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Sister/Sister Brings You Betty ... and More
It is not surprising that Cathy Woolard's
choices of acts being presented on Atlanta
stages lean toward the progressive, alternative
and interestingly different
Indicative of her own lifestyle, the dynamic
young founder of Sister/Sister Productions
searches for entertainers and musicians who
represent and appeal to an emerging
population of lesbians and gays.
Over the past year Cathy has cleverly
combined her two professional roles-human
rights activist and cultural pioneer-to the
benefit of each. "Embracing culture allows us
to feel pride in who we are," she predicts.
A significant portion of her success in
coordinating the Atlanta Committee for the
March on Washington last fall is attributable
to the choice of local entertainment events as a
vehicle for raising money and awareness
within the community.
Consequently, her entrepreneurial efforts
through Sister/Sister migrate toward
presenting artists who carry messages that
align with her particular sensitive set of
sensibilities. Although she does not limit her
decisions by her own proclivity toward
openness in the gay and lesbian community,
most of her presentations reflect that
committment
Comparing her endeavor to life itself,
Cathy describes what she does "like a crap
shoot You bet all your money, knowing that
if it rains you could lose it all."
So far, it hasn't rained too hard on
Sister/Sister. Every production has been
successful, both financially and in terms of
community response. There have been several
women's music presenters over the years who
have failed to draw a sustaining audience here;
but Cathy is optimistic.
"I try to pair entertainment and audience,"
Cathy says, revealing her strategy for insuring
and expanding a concert following. "For
instance, last season’s show with Suede on the
same bill of fare as Romanovsky & Phillips
allowed me to attract two sizeable markets
with one event"
"You really can't categorize the acts I
present through Sister/Sister," Cathy contends.
"I try to reach out to every taste and need"
Cathy's outreach efforts have been
evidenced by her extreme concern for special
audiences, including assuring wheelchair
accessibility and hiring sign language
interpreters to accommodate the hearing
impaired.
As president of the Georgia Lesbian and
Gay Rights Chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union, Cathy addresses the concerns
of many special constituencies. "I let them tell
E
X T R A !
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SAME Proudly Presents
T
R
A
V
December 5 & 6
Angela Motter Band
Anne Duckworth Opens on Monday
De De Vogt Opens on Tuesday
Tickets $5 at the door
Wednesday, December 7
Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus
A special performance of Broadway and holiday music
Tickets $8 from Chorus members, at Charis Books or
reserve by calling 584-2104
■
•
I
•
December 12,13,14
ACME Theater
in Sugar Plumb Bobs
Tickets $5 at the door or call 373-8241 for
reservations
1
•
All at Onstage Atlanta
420 Courtland Street
me what their needs are," she affirms. "I can't
decide for them; it would be like having
hearing women define issues for deaf
women."
Cathy goes to the source for her
information, including the kind of acts for
Sister/Sister. "I met this super group at the
Women's Music Festival in Michigan last
August," she recalls. "From the first moment
on stage they were electrifying. I wrote them
immediately when I returned. I knew they
were right for Atlanta."
Next week, Atlanta audiences will be able
to share Cathy's discovery when the female
trio Betty performs at the Avondale Town
Cinema on December 2. It will be the group's
first show south of their native Washington,
D.C.
They're what you get when you combine
Betty Ford, Bette Davis, Betty Boop and Betty
Rubble, some of their favorite people. And,
they're anything but just plain Betty.
Like Cathy, Betty can't be categorized,
although they have been coined
"rockappella"-a cappella that rocks out Their
sense of humor and charm have entertained
the capitol scare for the past two years,
drawing sold-out crowds described as electric
as the group's music.
The trio’s theatricality was noted in
Variety's night club reviews as a "cabaret style
patter, comedy improv, show and tell, and
film...the Andrews Sisters meet the Marx
Bros." Betty’s self-proclaimed description is
"heavy mental: a mix of blues, rock, jazz,
urban funk, and revamped TV theme songs
influenced by the Barry Sisters, Bette Midler
and Barbara Streisand."
Betty consists of offbeat twins, Amy and
Bitzy Ziff (daughters of character actor Herb
Ziff) and bassist Alyson Palmer (a self-styled
six-foot-plus "glamazon"). The trio recently
moved to New York, and they performed in
"Encyclopedia," a 26-part children's television
show currently on HBO at 7:30 p.m.
Mondays. Next spring, they are booked for
Moscow and Leningrad.
"This first stop in Atlanta may be their last
one for a while," Cathy expects. "Their
special kind of talents are beginning to be
recognized and sought out by recording labels
and agents. I think our community desires
and deserves to experience their unique blend
of political and social satire. It helps us enjoy
who we are."
Betty will perform in two shows, 8 and 11
p.m., on Friday, December 2, at Avondale
Town Cinema. Tickets are $10 in advance
from Charis Books or The Boy Next Door,
and $12 at the door.
- John Blizzard
Ginny Vida, Editor of Our Right to Love: A Lesbian Resource Book, is inviting lesbian
photographers to submit photos of lesbians for possible inclusion in the revised edition of Our
Right to Love, to be published by E.P. Dutton.
"I'm looking for photographs that portray lesbians as women who are making positive
contributions to society, enjoying life and interacting in a positive way with others," Ms. Vida said.
Photographers will receive $35 for each photo published in the revised edition, payable upon
publication. Photos must be black-and-white, professional quality, and all persons pictured must
sign a photo release which the editor will provide. Photographers will be credited in the book.
Photos may be submitted to: Ginny Vida, Editor, Our Right to Love, 45 Plaza St, #1-G,
Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 789-0391.
Pictured: The Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance (ALFA) softball team, circa 1972.
Edward O. Nix, MD.
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Telephone 634-0672
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