CHRIS PENDER

I was born in a little town called Macedonia, Ohio. I grew up with three older sisters -2, 4, 6 years older. My parents were very disciplined in their procreating.

My parents and sisters are all conservative. I often wonder if I was adopted. I remember in junior high school having white pants. On one leg I wrote "LOVE" on the other leg "PEACE". They were my favorite pants. Looking back I realize my sisters weren't hippies at all - just me. But I am getting ahead of the story.

I lived the first 10 years of my life in Macedonia. Our house was right next to a forest so I have fond memories of growing up with Nature.

When I was 10 my father made a shrewd real estate move. It was 1968 and for years many big cities had been experiencing race riots. Because of the riots many white people were moving out of the city of Akron - it was called white flight. So as many white people move out of Akron, my parents bought a huge house in Akron. After we had lived in the house a few years the rich people who had run away came back and said "We would like our house back now." My parents did not sell.

It was great to be at a black high school in the 70s. To me the 70s were about being black and dancing. I love dancing.

In high school I was also lucky enough to have a great choir teacher - Susie Benningfield. She created a wonderful program which got me into acting,singing and dancing.

I then went on to Connecticut College but dropped out after two years to go to NYC to study just acting,singing and dance. At Connecticut College I asked my dance teacher out for coffee (because I thought she was cute) during the conversation she asked if I was serious about becoming a dancer and I said yes. Her suggestion was for me to drop out of regular college and go study in NYC. It was the best advise I could have gotten.

I enrolled in The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and studied acting exclusively. I took dance classes in NYC with dancers performing on Broadway. My jazz dance teacher - Chuck Kelly - was the premier acrobatic/dance teacher in NYC. I had always wanted to take acrobatics so I did and Chuck ended up being responsible for my professional performing career. He first got me a job performing at the NY Metropolitan Opera (as an acrobat). He then got me my Equity Card in a summer stock production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with Debbie Boone and finally he got me my big break in getting a national tour of Camelot with Richard Harris. This was a big break because the show ran for six years. I started out as the court jester (doing acrobatics) and worked my way up to playing Mordred - the bastard son.

When I sell my game at fairs some people ask me if I have a degree in psychology or something. I tell them I studied acting. The basis of the game is putting on the shoes of someone else and that is what acting is to me. Each time I play a role or put on someone else's shoes I learn something.

 

After the camelot tour ended I went back to NYC but had trouble getting work. I was no longer an acrobat and competition for actors and singers is much tougher. I ended up driving a cab in NYC for 2 years. A thrilling experience up until I got mugged. Now I started thinking about leaving NYC.

I had visited friends in Eugene,OR a few times and I liked the town. So I moved to Eugene for one year and have been here for sixteen years.

I did odd jobs when I first arrived: taught acting, worked construction, worked on a fishing boat, did some singing,acting and dancing and finally landed regular work with adults with disabilities. It was truly a great job for me.

In one way people with disabilities are like children - very open and honest in their emotions. But at the same time, even with an IQ of 30, they are adults who can manipulate and crack jokes. One man I remember had a Buddhist Monk-like meditation going as he took clothes pins from one can and put them on another. He did this every day, most of the day and has been doing it for over 20 years. But he seems happy. I believe there is something to be learned there.

I ended my career working with adults with disabilities when I became a manager of a group home. I was hoping to manage the group home and sell my board game at the same time but after a year both were suffering so I took the leap and have been making my living selling The Game of REAL LIFE for five years.

Looking back on my history my life seems to take a turn every ten years. I have begun to call them lifetimes.

First, ten years as a child in the country.

The second ten in the City of Akron.

The third ten in NYC acting,singing and dancing.

The forth in Eugene working with adults with disabilities.

The fifth has been running a small business selling The Game of REAL LIFE.

The sixth...?

I have started taking stand-up comedy classes -

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

chris.