the Beautiful”
and NBC’s perennial favorite, “Santa
Barbara.”
At the same time D’Pella, whose
master’s work in directing was done
at the University of Louisville, and
undergraduate studies at the Univer
sity of Cincinnati, also began landing
guest roles on popular television
series such as "Working Girl,”
“ALF,” “Hunter,” “Beauty and the
Beast,” “L.A. Law,” and a co
starring role in the CBS movie of the
week, “Love and Betrayal.” A co
starring role in the new series “Tales
of the Crypt,” opposite Lea Thomp
son, followed and D’Pella’s perfor
mance garnered her considerable at
tention.
D’Pella made her feature film
debut in Warner Brothers’ “Who’s
That Girl” with Madonna and Griffen
Dunne, then went on to appear in the
film “Babe” and in Paramount’s “In
ternal Affairs” with Richard Gere
and Andy Garcia. D’Pella’s acting
career is seemingly locked in high
gear. She recently completed back
to-back work on two films in which
she is starring, Concorde’s “Angel in
Red” and RCA/Columbia’s highly an
ticipated dramedy, “Love and
Venus,” opposite Bud Cort and
James Brolin.
“Love and Venus” promises to be a
significant showcase for D’Pella’s
talents; other co-stars include Rhea
Perlman, Woody Harrelson, Carol
Kane and Gena Rowlands. Both pic
tures are slated for release this year.
“Coarse Acting Show” to
City’s Theatre In The Park
British playwright Michael Green
published “Downwind of Upstage” in
1966. The book became so popular,
Green then wrote a companion script
titled “The Coarse Acting Show”
which was presented at the 1977 Edin
burgh Festival. Two other scripts, all
illustrating the art of “coarse
acting,” soon followed.
Green’s initial description of a
“coarse actor” was “one who can
remember the lines but nto the order
in which they come.” Some other
equally accurate definitions are:
"one who knows when to come
onstage, but not where; one who ad
dresses the scenery instead of the au
dience; and one who can remember
the last play they were in better than
the current one.”
“The Coarse Acting Show” is an ex
ample of “coarse theatre” at its
....
finest. We are introduced to a com
pany of well-meaning actors from the
South Hampton Institute of Theatre,
Roe-Upon-Toast, England, who,
throughout the evening, find
themselves battling “Murphy’s
Theatrical Law” as sets collapse,
props don’t work and unexpected peo
ple appear onstage for no reason.
Buoyed by the Coarse Actor’s Axiom,
“The audience didn’t notice a thing,”
the undaunted group struggles on
with “coarse acting” examples rang
ing from Shakespeare to Agatha
Christie.
A true coarse actor spends the
greater part of his career rushing
through dressing rooms, changing
beards and costumes every so often
as he tries to carry a spear for both
sides, until finally, clad in unsanitary
and evil-spelling armor, he is spat to
with the hole in his tights exposed to
the audience.
And yet, coarse actors have the
ability to determine the success or
failure of any play. For instance, an
actor has been known to ruin an en
tire production of “Macbeth” by run
ing onstage and shouting, “The
Queen, my lord, is NOT dead!” In
fact, most coarse actors spend much
of their time in dressing rooms hav
ing competitions to invent lines which
could bring famous plays to
premature conclusions. The non
Shakespearean title is held by,
“Thank you, Professor Higgins, after
only ONE lesson I feel I can speak
perfectly.”
Fourteen coarse actors onstage at
(he same time is something that hap
pens only in nightmares-and in this
production. The dedicated company
membiM's from Roe-Upon-Toast,
England, have descended on
Raleigh’s Theatre in the Park with
their own special brand of total in
sanity. Anything can happen in “The
Coarse Acting Show”-and probably
will. You’ll have to see it to believe it,
splitting your sides along the way.
* * *
Poverty is nothing to
be ashamed of, but it’s
awfully inconvenient.
LETS DANCE - Chuck Davis and the African-American
Danes Ensemble are extending greetings and an invitation
ta |oin their 1991 cultural arts safari’s return to the
Africa. This annual study program to
1
facttatad by Chuck Davis, artistic director at tbs
internationally acclaimed ensemble. Dates are July 31
August II. For addNonal Information cal 1-M0-34I
7200 or 919-596-0713.
PlayMakers’ Actors Say ‘Pericles’
Treasure Waiting To Be Discovered
“Pericles” may not be the best
known among the works of William
Shakespeare, but according to three
guest artists appearing in
PlayMakers Repertory Company’s
coming production, the play is a
treasure waiting to be discovered.
Directed by PlayMakers artistic
diector David Hammond, the produc
tion features guest artists Craig
Wroe, Peter Bradbury and Ken
Strong. It will be presented April
17-May 12.
The play follows the fortunes of
Pericles, prince of Tyre, through a
lifelong journey of adventures and
ultimate triumph. ‘“Pericles’ is a
huge epic,” said Wroe, who will ap
pear in the title role. “More things
happen in this play than in any other
work of Shakespeare’s.
“In fact, just about everything that
can happen to this man does,” he said
of the title chaacter. “We first see
Pericles as a wide-eyed young prince
who thinks he can handle anything.
But almost immediately, he finds out
how ugly and black the world can be.
He flees his homeland, survives two
shipwrecks, loses his wife and child
and comes to believe that he is mere
ly a sport for the gods. Then he is sav
ed by his daughter, Marina, in what I
think is the best scene Shakespeare
ever wrote.
“It’s a fantastic play, and a fan
tastical one,” Wroe added. “It has
many of the same themes as the great
works from the end of Shakespeare’s
career—‘The Winter’s Tale,’ ‘The
Tempest,’ and ‘Cymbeline.’”
Bradbury will appear as Cleon, a
king who befriends Pericles, then ac
quiesces in the treachery that his own
wife and daughter plot against
Marina, the daughter of Pericles.
“Cleon is a challenge to play
because although he is a well
intentioned fellow, he’s not strong
enough,” Bradbury said. “He wants
to do the honorable thing, but he
can’t—so he is left with the moniker
‘wicked.’
‘Pericles’ is a terrific story, and a
beautiful play,” he continued. “It’s
all about faith—the faith that no mat
ter how bad things are, everything
will come out all right in the end.”
While Wroe ana Braapi^y are ap
pearing with PlayMakers nthe first
time, Ken Strong performe^with the
company from 1980 to 1983 as a sttf
dent in the graduate Professitmal Ac
tor Training Program of thfe Univer
sity of North Carolina Department 6/
Dramatic Art. Arnlmg his
PlayMakers appearances were roles
in “The Greeks,” “Three^Sisters,’*
and “The Front Page ” v;'
For Strong, “Periclerf is “3
wonderful adventure”—*ie tha,t
finds him playing three ftftracter'
roles. Strong will appealpas Aiv
tiochus, a villainous ruler fpflm whorin’
the youthful Perteles^ees'lftr his life ;*
Simonides, a benevolent king who'
bcomes Pericles’ fafh#-in-law; and
Pander, the master of a brothel.
“The kind that span* adage's eri-'
tire life. We beoMlf i^dttrolved
with Pericles as we stay with him
This is a great story,” Strong said.
through a series of
adventures—H&a tj^e
bian nights.” "
larkable
(he Ara
Arts & Humanities Awards To
Hear Soprano & Baritone At Dinner
soprano Jacquelyn Culpepper and
baritone Tony Deaton will present a
concert for guests and honorees at the
annual Governor’s Business Council
on the Arts and Humanities Awards
Dinner on April 23 at 7:30 p.m. in
Raleigh. Current and past members
of the N.C. Arts Council’s Visiting Ar
tist program, the vocalists will per
form at the festivities to be held at the
Marriott Hotel at Crabtree Valley.
Gov, Jim Martin will present the
evening’s honors.
Co-hosts for the awards dinner in
clude Cultural Resources Secretary
Patric Dorsey and Tom Roberg,
Governor’s Business Council chair
man.
A . critically acclaimed opera
singer, soloist and recitalist, Jac
quelyn Culpepper has performed
from New Jersey to Miami. Her
numerous appearances on public and
commercial television and radio in
clude WUNC-TV’8 broadcast of
“Salute to Masterpiece Theatre”
with the N.C. Symphony. She per
forms regularly with the N.C. and
Charlotte symphonies.
Possessing proven lyrical artistry
the soprano’s glowing reputation ha;
won her more than 30 differen
musical and operatic roles. Ms
Culpepper’s oratorio repertoire in
eludes performances with sucl
renowned conductors as the Atlanta
Symphony’s Robert Shaw. The twi
artists recently collaborated 01
Brevard Music Center’s 50th annivei
sary celebration, with Ms. Culpeppe
singing the soprano solo i
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony whic
Shaw conducted.
Jacquelyn Culpepper is currently
rehearsing with Opera Carolina for
her debut as Josephine in Gilbert and
Sullivan’s “H.M.S. Pinafore.” She is
a visiting artist at Central Piedmont
Community College in Charlotte.
A well-known baritone, Tony
Deaton has established himself as the
consummate performing artist. His
background includes extensive
opera, recital and symphony concert
experience.
For two seasons, the singer toured
with the National Opera 'Company.
He has also performed With many
regional opera companies and sym
phony orchestras throughout the
Southeast and Midwest.
Deaton recently made his New
York debut at the International
Festival of the Arts, playing the title
role in Harrison Birtwiftle’s avant
garde opera, “Punch and Judy.” A
visiting artist program alumnus,
Deaton was last in residence at
Edgecombe Technical College in Tar
boro.
Culpepper amt Deaton have sung
togeth* for several .years. One of
their beat known shows is “Hot
Coles,” featuring the sophisticated
lyrics and music of Cole Porter.
The Visiting Artist Program is a
joint project of the N.C. Arts Council,
a division of the Department of
Cultural Resources, and the Depart
ment of Community Colie
For further informatid
Governor’s Business Award
Grace Taylor at 733-5722.
NEW JACK CITY -■ Russel Wong as Dotoctivt Kim
Park; Mario Van PooMos as Dotoctlvo Stono; Judd Nolson
as DotocUvs Nick PorotU and Ico-T as uScottyH Appleton
contemporary gangsnr epic, now m> wij,
Wesley Snipes and Christ Rock.
N. C. Theatre Sets Auditions For
Two Upcoming Productions Here
The North Carolina Theatre will be
holding auditions for “Cinderella”
and “Showboat” on April 18. Audi
tions will be held in the Rehearsal
Hall of Raleigh Memorial
Auditorium, 1 East South St., in
Downtown Raleigh at 6 p.m.
Rehearsals for “Cinderella” begin
July IS, the show opens on July 31 and
closes on Aug. 4. Rehearsals for
“Showboat’ begin Aug. 19, the show;
opens on Sept. 4 and closes an Sept. 8.;
Please bring resume, picture and;
music in the key which to be sung. All;
are asked to prepare two songs, an;
uptempo and a ballad. Ages 18 and up;
only. ;
Call 831-6940 with additional ques*
tions.
..Jl_I
040404040*