The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 37

0 0 The Sun Family: Alcohol's commercial appealD3 TV: Fox lowers boom on Cheech Marin sitcomD4 Garden: Snapdragons add color to winter gardenD6 TUESDAY December 10, 1991 Rosemary McClure, Feature Editor (714) 386-3857 TT Samite stiiow stoppers Leonard Nimoy's stellar enterprise J) Leonard Nimoy 'I'm not sick of 1, ft 5i PROFILE Name: Leonard Nimoy' mmmm Age: 60 Photos by LARRY ROSEThe Sun Models for Harris' show off leather jackets by John Michael, left and right, and by Z. Cavaricci, center, at Christmas Tree Lane benefit. "Star Trek VI" gave actor last, best chance to fully develop character of Mr. Spock. By BOB STRAUSS Los Angeles Daily News LOS ANGELES You'd think that Leonard Nimoy would be the "Star Trek" actor most eager to say goodbye to the whole, as well as the specific, Enterprise.

After all, Mr. Spock, his half-alien character, was the science fiction series' most indelible icon. And, of course, there were those ears. But even though Nimoy is the most insistent of the seven original cast members that "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" is their final Starship flight, he bids farewell to the Enterprise with far more ambivalence than relief. "I'm not sick of it," Nimoy said of the 25-year-old "Star Trek" phenomenon, which spawned two wildly successful television series (the original '60s show that's still a rerun champ and the 5-year-old syndicated "Star Trek: The Next six movies, an animated show and the most dedicated fan following this side of dead Elvis.

"If we were not doing interesting stories, it would be a bore just to put on the clothes and the ears again, trudge into work and out. But as long as the mind is engaged, you can't get sick of it." Nimoy, who directed the franchise's third and fourth films, served as executive producer and co-wrote the story for the latest sequel. He came up with the concept of the Klingon Empire making peace overtures to its longtime enemy, the Federation of'Planets, after observing the changes in U.S.-Soviet relations following Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost reforms. Not only did this seem a fitting finish for the aging Enterprise crew, it carried on a "Star Trek" tradition of addressing contemporary issues in futuristic metaphors. "There is a lot of closure in this movie," Nimoy said.

"That was my intention, exactly. There are Klingon characters on the Enterprise in 'The Next So, as over the past few years it became clear to me that what Ronald Reagan referred to as the Evil Empire was coming apart and was going to have to reach out and create some kind of detente, I thought, what an ideal way for us to have our closure, too. The Klingons, for us, were the Communist bloc, the Evil Empire. It just made sense to do that story." Nimoy, who also directed the smash comedy "Three Men and a Baby," had no interest in helming a third "Trek" outing. "Directing 'Star Trek IV was very, very tough for me, because Spock is a two-hour makeup job.

If you add that to the double job of acting and directing the film, it's a killer." films: "Queen for a Day" (1951); "Francis Goes to West Point" (1952) "Kid Monk "'Zombies of the -Stratosphere" (1952); "Old Overland Trail" (1953) "The Brain Eaters" (1958); "The Balcony" (1963); "Deathwatch" "Invasion of the Body "Transformers: The Movie" (1986, animated); "Just One IStep; Peace March" (1988). Films directed: "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" (1984); "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986); "Three Men and a Baby" (1987); "The Good Mother" (1988); "Funny About Love" (1990). IBE separates feature geometries. White fox jacket from Harris'. Christmas tree is designed by Derrick Vasquez.

Social event is making Christmas bright the 40th anniversary of the organization, and ceremonial birthday cakes were served to the guests just before the Marine Corp Band from Twentynine Pal ms took the stage. Harris' traditional and much anticipated fashion show followed, featuring some of the latest offerings in the world of designer clothes. This year's new arrivals featured lots of brilliant geometric patterns and 1950s-and 1960s-inspired designs. One of the highlights proved to be the black Spanish lace ensembles imported from the homeland of the company's owners. For many in attendance, especially those taking home designer trees, it proved to be a memorable evening, and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.

"We've been in the spirit for well over a month," Vasquez said, noting the holiday activity at his florist shop in Redlands. "But there's something about this event. It's a real kickoff for me." mering wire-enforced ribbon, seasonal plant fronds and myriad white, gold and silver decorations and heaven-inspired figures. "Everyone keeps saying it's the best we've ever done," said Vasquez, who has been one of this event's designers for 14 years. "We wanted to give this a feeling of heavenly gates.

I wanted it to be brilliant and bold and just say it all." Like the 15 other trees in the hall, Vasquez's creation, which he said cost about $1,500 to create, was raffled off during the benefit. It's one of the ways in which Santa Claus the organization that puts on the affair, raises money to provide a better Christmas for needy children. The group works all year long, soliciting funds from the community as well as from large corporations. This year's event raised $90,000, said chairwoman Ginger Rice. That's about $25,000 more than last year.

"We put a major emphasis on seeking larger corporate sponsors this year," Rice said. She said such corporations as TRW, Food 4 Less and Arco became supporters in 1991. Besides monetary donations, the organization also has volunteers that make gifts for children. Rice said volunteer workers made 300 wooden tool boxes and 400 wooden doll cradles and knit more than 750 sweaters for children in the San Bernardino area. The Lane event not only helps the community, but also the annual social function helps kick off the holiday season for many.

"A lot of people bring their friends for their Christmas party," said Karen DiCarlo, Santa 1 Claus president. "A few companies have their office parties here. I have people say, 'I've been coming here for 30 This year actually marked Christmas Tree Lane fund-raiser earns $90,000 for needy children. By MARK MUCKENFUSS Sun Staff Writer SAN BERNARDINO It was hard to miss Derrick Vasquez's Christmas tree, even though it was stuck back in the far corner of the Orange Pavilion at Friday night's Christmas Tree Lane benefit and fashion show. Calling it a Christmas tree is probably not even fair.

It might be more accurate to say it was a Christmas-oriented creation. Titled "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," the silk Christmas tree one of 16 decorated by various local designers was a centerpiece connected to two white columns, all of which were bedecked with swirls of glim Nimoy really wanted to concentrate on his performance this time around. Al- -though he recently appeared as an aged Spock in some highly rated episodes of "The Next Generation," he felt this movie was his last, best chance to bring the character to full development. "In 'Star Trek Spock's -really breaking new ground," Nimoy said. "He says to ris (an ambitious young Vulcan officer played by Kim rail), 'Logic is the beginning wisdom.

It's not the The unspoken sentence after that is, 'It isn't even as important asi' I used to think it So, he's come quite a distance over the--years. It's playing these changes that have kept me terested." What filmgoers think of 'Star Trek Story D3 'Cinderella' upstages 'The Nutcracker' By OWEN SHEERAN Sun Staff Writer Nutcracker," was made for several reasons, she said. First, audiences are probably not overly familiar with Prokofiev's ballet, first staged in 1945, and, secondly, it gives Southland dancers an opportunity to perform a work that's not done often. "Most all the dancers I spoke with, when I was calling around getting names of principal dancers and interviewing people, said they were delighted that they could possibly dance something besides The Redlands Festival Ballet production of "Cinderella," which will have a taped score, features a special narrated performance for children, at noon Saturday, Hering said. The narrator is the Rev.

Lewis Hemmers from Trinity Episcopal Church in Redlands. "I find that small children enjoy the performance much more if it's narrated," Hering said. Narrated or not, the classic story of "Cinderella" fascinates both young and old, Hering said. "I think the fascination is, here's Cinderella, the neglected and abused, with the rags and the work, and suddenly she becomes a princess I think that's the charm." WHAT: Redlands Festival Ballet's "Cinderella." WHEN: Noon and 8 p.m. Dec.

14; 2:30 p.m. Dec. 15. WHERE: Redlands High School Clock Auditorium, Citrus Avenue and Church Street, Redlands. TICKETS: $6 to $12.

CALL: (714) 793-3756. everyone else was coming up the back alley." The Redlands production, which features professional dancers in the principal roles, closely follows the original storyline of the classic fairytale, said Hering, a former soloist in Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and major troupes in Europe. "Cinderella" soloists are Frank Haggard Jr. as the ballet master, Sheree Skiles as Cinderella, John Denniston as the Prince, Ellen Noll as both the Autumn Fairy and Passapied and Karl War-kentien as the prince's friend. The decision to stage "Cinderella" at this time of year, when most other ballet companies both professional and amateur are staging "The REDLANDS Cecilia Hering, artistic director for the Redlands Festival Ballet Company, decided that "Cinderella" would be the perfect production to stage this holiday season.

After all, the Sergei Prokofiev ballet isn't performed all that often, either by dance training studios or even professional or semi-professional companies. Soon after making her decision, however, Hering discovered that the Eugene Ballet in Oregon is touring its own production of "Cinderella," which will be staged in the area for several performances next spring. But Hering's "Cinderella," featuring a cast of 50, takes the stage first, with three performances this weekend in Clock Auditorium on the campus of Redlands High School. "It seems there's been a sudden resurge of interest in Hering said. "It seems like after I decided to do it, I looked around and QINA FERAZZIThe Sun Sheree Sklles, John Denniston In.