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Veteran actress Hamilton returns to share excitement of live theaterBy DEBORAH BOGt SZEWSKI Actress Lynn Hamilton kit a mb-«oo to bring live thoater hack to 4 world that Us h*o*ne accustomed to the celluloid images olt; trlcviuc* and film Hamilton will return to her bnme-lown of Chicago Height. Friday to perform 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' her one-woman show jy.it 'ordinary people doing oxtraorduury things' The perfcrmant* it a benefit lor St Joseph school in Chicago Heights •Go Tell It on the Mountain' cn (•••rages people to 'set realistic goals and not gl»e up.' Hamilton said m a phone mteniew from her Los Angeles home The plav includes postages written by black literary art-itts. including James Baldwin. Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni HAMILTON’S APPEARANCE will serve two purposes It will give her the rtaoc* to perf«m 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' which -as a success in Los Angela, outside of that city Hamiltce. and her husband Fran* Jenkins are planning a nationwide tour ol the show Bui. more importantly, the perfor mince, a hind raiser (or the school to help defray rlang tuition rc*t» will safeguard the children’s educa Ik*We need to prepare our duldree to take then rightful place in the ficur*.' Hamilton said -Go Tell It on the Mountain' was produced by CamUidge Players a nonprofit production group in Los Angeles.FIVE WOMEN, all well known blaek actresses are the group's coproducers. Thcv are Hamilton, hitter Rolle. Helen Martin Juanita Moore and Royce Wallace The group's psrnose Hamilton said, is to fceing professional theater to the Max* community by producing playsuhtit is there The artists are writing.' she said 'We encourage new playwrights to send their weeksto us 'A recent success was Reunion m Barters v-ille’ by Celeste Colson, a wntrr Iran the Dallas Texas, area Tie play won the Drama Critics Cir cle award and the NAAOR Image award The producers are planning to move the play to a larger theater and if all goes well, will send It to BroadwayHAMILTON, who moved to Chicago Heights Iran Mississippi as a child of four attended Chicago Heights elementary and mnior high schools and Bloom high school She was inducted into Bloom’s Hall of Fame several years ago And acting has always been the focus of Hamilton’s life *1 alwaj* wanted to be an actrew.' she said The mapr stumbling block for a talented yoong black actress in the IttOi was tut there sunply were no roles for black.Hamilton was a member lt;4 the drama club In Mgh sthool but found herself doing Uckuage taaki 1*1 can build a aet with the bat of ’em’ she laughed) She praise, the solid theatrical education she received at Gocd man School of Drama/but there, tco. she most dice worked backstage or had small maid roles SHE W AS the only black woman studying 'straight' acting with the goal of being on uagr The few other black slwdrats were studying directing or other behind-the-scenes specialtiesHamilton , first real opportunity came in her final year of college when realizing her ability, a director cast her in the lead of a school production She appeared on stage in whltefacu make-up AU this. Hamilton explained, hap pened befcee Lorraine Hans berry's •A Raisin m the Sun.' the play she says ‘Iwrned things around' for bUrt actors and playwrights fT WAS NOT until Hamilton went to New York in the late lttte that she realized that there were plays written by black playwrights — and black theater 'tmpaiuM performing themAfter obtaining an Actors' Equity card Hamilton worked for three years for Joseph Papps New York Shakespeare festival, then in its infancy She did four Broadway shows ard says proudly. M was able to learn my living at an actress during my 12 years in New York' - no mean feat as many actor* moonlighting aa-cab-drivers can attest She a bo was selected to perform in President Kennedy’s cultural exchange program and toured Europe, the Near Fist and Central and South American in productions of The Miracle Worker’ and The Skin of Our Teeth*-We were good-will ambassadors.* Hamilton explained '(President Kennedy| h*J tremendous foresight ft* lt;*r country In sending a (heater group to mite people everywhere.' she added HAMILTON LEFT New Yort to do repertory theater in Seattle. Wash In 1M7 'It was.' sbe recalled. 'The best vear of my life and a turning point' Not only did she have starring roles In productions of 'Tartuffe' and 'Night of the Iguana* she abo met her husband A move to Los Angeles followed ‘primarily because of the weather.' Hamlltc* said She traveled frccn Seattle to Los Angeles to try out (or a movye role and promptly fell in lose with southern California and its di-mate -I didn’t even go back to New Yort to move.* she recalled.Television movie and stage roles were not long in finding Hamilton 'My timing was gocd * sbe explained -That was m the middle lt;4 the (civil rights) Revtdnlion The *0» opened up television for Warts *Hamilton appeared as Cousin Gecegu in 'K«c» The Next Genera lion' with Alex Haley and had roles on The Rockford Files' and The Waltons* Her film credits include •The Marcus Nelson Murder* IV Je.se Owens Story lt;a law*He role since Hamilton had met Owens as a young woman). 'Buck and the Preacher.' 'Lads Sines the Blue*.' The Learning Tit*' '1-eaCtoelly' and 'Legal Eagle*'HAMILTON IS best known, she said for her role as Donna. Fred Sanford's girlfriend on ’Sanford and Son” with Redd Foxx Currently she ap pear* as Emma on '277* with Marla GibbsWorking on a situation comedy a a mixed bag of irritation and sal-Ufartioa Hamilton reported Comedsert audience a plus for a trained stage actor who relies heavily on aofcenc* response to gauge hi* or her own wortThat s one of the pay* of working 00 wage.' she said 'But (a MtuatK* comedy) moves so fast.' A script can undergo three or more extensive revisions. and actors have only a day or so to learu each one Final changes are made right up until the lour o'clock taptng (the 'dress rehear**!') and. sometime*, even between the e£3l.ynu Hamiltonshow s first and secccd taping.ITS A hectic srtedole Hamilton report* 'You don't gel a chance to delve into your character.‘ she said But peihjps that'* for the best ihr muted ‘Comedy doesn't lav* a lot of substance, but that* (IK. because laughter 1* spontaneous * sbe said Trained as a stage actress, however. Hamilton is always aware of the many differences belween film and Ike stage She is emphatic in bn sopport of live (heater•It Hive theater) B very important to the psyche.' she said ■R'l amarmg how many people have never seen live I heater.' she continued Hamilton believes ticket prices need to be scaled down so more people, especially children can see- them That is why children youngn than 12 will l* admitted free to the St Joseph benefit, even though the e-vent is a fund-rawr-Co TWf It 00 the MomUUt- win he presented af * pm Fndav at Bloom fug* reboot auditorium. 10ih street and Dixie highway. Chicago Height* Tickets are » IB advance. 110 at the door tor adults M i.v advance and » at the door for children I! through IT Children .conger than 12 will be admitted tret Further information mar he obtained bt phott mg 742-JOB
Newspaper Details
Harvey Star
Harvey, Illinois, US
Sun, Mar 01, 1987
Page 24
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MI, USA 11 Nov 2017
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