The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 65

4 Part VI Tuesday, September 16, 1980 Cos Anfldea Slimes PHOTOS FOR THE TIMES BY ANN SUMMA I I LSllL I John Rier Yreina Cervantez contributes faces of mother and child to mural. Film maker John Rier, left, directs crew, right, in filming Kathie Vasquez, Julie Soria and Conrad Pitpitan. The final touch recently was painted by Esther Martinez, 16, who stenciled the names of everyone who worked on the mural in foot-high block letters. She and about 40 other teen-agers hired from the Summer Program for the Employment of Disadvantaged Youth painted the 400-foot section this year. The mural eventually will become part of a mural dubbed "The Great Wall of Los Angeles," which will depict California history with an emphasis on the role of minorities.

But another creative muse also was at work in Tujunga Wash. While the teen-agers were painting, film maker John Rier directed a half-hour video program on the project. Rier's crew documented each step in transferring the mural scenes from drawings onto the 13l-foot -high wall, including gridding, sketching, ballooning and mixing of paints. "Some of these kids didn't understand math and couldn't even use a ruler. Getting a sketch on the wall takes mathematics and using blueprints.

Some of them have learned how to do that for the first time," said Rier. MURAL, MURAL ON THE GREAT WALL By YING YING WU On July 1, it was a white wall. Now, brilliant oranges, pinks, purples and blues decorate the Tujunga Wash in the San Fernando Valley. A huge Prohibition-era ax smashing a barrel covers part of the wall. Farther down, the Dunbar Hotel, the only place black musicians could stay in Los Angeles during the 1930s, and a black man drinking from a water fountain labeled "Colored" leap out at the spectator.

While a glamorous celluloid couple embrace on the screen, the unemployed of the Depression emerge from underneath them to sell apples and seek warmth from street fires. Giant feet lead to a scene of police battling strikers. A group of Mexican workers is being deported. Hungry Okies leave the arid Dust Bowl for California. Japanese-Americans are shown in a desolate detention camp during World War II.

A nearby sign warns of the "Yellow Peril." For others, the mural has led to an art career. Jorge Samayoa is an 18-year-old who always carries a sketchbook. His previous work on a mural in Highland Park prompted him to take art classes. "I'm thinking of going to Cal State L.A. as an art major," he said.

Although documenting the mural-making process was important, Rier said the film's main emphasis "is that the mural is being painted by a multi-ethnic group of young kids who have never worked together before. Certain kids have been gang members, but none of that aggression has been vented on the project or on other kids. They're making friends, not fighting. We show them developing relationships with each other in the film by their working, playing and joking together." The youngsters seemed relaxed in front of the camera, barely acknowledging its presence, but Rier, a graduate of UCLA's film department, said the nonchalance didn't come naturally. "The main trouble the kids had was in expressing themselves.

We found out that staged shots didn't work, so we got into a more organic way of shooting because as the kids got more used to us, they got looser," he said. Three of the teen-agers also were trained in video production while assisting with taping the mural project. Since the crew Aimed only three days a week, the other two days were reserved for video training in a classroom at the adjacent L.A. Valley College. There the student crew members viewed the previous day's rushes and made recommendations for the film's direction.

"These kids have never been exposed to working on a film or video production. They have a new perspective on television because they're actually involved with producing. Most of them have grown up with television: they've been consumers. Now they're behind the camera and they're producers," Rier said. Patrick Gordine, 15, originally was hired to paint but wound up holding video cables.

"I enjoy working on the video crew more (than painting); it's fun to watch how films are made," he said. Judy Baca, the artist who started the mural as a Bicentennial project in 1976 for the Social and Public Arts Resources Center in Venice, also was responsible for getting a $20,000 grant from the Inner Arts Program for the video project. She feels the film has enhanced the teen-agers' experience of working on the mural. "One of the things the kids need is to improve their self-image and to understand that what they do is significant enough for people to see in other parts of the country and other parts of the world," she said. be part of the travel package on a round-trip visit to London.

A similar scheme would provide for a theatrical club, sponsored jointly by British rail and the London theater owners, that would offer, in return for the membership fee, the right to buy rail and theater tickets at a considerable discount for groups of six or more. Discount season tickets also are being offered to the general public to encourage frequent theatergoing. Several restaurants and theaters in London now are of I 1 HfTPnTTTl I What brings c.lll-llill'llll fering special meals with matinee theater tickets atj together a considerably reduced prices. Some musicals have admitted children now are free seller with when accompanied by their parents. The London Theater Owners Assn.

also is exploring a car in Santa 1 STADIUM Totm iiom(I) I ZiiLoHZ roxis id 7wt-njaY the feasibility of advertising on television, as is the cus Paula and torn in New York. But since there is only one commer John BetushtDan Aykroyd RUBS nOKBtS(l) HO MOUTH) 1 -Orange aim cial TV channel in Britain, commercial advertising is a buyer limited and expensive. STADIUM Katab-Oranii iwsx-nS) Steve McQueen TBI MMTHfPG) FWAL COUNTDOWN from San Diego The owners have launched a campaign to clean up streets in the theatrical district, which would be part of STADIUM KiMbOmta 7Mt-7sa Riotous Comedy! JtPU(PG) UTTtt lAJrAHG(t) for a playwright with interesting and unusual ideas to get produced these days." In the interest of economy, therefore, some producers, favor new plays with a minimum of performers and set changes. "You get producers now who think that one theatrical set with two people is very good," Barker joked, "and no set with one actor is even better." Many impresarios like Ian Albery, who owns four theaters and produces plays, believe that the impact of the 15 tax on tickets has meant the difference between commercial success and failure. Albery said costs have raised the break-even point for most plays from an audience size of 55 of the theater's capacity up to 70 of capacity.

The impresarios must increase the size of the audience if they are to survive. After a long inspection tour of the Broadway theater, Burke has come up with several ideas that are being incorporated into the London commercial theater. Some of these plans are geared toward luring Britons themselves back to the theater, particularly the younger generation. One plan involves setting up a half-price booth at which tickets at 50 of the regular fare will be available on the day of performance. A similar setup just off New York's Times Square has been a success, and the London equivalent will open in October in Leicester Square in the heart of the theatrical district.

At that time, theaters also will try to fill empty seats by selling student tickets on the afternoon of performance at cut-rate prices. British and foreign students alike will be eligible by presenting student identification. "It's like a standby air fare," Burke said. "You can't always be sure of a seat at a play of your choice, but there's probably something worthwhile available. And regular ticket buyers have the assurance of guaranteed seats." Still another plan is to have tie-ins with tour groups both in England and abroad so that theater tickets will a broader move to improve the tone of the Piccadilly BRITISH THEATER Continued from First Page these are subsidized in one way or another by the government.

Thus, it is London's commercial theater that is experiencing almost all the current economic troubles. "We've got wonderful actors, distinguished playwrights and fine production people," Burke said. "With all this talent, we hope to get over the bad patch commercially." Critic Barker added: "There's no lack of good plays. You can see 10 absolutely first-rate plays, and 20 more that are excellent entertainment, any night in the week." London used to be renowned for the low prices of its theater tickets, but high costs, inflation and the government rise in the ticket tax from 8 to 15 have boosted top ticket prices for ordinary plays to about $15.50 and for musicals to more than $20. "People used to go to the theater as a regular habit," Burke explained, "but now when you add in the tickets, drinks, dinner, transport and perhaps a baby sitter, it's going to cost a couple around $150 for an evening out.

And there are other priorities for that family budget, so the theatrical night out suffers. "Theatergoing has become an occasion; young couples only go out on an anniversary, rather than attending regularly." The soaring costs have disturbed producers and critics alike: Production budgets are double or triple what they were only a few years ago; thus, angels or theatrical backers are harder to find. "Some of the West End angels invest out of love," Burke said, "but they still hope to make money. Now it's harder to realize any return, and it takes a lot longer to get any successful investment back." As is the case on Broadway, producers are less venturesome when such high costs and low profits are involved, so they tend to favor safer productions conventional or formula plays and revivals. Among the musical revivals opening in the West End this year are "The King and "My Fair Lady," "Pal Circus-Leicester Square central area.

STADIUM KaWhj-OfMoi 7HK-7hET Brooke Shields IM HUE UGOONH) CAUFOMA SUTt(PG) lassiticAAiis When you need action now. Many observers also hope to lobby the government into reducing the 15 tax on theater tickets, claiming STADIUM lUMa-OrMgt 7Me-7M CBEEO 4 CNONG'S NEXT MOVt(l) ACAPUCO 60U(I) that it often represents the difference between an oper ating profit and a loss. "We need more cooperation from the 3 one producer remarked, "but I don't know whether we will get it. Mrs. Thatcher (the prime minister) tends to macn PUCK FEB ITBMT! I SL DTBEB BTTI MEC UU.

rerun an Ji.tv umttu sutbk. tnctti uueuuni fjubki. lump all entertainment together for tax purposes. The theater society's Burke sums up: "Central Lon 1 PUENTE HILLSf 3 1 HAWTHORNS don really depends on a healthy commercial theater for its own economy after dark. PlMtl Wttt 1 Charlton Heston Aina-CotM TBI ROUNTAB MEN 1 1) (213) 912-5394 (6:30 Hiytimi 1 llivlhunis at El Sagunde (213) 644-9761 HB BTJUtSE(PG) (6:15 11.75) :15 "The theater has traditionally attracted customers PlNtl WKt 2 GaryBusey who then use restaurants, nightclubs, taxis and other si milar after-dark enterprises.

Hawtkini 2 CAJtNYII) TBI MOUNT Alt MEN(I) (6:00 11.75) 8:00 (5:45 a S1.75) 8A PiHll Wtsl 3 Olivia Newton-Jorin "This fact of commercial life should be realized by the government. But whatever our troubles, the London XANADU(PG) (5:30 a $1.75) 7:30 Hawthorn 3 mows youth AIONI(I) (6:30 11.75) IOMH 1:30 No under 17 Admitted PlNtl WlSt 4 Am Margaret IBM AGE aAZY) (6:00 a $1.75) 6:15 theater has shown amazing resilience in the past. We have survived our crises before, and I'm confident we'll find ways to overcome this one." Hiwtiirii 4 APIA(P6) (6:30 6 11.75) t.X Pmll Witt 5 TBI MS MAWl(l) (5:30 a $1.75) 7:45 Hawtkim 5 BEAIKUM(PG (6K fi $1.75 PHltl Wist 6 MOHCO CUT IPG TBI HUE UGOONIII Joey" and with "Oklahoma!" scheduled this month. "Given the economics," critic Barker said, "it's harder (6:15 ai.) t.w HiwtisTM 6 rai tee nAwi(i) (6:15 S1.75) 6:15 BARGAIN MATINEES-STARRED()FEATURES Pmti East 7 Aana-CoM (213)912-6566 $1.50 TBI STUNT RANII (5:45 6 $175) 6:30 FIRST MATINEE SHOWING ONLY 5S PlNtl East 8 Burt Reynolds SMOUY TBE IANMTIPG) IK) (5:30 6 $1.75) 7 AVCO CINEMA Piter OTa jMJABR4J STUNT AN(I) PlNtl East 9 CINEMA $. of Vent fwy, VuNunBM.

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