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... ORWHATTO DO WITH YOUR LIFE IF YOU'RE MISS DEERING HIGH 1965 ... SPOTLIGHT an Miss Deering marriage, and a blooming career ... a CHigh 1965 leave career that entails working with Fellini Portland, Maine---and find happiness or Truffaut." Now, seven years later, with a dynamite career , a handsome, Andrea's goals have been met but for successful husband, two beautiful sons, Fellini, now that Truffaut is gone. She and homes inLos Angeles and Toronto? adds, "I'd really love to do a low-budget The lady in question is dark-eyed, film that is completely my vision, with funny Andrea Martin, and the answer is people who have the same vision. I a resounding "Yes!" Daughter of Por- don't know what I'd like it to say yet, but tland's "Merry Manor" magnate, Andrea it would be my material. Yes, that's isthe star of "Roxie," a CBS-TV sitcom' what I'd desperately love to do ... or whichdebuted on Wednesday nights last maybe a small project for pay-TV or spring. And though her background in- cludes theater and films, she is probably BY FRllll COHEN best known for her·years as a writer and actor for the "Second City Television Network (SCTV)," the brilliant Emmy- winning comedy of TV syndication, syndication, not network. I have an NBC late nights, and Cinemax pay idea, very eccentric, that's based on a cable. Two ofthe characters she created, book. It won't have tremendous appeal garrulous station manager Edith Prick- to everyone, but it willbe moving and it ley and incomprehensible cleaning will touch people. You see, what's so woman Pirini Scleroso, helped bring her frustrating about prime-time TV like a .1982 Emmy nomination for Best "Roxie" is that it's their material, and Supporting Actress in a comedy as well you must relinquish control and make as two writing Emmys shared with the lots of compromises. Sure, I really want other SCTV creators. success and I love being a funny girl, In 1980, Andrea was asked about but someday I'd like to trust myself her goals when she was included in a enough to do lots of other things." prestigious book called Women of Canada, and she said: "I want to get to the point where I truly know the mean- About SCTV's late-night airing, An- ing of the word satisfaction. In five drea says: "I've liked it that all my life years I'd like to have a child, a loving I've been on the edge of mainstream JUNE 1987 13 America, a cult figure, a night-market Bedford); and Candide, I remember her person. It's really ironic that I'm now in much earlier, local productions. Port- doing "Roxie," the kind of show that is land Children's Theater came first, and the exact opposite. One thing good at age 14, Andrea played "Liat" in the about the series, though, is that people 1961 Kennebunkport Playhouse's South "As a kid, my insecurity came from feeling like an outsider because I'm Armenian with dark eyes and dark hair and the world was blonde and Waspy. No one made me feel that way. It was just something in me. " - Andrea Martin Andrea (far left) at a Dorothy Mason School of the Dance recital in the early 1960s. "I've liked it that all my life I've been on the edge Andrea (far left) in another of mainstream America, Dorothy Mason a cult figure, a night- spectacular. market person. .." (Win a Portland Monthly T-shirt - Andrea Martin by identifying the other dancers in these photos! Write to Portland Monthly, 154 Middle Street, Portland. Maine 04101.) will see me as different from one of my Pacific, starring now-famous Penny funny characters." Fuller. A summer season at the Ram ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Island Playhouse showcased Andrea as "Ado Annie" in Oklahoma!, "Gooch" Although Andrea's theater career in- in Marne, plus roles in Marat-Sade and cludes leading roles in You're a Good Threepenny Opera. As a theater critic Man, Charlie Brown; Godspell; Vani- for WCSH-TV, I reviewed her several ties; Private Lives (in Stratford, On- times. She was wonderful! tario with Maggie Smith and Brian 14 PORTLAND MONTHLY Portland Monthly: Tell me about some myself to do it, and you know, often it's of your Portland memories - your really good! As a kid my insecurity worst, your best. came from feeling like an outsider Andrea Martin: My worst! That's because I'm Armenian with dark eyes easy! Trying out for sports in school. I and dark hair and the world was blonde was awful, and I hated it. Funny, and Waspy. Noone made me feel that because after I got out of school I was way. It was just something in me. really quite athletic. Oh, I have lots of PM: Do you miss Portland? happy memories. My happiest was being a counselor at the Luther Gulick AM: Yes, but I really miss my home in Camp at Sebago, two summers during Toronto. After Portland, I really grew high school. I taught drama. I remember up inToronto. My career took off there, it as being the best time of my life. and I got married and had my children there. PM: I've known you all your life, Andrea. From the time your mother PM: Your husband is Canadian. Tell used to walk you in your carriage as a me about him. baby until you graduated from Deering AM: His name is Bob Dolman, and High School in 1965, we always lived he's a wonderful person and a great within three blocks of each other. I writer. We worked together on SCTV, remember the piano and dance lessons, and now he's headed for England to film your election as Miss Deering in your Willow. He wrote the screenplay, and senior year, the summer theatre stints, it is being directed by Ron Howard and the active, busy youngster. Do you feel produced by George Lucas. He also .. ? driven ... Insecure. wrote Cowboy Joe, an ABC-TV pilot Miss Deering High School '65 AM: Yes, I have this enormous amount starring Patti Lupone ("Evita" on in conservative cashmere (and of energy, and I do feel driven - to Broadway), which is now in the works. express myself - then and now. Inse- a Patty Duke flip) for her Van- PM: Describe yourself! cure? Well, sometimes I think, "Oh tine's Studio graduation photo. AM: Joyful on the outside! Worried on God, I can't do it," but then I push the inside! • A UNIQUE OFFICE OPPORTUNITY IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND. One Portland Square is the flagship building of a phased mixed-use project in the heart of the financial district and Old Port Exchange. • 165,000 square feet of office and retail space • panoramic views of downtown Portland and, the waterfront • brick and granite exterior with hardwood and granite lobby • office space offers operable windows and first-class tenant finishes • excellent expansion possibilities in future buildings • on-site parking, cafeteria and shower rooms For information contact: Do•.•bland 2150 Washington Street Newton, MA 02162 (207) 775-6464 JUNE 1987 15 in her transfer to St. Joseph's Academy for two years before entering Deering GROWING UP AS High School. There, her wish to per- form led to Deering's Dramatic Club, THE DAUGHTER where she was very active. After gradu- ation in 1965, Andrea went off to col- lege, graduating from Emerson College OF PORTLAND'S in Boston in 1969. She then studied mime dUling her junior year at the Sor- IIMERRY MANOR" MAGNATE • • • bonne in France. After Emerson, she had planned to spend a year in New York in an apartment that was to be a Sybil Martin, Andrea's mother, says Penelope Pine and Bruce the Spruce. graduation present from her parents. her daughter started performing the day Penelope and Bruce fell in love, but Unexpectedly, she was called to audi- she was born. Although the family had men came and cut them down. Even- tion for the part of "Lucy" in a Toronto no formal theatrical background, tually Penelope became a door and production of You're a Good Man, Sybil's parents, from Istanbul, were Bruce became another part of the same Charlie Brown. Ninety girls tried out, teachers in the Armenian School they house, so they ended up together and and Andrea got the part! She traveled created at Portland's Chestnut Street lived happily ever after. This may well ,for a year with the play and then got into Church. Classes in Armenian were have been the auspicious start ofAndrea Godspell at the Royal Alexandre Thea- conducted for two hours after public Martin's Emmy-winning writing career ter in Toronto. By now she was living in school, and they put on plays at Christ- for SCTV! Toronto and doing live theater. She had mas, at graduation, and at the end of Sybil makes a big point of saying that dreamed of being a serious actress, but the year. There were also poetry read- Andrea has worked and studied hard to somewhere along the way she decided ings and little dance numbers in what get where she is. At age 8 she started she was musical comedy material. To really amounted to recitals. Sybil was taking piano lessons from Priscilla this day she loves t9 make people the star! When Andrea was 2 liz years Morneault. Her recital was inthe rotunda laugh. old Sybil broke her leg, so she spent a of the old Art Museum, where she re- Sybil Martin glows' with pride when great deal of time reading to her little cited a poem about a kitten and then she mentions her two grandsons ..