24 Wednesday Of spotlight Kus Miller can piay anything from dancing bowels to regular guys TEPHEN E. MILLER’S acting career has taken him from the pro- minence of a Hollywood blockbuster to the bowels of musical theatre. These days, Miller is enjoying not win buta trio of artistic peaks: an ongoing role in the new Van- couver-filmed TV series Mom P.1.; the chance to direct a film based on his prize-winning novel Wastetall and a role that he says was practically written for him — in the Arts Club Theatre’s produc- tion of Amigo’s Blue Guitar. Both are somewhat normal roles for someone who's played ‘‘a dancing bowel” in John Gray's Health: The Musical, and a lecherous drunk who gets sawed in half (but not re-connected) by a magician in the locally-filmed Cousins. But he says he found local playwright Joan MacLeod’s char- acter of Owen, well, irresistible. “1 couldn't turn it down,” Miller says af the cale in his trademark mild southern twang. “The part was practically written for me. The only difference is that Owen’s from Oregon and I'm from North Carolina.” Miller plays an American draft dodger whose relationship with his son (Tim Battle) suffers because of unresolved feelings for his dead father. It closely parallels Miller's owu journey out of North Carolina and his experiences during the Vietnam war. In 1964 Miller enrolled in Virginia Military School but by 1966 was completely opposed to war with Vietnam. Shortly atter, he came to Canada to do his master’s in creative writing at UBC. As the war dragged on Miller remembers "sweating bullets’ thinking he would have to desert, but thanks to an experimental ar- my prograni he was transferred to the reserves and avoided going overseas ‘without having to break any laws or Hie down in front of bulldozers to uphold my prin- ciples. “The bottom line for me,” says Miller, 43, “was that | wasn’t go- ing to Kill anybody.” Of Owen, Miller. who is married to actor Suzie Payne and the father “Separate Tables” by Terence Rattigan A time-honored drama in the Theatre at Hendry Hail October 12-27 Tickets $8 Hendry Hall 815 East lith N. Vancouver 983-2633 oe 97 1990 - North Snore Neas STEPHEN E. MILLER has his work cut rently starring as an American draft NEWS photo Mike Wakefield out dodger in the Theatre’s production of Amigo’s Blue Guitar. EVELYN JACOB spotlight feature of nine-year-old Spencer, says: “He reminds me of me. | see myself doing the same thing to my own child as Owen does to his. Owen’s father never really ac- cepted that his son could be against the war, and Owen takes out some of his hostility on his own son. “As a father, you often see on- ly one side of logic. You end up humiliating your kid to get a response. By having to see Owen and the way he’s not giving his son a fair chance, I've seen how 1 mishandle my own child.” Parenting is on Miller's mind a lot these days. Being a father has its stresses, he admits. but it also LO: SPECIAL has its up side, especially when the whole family gets fa act together as they did in Costa- Gavras’s Betray ed. Laughs Miller: ‘Instead of toys, Spencer now wants me to get him auditions.” Although we found working with Costa-Gavras a great learning ex- perience — Miller plans to direct his own films in the future — it was he who felt betrayed when most of his scenes wound up on the cutting toom floor, Cut Miller remains good-natured about if. “really enjoyed working with and watching Costa-Gavras,”” he says. While screen acting seems to have taken precedence with his career, Miller says he still feels the need to do at least one stage play a year. “If l go any longer than a year] get rusty, lose my contidence and feel really nervous.” That's partly why he agreed to See Miller page 25 STER LUNCH OR DINNER g Till End of Oct./90 ) FRESH WHOLE + = Atlantic lobster with garlic butter ie La Belle Sole RESTAURANT 235 « loth Street West Van 926-6861 ferainment 5 Solid Gold Cards de not anply to Specials for him. He’s cur- Arts Club Puppeteers delight ae oa SON EIT as ote Tree tere! ee peur Nag? gee Tee ty we Deap peta Nts n om frecithers say h Dap ypetecr boas Pare Sfesmer wit use. bond and thwwest Renuor at Ps foe? opappets te tell am Atro Amoenca festa feta even. tayo Amencam lolk desend and La Nears an vabtous cifues threau shane Ca Canadaaned the (os The student. were alsa ine Pestinar duectar Bex Legnecer a troduced to band puppet. trade tonal lipanese bat dancing finger puppetr, cand how to produce thers own puppet shows, former Professrona: puppeteer ane Westover bbrinan three-day event inctuded North Vancouver City Library Fall sad othe ITP ita S ea “ 121 West 14th, N. Vancouver Savouracolinary journey through the cursines of China, India, Indonesia. Japan. Malaysia, Singapore. Thailand and Vietnam Dynasty October 15 — 28 Viernamese cuisine Lunch and Dinner The Lobby Lounge October 15 — 28 Varving Buffet Lunch (weekdays) NEW WORLD HARBOURSIDE 1833 West Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6E 373 Telephone: (60-4) 689-9211 Fax: (60-4) 689-4358 ‘Poll tree: 1-800-663-8882 A MEVSER OF SEA WORLD HOTELS INTERNATIONAL GENE HACKHAN ts a cop wheS host his patience. DAN AAROND who's lost his mind. Available! A veteran cop (Gene Hockman} ond 2 schizophrenic detective (Dan Aykroyd} team up to selve a baffling murder in this outrageous comedy from the director of PORKY'S. ©1985 To. Star Petures Inc Al Ragnis Reserved ©1990 Layout and Besagn RCA Tolumtaa Posures Home Video All Rights rizserved pe BASREREABBEEEE Koos ‘SAVE-GN-FOODS & DRUGS. VIDEO DEPARTMENT. Coupon Video Express Ticket Reg. $14.88 Good for 10 Movie Rentals & 1 Free Movie Rental SPECIAL °4.00 Sin with coupon Limit 2 Express Tickets per customer. This coupon expires on Oct. 20, 1990 at Park & Tilford store only.