Don Rickles Replica Brings Tribute Show to Pendleton Adults and $3 for Students
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Saturday, April 4, 2015 ENTERTAINMENT East Oregonian Page 3C BRIEFLY THEATER: Spent two hours of rehearsal on a single song ‘Evil Dead’ brings cult Continued from 1C routine outside the circle classics to life of townsfolk, eventually WALLA WALLA — Five wide dance in the middle of getting so bored he threw college students go to an the show. in some breakdance moves abandoned cabin in the woods The ¿rst time through when no one was looking. and accidentally unleash an was an absolute mess. But spending two hours evil force that turns them into The second time wasn’t on a single song was worth demons. any better. it, Mercer said, for the mo- %lood Àies, limbs dismember, By the ¿fth time, how- ment the last note of the demons tell bad joke — all set ever, the dancers were start- ¿rst Àawless rendition rang to music during “Evil Dead: ing to ¿nd their rhythm. out and the students broke The Musical.” The hilarious And on the ninth time ev- into cheers. stage musical that combines erything clicked into place. “That’s it,” she said. elements from the cult classic “See, all you needed “That’s when they bought ¿lms “Evil Dead,” “Evil Dead was practice,” Mercer told into the show.” 2” and “Army of Darkness” will the students before they re- Parsons and Wyse be staged at the Power House peated the process with the agreed, noting that as tough Theatre. second half of the routine. as the repetition had been, The event is Saturday, April Bobby Crane, who sings the rehearsal had been a 11 at 6 p.m. or 9:15 p.m. at 111 the song, repeated his own breakthrough. N. Sixth Ave., Walla Walla. Tickets are $34 in the splatter zone and $29 in the non-splatter Staff photo by E.J. Harris zone. Choir director Josh Rist, left, works with cast members on the opening number Purchase tickets at www. “Rock Island” while rehearsing “The Music Man” on Tuesday in Hermiston. EvilDeadNW.com. For more information, visit www.phtww. “Once you know the performances around long times before Mercer was com. stuff and you’re in the skirts, slippery props and satis¿ed with the timing), groove, it’s just really sat- bulky set pieces. but the actors also shine in isfying,” Parsons said. The rented costumes are their share of endearing, Fiddlers perform 50th still in the mail, however, humorous moments. anniversary concert 9 days until and the set isn’t done. Whatever happens in Despite that, the show the next week, the show RICKREALL — State and opening night is coming together. There must go on. national ¿ddling champions are The ¿rst dress rehearsal are a few rough spots to ——— featured in the Oregon Oldtime was supposed to happen be worked out (Nicolas Contact Jade McDow- Fiddlers’ Association 50th Year Staff photo by E.J. Harris a week and a half before Carter, playing Tommy ell at jmcdowell@eastore- Anniversary Concert. Beckie Wyse, right, performs the duet "Goodnight opening night, giving ac- Djilas, got slapped in the gonian.com or 541-564- The event is one of the My Someone" with Ben Parsons on Tuesday in tors a chance to adjust their face by Wyse six or seven 4536. highlights of the organization’s Hermiston. state convention. The concert is Friday, April 10 from 7-10 p.m. at the Polk County Fairgrounds, 520 S. Paci¿c Highway, Rickreall. Tickets are $5 for Don Rickles replica brings tribute show to Pendleton adults and $3 for students. The convention runs from n 2007, John Landis produced Walter recounts, “One day our April -11 and includes ¿ddle the HBO documentary “Mr C130 was caught in a dust storm workshops, non-stop jamming IWarmth: The Don Rickles and we had to land. We ended up and opportunities to meet ¿ddle Project.” This loving and reverent getting shelled by Iraqis.” players. portrait of America’s preeminent Walter’s Pendleton appearance For more information, visit insult comic featured interviews also marks a reunion of sorts http:oregonoldtime¿ddling.org. with a parade with him and Pendleton Elks of comics (from Club manager Billy Turner. Says Chris Rock to Walter, “We used to have shows in Sufjan Stevens’ latest Ed McMahon) Pendleton. They had a club here. album worth the time praising Rickles’ Billy was the emcee.” insulting yet Turner recalls an evening when (AP) — Sufjan Stevens, good-natured a man wandered in to the Red “Carrie & Lowell” (Asthmatic style of comedy as Lion selling rafÀe tickets for a TV. Kitty) well as his genial The proceeds were to bene¿t the Plucked strings and pulsing personality. man’s son who had cerebral palsy keyboards dominate the dis- J.D. When veteran Kindle and was in need of a surgery that tinctive arrangements on Sufjan Olympia, would cost over $30,000. Turner Stevens’ latest album, and in the Washington- Entertainment decided that a charity comedy absence of a rhythm section, they based comic show would be a more effective serve to keep time. Mike Wally Walter watched the means of fundraising. The said But time’s not for keeping, documentary he couldn’t help but Photo contributed by Mike Wally Walter charity comedy show featured and that’s the message. feel inspired by the man himself. A Mike Wally Walter will bring his Don Rickles tribute show to the Walter as the headliner and quickly “We’re all going to die,” Ste- light bulb went on in his head. He Pendleton Elks Lodge on April 10th. oversold with the ¿re marshal vens sings, putting perhaps too had always been told by friends management like what he is doing. travel I have ¿ve ex-wives, at the kicking people out of the building. ¿ne a point on the matter. that he looked like Don Rickles He spent a year at Harrah’s in time (I became a comic) I only had All in all, the event raised over “Carrie & Lowell” is named (as well as Johnathan Winters) Laughlin, Nevada, performing two!” $13,000. for Stevens’ mother and stepfa- due to his waning hair and had his Rickles tribute as part of the Although Walter claims Las Walter’s reappearance in ther, and Carrie’s death in 2012 always admired Rickles’ rapid-¿re Showgirls. Now he is bringing that Vegas as his favorite place to Pendleton also has a similarly inspired the intimate 11-song delivery, which was not unlike his act to the Pendleton Elks Lodge. perform (“They get me there. charitable bent. According to cycle. Along with mortality, own. With that he decided to start Walter made his start in comedy I’m a Vegas-style act.”), his most Turner, “The net proceeds from the Stevens contemplates love and performing a Don Rickles tribute 35 years ago by entering a local memorable performances took evening will bene¿t Meadowood longing, ghosts and grieving, re- act. comedy competition in Seattle. place in the Middle East in the Springs Speech and Hearing membrance and regret, forgive- It’s not that he copies Don He came in second place and the midst of the Iraq War. Camp, a longtime cause for the ness and faith and even fossils. Rickles’ jokes verbatim, but emcee encouraged him to continue “I went overseas to Iraq, and Pendleton Elks.” Just like Mr. “What’s the use of singing rather emulates his style of joke developing his craft. Steadily Bahrain in 2006 to entertain Warmth himself, there’s a soft side songs?” he asks, and the album delivery (i.e. singling out audience Walter made his way through the the troops,” say Walter of his to Mr. Walter beneath that brusque answers with music that ¿nds members to insult but in the most open mic scene before landing time there. “It was kinda like a exterior. beauty in sadness. His wispy loving way possible). Couple a few paid gigs. Up to that point USO show. I went there for 20 Mike Wally Walter performs vocals are an ideal match for the that with a Vegas act dress code he had been working at Georgia- days. Five days in Kuwait, 15 at the Pendleton Elks Lodge on delicate melodies, and there’s a (tuxedo and bow tie) and Walter Paci¿c but an on-the-job injury days in Iraq. There were three Friday, April 10. Dinner at 6 p.m., dreamy ache to simple arrange- makes for a passable replica of forced him into early retirement. comedians and we stayed at entertainment at 8 p.m. ments that turn otherworldly, as Rickles. Since he had no other job skills, Saddam (Hussein)’s palace. They Ŷ if alternating between the here Although Walter’s website Walter took up performing would pick us up from Saddam’s James Dean Kindle is a singer- and hereafter. bears an explicit disclaimer that stand up full time. When asked in a helicopter and Ày us to three songwriter and musician and part- It’s not so funny how time his tribute act is not sanctioned by about how becoming a full-time different bases in one day.” time Pendleton resident. You can slips away. But amid the tick- Don Rickles or his management, professional comic changed his When asked if he was caught contact him at jamesdeankindle@ tock rhythms of “Carrie & Low- he claims that Don and his life, Walter says, “Talk about up in any hairy situations in Iraq, gmail.com. ell,” there’s comfort to be found. WHAT TO DO youths, free/5 and under or $25/ *UHDW 3DFL¿F :LQH &RIIHH •Thursdays, 8 p.m.