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PEOPLE TALK INDEX/SECTION B Friday, July 26,1985 Section B paints portrait ByJoe Agnew Herald staff writer The stage setting presents the livingroom of an old New En­ gland townhouse, tastefully fur­ nished with Elegant, understated furniture. Scattered throughout the room art boxes, which older characters Fanny and Gardner Church are filling with family belongings as they prepare to move from their long-time home to a Cape Cod cottage. But despite its home-like ambi­ ance, there is something notice- bly different about the Church's livingroom. One can't help but notice its walls, which are washed with the intermingling pastel colors of purple, green and grey. A large piece of canvas covers the floor, spilling over the front of the cleverly titled, autobiographical comedy, which will open at the Woodstock Opera House this Wednesday, and run for five weeks, through Sept. 1. The 1983 Obie winner for best Off-Broad- way play, it recently finished a highly-acclaimed and successful run at Chicago's Wisdom Bridge Theater. As "Churches" Director Doug Finlayson explained during a re- cent rehearsal, the stage design is actually a metaphor for an impressionistic painting, with . playwright Howe using the drap­ ing canvas to help create that image. Included in that "painting" are Gardner Church < Edgar Meyer), a brilliant poet who is slowly becoming senile; his devoted, domineering yet eccentric wife Fanny (Mary Ann Thebus); and their daughter Mags, who is al- . f: most 30 and enjoying ah already semi-successful career as an art- ./ ist. Alfthree actor* are reprising their roles from the Wisdom Bridge production ̂ Dur ing the course o f "Churches, " Finlayson ex­ plained, these three eccentric fatally members are led to a rediscovery of one another, while giving the audience glimpses what they were like in younger days. Finlayson said the play is -packed with many funny and touching moments, as these characters pack their belongings and reminisce. "The play is dreamlike, but not heavy," Finalyson said. "It has popular appeal, and I think : the audiences here will enjoy it." U Hofmann said she feels the "Churches" will offer something , lor everyone because people can relate to at least one if not all three characters. She noted that - during its run at Wisdom Bridge, it was customary for the cast to discuss the play with audiences at Mast once a week, "It's a realistic, slice-of-life play, "she said. "Some will iden- tity with the parents, others will • ktaiUfy with the daughter" • stage. As the Churches fuss with moving arrangements, their daughter Mags arrives. An ac­ complished artist. Mags intends to paint her parents' portrait. She will soon discover it will be the most challenging-- yet re­ warding • commission she his ever attempted. So the easel is set for "Paint­ ing Churches," Tina Howe's The VIPS bring their special brand of music and entertainment to the close of McHenry's 1985 Fiesta Days, running through this weekend in Petersen Park and downtown McHenry. The group will provide after-parade entertainment in Pearl Street Park, and be a fitting finale to eight days of feasting, sports, contests, shopping, arts and crafts displays, fun for youngsters and special entertain­ ment activities for all ages. Playing ball . Reports on the congressional baseball game were mostly partisan, but former baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn offered an objective opinion early on in the match. "I've studied these two teams," he said, "and believe neither will win." The Republicans did, however, beat the Democrats, 9-3, which their manager, Rep. Silvio Conte of Massachu­ setts, said was a sign of Republican power "The Democrats played pathetically," he said. "I feel sorry for them." The losing manager, Rep. William Shappell Jr. of Florida, said the game meant nothing. "They put it to us tonight. We'll put it to them tomorrow." The game was not without controversy. John Colantuoni. the coach of the Ameri­ can Legion team that usually plays bn the field, says his boys were kicked off the field Saturday so it could be prepared for the congress­ men. Colantuoni said he had been asking the city to fix up the field for a year but nothing was done until the congressmen can^e to play. ' O M c o f t e e U * ' In'MT Village is where the protest music of the 1960s started. Tuesday night Peter, Paul and Mary, a group at the forefront of that movement, were back in the tiny club to celebrate their 25th anniversary in show business with a benefit concert for the Charity Bailey Children's Folk Project. For two hours Peter Yarrow. Paul Stookey and Mary Travers were in top harmonious form, sounding more resonant than in the past and bringing tears to the eyes of the overflow crowd with folk standards "Blowin' in the Wind," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "If I Had a Hammer." They also brought the 200 guests, most of whom paid $100 a ticket, to their feet with a rousing new protest song -- "El Salvador." Joining the trio on stage for a "This Land Is Your Land" finale were Tom Paxton. Judy Collins. John Denver, Richie Havens and Paul Butterfield. evening, fgPfs)Reviews for "Painting 't$ Churches" are this Saturday, July 27, at 8:15 p.m.; Sunday, July 28 at 6:15 p.m., and Tues­ day, July 30 at 8:15 p.m. All preview tickets are $5.50 and $7. Regular performance times are Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. is ho matinee July 31; opening night benefit tickets are v ; $$£lor an 8:30 p.m. show)* Fri- ^!$daytat«:t*p.m., Saturdays at 2 pm •,nd Sundays at 6:15p.m. Ticket prices are $11 and $M for all performances, with a 10 percent discount for groups of 20 people or more. For more information or ticket reservations, phone the Wood­ stock Opera House box office, open Tuesdays through Sundays beginning at noon, at 815/338- Duet for Africa A vinyl version of that lively David Bowie-Mick Jagger "Dancin' in the Streets" Live Aid duet will be out soon, says Bob Geldof. rock singer- turned-saint. Geldof, who organized the Philadelphia-London benefit, wore a green-specked suit, yellow high-top sneakers and his perpetual near-beard at his Capitol Hill news conference and was presented with an award from the Congressional Arts Caucus. Geldof suggested Con­ gress "might use some of the military budget" and said he's a bit taken aback by all the acclaim from his feed-Africa works. "I'm a pop singer so all that about the Nobel Prize and stuff -- it's weird," he said. He appeared on "Good Morning, America" and announced the next fund- raising plan. "I can exclusively reveal to you ... that the David Bowie- Mick Jagger record that you saw on the Live Aid day is being rush- released next week with a Live Aid logo with all the money coming in to Live Aid, and that's good news," he said. Michael's movie Michael Jackson hasn't retired after all. He's working with two movie powers -- George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola -- on "Captain Eno," a 12-minute, $10 million 3-D movie that will be featured next year at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center in Orlando, Fla., and Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Disney officials said the film, now being shot in Los Angeles, is a space fantasy featuring original songs written, produced and performed by Jackson, who also will dance. "It's a big project and a major piece," said video specialist Pat Kelly, who has worked for Jackson and visited the set in Los Angeles. "It's not a lightweight deal." Lucas is the executive producer and Coppola is the director and they will be joined by the choreographer from "Flashdance," the set designer from the Tony Award-winning musical "Cats" and the cinema- tographer for "Apocalypse Now." Glimpses Singer Jermaine Jackson, retired gymnast Cathy Rigby. Steve Sax of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lyle Alzado of the Los Angeles Raiders have joined ACT - Athletes and Celebrities Together - a group dedicated to finding missing children. They will appear in public service commercials with photographs of missing kids ... Miss America Char- lene Wells of Utah, will relinquish her crown in September, which is fine with her. "It's been a very good year, but it's enough," she said. "It's like a wedding reception every day. only without a groom." When she does get a groom. Wells says she wants to have six children... 'Legend of Billie Jean' mirrors Madonna craze It would be easy to dismiss "The Legend of Billie Jean" as lust another summer drive-in movie aimed at cashing in on the teen maifcet jA Although this isn't a great movie by any means,it Is Interesting In the • •' 1 " ? w n 1 1 M fact that It is noticeably less exploitive than its genre predecessors, and for the observations it makes on the idea of celebrity emulation, i.e. the Madonna craze. "Billie Jean" is not about the famous tennis star, or the girl who accused Michael Jackson of fathering her chUd (movies on those two subjects, however, are probably forthcoming). It is about a teenage girl (Supergirl Helen Slater) from the wrong side of Corpus ChrisU • namely the trailer park - who becomes an outlaw and heroine to local youths when she stands up to a sleazy redneck giftshop owner and his spoiled brat son. shooting takes place, BUlie Jean, her brother and a couple others from The movie never resorts to the crass violence, nudity or situations that their traUe£ park afefof&d totake Oil. parents might want to know about before they let their kids see it. On Keeping to the local Corpus Christi area, the kids become folk heroes the other hand, the subject matter has been rehashed so many times a la "Bonnie and Clyde," as the local media blows the situation entirely that if you miss this one, there's a good chance you've already seenltor out of hand. When the outlaws take refuge in a nearby mansion, Billie will sometime in the future. JeahbeCdmes enthralled with an old television rerun of a movie about The twist here is the way Billie Jean gains notoriety while on the lam - Joan of Arc. to the point that all the little cotton-blossoms in Corpus Christi are For some dumb reason, she draws parallels between her struggle and cutting their hair to look just like her. When this movie was being made, the sainted martyr's, then ducks liito the bathroom to cut off most of her its producers probably never expected the same thing would happen in long blond locks. She then proceeds to make a video message proclaim- real life. \ ing her righteousness and sends copies to the local media. That real-life example is Madonna, and it's hard not to think of her Pretty soon, all the local girls are turning themselves into the police whUe watching this movie. This pop-rocker from Michigan has suddenly claiming to be Billie Jean, and have set up an underground network to influenced little girls everywhere to string crucifixes in their ears, wear keep her hidden from authorities, ̂ s moviegoers are asked to digest this their underwear on top of their clothes, and display their navels like St. ridiculous premise, they are treated to the background braying of Pat Christopher medals. Bentiiar ̂ Slft£* something about belng^favlncible." Fortunately, Billie Jean never goes tft those extremes, nor do nude Despite its cornlness, "Billie Jean" contains some noteworthy ele- photos of her appear in Playboy Magazine. Throughout the movie, she ments that make It interesting to watch. The Corpus Christi locations keeps her clothes on and ideals in place. are nicely presented, effectively showing the. ragged landscape of this Those ideals center on her brother's Honda Elite motorscooter, which mostly worittng-diMa Ttaas coastal city. Although most moviegoers some bratty uppercrust knuckleheads decide to destroy one day for the won'tnotiefcdif&iSr MatthewfcobWnsmakes great use of symbolism sheer fun of it. Not only does this bum out the dopey kid brother, but also to foreshadow other events. This raid of detail will serve him greatly prompts a knee-jerk reaction (literally, folks) from Billie Jean. That when goes on to (hopefully) make better fUms. reaction leaves the head bully moaning on the floor, while she tries to If all this sounds intriguing, you'd better act fast, because "Billie pump his old man for the cash to fix the bike. Jean" is one of those films will last two weeks at the most in local Unfortunately, our blue-eyed heroine has worse luck with the old man, theaters. It is currently {Haying at the Spring HiU Theaters in West who turns out to be a biaser louse than his son. When an'accidental:' Herald staff writer Classified Comics Dear Abby Donald Kaul.. Entertainment O p i n i o n . . . . . . . /