George Beres - An Independent View: "Buying Time"

LCC play has ominious overtones for control of law and education

By George Beres
For the Beacon

Enlivening a fictional story with a strong taste of reality is one of the goals of good theatre. "Buying Time," currently at the Blue Door Theatre of Lane Community College succeeds at this admirably.

In a way, that also is a misfortune, because the reality it brings us is an existing cancer of society: the way powerful corporate forces are able to manipulate the better intentions of a law firm. What struck me is the ominous overtones is gets from such a system I have seen also at play on the university level – specifically in the Oregon System of Higher Education.

Last Friday evening, I – like much of the audience – was engrossed with the way the play's many scene changes were handled with a revolving floor that caused one set to disappear as the new one appeared. I was told that smooth-running mechanical system was installed specifically for "Buying Time."

What was more engrossing was the way Broadway playwright, Michael Weller(who also was in the opening night audience), used his play to illustrate how corporate manipulation works when a law firm with a pro bono tradition can be pressured to stop its public service efforts. Intervening are powerful corporate clients who object to its positive environmental goals.

At issue is protection of 15,000 acres of a pine forest which serve as home for a grey hawk – a situation which resonated with the Oregon audience familiar with the spotted owl controversy.

A Springfield woman who is a member of the production crew, Amanda Loop-Kremers, told me: "This play, coming to us during a major election season, suggests that the way corporate powers control the law profession can be used to dominate political parties, too. We've seen how both major political parties are influenced by powerful corporations that give them big money donations. That can't be corrected unless we can get some serious reform of campaign financing. But even a playwright can't seem to come up with an answer for it."

As Weller's script suggests, we assume no one can be "above the law."

That's not the case, as his protagonists show us how law firms committed to some pro bono work in the public interest can be hamstrung. They sometimes have to make hard choices when corporate foes of public service threaten to cancel their large contracts with such firms.

Weller told me he knows that higher education increasingly is finding itself in the vulnerable financial position of pro bono law firms. He said that is because the growing absence of college funding-as in Oregon, where tax revenues for education are down- means universities now must turn to private donors to help pay their bills.

He was interested in two Oregon examples I described to him that symbolize what he feels can happen when schools allow themselves to become obligated to major donors:

• The dropping of the UO Environmental Law Center when a major donor among lumber interests said he would withdraw a $50,000 donation to the school unless the Center were removed.

• The threat by a major donor to withdraw his multi-millions for expansion of Autzen Stadium because the University had signed on with the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), which monitored his firm and others for misbehavior. The University went to Higher Ed for help. It got it when the State System ruled membership in the WRC hereafter (and retroactively) would be illegal. Then the donor came waddling back with his major gift.

Weller did not say one of his next plays will deal with the way corporate donors can dictate university policy. But I'd not be surprised to see that theme the next time he has a production on Broadway.

Remaining performances at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14, 15, 16. Phone 463-5761.