Major Barbara / Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill - The Armory at Portland Center Stage

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AT TH E P E R FO R M A N C E A CIT Y PL AYBILL AND PERFORMING ARTS MAGA ZINE

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CONTENTS

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FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

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MAJOR BARBARA

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KEEP CALM AND QUARREL ON

Major Barbara’s great debaters.

14 LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL 15 A FORCE OF NATURE

Deidrie Henry on becoming Billie Holiday.

30 ARTSLANDIA

ARTS CALENDAR

34 FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE 40 WHY I’M HERE, WITH YOU A brief history of Linda Austin.

44 VANPORT MOSAIC 2018 A story comes home.

50 ANGEL BLUE

Soprano powerhouse shares her path to opera stardom and thoughts on her role in Faust.

54 WHO ARE MARILYN DE OLIVEIRA AND TREVOR FITZPATRICK ?

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M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 8

Join married Oregon Symphony cellists for their quirky Adventures in Artslandia.

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MAY | JUNE 2018

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MAJOR BARBARA

FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR CHRIS COLEMAN

How do you lift someone up? How do you bring about lasting social change? These are two of the questions on George Bernard Shaw’s mind in Major Barbara, one of his most significant works. Born into an impoverished and unusual Irish family (his mother had not much interest in his father, so moved her music teacher and lover into the home with them), Shaw moved to London in his 20s. At that moment, England was experiencing the full force of the Industrial Revolution, with all of the technological advances, geographic relocations and economic disparities it brought.

His work as a journalist and music critic brought him into the circle of the most forward thinking people of the day. Along with H.G. Wells and Sidney and Beatrice Webb, he became a force behind the newly formed Fabian Society in 1884, whose goal was democratic socialism by peaceable means. The changes the Fabians fought for — including child labor laws, a minimum wage, the 8-hour work day and universal health care — were extremely rare in Victorian England. As the Society’s most effective spokesperson (largely because he was so funny), he became one of the country’s most popular political orators.

After 21 years of engaging in progressive political debate and seeing social change arrive so slowly, Shaw took up the challenge of theatricalizing the collision between a successful capitalist and his Salvation Army-leading daughter in Major Barbara. What does impactful social change require? And at what cost? I hope you enjoy wrestling with the questions Shaw poses in this delicious piece as much as I have.

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL I was 27, and couldn’t see clearly through the chaos that seemed to have engulfed my life. I sought out a therapist through a friend and at the end of our first session, she gave me a sheet of recommendations to bring my life into balance. The words she offered resonated: “Creativity is a high frequency. You have to give it a clear, grounded channel to move through, or it will short-circuit and eat you alive.” Sobering, but powerful thoughts.

Billie Holiday was one of those rare humans whose creative fire and emotional depth was visible to all. Life left scars on her heart that she never completely escaped. But her way with a tune, her turn of phrase, her ability to convey the emotional texture of the simplest lyric was indelible, heartbreaking and mesmerizing.

In Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, we get to meet Billie late in her journey, when the imprint of her struggles are impossible to mask. And yet the searing truth of her story shines through in the beauty of her iconic music.

I WOULD BE REMISS TO LEAVE WITHOUT OFFERING MY THANKS. The past 18 years here in Portland have been an adventure beyond my wildest imaginings. To each of you who have attended a show, supported the work, or offered your encouragement over the years, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your presence, your openness, your support.

This is an extraordinary city, and this company is a treasure in the region. Take good care of it!

Warmly, Chris 7

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | CHRIS COLEMAN

APRIL 14 – MAY 13, 2018 ON THE U.S. BANK MAIN STAGE

PRESENTS

MAJOR BARBARA

By George Bernard Shaw Directed by Chris Coleman Scenic Designer Daniel Ostling

Costume Designer Lex Liang

Lighting Designer Sarah Hughey

Sound Designer Casi Pacilio

Dialect Coach Mary McDonald-Lewis

Fight Director John Armour

Consulting Dramaturg Barbara Hort, Ph.D.

Stage Manager & Fight Captain Kristen Mun

Production Assistant Jordan Affeldt

New York Casting Harriet Bass

Local Casting Brandon Woolley

CAST Barbara Undershaft...............................................................................................Hanley Smith Adolphus Cusins....................................................................................................Brian Weaver Morrison/Peter Shirley/Bilton................................................................................Gavin Hoffman Lady Britomart Undershaft/Rummy Mitchens/Mrs. Baines..................................Dana Green Andrew Undershaft...........................................................................................Charles Leggett Stephen Undershaft/Snobby Price..................................................................Joshua J. Weinstein Charles Lomax/Bill Walker...................................................................................Chris Murray Sarah Undershaft/Jenny Hill.....................................................................................Nikki Weaver PERFORMED WITH ONE INTERMISSION The photo, video or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.

If you photograph the set before or after the performance, please credit the scenic designer if you share the image.

The Actors and Stage Manager employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

SEASON SUPERSTARS

SUPPORTING SEASON SPONSORS

SHOW SPONSORS John & Linda Carter Doug & Teresa Smith Dr. Barbara Hort

®

Portland Center Stage at The Armory receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the State of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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THE ARMORY • M A JOR BARBAR A

KEEP CALM AND QUARREL ON: MAJOR BARBARA’S GREAT DEBATERS

By Benjamin Fainstein, Literary Manager

THAT GEORGE BERNARD SHAW subtitled Major Barbara “A Discussion in Three Acts” was no accident.

Rather, it signals from the start Shaw’s insistence on intellectual rigor in the theater. Many of his most famous plays — among them Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Man and Superman, Pygmalion and Heartbreak House — examine ways in which conventional moral values begin to fray in the face of modern social problems and economic inequity. Shaw deployed his dauntless sense of humor to create what might be termed “tragicomedies of diabolical dialectics.” Major Barbara ranks as one of its prolific author’s most provocative achievements and a shining example of Shaw’s ability to use drama as a forum for debate.

In philosophy, a dialectical argument pits two theories against one another for a three-step deliberation: first comes the introduction of a thesis, which is followed by an opposing antithesis, and ultimately results in a synthesis of the two conflicting perspectives. Major Barbara is likewise structured in three acts. Over the course of the play, rival concepts duke it out on stage through the voices of Shaw’s characters who, as is customary in Shaw’s work, are rarely just themselves. They exist simultaneously as threedimensional individuals and as allegorical figures, standing in for whole ideologies, fragments of human nature, or even entire political systems. Together they populate a landscape of living, breathing ideas on stage. For example, Andrew Undershaft is not merely Barbara’s estranged father attempting to rebuild their relationship. He also doubles as a strongman mouthpiece for capitalist evangelism in the face of Barbara’s faith-based socialism, triples as the Devil to Barbara’s Archangel, quadruples as an appetitedriven masculine wolf to Barbara’s charitable shepherdess, and even quintuples as the violent agent of technological supremacy putting the screws to Barbara’s nearly pastoral pursuit of sacred spiritual fulfillment.

Dualisms such as this are ubiquitous in Major Barbara, and Shaw uses them to expose hypocrisies inherent to his character’s belief systems. Some are overt, like the ongoing battle between Barbara and Undershaft. Others are more nuanced, such as the link Shaw draws between Undershaft’s business selling weapons of war in comparison with the Salvation Army’s military structure and the tainted economic necessities that come along with their own battle for souls. These interlocking conflicts — pitting character against character and belief against belief — climax in a

complex knot of moral dissonance. Shaw pushes his play to the edge of obliterating the distinction between right and wrong, but he leaves the task of taking sides to his audience.

Major Barbara was received contentiously by its original 1905 English audience. One reason the play stuck in their collective craw was that it captured how much the world had changed in a very short period of time. In only the few decades before Shaw wrote the play, the Industrial Revolution had completely transformed life in Europe and the United States, due to tremendous advances in mechanical progress and urbanization. The sweeping breakthroughs in technology prompted accompanying social changes: now that droves of people were moving to densely populated cities, individuals of differing economic classes were mixing in new ways. Spurred on by the aftermath of the populist Revolutions of 1848 and bolstered by the writings of Karl Marx, for one, perspectives on the human impact of capitalist principles arrived at the fore of political preoccupation.

Additionally, Charles Darwin’s theories on the evolution of species gained growing acceptance in the scientific community. The implication that the guiding law of nature is competition for survival, rather than God’s will, began to erode the sovereignty of longstanding religious values in favor of an increasingly secular worldview. The final years of the nineteenth century, and the early decades of the twentieth, came to be known as the birth of Modernism, a period often characterized as one of systemic shock to humans living in industrialized nations. Exhilarating, because rapid change tends to have dazzling effects, but challenging, because learning to adapt is not always easy. The period was marked by a rise in social anxiety and a surge in European patriotism, leading many artists of the day to depict the era as a time of both exuberant curiosity and demoralizing instability.

Given the historical context and considering, in hindsight, the World Wars soon to come, Shaw’s creation of Andrew Undershaft, a monstrously rich arms dealer who declares that “money and gunpowder are the two things necessary to Salvation,” seems prescient not only for the world of 1905, but for today. Perhaps one of the reasons Major Barbara has retained its reputation for controversy is that it provides no easy answers. Each time characters draw moral lines in the sand, others instantly come along to kick the grains back in their faces — and ours.

M A JOR BARBAR A • THE ARMORY

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MAJOR BARBARA | CAST & CREATIVE TEAM DANA GREEN Lady Britomart Undershaft/Rummy Mitchens/Mrs. Baines

Dana is delighted to be back at The Armory.

Other credits at The Armory include Constellations, Great Expectations, Othello and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Portland credits include Scarlet (Portland Playhouse), d.b. (CoHo Productions), Gidion’s Knot, The Realistic Joneses (Third Rail Repertory Theatre) and Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Profile Theatre). She spent four seasons with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and has performed at numerous regional theaters, including The Old Globe, South Coast Repertory, Yale Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Court Theatre, Meadow Brook Theatre and Shakespeare Festival of Dallas. Television credits include Early Edition, Grimm, The Librarians, Here and Now and American Vandal.

GAVIN HOFFMAN Morrison/ Peter Shirley/Bilton

Gavin is happy to be back at The Armory where he played Duncan McDougall/ Hoback in Astoria: Part One and Two, Joe in Great Expectations, Ligniere in Cyrano, Iago in Othello and Karl/Steve in Clybourne Park. Other local credits include: American Hero, The Understudy and The MonsterBuilder at Artists Repertory Theatre; The Foreigner at Lakewood Theatre Company; To Cape, The Tripping Point at Shaking the Tree Theatre; Fifth of July at Profile Theatre; Body Awareness at CoHo Productions; and A Noble Failure at Third Rail Repertory Theatre. He has worked regionally and in New York. Gavin has guest-starred in Portlandia (IFC), The Big Easy (USA), The Librarians (TNT) and Leverage (TNT), and co-starred in Grimm (NBC). He is the recipient of four Drammy Awards. Gavin is a graduate of P.C.P.A. and has a B.F.A. in acting from Ithaca College.

He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA. CHARLES LEGGETT Andrew Undershaft

The Armory credits: Sorn, Stupid F**king Bird; Dogberry, Much Ado about

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Nothing; Liputin, The Devils. Charles is a three-time nominee (Ray, Yankee Tavern, A Contemporary Theatre, 2010; Lennie, Of Mice and Men, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 2011) and recipient (Shylock, The Merchant of Venice, Seattle Shakespeare Company, 2009) of the Theatre Puget Sound’s Gregory Award for Outstanding Actor, and has twice (2009 and 2015) been nominated for The Stranger Genius Award. In and around Seattle, Charles has also worked at Intiman Theatre (where he just finished playing Arnold Connor in Taylor Mac’s Hir), Seattle Children’s Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Village Theatre, 5th Avenue Theatre, and many smaller companies. His voice work includes over 15 audio books (mostly for Seattle’s Cedar House Audio) and several gratuitously violent video games. His poetry has appeared in over four dozen publications nationwide and abroad, and has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

CHRIS MURRAY Charles Lomax/ Bill Walker

Chris is happy to be back at The Armory. Previous credits at The Armory include 11 years at JAW: A Playwrights Festival, Astoria: Part One and Two, The Oregon Trail, Great Expectations, Our Town, Futura and Sometimes a Great Notion. Regionally, Chris has worked on readings, workshops and premieres of new plays at several theaters, including The New Play Summit at Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the 38th Annual Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Locally, Chris has performed at Artists Repertory Theatre, CoHo Productions, Profile Theatre, Third Rail Repertory Theatre and more. It is an honor and a privilege to create art in the greatest city in the world.

HANLEY SMITH Barbara Undershaft

Hanley could not be more thrilled to be making her debut at The Armory in this cheeky, challenging piece with these incredible people!

Favorite credits include: Vanda in Venus in Fur and Fantine in Les Misèrables (The Fulton); Laura in The Glass Menagerie (Pioneer Theatre Company); Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest (Gulfshore

Playhouse); The Girl (Luisa) in The Fantasticks (Virginia Stage); and Sally in The Voice of the Turtle (Merrimack Repertory Theatre), where she met her beloved husband. Coming up this summer: Amalia Balash in She Loves Me and Annabella/Pamela/Margaret in The 39 Steps. Hanley is also a proud member of the folk trio A Band Called Honalee; she serves as the educational programs coordinator for R.Evolución Latina; and, despite her Georgia roots, she is a massive New York Rangers hockey fan. Warm thanks to Chris, Harriet, WTG, my family, and my William. @backstagehanley hanleysmith.com BRIAN WEAVER Adolphus Cusins

Brian feels tickled and blessed to work with Chris before he leaves for Denver, and to act with Nikki – something they’ve only done once in 10 years of marriage. Credits include: Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Denby in Ice Glen (Shakespeare & Company), Scapin and Titus Andronicus (Intiman Theatre Company), American Buffalo (Third Rail Repertory Theatre), Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone (Berkshire Theatre Festival), and Joe in Angels in America (New World Players). Brian co-founded Portland Playhouse with his wife Nikki and his brother Michael, and has directed productions of Scarlet; Peter and the Starcatcher; Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play; Radio Golf; Gem of the Ocean; Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; Dying City; and The Light in the Piazza. He serves on the board of Outside In and is a member of the Oregon Arts Leaders for Inclusion Coalition. Brian dedicates this performance, which he views as a shameless defense of capitalism, to his grandfather, who bought him “Capitalism for Kids” at age four.

NIKKI WEAVER Sarah Undershaft/ Jenny Hill

Nikki has worked at various theater companies along the East Coast including: Shakespeare & Company, Centastage, Theatreworks and 11:11 TheatreCompany.

These days she can be found initiating ideas at Portland Playhouse as education director, or running after her two young girls. Local credits include: Head, Hands, Feet and A Doll’s House at Shaking the

Tree Theatre; Reasons to be Pretty and Animals & Plants; at CoHo Productions; Anna Karenina for JAW (2011) at The Armory; Weaving Women Together, You For Me For You, Telethon, bobrauschenbergamerica, After Ashley, Mauritius, Mother Teresa is Dead, The Other Place and Angels in America at Portland Playhouse. She continues to coach both students and professional actors looking to enhance their careers through presence, heart and connection.

She holds a B.F.A. in performing arts from the Australian Academy of Dramatic Arts and an M.F.A. from The George Washington University in classical theater. Proud member of Actors Equity Association.

JOSHUA J. WEINSTEIN Stephen Undershaft/ Snobby Price

Joshua is enthused to appear at The Armory for the first time. Resident artist credits at Artists Repertory Theatre: Magellanica, We Are Proud to Present …, The Miracle Worker, 4000 Miles, Tribes, Foxfinder and Red Herring. Other Portland credits: Tender Napalm (Dancing Brain Productions), A Christmas Carol (Portland Playhouse), The Nether (Third Rail Repertory Theatre), Masque of the Red Death (Shaking the Tree Theatre), The Tempest

(Portland Shakespeare Project) and Body Awareness (CoHo Productions). Around town, Josh has directed students from Trillium Charter, King and Da Vinci Middle School as part of the Portland Playhouse’s Fall Festival of Shakespeare.

Other youth theater teaching and directing includes Oregon Children’s Theatre and Exploration Summer Programs at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

He holds a B.F.A. from Florida State University. Many thanks to the cast and creative team. And Brandy. Always.

CHRIS COLEMAN Director

Chris joined Portland Center Stage at The Armory as artistic director in 2000.

Before coming to Portland, Chris was the artistic director at Actor’s Express in Atlanta, a company he co-founded in the basement of an old church in 1988.

Chris returned to Atlanta in 2015 to direct the world premiere of Edward Foote at Alliance Theatre (Suzi Bass Award for Best Direction, Best Production and Best World Premiere). Other recent directing credits include the Off-Broadway debut of Threesome at 59E59 Theaters; a production that had its world premiere at The Armory.

Favorite directing assignments for The Armory include Fun Home, Constellations, Astoria: Part One and Two (which he also adapted), A Streetcar Named Desire, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Three Days of Rain,

Threesome, Fiddler on the Roof, Clybourne Park, Shakespeare’s Amazing Cymbeline (which he also adapted), Anna Karenina, Oklahoma!, Snow Falling on Cedars, Crazy Enough, King Lear, Outrage and The Devils.

Chris has directed at theaters across the country, including Actors Theater of Louisville, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, ACT Theatre (Seattle), The Alliance, Dallas Theatre Center, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop and Center Stage (Baltimore). A native Atlantan, Chris holds a B.F.A. from Baylor University and an M.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon. He is currently the board president for the Cultural Advocacy Coalition. Chris and his husband, Rodney Hicks — who recently appeared on Broadway in the musical Come From Away — are the proud parents of an 18-lb Jack Russell/Lab mix and a 110lb English Blockhead Yellow Lab. For the past three years, Chris has had the honor of serving as the director for the Oregon Leadership Summit.

DANIEL OSTLING Scenic Designer

Daniel’s work at Portland Center Stage at The Armory includes Celebrity Row and 36 Views. Broadway credits include Metamorphoses at Circle in the Square and Clybourne Park at Walter Kerr Theatre – both received Tony Award nominations for Best Scenic Design.

Recent designs include: Cleopatra and La

PLAYWRIGHT | George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the acclaimed dramatist, critic and social reformer, was born in Dublin where he grew up in an atmosphere of genteel poverty. He attended four schools and was tutored by a clerical uncle, but left his formal schooling behind him at the age of 15. Shaw declared himself a socialist in 1882 and joined the Fabian Society in 1884; soon he distinguished himself as a fluent and effective public speaker and an incisive and irreverent critic of music, art and drama. Shaw’s first play, Widowers’ Houses, was produced privately in 1892 and was followed by The Philanderer and Mrs. Warren’s Profession. More palatable, though still rich with challenges to conventional middle-class values, were his Plays Pleasant (1898) which included Arms and the Man, Candida, The Man of Destiny and You Never Can Tell. In 1897 Shaw attained his first commercial success with the

American premiere of The Devil’s Disciple, which enabled him to quit his job as a drama critic and to make his living solely as a playwright. Among his plays presented at the Royal Court Theatre were the premieres of John Bull’s Other Island (1904), Man and Superman (1905), Major Barbara (1905) and The Doctor’s Dilemma (1906). Pygmalion, by far his most popular work, was first performed in 1913. During World War I, Shaw’s anti-war pamphlets and speeches made him very unpopular as a public figure. In Heartbreak House (1920), he exposed the spiritual bankruptcy of the generation responsible for the carnage. Next came Back to Methuselah (1922) and Saint Joan (1923), acclaim for which led to his receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature for 1926. Shaw continued to write plays and essays until his death in 1950 at the age of 94.

Biography courtesy of the Shaw Festival. Photo: George Bernard Shaw for the Illustrated Public News, London, 1911.

M A JOR BARBAR A • THE ARMORY

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MAJOR BARBARA | CREATIVE TEAM Morte Amoureuse at K-Ballet Company in Tokyo; A Christmas Carol at McCarter Theatre; Blood Wedding (directing and scenic design) at Lookingglass Theatre; and The Odyssey and Timon of Athens at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Regional credits include Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York Shakespeare Festival, Lincoln Center, The Public, Playwrights Horizons, A.C.T. (San Francisco), Long Wharf, Steppenwolf, La Jolla Playhouse and Goodman Theatre, among others.

Opera designs include: Rusalka and La Sonnambula at Metropolitan Opera (NY); Lucia di Lammermoor at Teatro alla Scala and Metropolitan Opera (Milan/New York/Tokyo); The Merry Widow at Lyric Opera of Chicago; and Galileo Galilei (New York/London/Chicago). Ostling is a Lookingglass Theatre Company ensemble member.

LEX LIANG Costume Designer

Lex’s work includes costume and scenic design for performance, and he is delighted to be making his debut at The Armory. New York/Off-Broadway: 50+ productions including 9 Circles, Shape of Metal, Made in Heaven, Secrets of a Soccer Mom and Classic Theatre of Harlem’s new production of Antigone. Regional: Alliance Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Play House, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Florida Studio Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Portland Stage Company, Syracuse Stage, Tantrum Theater, Theatreworks, and others. He is the principal/founder of LDC Design Associates, a bespoke event and interior production company in New York. Past projects include Operation Smile: 35th Anniversary Gala, New York Fashion Week, Tony Awards Gala, and New York Wine and Food Festival. Member, United Scenic Artists-829. LexLiang.com

SARAH HUGHEY Lighting Designer

Sarah Hughey is glad to be returning to The Armory after designing lights for A Christmas Memory/Winter Song.

Design credits include Blair Thomas & Company, Steppenwolf Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, City Theatre Company (Pittsburgh), Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Black Rep (St. Louis), Writers Theatre, Northlight

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Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, and many little rooms across Chicago. In the Portland area, Sarah has designed pieces at Northwest Childrens Theater, Enlightened Theatrics and the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Ms. Hughey is the recipient of a Joseph Jefferson Award and the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award at the Michael Merritt Awards for Design and Collaboration. She has taught lighting design at Northwestern University, Columbia College Chicago and Willamette University. She holds an M.F.A. from Northwestern University and is a member of USA Local 829. Ms. Hughey lives in Portland. skhugheylighting.com CASI PACILIO Sound Designer

Casi’s home base is The Armory, where recent credits include Kodachrome, A Christmas Memory/Winter Song, Lauren Weedman Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Wild and Reckless, His Eye is on the Sparrow, The Oregon Trail, Little Shop of Horrors, A Streetcar Named Desire, Great Expectations; A Small Fire and Constellations with composer Jana Crenshaw; and 11 seasons of JAW. National shows: Holcombe Waller’s Surfacing and Wayfinders; Left Hand of Darkness, My Mind is Like an Open Meadow (Drammy Award, 2011), Something’s Got Ahold Of My Heart and PEP TALK for Hand2Mouth Theatre. Other credits include Squonk Opera’s BigsmorgasbordWunderWerk (Broadway, PS122, national and international tours); I Am My Own Wife, I Think I Like Girls (La Jolla Playhouse); Playland, 10 Fingers and Lips Together, Teeth Apart (City Theatre, PA).

Film credits include Creation of Destiny, Out of Our Time and A Powerful Thang.

Imagineer/maker of the Eat Me Machine, a dessert vending machine.

MARY MCDONALD-LEWIS Dialect Coach

Mary McDonald-Lewis has been a professional artist since 1979. She resides in Portland, Oregon, and is an international dialect coach for film, television and stage. She also works as a voice actor, on-camera actor, stage actor and director. Major Barbara is MaryMac’s 31st show with this company. You can also hear her work at Artists Repertory Theatre, where she is the resident dialect coach, and on other stages around town.

She is deeply grateful to the patrons and

audience members of The Armory, whose support allows the theater to provide her services to the actors. MaryMac holds her M.F.A. in directing from the University of Portland. She loves what she does, and she thanks Sullivan and Flynn for always wagging their tails when she comes home. marymac.com JOHN ARMOUR Fight Director

John is an actor and fight director who has been choreographing violence for more than 25 years. He is based in Portland, where he choreographs for many local theater companies and teaches throughout the region at colleges, high schools and middle schools. John’s work has been seen regularly on stage at The Armory, Portland Opera, Artists Repertory Theatre, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Miracle Theatre and many others. John’s work has twice been recognized within the Portland theater community for Best Fight Design.

BARBARA HORT, PH.D. Consulting Dramaturg

Barbara Hort, Ph.D., has maintained a private practice in Portland for over 25 years, working primarily from the psychological perspective developed by the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. At the invitation of Chris Coleman, Dr. Hort has served as a dramaturg on The Armory productions of Sweeney Todd, Clybourne Park, the 2013 JAW festival, Fiddler on the Roof, Othello, Dreamgirls, Threesome, Three Days of Rain, Ain’t Misbehavin’, A Streetcar Named Desire, Astoria: Part One and Two, Constellations and Fun Home providing material on the psychological dynamics of the play that can be used by the artists who are creating the production.

KRISTEN MUN Stage Manager

Kristen is originally from Hawaii and holds a B.F.A. from Southern Oregon University.

She is excited to return for her fifth season at The Armory. Previous credits at The Armory include production assistant on Fiddler on the Roof, LIZZIE, Threesome, Three Days of Rain, Forever, Each and Every Thing, A Streetcar Named Desire, Hold These Truths and His Eye is on the Sparrow; stage manager for Constellations; and assistant stage manager for Fun Home and Astoria: Part Two. Outside of Portland, she has worked at Actors Repertory

Theater of Idaho, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Kristen is forever grateful to Adam and her family for their love and support.

JORDAN AFFELDT Production Assistant

Jordan is a stage manager from the small mountain town of Julian, CA. This is her first season at The Armory as a stage management apprentice, where credits include Fun Home, A Christmas Memory/Winter Song, Kodachrome, Major Barbara and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill. Prior to coming to The Armory, she completed internships at Pacific Conservatory Theatre (assistant stage manager for Beauty and the Beast, Lend Me a Tenor, You Can’t Take it With You), Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (assistant stage manager for Coriolanus), and ion theatre company (production assistant for Sea of Souls). She received her undergraduate degree from Northern Arizona University, majoring in theater studies and psychology. She spends her free time playing and writing music in the Portland area.

MAJOR BARBARA | SPONSOR STATEMENTS JOHN & LINDA CARTER

We are delighted to support Portland Center Stage at The Armory by sponsoring Major Barbara, George Bernard Shaw’s timeless and hilarious commentary on the haves and have nots. At the same time, we applaud the many contributions of Chris Coleman to the theater and the community, and wish him continued success.

DOUG & TERESA SMITH

We are delighted to be sponsoring The Armory’s production of Major Barbara. The play premiered in London in 1905, yet remains relevant today.

Please enjoy the show.

DR. BARBARA HORT

What exactly defines “integrity”? Or “altruism”? Or “selfishness”? Are we being truly philanthropic if our motives are essentially self-serving? Is it ever possible for us to choose a course of action, no matter how self-sacrificing, that is not fundamentally in the service of our own values, needs and desires?

In Major Barbara, Shaw challenges us with these conundrums, which feel disturbingly contemporary ... or perhaps they are simply timeless.

Portland Center Stage at

TOGETHER WE MAKE GREAT THEATER As a non-profit, 45% of Portland Center Stage at The Armory’s annual operating budget comes from donor contributions.

Support at any level helps contribute to the ongoing success of our productions, our education and outreach programs, and our JAW festival, which nurtures and cultivates new works. Supporters like you keep premier professional theater in our lives and community, and provide a living wage for hundreds of artists and artisans each season. Please consider making a contribution today!

YOUR GIFT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.

Scene Shop super stars on the Astoria set. Photo by Kate Szrom.

pcs.org/give If you have any questions please contact Jack Ridenour at 503.445.3744 or jackr@pcs.org.

M A JOR BARBAR A • THE ARMORY

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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | CHRIS COLEMAN

MAY 26 – JULY 1, 2018 ON THE U.S. BANK MAIN STAGE

PRESENTS

DEIDRIE HENRY in

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL

By Lanie Robertson Directed by Bill Fennelly Music Director Abdul Hamid Royal

Scenic Designer Michael Schweikardt

Costume Designer Raquel Barreto

Stage Manager Janine Vanderhoff

Production Assistant Jordan Affeldt

Sound Designer David Budries

Lighting design by Isabella Byrd based on the original lighting design by Paul Toben.

FEATURING Billie Holiday................................Deidrie Henry Jimmy Powers......................Abdul Hamid Royal Bass.................................................James H. Leary Drums.............................................Charles Neal Setting: A small bar in south Philadelphia, around midnight, March 1959.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. PERFORMED WITH NO INTERMISSION The photo, video or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.

If you photograph the set before or after the performance, please credit the scenic designer if you share the image.

The Actors and Stage Manager in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

SEASON SUPERSTARS

SUPPORTING SEASON SPONSORS

®

Portland Center Stage at The Armory receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the State of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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THE ARMORY • L ADY DAY AT EMERSON’ S BAR AND GRILL

SHOW SPONSORS Sarah J. Crooks Doris G. & Richard K. Martin Trust Chrys Martin & Jack Pessia Ralph & Ellie Shaw Helen Stern & Family Susan & Jim Winkler Davis Wright Tremaine

A Force of Nature

DEIDRIE HENRY ON BECOMING BILLIE HOLIDAY

YOU FIRST PERFORMED THIS ROLE AT ACTORS THEATRE IN LOUISVILLE. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN TAKING ON A ROLE BASED ON SUCH AN ICONIC ARTIST? It was such a thrill to perform at Actors Theatre of Louisville and I’m even more excited to be back at The Armory. The challenge of taking on any role for me is, “Where does this person sit in my perspective? What causes them to be who they are? What choices do they make in reaction to the given situation or circumstance they happen to be in?” With a fictional character, you have the luxury of making up a whole history for that character. But when you’re given a force of nature like Billie Holiday, and you’ve done the research to learn about her life, it can be a blessing and a curse.

Her life is so filled with abuse, struggle and tragedy. She is so very much everything! So big, and so blatantly, honestly and achingly vulnerable. What she thinks and feels is so deep and also right on the surface. She is accessible and explosive. Playing her, it can be hard to be all of those things on any given night. So, I try to hit as many facets as I can, and still try to have her walk out with her dignity, because I believe that most people try desperately to own that part of themselves, no matter how flawed.

HOW DID YOU PREPARE TO PLAY BILLIE HOLIDAY? I initially prepared for Billie by listening and immersing myself in her music. In order to thread the play’s story together emotionally, I created a playlist with the songs in the same order as in the show. To get a sense of how she was impacted by her environment, I read and watched everything I could get my hands on that spoke to who she was, who were her compatriots, what were her politics, what was happening, not only in the country and in the world, but in the jazz community. Finally, I settled down to learn 34 pages of dialogue.

BILLIE HOLIDAY ONCE SAID: “IF I’M GOING TO SING LIKE SOMEONE ELSE, THAN I DON’T NEED TO SING AT ALL.” HOW HAVE YOU APPROACHED PERFORMING THIS MUSIC? For me, it was very important to learn her rhythm and her phrasing.

I don’t consider myself a good impersonator and I’m less interested in mimicking her. My interest is, “What’s her state of being when she is performing?” The lovely part of this exploration was when I realized that she rarely sang a song the same way twice. Sometimes she would change the lyrics, or the note, or the ending, or she would change where she breathed, all of which would ultimately change the meaning and interpretation of the song. She also said “I have to sing the way I feel.” During the rehearsal period in Louisville, I came down with a very bad flu. I couldn’t afford to take too much time away from rehearsals, so, although I felt terrible, I would sing with all that I had. That experience served me, in that I understood that no matter how ill I felt, I was able to embrace that idea, and I would sing my way through. That’s ultimately what Billie wanted to do: “I just wanna sing. That’s all.”

Interview by Claudie Jean Fisher, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications.

TOP: Deidrie Henry as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Photo by Bill Brymer.

RIGHT: Billie Holiday at the Downbeat club in New York City, 1947.

Photo from the William P. Gottlieb collection at the Library of Congress.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MOMENT IN THE SHOW? There are a few moments that I just love, but I’d have to say that my favorite is when she’s talking about Bessie Smith and sings “Gimme a Pigfoot” into “Baby Doll.” There is a freedom and a wicked, carefree spirit woven into that section.

HOW DOES THE AUDIENCE IMPACT YOUR PERFORMANCE? The audience interaction is such an essential part of the play. What I came to learn about Billie was that she didn’t need to “come” to her audience. She didn’t need to “please” them. She showed up when she showed up, with everything she brought with her, and you came to her. It’s not that she didn’t need the audience, but she didn’t feel the need to take care of them or to make them comfortable. That was and still is a challenge for me — I care about my audience. I want them to feel comfortable. I want their approval. Billie didn’t.

YOU’VE KNOWN DIRECTOR BILL FENNELLY FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE WORKED WITH HIM ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COLLABORATION PROCESS? Bill was my roommate in New York and he directed my first cabaret show, What a Day for a Daydream, which was a huge hit and an award winner. We’ve been each other’s champion throughout these many years. It’s not often, as an actor, that you get to be in a room with a director who has known you from almost the beginning of your career, and who has seen you through almost every twist, turn, high and low that this business takes you through. This collaboration is BLISS!!! The freedom to be bad and to fail, to struggle and be vulnerable, and to be given the room to explore, is a gift that Bill has given me in this process. I trust him implicitly with every part of my being. I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun in a rehearsal process.

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FROM THE DIRECTOR | Bill Fennelly If we are to progress as a nation and grow as human beings we must learn to really hear and really see each other.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill is an invitation to look deeply and to listen carefully. While experiencing the life of Billie Holiday in her final days, we cannot escape America’s terrible racist past and challenging present. The great gift of this play is that we get to consider who we currently are, how we got here, and who we want to be in the future. I hope you will discover that, in one way or another, you are deeply connected to Billie’s story.

Our team first created a production of Lanie Robertson’s play at Actors Theatre of Louisville last season. We were asked to imagine a production that was “in the round” — meaning Billie would be in the middle of the room, with seating on all sides. To be perfectly honest, I was initially skeptical and terrified about that. I had never imagined this play could be effectively staged in that way; even the playwright was nervous about the idea. But an amazing and unexpected thing happened when we began rehearsals: the staging forced our team and the audience to look at Billie from all sides, from every possible angle.

This invitation to look and listen in a non-traditional way opened up our thinking about the play and the woman.

This play demands that we look beyond Billie’s musical icon status, and beneath the sensational stories, to get to

the beating heart of this incredible woman. Billie Holiday not only survived in a cruel Jim Crow world, but became one of the greatest and most enduring American musical artists of all time in spite of it.

When Chris Coleman invited our team to create this new production for The Armory we were excited, but we wanted to be sure that we held onto the Louisville discoveries as we crafted a very different physical production. Billie Holiday doesn’t let you off the hook and we wanted this production to honor that. The exciting architecture of Michael Schweikardt’s design disorients the space by breaking through the proscenium and coming right at you. The set also incorporates a back wall that will literally give you an opportunity to see yourself in this story while considering the life of Billie Holiday.

The act of looking and listening has been an important exercise for America recently. Billie Holiday reminds us that we must speak the truth, and we must work together to move forward even as we face the headwinds of great adversity. We must keep going. The life and music of Billie Holiday is an urgent reminder to recognize and value our shared humanity.

So tonight, I hope you will not sit back and relax; but instead really look and really listen.

LADY DAY | CAST, MUSICIANS & CREATIVE TEAM DEIDRIE HENRY Billie Holiday

Los Angeles theater: A Raisin in the Sun and Parade at Center Theatre Group; Coming Home and Yellowman (Best Actress Awards from the NAACP, Ovation Award, Backstage Garland Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award) at The Fountain Theatre; Small Tragedy at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.

Regional theater: It Can’t Happen Here and Yellowman at Berkeley Repertory Theatre; A Streetcar Named Desire and Closer at The Armory; American Night: The Ballad of Juan José at Yale Repertory Theater; Ballad of Emmett Till at Goodman Theatre; Oregon Shakespeare Festival for four seasons, appearing as Rosalind in As You Like It, Irina in Three Sisters, Susie in Wit, Ophelia in Hamlet, Vera Dotson in Seven Guitars, among others; Blues for an Alabama Sky (Helen Hays Award nomination) at the Alliance Theatre, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage and 16

Huntington Theatre Company. Other awards: Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist and Cabaret Debut for her cabaret, What a Day for a Daydream (New York). Television: Game of Silence, The Riches, Criminal Minds, Justified, Glee and CSI. Film: Beyond the Lights and Beautiful Boy. ABDUL HAMID ROYAL Music Director/ Jimmy Powers

The Ovation Award; The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award; and The SAGE Award for Best Music Direction on The Gospel at Colonus. NAACP Image Award for 5 Guys Named Moe. NAACP Image Award and StageSceneLA Award for Outstanding Musical Direction on the Los Angeles production of Recorded in Hollywood. Music Director (Broadway/ International/National): 5 Guys Named Moe, Twist, Sophisticated Ladies, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Jelly’s Last Jam, The Wiz, Truly Blessed, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof,

THE ARMORY • L ADY DAY AT EMERSON’ S BAR AND GRILL

Betsey Brown, Concerts for the Earth, Colors of Christmas, Smokey Joe’s Café, The Life. Composer/Arranger: 5 Guys Named Moe, Truly Blessed, Body and Soul, Twist, Cole Porter Festival, Colors of Christmas. Recording Artists: Natalie Cole, Peabo Bryson, Melissa Manchester, Cy Coleman, Al Jarreau, The Pointer Sisters, Liza Minelli, Ashford & Simpson, Martha Wash, Jennifer Holliday, Jeffrey Osborne, Maurice Hines, Melba Moore, Patti Austin, Grover Washington Jr., Masashi Sada, Patti LaBelle, Christina Aguilera, Jason Mraz, Stevie Wonder, David Foster, Doc Powell, The LA Philharmonic, Ty Herndon, Freddie Waites, Brenda Russell and Phil Collins.

JAMES H. LEARY Bass

James H. Leary is a double bass player and arranger/composer, who played with The Count Basie Orchestra, Nancy Wilson, Earl Hines, Bobby Hutcherson, Eddie Harris, Max Roach, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Johnny Hartman, Major

LADY DAY | MUSICIANS & CREATIVE TEAM Lance, Johnny Taylor, Esther Phillips, Rosemary Clooney, Don Shirley, Oakland Symphony, Pharoah Sanders, Red Garland, Jaki Byard, Randy Weston, John Handy and Dizzy Gillespie with the San Francisco Pops Orchestra conducted

by Arthur Fiedler. Broadway credits include: Eubie!, They’re Playing Our Song, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Bubbling Brown Sugar, 5 Guys Named Moe and Timbuktu! starring Eartha Kitt. Leary was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and studied at The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He has won two Grammy Awards with The Count Basie Orchestra.

CHARLES NEAL Drums

Charles Neal is an accomplished musician who performs, composes, produces and engineers music. He has been intense and passionate about music since early childhood and graduated cum laude from Berklee College of Music. Living in Portland for almost two decades, he has worked with many musicians in the Northwest and continues to be an active musician and music advocate. Charles is constantly working on and producing numerous music projects, is passionate about producing, and loves working on both sides of the glass in the recording studio. Collaborating with diverse tastes allows him to continually broaden and perfect his true love of performing and composing music of all kinds. “I’m always on a quest to surround my life with music and live my passion for music. To me, music equals life.”

LANIE ROBERTSON Playwright

Lanie Robertson writes about iconic artists and the societal issues they faced in Nasty Little Secrets, Alfred Stiegletz Loves O’Keeffe and Woman Before a Glass. His plays have been produced internationally and at the Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, Delaware Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, Festival d’Avignon, George Street Playhouse, Kennedy Center, Old Globe, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, Primary Stages, Theatre de la Huchette, Theatre Petite Montparnasse, Theatre Silvia Montforte, Vineyard Theatre, Virginia Stage, Walnut Street Theatre, Westside Arts and Williamstown Theatre Festival. Current plays include Nobody Lonesome for Me and The Gardener. Recently he completed his

first novel, Monkey to the Solution. He’s a member of the Dramatists Guild; Writers Guild, East; and the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques.

BILL FENNELLY Director

Bill is thrilled to return to Portland Center Stage at The Armory for his fourth production; previous projects include: Gypsy, Black Pearl Sings and Little Shop of Horrors. His work has been seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway and regionally. Recent projects include Hairspray at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre; Little Shop of Horrors at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at Actors Theatre of Louisville; Fly By Night (Dallas Column Award for Best Director of a Musical and Bay Area Critics Circle Award nomination for Best Direction); Herringbone (Barrymore Award nomination for Outstanding Director of a Musical) at Flash Point Theatre; Frankenstein: a new musical at 37 Arts (Off-Broadway); A Christmas Carol featuring F. Murray Abraham and Lynn Redgrave; original assistant director on the Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys; resident director of The Lion King; staff director with New York City Opera at Lincoln Center; and Phil Killian Directing Fellow at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Additional projects at: Syracuse Stage, Dallas Theater Center, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Playwrights Horizons, Hartford Stage, Goodspeed Musicals, Manhattan Theatre Club, Roundabout Theatre Company, Arizona Theatre Company, Ford’s Theatre, The Alliance Theatre, Glimmerglass Festival, American Musical Theatre Project, National Alliance of Musical Theatre, and Walnut Street Theatre among others.

He was the associate producing artistic director of The Acting Company and assistant artistic director at Cirque du Soleil. Bill earned a B.M. from the Hartt School, an M.F.A. in directing from University of California San Diego, and is an associate professor of theatre at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

MICHAEL SCHWEIKARDT Scenic Designer

For The Armory: Little Shop of Horrors.

Select regional theater credits: TheaterWorks (Hartford, CT); Ford’s Theatre; The Old Globe; Cleveland Play House; Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park;

Asolo Repertory Theatre; The Muny; Paper Mill Playhouse; Pittsburgh Public Theater; Actors Theatre of Louisville; Maltz Jupiter Theatre; and multiple productions for Goodspeed Musicals, including Fiddler On The Roof, Carousel, and Showboat. Select Off-Broadway: The Bus and the American premiere of Frank McGuinness’ Gates Of Gold (59E59 Theaters); Bloodsong of Love (Ars Nova); The Black Suits (The Public Theater); Things to Ruin (Second Stage Theatre, The Zipper Factory); The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Theatreworks USA at the Lucille Lortel). Select tours: James Taylor’s One Man Band; Ella. Michael recently designed productions of Marie Antoinette The Musical and Phantom for EMK International in Seoul, South Korea. msportfolio.com RAQUEL BARRETO Costume Designer

Raquel is a Los Angeles-based costume designer working in theater, dance and opera. Some recent credits include Native Gardens (Denver Center for the Performing Arts), Water by the Spoonful (Mark Taper Forum), Watch on the Rhine (Guthrie Theater/Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Mansfield Park (Opera UCLA), The Glass Menagerie (CalShakes), and Julius Caesar (Oregon Shakespeare Festival.) She has designed multiple productions at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and California Shakespeare Theater, and regionally at Actors Theater of Louisville, Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Folger Theatre, Syracuse Stage, The Magic Theatre, Cornerstone Theater, Latino Theater Co, The Getty Villa, the LA Phil, Kirk Douglas Theater, and many others. Raquel is a native of Brazil, and she holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and an M.F.A. from UC San Diego. She teaches costume design at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and TV. raquelbarreto.com

ISABELLA BYRD Associate Lighting Designer

Recent: Light Shining in Buckinghamshire at New York Theatre Workshop; Do You Feel Anger?, God Said This, You Across From Me (Humana Festival 2018) and Angels in America (co-design) all at Actors Theatre of Louisville; The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey at City Theatre (Pittsburgh); The Old Man and The Old Moon by PigPen Theatre Co. at The Old Globe (Associate); The

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LADY DAY

PEPI THE CHIHUAHUA | Audrey Audrey is a Deer Chihuahua living in Portland, Oregon with her human, the actor Sharonlee McLean. Eleven years young, Audrey’s health and behavior is that of a four year old. She loves to be held, and she will actually hug you when she gets to know you better. Inspired by her namesake, Audrey Hepburn, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill is her very first stage appearance. Audrey hopes you enjoy her work.

PORTLAND’S BRIDGE

TO AMSTERDAM. Nonstop from PDX to Amsterdam.

CREATIVE TEAM Pirates of Penzance at Amarillo Opera; Everybody at Juilliard School of Drama; and Sundown, Yellow Moon at Ars Nova and WP Theater. Associate designs for Hundred Days and Othello at New York Theatre Workshop; The Hairy Ape at Park Avenue Armory; The Antipodes at Signature Theatre; A Life at Playwrights Horizons; and The Flick at Playwrights Horizons (world premiere), Barrow Street Theatre and National Theatre, London. Additional company affiliations include: Monica Bill Barnes & Company, Lincoln Center, Spoleto Festival USA and Williamstown Theatre Festival. isabellabyrd.design PAUL TOBEN Original Lighting Designer

Regional credits include: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Angels in America Parts 1 and 2, Peter and the Starcatcher, 4000 Miles, and many others at Actors Theatre of Louisville; designs for five seasons of the Humana Festival including Evocation to Visible Appearance, Airness, The Grown-Up and The Roommate; Electra (Court Theatre); The Firebirds Take the Field (Rivendell); NSFW (Roundhouse); Silent Sky, Triangle, Upright Grand (TheatreWorks); Fly by Night, Medea, School for Wives (Dallas Theater Center); The Who and The What (Kansas City Rep); Daddy Long Legs (New York, regional and international premiers); Another Way Home (The Magic Theatre); Caravan Man, Demon Dreams (Williamstown Theatre Festival).

Broadway: The Story of My Life. OffBroadway: The Judy Show (DR2), Saturn Nights (Incubator Arts Project), Electra in a One Piece and The Realm (The Wild Project), The Redheaded Man (Fringe Encores), and many more. paultoben.com

DAVID BUDRIES Sound Designer

This is Budries’ first design for Portland Center Stage at The Armory. Broadway/ Off-Broadway: Ah, Wilderness!, A Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Our County’s Good, Souvenir, Other People’s Money, Measure for Measure, And A Nightingale Sang, From the Mississippi Delta, Search and Destroy, End of the Day, Playland and Marisol. Regional credits include: Hartford Stage Company, Baltimore Center Stage, The Dallas Theatre Center, Ford’s Theatre (associate artist),

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THE ARMORY • L ADY DAY AT EMERSON’ S BAR AND GRILL

Houston’s Alley Theatre; The Alliance Theatre, South Coast Repertory, McCarter Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Portland Stage Company, Arena Stage, and Yale Repertory Theatre. International: Salzburg Marionettentheater, Prague Quadrennial 2007 and 2011. He has earned Chicago’s Michael Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration, three Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, three Los Angeles Dramalogue Awards, and two nominations for the Leo Rabin Award (Dallas). Mr. Budries chairs the Sound Design Program at the Yale School of Drama and is an independent music and radio producer.

JANINE VANDERHOFF Stage Manager

Janine is glad to be back for her third season at The Armory. Previous credits at The Armory include: Kodachrome, A Christmas Memory/Winter Song, Wild and Reckless, Lauren Weedman Doesn’t Live

Here Anymore, The Santaland Diaries, The Oregon Trail, Little Shop of Horrors, JAW, Great Expectations, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Our Town. Other Portland credits include Portland Opera’s Sweeney Todd (followspot caller); DC Copeland’s Play (stage manager/production manager); Portland Playhouse’s How to End Poverty in 90 Minutes and The Other Place (stage manager). Touring stage management credits include: The Graduate (starring Morgan Fairchild), Cats, The Vagina Monologues, Jekyll & Hyde and Show Boat. While in New York, Janine had the opportunity to work on The Lion King on Broadway, as well as with many Off-Broadway and regional companies.

Production management credits include: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for “Democalypse 2012 Republican National Convention” (Tampa, FL); Straz Center (Tampa, FL); The Fox Theatre (Atlanta, GA). Proud NYU graduate and AEA member.

JORDAN AFFELDT Production Asssistant

Jordan is a stage manager from the small mountain town of Julian, CA. This is her first season at The Armory as a stage management apprentice, where credits include Fun Home, A Christmas Memory/Winter Song, Kodachrome, Major Barbara and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill. Prior to coming to The Armory, she completed internships at Pacific Conservatory Theatre (assistant stage manager for Beauty and the Beast, Lend Me a Tenor, You Can’t Take it With You), Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (assistant stage manager for Coriolanus), and ion theatre company (production assistant for Sea of Souls). She received her undergraduate degree from Northern Arizona University, majoring in theater studies and psychology. She spends her free time playing and writing music in the Portland area.

LADY DAY | SPONSOR STATEMENTS SARAH J. CROOKS “If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.”

—Billie Holiday For the last 30 years, Portland Center Stage at The Armory has been celebrating the unique voices in all of us.

DAVIS WRIGHT TREMAINE DORIS G. & RICHARD K. MARTIN TRUST CHRYS MARTIN & JACK PESSIA

With a shared passion for the performing arts, the MartinPessia family and Davis Wright Tremaine are proud to sponsor this historical musical. Doris Martin sang jazz live on the radio during her time in college, and filled the Martin household with music from dawn ‘til dusk. This led to a lifelong love of jazz for her daughter Chrys, which she shares with her husband, Jack. Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is honored to provide financial support and pro bono services to arts organizations that enrich our communities and to support the passions of its attorneys and clients, including another sponsor David Machado.

RALPH & ELLIE SHAW

Live theater is an opportunity to witness the struggles, successes, emotions, challenges and relationships of those

whose experiences do not directly affect our existence. We in the audience become more enlightened and, therefore, can understand better what leads people to choose the paths they have followed.

HELEN STERN & FAMILY

I am proud to have been associated as a donor for over 30 years — beginning with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

From those beginnings, The Armory has become one of the biggest and greatest theaters in the Northwest in its own right. It is an honor to be a supporter, a fan in the audience, and a booster for Lady Day. Here’s to the next 30 years!

TANNER CREEK TAVERN

Tanner Creek Tavern, the Pearl District’s newest member of the David Machado Restaurant group, is very excited about our burgeoning relationship with The Armory. Our company has developed a close working relationship over the last decade with many non-profit performing arts organizations in Portland. Founder and chef, David Machado is currently board president of Third Angle New Music and is also a board member and past president of PDX Jazz. Tanner Creek’s sponsorship of Lady Day is a natural choice that unites David’s long commitment to the growth and stability of world-class live jazz performances in Portland with his developing partnership and support for The Armory.

L ADY DAY AT EMERSON’ S BAR AND GRILL • THE ARMORY

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THE 2018-2019 SEASON! THE COLOR PURPLE

CROSSING MNISOSE

Based on Alice Walker’s intensely moving American classic, this Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical has a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues.

Mary Kathryn Nagle pairs Sacajawea with the present day fight to protect the Mnisose (or what Europeans named the “Missouri River”) in this Northwest Stories world premiere.

A LIFE

THE BREATH OF LIFE

A wickedly funny, insightful and totally unpredictable play by Adam Bock about the meaning and implicit value of life.

In this bitingly funny comedy from David Hare, two women of a certain age meet face-to-face and fi nd common ground in their independence from the man they unknowingly shared.

SENSE & SENSIBILITY This exuberant, innovative staging of Jane Austen’s classic romantic comedy bursts with humor and bold theatricality.

NATIVE GARDENS In this hysterical comedy by Karen Zacarías, wellintentioned neighbors turn into feuding enemies as they clash over their approaches to gardening — and life.

BUYER & CELLAR An outrageous and entirely fictional comedy from Jonathan Tolins about the oddest of odd jobs — working as a shop boy in Barbara Streisand’s real life private shopping mall.

TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

A CHRISTMAS MEMORY - paired with - WINTER SONG TWIST YOUR DICKENS

A funny and deeply touching story of human resilience based on Cheryl Strayed’s (Wild) beloved anonymous online advice column, “Dear Sugar.”

UNTIL THE FLOOD Pulitzer Prize-fi nalist Dael Orlandersmith brings an extraordinary theatrical event exploring the reactions of the St. Louis region to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

Portland Center Stage at

Storm Large in

pcs.org/2018-2019 503.445.3700 All titles, artists and dates subject to change.

CRAZY ENOUGH A one-week special engagement!

Private sale open to 2018-2019 season ticket holders only.

Get your season tickets today!

p o r t l a n d ’ s h o t e l t o th e ar t s

IN THE HEART OF PORTLAND’S WEST END DISTRICT

409 SW 11TH AVE PORTLAND | 503.224.3293 | MARKSPENCER.COM THE ARMORY

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WE AT THE ARMORY

Portland Center Stage at The Armory is the largest theater company in Portland and among the top 20 regional theaters in the country. Established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the company became independent in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since 2000.

An estimated 150,000 people visit The Armory annually to enjoy a mix of classical, contemporary and world premiere productions, along with a variety of high quality education and community programs.

Eleven productions are offered each season, in addition to roughly

400 community events created — in partnership with 170+ local organizations and individuals — to serve the diverse populations in the city. As part of its dedication to new play development, the company has produced 26 world premieres and presents an annual new works festival, JAW: A Playwrights Festival. The Northwest Stories series was recently launched to develop and produce works about, or by artists from, the Northwest region. Home to two theaters, The Armory was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.

We welcome ALL, including all races, all countries of origin, all sexual orientations, all gender identities, and people of any religion or none at all.

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THE ARMORY

humbly acknowledge that the Portland metropolitan area rests on the traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other Tribes who made their homes along the Columbia (Wimahl) and Willamette (Whilamut) rivers.

Today, Portland’s diverse and vibrant Native communities are 70,000 strong, descended from more than 380 Tribes, both local and distant. We take this opportunity to offer respectful recognition to the Native communities in our region today, and to those who have stewarded this land throughout the generations.

THANK YOU, DONORS! We gratefully acknowledge the supporters of our 2017–2018 season. Their generosity allows us to inspire our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. We thank them.

CORPORATE GIFTS SEASON SUPERSTAR ($150,000+)

OVATION SOCIETY ($100,000+)

U.S. Bank

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE ($25,000+)

Express Employment Professionals The Standard Curtis T. Thompson, M.D. and Associates, LLC

SEASON STARS ($10,000+)

Bank of America Boeing Company Davis Wright Tremaine LLP Delta Air Lines GBD Architects Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker KeyBank Moda Health

NW Natural Stoel Rives LLP Wells Fargo Work for Art, including contributions from more than 75 companies and 2,000 employees

PLAYMAKERS ($5,000+)

Hoffman Construction M Financial Group Mentor Graphics Perkins Coie Troutman Sanders LLP Wieden + Kennedy

PRODUCERS ($2,000+)

D’Amore Law Group Intel Corporation Klarquist PCC Structurals, Inc. Portland Timbers Vernier Software & Technology

BENEFACTORS ($1,000+)

Downtown Development Group Pacific Office Automation

STARS ($250+)

Cupcake Jones Graphic Arts Building Hygeia Healing

IN-KIND

Adagio Teas All Wright Music Argyle Winery Astoria Coffeehouse and Bistro Janis Avidan Ben & Jerry’s Bluehour Bonnie Bruce & Michael Peterson Cannery Pier Hotel Carruther’s Restaurant Chehalem Winery Columbia River Maritime Museum De Ponte Cellars Delta Airlines Eastside Distilling Diana Gerding Mike Golub Thomas Gross Horseleap Vineyards

Isabel Pearl Ben & Elizabeth Janczyk Skye & Jane Lininger Lucky Limo Maureen & Jim McCartin McCleskey Cellars Meyer Creative Multnomah Whisk{e}y Library Neuman Hotel Group New Deal Distillery Jason Okamoto Oregon Shakespeare Festival Performance Promotions Precision Graphics Christopher & Priscilla Prosser Red Hills Market Royalton Hotel Jamie Sorenson-Budd The Standard Street 14 Cafe Tanner Creek Tavern Umpqua Bank Karen J. Wheeler Sleight of Hand Cellars

FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

(AS OF MARCH 15, 2018)

OVATION SOCIETY ($100K+)

Collins Foundation The Fred W. Fields Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Meyer Memorial Trust James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation The Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education and Access Fund The Wallace Foundation

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE ($25K+)

The Hearst Foundations The Kinsman Foundation Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation National Endowment for the Arts The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation/ Arlene Schnitzer & Jordan Schnitzer Shubert Foundation

SEASON STARS ($10K+)

Anonymous Sheri & Les Biller Family Foundation Broughton & Mary Bishop Foundation The Holzman Foundation/Renée & Irwin Holzman Jackson Foundation

SEASON SUPERSTARS Leupold & Stevens Foundation Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund National Endowment for the Arts Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency PGE Foundation The Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust Travel Oregon

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($3K+)

H.W. Irwin & D.C.H. Irwin Foundation Samuel S. Johnson Foundation Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund Spirit Mountain Community Fund Leupold & Stevens Foundation Herbert A. Templeton Foundation

PRODUCERS ($2K+)

Autzen Foundation Native Arts and Cultures Foundation D. Margaret Studley Foundation Travel Portland Union Pacific Foundation

SUPPORTING SEASON SPONSORS

®

Portland Center Stage at The Armory receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the State of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.

STARS ($250+)

Swigert-Warren Foundation

THE ARMORY

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INDIVIDUAL GIFTS (AS OF APRIL 3, 2018) The membership levels and names listed below are determined by our individual gift membership renewal date and are recognized for twelve months. Every effort has been made to ensure that this list is accurate and complete. We apologize if your name has been omitted or improperly recorded.

If so, please contact giving@pcs.org, so we can correct our records.

Those donors whose names are in bold are a part of our Sustaining Supporters group. We want to honor those donors who have given every year for the last five years. Your consistent support means a great deal to us and keeps our theater thriving. Thank you for your loyalty and generosity.

OVATION SOCIETY ($100,000+) Don & Mary Blair Mary & Tim Boyle LEADERSHIP CIRCLE ($25,000–$99,999) Keith & Sharon Barnes Andy & Nancy Bryant Dream Envision Foundation Ginger Carroll Roger Cooke & Joan Cirillo Brigid Flanigan Diana Gerding Rob Goodman Heather Killough Hilary Krane & Kelly Bulkeley Ronni S. Lacroute Pat & Trudy Ritz/Ritz Family Foundation Barbara & Phil Silver The Stern Family Bill & LaRue Stoller Christine & David Vernier Ben & Elaine Whiteley Dan Wieden & Priscilla Bernard Wieden SEASON STARS ($10,000–$24,999) Anonymous Scott & Linda Andrews John & Linda Carter Sarah J. Crooks Glenn Dahl & Linda Illig Martin & Karin Daum Ray & Bobbi Davis Jess Dishman Margaret Dixon Kelly K. Douglas & Eric H. Schoenstein William & Karen Early The Wayne & Sandra Ericksen Charitable Fund CLF Family Charitable Foundation Tasca & Paul Gulick Dr. Barbara Hort & Mark Girard Marilyn & Ed Jensen Judy Carlson Kelley Kevin & Karen Kelly James & Morley Knoll Chuck & Carol Langer Dedre J. Marriott J. Greg & Terry Ness Reynolds Potter & Sharon Mueller Dana Rasmussen Richard & Marcy Schwartz Douglas & Teresa Smith Drs. Ann Smith Sehdev & Paul Sehdev

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PLAYMAKERS ($5,000–$9,999) Anonymous (2) Brenda K. Ashworth & Donald F. Welch Ted & Kathi Austin

Peter & Susan Belluschi Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Debby Benjamin, Mary Kay & Russ Dragon Phil & Julie Beyl Rick Caskey & Sue HornCaskey David Dotlich & Doug Elwood Mark & Ann Edlen Lois Seed & Dan Gibbs Steven & Marypat Hedberg Tom & Betsy Henning The Holzman Foundation/ Renee & Irwin Holzman Y. Lynne & Craig Johnston Gregg & Diane Kantor Drs. Dolores & Fernando Leon Chrys A. Martin & Jack Pessia Doris G. & Richard K. Martin Trust Peter K. McGill Brenda J. Peterson The Franklin & Dorothy Piacentini Charitable Trust Joseph Sawicki & Kirsten Lee Elba, Ralph, Russell, Lorraine & Renee Shaw Barbara A. Sloop Marilyn Slotfeldt Jan & John Swanson Tyler & Kara Tatman John Taylor & Barbara West Susan & Jim Winkler Dave Underriner & Barbara Rossi-Underriner ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($3,000–$4,999) Anonymous Bill Byrne & Dennis Scollard Duke & Brenda Charpentier Cogan Family Fund of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation CollierTrust M. Allison Couch & Tom Soals Joan & Jim English Robert Falconer Sharon & Henry Hewitt Kevin Hogan & Aron Larson Jina Kim & Hyung-Jin Lee Regan & Gina Leon Jean & Steve Mann Hester H. Nau Steven C. Neighorn Patti Norris & Mark Schlesinger Jim & Linda Patterson Joan Peacock Fred L. Ramsey Robert Reed Raj Sarda, MD Roy Schreiber & Carole Heath Randy & Janet Smith Sue & Drew Snyder Steven & Deborah Wynne Mort & Audrey Zalutsky

PRODUCERS ($2,000–$2,999) Michael & Margie Anton Julia & Robert S. Ball Daniel Bergsvik & Donald Hastler Lawrence S. & Susan W. Black Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Ann Brayfield & Joe Emerson Richard Louis Brown Marianne Buchwalter Judy Dauble Edward & Karen Demko Carol Edelman Randy Foster Mike Golub & Sam Shelhorse Thomas Gross Heather Guthrie & Gil Parker Dale Hottle Dennis C. Johnson Ruth Knepell Brian & Pearl Kronstad Cindy & Keith Larson Edwards Lienhart Family Foundation Jim & Jennifer Mark Shelly McFarland Steve Cox & Vikki Mee Laurie & Gilbert Meigs Mary Katherine Miller John D. & Nancy J. Murakami Nathan Family Allan & Madeline Olson Pat Reser & Bill Westphal Bobbie & Joe Rodriguez Stephen & Trudy Sargent George & Molly Spencer Burt & Barbara Stein Katherine & Nickolas Tri Azin & Hans van Alebeek Wally Van Valkenburg & Turid Owren Ted & Julie Vigeland Trudy Wilson & Terry Brown Mary & Pat Wolfe BENEFACTORS ($1,000–$1,999) Anonymous (4) Ruth & Jim Alexander Phyllis Arnoff Barbara J. Baker Dr. Gene Baker & Regina Brody Cheryl Balkenhol & James Alterman David Bennett Chris Bisgard, Lisa Denike, & Ella Bisgard Earl & Jan Bliven William Blosser The Bohanan Family Kate & Bill Bowman Norma Bradfish Linda & William Brown John Bush & Greg Zarelli Dr. Richard & Nancy Chapman Leslie Copland

CORPORATE CHAMPIONS

WE SUPPORT OUR CORPORATE CHAMPIONS WHO GIVE MORE THAN $10,000 ANNUALLY

Umpqua Bank

Express Employment Professionals GBD Architects Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker KeyBank Moda

Betsy Cramer & Greg Kubicek Gustavo J. Cruz, Jr. Tracy A. Curtis & Rick Nagore Gerard & Sandra Drummond Richard & Betty Duvall Jean Erickson John Briggs & Jeffrey Feiffer Mike & Chris Feves Larry & Deborah Friedman Daniel & Leah Frye Cynthia M. Fuhrman Jasmine Fullman Katie & David Gold Ann Gray John & Jacque Guevara Dylan Gulick Bill & Elaine Hallmark Donald F. Hammond Lani Hayward MJ & Lee A. Helgerson Herman Charitable Foundation Donna Hodgson Arthur Hung & Jim Watkins Carroll Hutchinson Don & Claudia Hutchison Brad & Judy Johnson Jessie Jonas Stephen & Marjorie Kafoury Tim Kalberg Dr. Laurie Kash & Michael Carter Carla Kelley Pamela Kelley-Dockter Tom & Barbara Kelly Willie Kemp Jon Kruse & Karen O’Connor Kruse Susan Lair & Doug Trobough Ray & Terry Lambeth Brad & Cindy Larsen Dorothy Lemelson Shari & Frank Lord Elaine & Richard Lycan Bruce & Louise Magun Lindsey & Marilen McGill Dan & Christina McMillan Carolyn McMurchie Lora & Jim Meyer Bill Moffat Michael & Susan Mueller Bryan Nakagawa Betsy Natter David & Ranata Niederloh Neilsen Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Lucas Newman Tim O’Leary & Michelle Cardinal Steven P. & Eileen O’Neill Odum Thomas Palmer & Ann Carter Irene Parikhal Duane & Corinne Paulson Stanley & Susanne Penkin David Pollock Amy Polo John & Catherine Ridenour Bob & Marilyn Ridgley

Kelly Ritz-Eisenstein & Scott Eisenstein Mary & Craig Ruble Halle & Rick Sadle Carol Schnitzer Lewis Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Bob Schuler & Debra Blanchard Michael & Karen Sherman Peter Shinbach Carl Snook Rick & Denyse Stawicki E. Kay Stepp Mr. & Mrs. W.T.C. Stevens Kim & Doug Strand Ray & Pat Straughan Carol Streeter & Harold Goldstein Mary & Jeff Strickler Donald & Roslyn Sutherland W. R. Swindells Calvin & Mayho Tanabe Don & Judy Thompson Kenneth & Marta Thrasher Ronald E. & Ivy L. Timpe Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Glen Ulmer Eleanor & Peter van Alderwerelt Wendy Ware & Dan Gleason Joan & David Weil Dennis & Jean Wilde Jeff & Jaynie Wirkkala David & Sherri Zava

Bank of America Boeing Company Curtis T. Thompson, M.D. and Associates, LLC Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

STARS ($500–$999) Anonymous (3) Charles & Gloria Adams Richard & Kristin Allan Joan & Brian Allen Philip & Pip Allen Stacy Allison Janis Avidan Thomas & Brada Bailey Robin & Thomas Barrett Susanne Baumann & John Gragg Dr. Janet Bennett Jamie & John Birkett Cheryl A. Bittle Lesley Bombardier Craig Boretz & Rachelle Jacover Larry & Marie Brigham Robert & Stasia Burt Mary Beth & Michael Butkovic Dave & Debbie Craig Erik Cubbage Amy & Bruce Dobbs Stephen Early & Mary Shepard Patricia Edwards John & Jane Emrick Gregory Flick Per-Olof Jarnberg & Joan Foley Ronald Fraback Gail & Kim Frederick

NW Natural Stoel Rives LLP U.S. Bank The Standard Wells Fargo Work for Art Lisa M. Freiley Charles & Kyle Fuchs Don & Judy Fuller Jerome & Mary Fulton Richard & Kristine Gates Paul Gehlar Paul & Faye Gilbarg Melissa & Robert Good Michael & Nancy Graham Patricia & Tim Gray Gail & Walter Grebe Del Hall Kregg & Andrea Hanson Marcia Hauer & Jeanne Knepper Richard L. Hay Patsy Heinlein Paul & Ruth Herrington Leslie S. Homer Charitable Fund Terri & Robert Hopkins Susan Immer & Larry Juday Cecily Johns Raymond & Marilyn Johnson Douglas & P.J. Jones Nancy Keystone & Michael Schlitt BettyLou Koffel & Philip Moyer Rudy Kohnle & Krista Larson Bonnie & Mike Leiser Jon & Sheila Levine Carol & Charles Mackey Stephen & Christine Mason Robert Matheson & Kimberly Porter J.S. & Robin May Karen & Brent McCune Jessica McVay Robert & Violet Metzler Bruce W. Miller Michael Mills & Amie Abbott Timothy Mott Deborah Neft & Salvatore D’Auria David & Anne Noall Susan & Peter Norman Gloria Norton John & Carolyn Parchinsky Elizabeth Perris Steve & Melissa Peterman Jim & Pam Phillips Ellie Picologlou Wallace & Elizabeth Preble Ralph & Jean Quinsey Judson Randall Dick & Linda Reedy Drs. Scott & Kay Reichlin Leslie Rennie-Hill & Ken Hill Dr. Mark & Angela Reploeg Dave & Lori Robertson Becky Ross Ted & Holly Ruback Steven & Carol Sandor Dianne Sawyer & Richard Petersen Peter C. & Jeanette M. Scott Dr. Therese M Scott & Earl Heberlein Carl R. Shinkle

Virginia Shipman & Richard Kaiser Brad Simmons & Shannon Hart J. & C. Skuster Kyle & Sophia Spencer Janice Stewart & Gordon Allen Zach & Vassie Stoumbos Dan & Linda Sullivan John & Shirley Sutton Dr. Jeffrey & Mrs. Roberta Swanson Libbi Layton & Lawrence Tamiyasu Beverly Terry Paul Tucker & Blake Walter Andrew Tweedie Paul J. Utz & Lory Cogan Utz Lori Van Gordon Lewis & Susan Van Winkle Virginia Vanderbilt & Michael Garrison Caroline & Reed Vilhauer Dan Volkmer & Frank Dixon Richard Wallace & Patricia White Karen J. Wheeler Dr. & Mrs. Bennett Wight Andrew Wilson Ruth Fischer-Wright & Craig Wright Fabian & Julie Yeager PATRONS ($150–$499) Anonymous (10) Vanessa Abahashemi & Soren Jorgensen Keith & Christine Abernathy Jose Alcarez Lynn Allen Kris Alman Linda C. Anderson Patricia Anderson Thomas R. Anderson & Joan Montague Mr. & Mrs. John K. Ankeney Nigel & Kerry Arkell Lee & Lynn Aronson Linda Aso Jean & Ray Auel Jean & David Avison Susan Bach & Douglas Egan Mrs. Bernice Bagnall Bill Bagnall & Clayton Lloyd Bill & Donna Baily Thayne & Mary Anne Balzer Don & Jo Barney Mr. & Mrs. Peter Barnhisel Diane & Arthur Barry Molly & Tom Bartlett Sidney & Barbara Bass George W. Bateman Anne Batey Dawn Bauman John Bauman Richard Baumann Kathleen Bauska Donald C. & Doris Beard Alta Benhard Rob & Sharon Bennett Maggie Bennington-Davis Pam Berg Anita & Clark Blanchard Chris Blattner & Cindy McCann Ms. Catherine Blosser & Mr.Terry Dolan Jeffrey Bluhm Lynne & Frank Bocarde Brian & Karen Borton Robert Brands Brian & Bridget Brooks

Douglas Browning & Jo Shapland Bonnie Bruce & Michael Peterson Patsy Bruggere Kathryn Bussman & Char Curry Mary Butler Scott Cameron & Margaret M. Maguire Don Caniparoli & Sarah Rosenberg Tim & Susan Carey Julie Ann Carson & Guy Whitehead Clay & Carolyn Carter Michael Carter & Teresa Ferrer Jean Carufo & Barb Engelter Sue Caulfield & Mary Mack Gordon B. Chamberlain Russ & Candice Chapman John & Lou Chapman Melissa A. Charbonneau Bob & Patty Chestler Valri & Vincent Chiappetta Susan F. Christensen Cynthia Church Rhonda Cohen Bruce & Janis Collins Rick & Jean Collins Lisa & Skip Comer Sonja L. Connor William & Harriet Cormack Karen Costello John & Ann Cowger Kathryn Crandall Marian & Neale Creamer Create Change LLC John & Diane Cronin Karen & Ward Cunningham Betty Daschel Maureen Sproviero Davis & Kerwin Davis Carroll & Gerry DeKock Carolyn DeLany-Reif Duane & Prudence Denney Craig & Julie Dewey Bill Dickey Linda & Jerry Dinan Ken & Laura Dobyns Michael Doherty & Daphne Cooluris Steve Dotterrer & Kevin Kraus Beverly Downer Mark & Denise Downing Julie & Jim Early Janet & Barry Edwards John H. Eft & Darlene Russ-Eft Mary A. & Peter Eisenfeld Kris & R. Thomas Elliott Ed & Marilyn Epstein Sharon Ewing-Fix Sandy Feeny Gil & Ellen Feibleman Renee Ferrera & James Johnson Terry Ferrucci Colleen Finn Sally & Jerry Fish Peter & Nancy Fisher Sherry & Paul Fishman Greg & Susan Fitz-Gerald Mary Flahive & David Finch Christina Flaxel & B. Randall George H. Fleerlage Jerry Fong Steve & Susan Ford Sharon Frank Marc Franklin Terry Franks & Carolyn Duran Bruce & Kate Frederick Susan & Seth Garber Colleen Gekler Tom & Karon Gilles Lisa Goldberg & Yeng Chen

Barbara & Marvin Gordon-Lickey Richard & Janis Gottlieb Becky Graham Mark Greenfield & Jane Hartline Nancy & Ron Gronowski Polly Grose Andrew Gustely Frank & Margery Guthrie Lorraine Guthrie & Erik Kiaer Irv & Gail Handelman Britney & Ryan Hardie Ulrich H. Hardt & Karen Johnson Paul & Samantha Harmon Lynne & John Hart Tom & Jan Harvey Fred & Sara Harwin Mark & Paige Hasson Judy & Dave Heller Tom & Verna Hendrickson Sudee & J. Clayton Hering Diane M. Herrmann Frances & Hunter Hicks Barbara & Mark Hochgesang Beverly Hoeffer & Carol Beeston Laurie Holland Derek Holmgren & Michael Traylor Barry & Fanny Horowitz Donald & Lynnette Houghton Dr. Hal Howard Dixie & Patrick Huey Kathy & Tom Iberle Tom & Laura Imeson Robina & Tim Ingram-Rich Joanne Jene, M.D. Sonny Jepson & Felice Moskowitz Becky & Jarrett Jones Joan Jones Lore Joplin Susan Jossi & Bob Connors Dolores Judkins Jack & Farol Kahle Ross Kaplan & Paula Kanarek Rebecca & Gerald Karver Steven & Nancy Kassel Franki Keefe Katherine Keene Catherine Keith & Jennifer Person Jane Kennedy Heather Kientz Jeffrey & Carol Kilmer Jim & Lois King Nancy Kingston Frederick Kirchhoff & Ronald Simonis Lucien & Sally Klein Romy Klopper Michael Knebel & Susan Shepard Tricia Knoll & Darrell Salk Keith & Merle Koplan David & Lorraine Kratovil Rick Kunz & Brigitte Piniewski Robert & Sally Landauer David Lapof Shelley Laurance & Bob Sternberg Robert & Nancy Laws Anita Saalfeld Bob & Sally LeFeber Roger & Joy Leo Brian & Chris Lewis Judy & Lloyd Lindley Bob & Debbie Lindow Steve Rosenberg & Ellen Lippman Joyce & Stanley Loeb Ralph London David & Marnie Lonsdale

Sharon W. Lukasevich Lisa & John Lynch Jeanne & Jim Magmer Tim & Barbara Mahoney Caroline Mann Linda & Ken Mantel Susan Manuel Kathy Maritz Joe Marrone & Ann Belzell Kenneth & Nancy Martin Mr. & Mrs. Mason Pamela Matheson John A. McCarthy Maryl M McCullough Betty McDonald & William Hansen Charles & Kathleen McGee Gretchen & Larry McLellan Steven McMaster & Kathleen Brock Bart McMullan Jr. & Patricia Dunahugh Gayle & George McMurria-Bachik Karolyn Meador Charitable Fund Julia Meck Ruth E. Medak Mariellen Meisel & Steve Glass Peter & Joan Melrose Patty Merrimon Susan Sammons Meyer & Dennis Meyer Louis R. Miles Bruce & Cathy Miller Pamela G. & Fred B. Miller Jay Miller & Elise Menashe Roger & Karen Miller Kate & Jack Mills Sherry Mills Alison Mitchell Thomas & Rosemary Mitchell Bridget Montero Doug & Malinda Moore Clint & Donna Moran Robb & Peggy Moretti Marjory S. Morford Mike & Jan Morgan David Morganstern Laura & Joseph Munoz John & Debbi Nagelmann Fran Nay Bill & Pat Nelson Leslie & Devon Nevius Ann Nickerson Landscape Design Frank & Bonnie Nusser Teri Obye Ron & Janet O’Day Philip & Deborah Oester Bonnie & Robert Olds Ric Oleksak Linda O’Neill Eileen & Alfred Ono Juris V. & Silvia Orle Beverly J. Orth Paul & Lynn Otto Lynda Paige Jan & Rich Parker Susan & Milt Parker Gail & Alan Pasternack Robert Pater Janet Peek Jennifer Peery Kevin Phaup Donna Philbrick Joe & Kris Phillippay Nancy Pitney Jennifer Politsch Michael Ponder & Bea Davis Dee Poujade David & Margo Price Christopher Prosser

Jay & Barbara Ramaker Michael R. Rankin Dennis & Diane Rawlinson Richard A. Rawlinson Bonnie & Peter Reagan Helen Richardson & Don S. Hayner Michael Robertson & Gwyn McAlpine George W. & E. Joan Robinson Jeanne Robinson & Simon Dietsch Lucinda Rodgers Charles & Judith Rooks Leslie Root & John McGrory Peter & Janice Linsky Kelly & Tomilynn Ross Davia & Ted Rubenstein Alise R. Rubin & Wolfgang Dempke Daniel Russo & Joanne Albertsen Jim & Joanne Ruyle Bunny & Jerry Sadis Linda & Michael Salinsky Lisa Sanman Ron & Vicki Sarazin Lia Saroyan & Michael Knapp Christine & Steven Satterlee John & Stephanie Saven Jim Scherzinger & Claire Carder Sheldon & Jean Schiager Connie Schwendemann & Richard Peterson Michael & Pam Shanahan Karen Sheridan Ron & Lynn Sherwood Jonathan Singer Henrianne Slattery Rodger Sleven & Marcella Flores Charles E. Smith Constance Smith Richard Smith & Patricia Frobes Kimberly Smith-Cupani Neil Soiffer & Carolyn J. Smith George Soule & Maurice Horn Doug Sparks & Casey Bass James N. Stamper & Jennifer P. Villano Mirnie Stapleton Rhonda Studnick Kaiser Valda Summers & Tom Phelan Roger & Gale Swanson John & Jan Switzer Amy & Emanuel Tanne Ellen Tappon & Ted Wilson Ann & Dave Taylor Leif & Marjorie Terdal Jane Thanner & Tim Smith William & Lori Thayer James & Linda Thomas Grant & Sandra Thurston Lou Ann Tiedemann Robert Todd David Toovy Phil & Mimi Underwood Cathy Unis John & Terri Vann David & Julie Verburg Dawn Vermeulen Mark & Mary Ann Vollbrecht The John & Frances Von Schlegell Family Fund James & Nancy Vondran Drs. Bastian & Barb Wagner John N. & Betty K. Walker Nancy Walker & Terry Foty Chris & Jana White JD & D’Alene White Maurice & Lauretta Williams Marjorie & Tom Wilson

Alan Winders Greg Winterowd Don & Jan Wolf Richard & Leslie Wong J. Marcus Wood & Sue Hennessey Linda M. Wood Robert & Vickie Woods Paul Wrigley & Deborah Cross Jack Wussow & Kyle Adams Russ & Mary Youmans Alan & Janet Zell SPONSORS ($75–$149) Anonymous (14) Nancy & Paul Abbott Greg & Susan Aldrich Katie AmRhein Kathleen A. Anamosa Sally E. Anderson Ana Andueza Thomas & Deborah Anholt Roy & Jane Arnold Debbie & Steve Asakawa James & Mary Ann Asaph Jules & Jessica Bailey Joyce Barrett & Emil Zurcher Peter Barr-Gillespie Stephen W. Bartlett Brett & Maureen Baxter Kenneth Becker Mindy Becker Sheryl Bernheine & Karm Hagedorn Elizabeth Berol-Rinder Leslie Bevan & Julie Huffaker Peter Bhatia & Liz Dahl Elizabeth & James Biller Jacquelyn & John Boardman Suzanne Bonamici D. Bostrom Rita Boyd Judy Bradley & Dave Mitchell Barbara Brandt Pat Bredemann Dan & Diana Breen Peggy Bromley Dennis Brophy & Cathy Gwinn Sharley Bryce Linda Brent Buckley Robin Budde Kathleen Buhl Kim & Debra Burchiel David O. Busby Larry & Elizabeth Butrick Stephen Cambell Andrea Carlson Tom & Mike Carstensen Robin Castro & John Halseth Sy & Carol Chestler Robert & Sue Christenson Maxine & Roy Ciappini Julia & Jim Coari John & Kathryn Cochran Kathryn & William Coffel Alan & Leslie Comnes Jeffrey Condit Ginnie Cooper Philip F. Copenhaver Sherie P. & John M. Corley Jerry & Jean Corn John Cornyn Marilyn Couch & David Axelrod Jennifer & Diego Covarrubias Nancy & George Crawford Eloise Damrosch & Gary Hartnett Arthur & Winnifred Danner Michael Davalt Lydah Debin Ken Denton Patricia Dery Katharine Diack & Linda Hardie Richard Dobrow, MD Raymond & Marilyn Dodge

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INDIVIDUAL GIFTS (CONT.) Arleigh & Marion Dodson Marty & Peggy Dollar Cindy Donner John & Danuta Donovan Thomas Doulis Michael & Patricia Downey Robin J. Dunitz Jo Durand & Melinda Petersen Anne Egan & Tim McNichol Ron & Becky Eiseman Shauna Ensminger John & Ellie Erkkila Robert & Billie Erwin Wes Evans & Lou Scorca Patrick & Eileen Fiegenbaum Alex & Carol Fischler William Fish Tom Syltebo & Judy Fisher John & Paula Fogarty Cheryl Elizabeth Friedman Linda Gipe Bob & Lesley Glasgow Ed Goldberg Rosalie Goodman Judith Gordon & Patrick Houghton Julie & Dave Gordon E.S. Georges Jim & Kathleen Grant Joy Gray Patty Green Sarah Griffin Bette J. Grimm Neelam Gupta Candace Haines Koleen & Jeff Hall Evan & Brandy Halprin Robert Hamrick Lois Hanson

Andrew Harbison Susan & Robert Hatfield Barb Haugen Robert & Kay Heiney Lois Heinlein Kristine Henderer Lesley Herren Carol & Jim Hibbs Charles & Margaret Hickman Barbara & Ronald Higbee Phillip Hillaire Susan Hobart Janet Hoffman & John Harland Charles & Ava Hoover Susan Hornung Brook & Ann Howard Patricia G. Howell John & Delores Hutcheon Beth Hutchins & Pete Skeggs Jennifer Inaldo & Jeff Gerard Jane & Paul Jacobsen Susan & Ken Jensen James Johnson Jerry Brask Michael S. Johnson Richard & Phyllis Johnson Teresa Johnson Harlan & Carol Jones Mary Kallenberg Allison L. Kehoe Barbara Kelley Gary & Doloras Kennen Cynthia Kenyon Marion & Bart Kessler Margaret Kieweg Doris & Eric Kimmel Dennis King Bob & Rose Klas Sue & Paul Knoll

Cathy Kurtz Louise Kurzet Jennifer R. Lacroute Brian & Annika Lamka Margaret & Greg Lapic Jan LaRocca Claudia Lashley Ross & Mary Lou Laybourn Jane & John Lebens Sandra A. Lessert Nadja Lilly Craig & Anne Lindsay Renate Long Mary E. Long Joakim Richard Lord Una Loughran Evelyn Lowry Marvin & Sylvia Lurie Christine L. Mackert, MD Rod MacMillan Kathy MacNaughton Judy & Jerry Magee Amy & Christopher Marks Mr. & Mrs. Michael Marlitt Sharon Maroney Ellen Martin Kendra Matthews Sarah & Dennis McCarty Elise McClure Deborah McCoy Jan & Matthew McGrath Richard Meeker & Ellen Rosenblum Jan Merrimon Jeannette & Bill Meyer Catherine M. Miles Gary G. Miller & Dell Ann Dyar Gil Miller Sandra Mitchell

Jane Moore Mike Morris Mike & Sara Morris Heather & Troy Morrison Bruce Nelson Linda Neumann & Steve Jaggers Anna Nicholas Dr. Michael & Alice Norris Mary Lou Obloy Carillon Olmsted Barry D. Olson & Barbara Telford Carlton Olson Neal & Bonnie Brunkow Olson Terry O’Malley Lottie Goodwin Franklin Palacios Nancy J. Park Amy Pate Ron & Shirley Pausig Carol Pelmas & David L. Hawley Laura Perkins Marilyn Petrequin Janis L. Picker Suzanne Pickgrobe & Mike Hoffman Caroline & Claude Poliakoff Dick & Kathy Prather Marilynn Rabie Leone M. Rafferty Mari A. Raney Peter R. Rega Anita Reinhorn Betty & Jacob Reiss Jack E. Ridenour Kurt & Julie Risley Gary Ritter Jose Rivas Elmer & Karen Rogers

Umpqua Bank

Sometimes they work.

Sometimes they don’t.

But none of these actors would be on stage today without taking chances. It’s part of growth, and we’re all made to grow. That’s why we’re such a proud supporter of Portland Center Stage at The Armory.

Let this performance inspire you to take the chances that power your own growth.

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THE ARMORY

Charles & Sharon Toland Bill & Marti Tom Elliott & Dagney Trommald Peter & Cathy Tronquet Mary & Tom Troxel Lance & Suzie Tryon Mark Tynan Roberta & Ward Upson Kathy Van Beeck Linda Vogelsong George & Marilou Waldmann Anne & Eddie Ward Patricia Warmack Victoria Warren-Mears, PhD Sharon Watt Fred & Maureen Wearn Karen Whitaker Penelope A. White Joe Whittington Margaret Willer Sharon Williams & John Deits Tim Williams Lawrence Woelfer Ron & Ellen Wolff Barbara Woodford James M. Wyman Adam & Tina Yackley Karen Yates Ann & Lewis Young Marti & Stephen Zeigler Gregory Zerwekh Jennifer & Scot Zickel Arlene & Bob Zucker Jill Zurawski

ENCHANTERS:

LEAD CORPORATE CHAMPION

ACTORS TAKE CHANCES.

Nan Rogers Jacqueline & Nick Rothenberg David & Jody Rowell Carol Salisbury Margo Salisbury Richard & Rebecca Sandell Larry & Barbara Sanders David & Julie Sauer Jane Schindler Bill & Callie Schlippert Julie Schmidlkofer Christina Schmitt Matthew Schwartz Brenda & Bruce Schwindt Kim Scott Ken Scully Mary Sedillo Joan Shireman Thomas & Mary Showalter Jaymi & Francis Sladen Anne Mette Smeenk & Kevin Rentner Christine & Todd Smith Kelly Smith Vicki Smith Joan Snyder & Phil VanderWeele Donald & Jean Sowers Mary Steckel Dan Steves Carol Stout & Robert Rose Milan & Jean Stoyanov Margie Sutherland, MD Julia Surtshin Gary Taliaferro Sharon Tarlow Jerome & Kathleen Taylor Diane & Richard Thomas Larie Thomas Jan Elizabeth Thorpe

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2018 GALA SPONSORS SORCERERS: Keith & Sharon Barnes Tim & Mary Boyle Glenn Dahl & Linda Illig Diana Gerding Gerding Edlen Paul & Tasca Gulick James & Morley Knoll J. Greg & Terry Ness Ritz Family Foundation Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation The Standard Umpqua Bank

The Boeing Company Ellyn Bye Finley Family Foundation GBD Architects Tom & Betsy Henning Hoffman Construction Irwin & Renee Holzman Foundation Barbara Hort & Mark Girard Craig & Lynne Johnston KeyBank Sanjay Mirchandani Patti Norris & Mark Schlesinger Providence Health & Family Services Joe Sawicki & Kirsten Lee Richard & Marcy Schwartz Stoel Rives LLC Curtis T. Thompson MD & Associates, LLC U.S. Bank Wieden & Kennedy Wells Fargo

ILLUSIONISTS:

All Wright Music Argyle Winery Chehalem Wines Delta Airlines Rick Linn/DePonte Cellars Eastside Distilling New Deal Distillery Jason Okamoto Performance Promotions Precision Graphics Sleight of Hand Cellars

IN TRIBUTE

Tribute Gifts as of April 2, 2018.

In memory of Bill and Ellie Butterfield.

Ginger Carroll in memoriam for J. Michael Carroll.

Leslie Copland in honor of Richelle Luther.

Karen and William Early in honor of Chris Coleman and his wonderful work here over the years.

John and Jan Emrick in memory of our beloved storyteller and dear friend, Brian Doyle.

Cynthia Fuhrman in honor of Sandy Japel.

Jen Goldsmith and Lisa Sanman in honor of Helen Stern.

Dr. Hal Howard in memory of Carol Howard .

Jane and Paul Jacobsen honoring Betsy Henning.

Jina Kim in honor of Hyung-Jin Lee and Jina Kim. Dedre J. Marriott in memory and honor of Truman W. Collins, Sr., and Maribeth Wilson Collins, founders of The Collins Foundation, dedicated to improving the well-being and quality of life for Oregonians in their communities since 1947.

Patricia and Peter Medeiros in memory of Joyce Helgerson.

Richard H. Meeker in honor of Ellen Rosenblum.

Bridget Montero in honor of Carina Montero.

Terry and Greg Ness in memory of Ben Whiteley.

Robert Pater in honor of Brian Pater, a former intern of Portland Center Stage at The Armory.

Performance Promotions in honor of David Niederloh.

All of us at Portland Center Stage at The Armory will miss our friend Sam Blackman.

Portland Center Stage at The Armory in honor of Maribeth Collins and family, for their long-term dedication and commitment to our community and the arts.

All of us at Portland Center Stage at The Armory will miss Ben Whiteley. We send our love and support to Elaine.

Joan Peacock in loving memory of Ben Buckley.

Julie and Ted Vigeland: Portland Center Stage at The Armory has lost a strong supporter and friend with the passing of Prue Miller.

Julie and Ted Vigeland in memory of the wonderful years of support by Pete and Mary Mark to Portland Center Stage at The Armory.

Julie and Ted Vigeland in memory of Ben Whiteley. Ben Whiteley was a supporter, in every sense of the word, of Portland Center Stage at The Armory from its inception. Ben will be missed in so many ways. For us especially, opening nights will not be the same without Ben. David and Joan Weil in memory of Bob Lustberg, who was a generous and longtime contributor to Portland Center Stage at The Armory.

Randy Foster in memory of Dave Bany.

Portland Center Stage at The Armory in honor and memory of Dave Bany. We send our love and support to Sally Bany and the entire family.

TRIBUTE GIFTS Why not try something different? Instead of searching for that perfect gift or struggling over how to acknowledge a special achievement, you can recognize someone with a 100% tax deductible Tribute Gift. We’ll make it even easier for you by specially notifying the appropriate person that a Tribute Gift was made in honor or memoriam and list your gift in the playbill.

If you would like to make a Tribute Gift, please contact 503.445.3744 or giving@pcs.org.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ted Austin, Chair Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management Betsy Henning, Vice Chair CEO and Founder, AHA! Strategic Communications Brigid Flanigan, Treasurer President, Shamrock Holdings, LLC Steven E. Wynne, Secretary Executive Vice President, Moda Health Mary Boyle, Immediate Past Chair Civic Volunteer Chris Coleman, President Artistic Director, Portland Center Stage at The Armory Sharon Barnes, Community Volunteer Phil Beyl, President, GBD Architects Greg Chandler, Vice President of Information Technology, Standard Insurance, StanCorp Financial Group Sarah J. Crooks, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP Gustavo J. Cruz, Jr., Senior Counsel, Farleigh Wada Witt Kelly K. Douglas, Manager, State Investments LLC Lana Finley, Community Activist Diana Gerding, Community Volunteer Mike Golub, COO, Portland Timbers Tasca Gulick, Community Activist Lani Hayward, Community Activist Renée Holzman, President, Holzman Foundation, Inc. Linda Illig, Retired, Community Volunteer Yuki “Lynne” Johnston, Advocate for the Arts Kevin Kelly, Retired Jim Knoll, President, Knoll Mediation Karen O’Connor Kruse, Partner, Stoel Rives LLP Dedre Marriott, Community Volunteer Sanjay Mirchandani, President & CEO, Puppet Dana Rasmussen, Retired Joe Sawicki, Vice President and General Manager, Mentor Graphics, Design-To-Silicon Division Marcy Schwartz, Senior Vice President, CH2M HILL Ann E. Smith Sehdev, Physician, Cascade Pathology Doug Smith, Retired, Senior Vice President, AMEC Tyler Tatman, Finance Controller, Intel Corporation Dave Underriner, Regional Chief Executive, Oregon, Providence Health & Services J. Greg Ness, Director Emeritus, Chairman, President and CEO, Standard Insurance, StanCorp Financial Group Pat Ritz, Director Emeritus, Chairman and CEO, Footwear Specialties International Julie Vigeland, Director Emeritus, Civic Volunteer In Memoriam Bob Gerding

THE ARMORY

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STAFF Artistic Director: Chris Coleman

Managing Director: Cynthia Fuhrman

ARTISTIC Associate Artistic Director: Rose Riordan Associate Producer: Brandon Woolley Literary Manager: Benjamin Fainstein Company Manager: Will Cotter

PRODUCTION Production Manager: Liam Kaas-Lentz Production Coordinator: Katie Nguyen Stage Managers, AEA: Kelsey Daye Lutz, Kristen Mun, Mark Tynan, Janine Vanderhoff Stage Management Apprentice: Jordan Affeldt Technical Director: Derek Easton Scene Shop Manager: Seth Chandler Master Carpenter: Nick Foltz Staff Carpenters/Welders: Christian Cheker, Nathan Crosby, Michael Hall, Phil A. Shaw Properties Supervisor: Michael Jones Lead Props Artisan: Rachel Peterson Schmerge Props Artisan: James Tait Scenic Charge Artist: Kate Webb Scenic Painters: Kiona McAlister, Shawn Mallory Costume Shop Manager: Alex Wren Meadows Cutters/Drapers: Paula Buchert, Eva Steingrueber-Fagan Associate Draper: Larissa Cranmer Costume Crafts Artisan: Barbara Casement Wig Supervisor: Jessica Miller Wardrobe Supervisor: Bonnie Henderson-Winnie Lighting Supervisor: Em Douglas Master Electrician, U.S. Bank Main Stage: Alexz Eccles Master Electrician, Ellyn Bye Studio: Alex Agnes Resident Sound Designer & Sound/Video Supervisor: Casi Pacilio Sound Engineer & Programmer, U.S. Bank Main Stage: Ryan Chapman Sound Engineer & Programmer, Ellyn Bye Studio: Mitchell Bohanan Deck Manager: Tim McGarry

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Education & Community Programs Director: Kelsey Tyler Education & Community Programs Associate: Clara-Liis Hillier Education & Community Programs Coordinator: Eric Werner Resident Teaching Artist: Matthew B. Zrebski ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE General Manager: Creon Thorne Finance Director: Lisa Comer Director of HR, Equity & Inclusion: Caitlin Upshaw HR Coordinator: Lydia Comer Accounting Manager: Aurora Sanquilly Accountant: Alan King IT Administrator: Chris Beatty IT Associate: Dylan Howe Database Administrator: Bob Thomas DEVELOPMENT Development Director: Lisa Sanman Associate Development Director: Jennifer Goldsmith Grants Manager: Marlene A. Montooth Development Events Manager: Kate Bowman Development Associate: Jack E. Ridenour MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Associate Director of Marketing & Communications: Claudie Jean Fisher Marketing & Publications Specialist: Alice Hodge Group Sales Coordinator: Liz Brown Communications Associate: Katie Watkins Graphic Designer: Mikey Mann Multimedia Designer: Kate Szrom Webmaster: Christian Bisgard Production Photographer: Patrick Weishampel PATRON SERVICES Audiences Services & Ticketing Manager: Luke Robertson Patron Services Assistant Managers: Klint Keys, Sierra Walker Senior Patron Services Associate: Emily S. Ryan Patron Services Associates: Madelyn Clement, David Harper, Charley Praither Sales Associates: Colm Kirk, Meg Morrigan, Mark Woodlief OPERATIONS Operations Manager: Katie Cronin Operations Lead: Destry Cloud Operations Assistants: Amanda Maxwell, Eric Murray Custodians: Gregery Lee, Tim Taylor FACILITY & EVENT RENTALS Events & Rentals Manager: Elizabeth Hjort Rentals Assistant: Katie Martens 28

FOR THIS PRODUCTION

THE ARMORY

FRONT OF HOUSE Lead Concierge: Miles B. Lewis Concierges: Nsilo Berry, Wynee Hu, Amanda Maxwell, Hannah Rice Volunteer Coordinator: RaChelle Schmidt Lead House Manager: Michael Rocha House Managers: Jenna Barganski, Liz Olufson, Nhu Nguyen, RaChelle Schmidt Cafe Manager: Gregory Couper Catering Manager: Logan Starnes Bar Supervisor: Melissa Larrabee Kitchen & Catering Supervisor: Erin Rubin Kitchen Lead: Matt Couper Cafe Lead & Kitchen Assistant: Lynna Vu Food & Beverage Service Staff: Jenna Anderson, Leesidhe Blackburn, Arianna DiMarco, Joshua Moody Green, Katrina Hall, Beau Hommel, Rebekah Parker, Drew Rubin, Emily Irwin, Will Ramis

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE Office Assistants Chair: Connie Guist Entertainers Chair: Jo McGeorge Supporting Cast Chair: Karen Watson

MAJOR BARARA STAGE CREW WARDROBE SUPERVISOR

Bonnie Henderson-Winnie WIG SUPERVISOR

Jessica Miller

DECK MANAGER

Tim McGarry

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Jordan Affeldt DECK CREW

Michael Wax

SCENIC PAINTER

SOUND/VIDEO OPERATOR

Elecia Beebe

Ryan Chapman

ASSISTANT TO THE COSTUME SHOP MANAGER

LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR

Alexz Eccles

Sydney Dufka

ELECTRICIANS

STITCHERS

Foggy Bell Julia Braun Claudia La Rue Sara Ludeman COSTUME CRAFTS

Mary Hildebrand Nagler

Lainnie Alexander Kate Belden Conor Eifler Eric Lyness Megan Moll Amy Morel Myke Rodriguez Margaux Troiano Lisa Yimm Claire Zaro

LADY DAY ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR

Rosie Tabachnick A2/DECK SOUND

Mitchell Bohanan LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR

Alexz Eccles

ELECTRICIANS

Kate Belden Gabe Costales Kelly Cullom Rob Forrester Zahra Garrett Ian Hale

Duncan Lynch Megan Moelhman Margaux Troiano Mark Twohy Lisa Yimm PRODUCTION DRAMATURG

Hannah Rae Montgomery

PEPI THE CHIHUAHUA

Audrey

DOG WRANGLER

Sharonlee McLean

Cover art designed by Mikey Mann Portland Center Stage at The Armory operates under an agreement among the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Portland Center Stage at The Armory is a member of LORT, Theatre Communications Group, Portland Business Alliance and Travel Portland.

Portland Center Stage at The Armory is a participant in the Audience (R)Evolution Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and administered by Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for the professional not-for-profit American theater.

The Scenic, Costume, Lighting and Sound Designers in LORT are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE

WHAT TO SEE IN ARTSLANDIA MUSIC

AND SO WE WALKED

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY A frank, funny, and sometimes misguided story of a contemporary Cherokee woman who goes on a six-week, 900-mile journey with her father along the Trail of Tears in search of her heroic self. Through this personal odyssey, the people and places she encounters test her sense of identity—both as a contemporary Cherokee and as a woman.

MARCH 31–MAY 13; PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY, ELLYN BYE STUDIO

MAJOR BARBARA

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY When her daughters Sarah and Barbara are both engaged to be married, Lady Britomart decides to ask her estranged industrialist husband, Andrew Undershaft, for support.

Barbara, a Major in the Salvation Army, agrees to let her father visit her mission in the East End of London. In exchange, she promises to visit his munitions factory. The clash between Barbara’s philanthropic idealism and her father’s hardheaded capitalism are at the heart of Shaw’s witty and timely appraisal of capitalism, war, religion, and politics.

APRIL 14–MAY 13; PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY, U.S. BANK MAIN STAGE

YUJA WANG

OREGON SYMPHONY This breathtaking pianist wows audiences around the globe with her intense power and exceptional stage presence. Her stylistic music-making, along with what Los Angeles Times calls her “brilliant keyboard virtuosity,” never fails to thrill both piano lovers and newcomers alike. The Oregon Symphony does not perform.

MAY 3; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

RIGOLETTO

PORTLAND OPERA Powerhouse American baritone Stephen Powell returns to Portland Opera as Rigoletto— the court jester who amuses a philandering and immoral Duke. A clown in public but a doting and protective father to his beloved Gilda in private, Rigoletto’s life will change forever when his mockery goes too far and results in a fateful curse.

MAY 4–12; KELLER AUDITORIUM

30

ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

DANCE

CHRIS BOTTI

OREGON SYMPHONY The jazz-pop powerhouse returns to dazzle his hometown fans with the shimmering tone, cool riffs, and mesmerizing ballads that have made him one of the most successful performers of all time.

MAY 5; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

JOSHUA BELL

OREGON SYMPHONY The world’s most famous violinist returns to the Oregon Symphony to perform Bernstein’s Serenade, often described as a “love piece” by the composer. Brooklynite singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane (son of classical pianist Jeffrey Kahane) makes his Oregon Symphony debut with the world premiere of his composition. Carlos Kalmar conducts.

MAY 12–14; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

BALLET HISPÁNICO

WHITE BIRD DANCE Ballet Hispánico is acclaimed for exploring, preserving, and celebrating Latino cultures through dance. Their thrilling new program will feature all female choreographers: Michelle Manzanales’s Con Brazos Abiertos, harking back to her childhood as a Mexican-American growing up in Texas; Línea Recta by Belgian Colombian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, pairing flamenco dance with intricate partnering; and Catorce Dieciséis by Tania Pérez-Salas, one of the leading voices of Mexican contemporary dance.

MAY 16; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

MAHLER’S SYMPHONY NO. 7

OREGON SYMPHONY Mahler’s “Song of the Night” is guaranteed to leave you on a rousing note, as day overtakes night in the astonishingly exuberant final movement. Carlos Kalmar conducts.

MAY 19–21; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

THEATER

CULTURE

ONE NIGHT ONLY

FAMILY SHOW

AUDRA MCDONALD

OREGON SYMPHONY The Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awardwinning Broadway legend brings her incomparable voice to a one-night-only performance with the Oregon Symphony for an evening of favorite show tunes, classic film songs, and original pieces written especially for her. Andy Einhorn conducts.

MAY 22; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

CLOSER

OREGON BALLET THEATRE OBT’s season concludes with Closer, a program that draws you in for a last look at the artists you have enjoyed all season-long, including new work created by the dancers of the company. With just 175 seats right at the stage floor, enjoy a rare opportunity to experience all the power and artistry of this most rigorous of dance forms in a way that puts you safely in the midst of all the action.

MAY 24–JUNE 3; BODYVOX DANCE CENTER

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY Featuring iconic songs such as God Bless the Child and Strange Fruit, this show is an all-access pass to Billie Holiday’s final concert. With humor and hopefulness, the legendary singer takes us on a journey through the highs and lows of her tumultuous life, interspersed with exuberant renditions of her beloved repertoire.

MAY 26–JULY 1; PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY, U.S. BANK MAIN STAGE

YOUNG ARTISTS’ PERFORMANCE

VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Vancouver Symphony continues its 39th season with a concert that features the talents of the three gold medalists of the 24th Annual Young Artists Competition. Maestro Salvador Brotons conducts. See the VSO website for more information.

JUNE 2 & 3; SKYVIEW CONCERT HALL, 1300 NW 139TH ST., VANCOUVER

MAY & JUNE 2018 TONY BENNETT

OREGON SYMPHONY A true living legend, Tony Bennett has been a pop culture icon for over 60 years. His distinct vocal style and remarkable ability to collaborate with today’s emerging stars make him one of the most beloved and admired entertainers of our time. The Oregon Symphony does not perform.

JUNE 6; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

FAUST

PORTLAND OPERA A vision at once new and timeless.

When the devil appears and offers Faust a second chance at youth in exchange for his soul, he makes the pact and then uses his newfound powers to seduce the youthful and innocent Marguerite—with tragic consequences.

One of the most popular operas of the last two centuries, lyricism and legend converge in Gounod’s unforgettable masterpiece. This groundbreaking production is infused with the vision of sculptor and visual artist John Frame, who exhibited at the Portland Art Museum in 2012. After years in the making, Frame’s remarkable creative vision translates to the stage with powerful and deeply evocative sets and costumes, sculpture 3D projections, and more.

Rising international opera star Angel Blue makes her Portland Opera debut as Marguerite to Jonathan Boyd’s Faust.

Faust is a co-production of Lyric Opera of Chicago and Portland Opera.

JUNE 8-16; KELLER AUDITORIUM

SUMMER 2018

NW DANCE PROJECT Bringing new dimensions to their white-box summer shows, Resident Choreographer Ihsan Rustem will reveal a world-premiere work. Back by popular demand, Sarah Slipper’s MemoryHouse returns after gracing stages and stunning audiences around the world, and Danielle Agami’s curious This Time Tomorrow completes the trio of phenomenal works to close the season.

JUNE 14–16; LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL, PSU

THE SECRETARIES

PROFILE THEATRE Pretty Patty Johnson is thrilled to join the secretarial pool at the Cooney Lumber Mill in Big Bone, Oregon, under the iron-fisted leadership of sultry office manager Susan Curtis. But she soon begins to feel that all is not right—the enforced diet of SlimFast shakes, the strange clicking language between the girls, the monthly disappearance of a lumberjack. By the time Patty discovers murder is part of these office killers’ skill set, it’s too late to turn back! In the guise of satiric exploitation-horror, The Secretaries takes an unflinching look at the warping cultural expectations of femininity and the ways women themselves are often the enforcers of sexism.

JUNE 14–JULY 1; ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATRE, ALDER STAGE

CHRISTINA KOWALSKI

Photo courtesy of John Frame.

VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Soprano Kowalksi joins VSO musicians to share the magic of opera. Kowalski’s long and distinguished career includes performances in the United States and Europe, with diverse repertoire such as roles in full productions of operas by Monteverdi, Beethoven, Puccini, Mozart, Verdi, Donizetti, Stravinsky, Britten, and Menotti.

JUNE 17; KIGGINS THEATRE, 1011 MAIN STREET, VANCOUVER MAY | JUNE 2018

31

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AT TH E P E R FO R M A N C E

M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 8

PUBLISHER + FOUNDER Misty Tompoles EDITOR-AT-LARGE Barry Johnson

PERFORMANCES

SUMMER

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER + MEMBERSHIP MANAGER Katrina Ketchum COPY EDITOR Kristen Seidman DESIGNERS Lisa Johnston-Smith Dan Le Jackie Tran EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Blanche Minoza MEDIA DIRECTOR Chris Porras SALES DIRECTOR Lindsey Ferguson PUBLISHING COORDINATORS Bella Showerman Janelle Bonifacio CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bobby Bermea Hannah Krafcik Blanche Minoza PHOTOGRAPHERS Christine Dong Max McDermott

JUN 14 - 16 / 7:30 PM TICKETS NWDANCEPROJECT.ORG WORLD PREMIERE - IHSAN RUSTEM

503.828.8285 MEMORYHOUSE - SARAH SLIPPER

LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL

THIS TIME TOMORROW - DANIELLE AGAMI

PHOTO / MICHAEL SLOBODIAN DANCER / KODY JAURON

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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

PODCAST HOST Susannah Mars

Artslandia at the Performance is published by Rampant Creative, Inc. ©2018 Rampant Creative, Inc. All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

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ARTSLANDIA.COM

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE

“I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.”

—Stephen Jay Gould, New Scientist, March 8, 1979

WHILE I WAS IN ASHLAND for the opening four shows of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2018 season—and a splendid set of shows they are—I managed to secure a little time with Bill Rauch, the company’s artistic director. Rauch had announced a few weeks earlier that he was leaving the festival, which he’d led since 2007, to lead The Ronald O. Perelman Center for Performing Arts at the World Trade Center in New York City, a new multidisciplinary performing arts space. Although he won’t leave the festival until August 2019, I thought touching base with him made sense.

en playwrights as men (an achievement considering the number of plays devoted to Shakespeare). Those directors and playwrights include almost as many artists of color as white artists. More than half the acting company is made up of artists of color, and the company spans various ages and body types. The stories they tell onstage are wide-ranging, too, coming out of various traditions around the world.

Rauch has developed a very specific idea about how deeply ingrained the old way of doing business in arts organizations has become, that top-down, authoritarian leadership style, the tyranny of the maestro, that has infected the arts community from the start.

We met Sunday morning, right after a festival public event with the directors of the four opening shows of the year. Since Rauch had directed Othello, he was part of that panel, though he was probably the least “In that question in the panel just now,” Rauch said, “when they were asking about loquacious panelist. leadership? One of the things I was going to talk about—most theaters in this counAlthough I found his approach to Othello quite revealing, I wanted to talk about some- try are run by very liberal people, not all thing else. How had he made the festival a but most. And the gap between the values model for other big arts organizations that we espouse in our plays—the Shakespeare want to become more inclusive, less dom- history plays that show the evils of fascistic inated by the white male perspectives that leadership—and then, we run our organihave had a monopoly on American theater zations in the very leadership style that we since, well, the beginning? are critiquing in the play we are putting on.

You see that hypocrisy again and again and In case you’re curious about what this looks again. Right? It’s obscene.” like onstage: This year’s festival features about as many women in the director’s But even a liberal artistic director who chair as men and roughly as many wom- agrees that leaders need to lead differently, 34

ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

more inclusively, that power needs to be distributed more widely, and that aligning their artistic values with their personal values is important—even such an artistic director can draw back at the moment of decision.

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“It’s such a powerful tool of white supremacy, right? White men hiring the white men they know, and white men hiring white men whose worth has been proven because of the opportunities they’ve already been given.

It’s a vicious circle.”

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Of course, when you go another direction, as Rauch did in Ashland, tensions arise.

“I think one of the places where the tension you’re naming has been most active is in the acting community,” Rauch said. “I came here because I believe that great work comes out of a resident company of actors. But the eclecticism of my taste and the ways we’ve tried to expand the playbill and the kinds of stories that we do, mean that we’ve had a higher percentage of turnover in the acting company, certainly than in Libby’s era [Libby Appel, served as artistic director before Rauch, 1995–2007] or before. That has been great for the artistic vitality, but I feel like we’ve pushed the boundaries on the commitment to an ongoing company.

There’s been a tension, and there’s a tension every year when we cast.”

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Although the unprecedented turnover in the acting company created tension, Rauch received continued support from the rest of the staff and the board that had hired him to shake things up. He remembered an early meeting in his tenure when the plays were being discussed—which plays would run all season, what theater they would play in, how much of the company’s resources would be applied to them.

“The first show I directed as artistic director was The Clay Cart back in 2008 that we ran all season,” Rauch said. “And that was because someone in the marketing department, Bob Hackett, pounded his fist on the table and said that doing classics from other parts of the world is core to Bill’s vision and why are we trying to stick it into the shortest possible slot. We’ve got to have the courage of our convictions and run this all year. And everybody clapped, and I realized, wow, my colleagues have more courage for me than I have for myself in this moment. And I took up the challenge.”

The audience has been generally warm to Rauch’s approach, too, though with some exceptions. >>>> MAY | JUNE 2018

35

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE Continued from page 35

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>>>> “In terms of the relationship with the audience, I have my share of horror stories about things that people have said that I found problematic or hurtful, but I’ve also learned when the work is pushing buttons, and when people are having strong reactions, that’s a good thing,” Rauch explained. “I’ve learned how projects plant the seeds for future projects. Even if there is a kind of audience consensus—that didn’t work, or we didn’t like that or that made us uncomfortable, whatever it is—what are we doing five years later? Eight years later?

That was made entirely possible because of that show that quote, didn’t work, unquote.

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We talked a little about his new job on the site of the World Trade Center, as symbolic a site for a performing arts venue in the U.S. as I can imagine right now. Rauch said that he didn’t have any intention of leaving the festival, which has proven to be a springboard to project new work around the country and even to Broadway, where the festival has piled up Tony nominations and victories in recent years.

“It just felt the possibility field was so rich— and a little scary—but was not something I could turn away from,” Rauch said. “I do think in terms of everything we’ve talked about today, which is modeling democracy in both the work itself and in the organization that supports it, I just think it’s an exciting place to try to continue.”

Bringing democratic values to the arts space, in general, has proven to be far more difficult than it should have, for various reasons, from the authoritarianism of the old-style leader to the blind admonition to “run it as a business” from board members equally enmeshed in top-down management styles. The result of the old way hasn’t been great art. It hasn’t been vast financial success. I’d argue that it has led in quite the opposite direction.

Of course, I’d have to admit that Rauch’s tenure at the Shakespeare Festival is currently exhibit one in that argument. .

36

ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

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JUNE 8, 10m, 14, 16

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RIGOLETTO Grand opera returns to Portland this spring, with a traditional production of Verdi’s Rigoletto.

LA CENERENTOLA Rossini’s classic opera will glitter as brightly as Cinderella’s royal ball gown.

ORFEO ED EURIDICE Celebrate the transformative power of love and music in this epic myth.

Single tickets start at $35 portlandopera.org | 503.241.1802 concierge@portlandopera.org MAY | JUNE 2018

39

WHY I’M HERE,

With You: A BRIEF HISTORY OF LINDA AUSTIN

BY HANNAH KRAFCIK

LINDA AUSTIN IS PERFORMING. In her hand, she holds a wiry, gray tree branch. The branch seems a bit grim, jutting upward and then twisting abruptly out on a perpendicular axis. Austin hooks the branch on her arm for a moment. Her face is somber and focused, as if to say, “I am happy you are here, but it doesn’t matter if the things I am doing with this branch make any sense to you. This is serious work, and it’s the only thing I concern myself with right now.”

She balances the branch on her finger.

At once, it tips forward, and she does too.

She puts herself in the way of precarity, of gravity, and I feel a subtext bubbling: “You never really know (so it’s best not to assume that you do). Just keep watching.”

I keep watching from the risers at Performance Works NW, Austin’s nonprofit performance space in Southeast Portland that serves as a community hub for performances and a home for her work through Linda Austin Dance. On this afternoon in March, a group of invited friends and colleagues came to view a work in progress, Ordinary Devotions, that she would be showing in New York City later in the month for the spring season of Movement Research at the Judson Church, the historic gestation site of postmodern dance.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DONG.

With no one designated to run lighting for this informal showing, Austin occasionally calls out lighting cues to a volunteer from the gathering chosen to run lights minutes beforehand. Her cues are part and parcel of her continuum of random (but not arbitrary) tasks, which she performs in specific progression—thing after thing.

40

Austin continues speaking during the performance. She mentions to us that ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

her mother had once called her “ornery”— and this descriptor still feels fitting. Her body is petite and her movement, specific and sly. Her gray hair falls down around her shoulders, and when she looks up, her blue-gray eyes have a sharp quality. Austin is 64 years old, but sometimes she seems to me like a sneaky child, relishing an experience that has somehow slipped outside the duration of time.

Absorbed in the impossible task of standing on a set of commonplace spools of thread, while simultaneously gripping a flashlight and trying to keep her otherwise naked body wrapped in a giant white tarp, Austin calls out in a singsong voice: “I don’t know why I’m here...with you. What the heck is this thing I’m doing?”

The question feels timely. What is she doing here in Portland, anyway? Most people who know Austin probably also know she moved here in the late 1990s from New York City, where she been making work for 15 years.

artistic practice—and the sequence of the choices that led her here.

When I sat down with Austin for a discussion at PWNW to learn more, I found myself unsure of how to initiate a dialogue, feeling the weight of so much historical, conceptual, and personal territory we had yet to cover.

Austin has lived a lot. Luckily, the opening presented itself on the shelf next to us, lined with family photos, including photos of a sister and two nephews who have died, photos of her father and mother. She indicated this was her altar.

seem to. She posts videos of herself dancing in front of bookshelves, in the backyard of PWNW or its studio space proper, and occasionally with one or two felines hovering around. “A lot of times there’s a stew going on,” she says, “so everything kind of is stewing around.”

Austin attended Lewis & Clark College for her undergraduate education, eventually opting to become a theater major. “I don’t think I thought it was going to be my major when I started, but it just seemed like that’s what I wanted to be spending my time doing,” she remembers. She went to New York City for a term during college and decided to move back with a classmate after graduating.

“I thought I was going to be a writer,” she remembers. But someone running an improvisational acting class introduced her to some movement-based practices and another person nudged her in the direction of the “downtown dance scene,” the aggressively experimental work that questioned the value sets around ballet and classical modern dance.

And there can be no question She found herself seeing dance about the impact Austin has had work and taking workshops. She on Portland’s arts community. In got hooked.

Eric Nordstrom’s 2017 documentary Moving History: Portland ConIt’s also fitting to recollect that, between the On the altar sat an inconspicuous silver urn. temporary Dance Past and Present, dance ‘60s and the ‘90s, downtown dance was, in critic Martha Ullman West says Austin has “That’s mom,” she said. fact, a scene—one without high-speed interbrought “a quirky and idiosyncratic humor net, without the range of readily accessible Austin grew up in Medford, Oregon, the to the Portland dance scene, and it’s undigital documentation we enjoy today, and oldest of nine siblings, born when her father forced, and it isn’t cute.” therefore, one where showing up, in person, was 21, and her mother was 17. The way she was essential.

During the past 20 years since her transition, speaks about her life strikes me as, at once, heavy and light, leaving room for emotional Austin has offered cheap rehearsal space and As her friends and collaborators know, Linda content but also a level of humor and amongoing artist residencies. She has brought Austin is uncannily capable of showing up. bivalence. “My mom was fertile,” says Austin. in visiting artists, presented and produced local artists, and created large-scale pro- “She was pregnant for ten years, basically, “She’s at everything,” says Allie Hankins, a popping out the babies and never lost one.” Portland-based performer who has worked ductions that feature local movers—Claire Barrera, Keyon Gaskin, Allie Hankins, and with Austin, indicating how she models this Of her early life, she recalls, “Sometimes Takahiro Yamamoto, to name a few. She same value today. when I’m in my space, I remember that...I also prioritizes paying those who dance in guess, I didn’t dance as a child, but when Austin developed her way of working in her work as well as she can, spreading the I was growing up we had this outbuilding the epicenter of American experimental resources she has to the benefit of other artthat had been someone’s workshop…And dance, which has been shaped by waves of ists. Her work has earned her awards, such we used to go in there and do plays.

You titan choreographers including the likes of as The Merce Cunningham Award from the know what I mean?

It was like my fi rst Trisha Brown, Meredith Monk, and Yvonne Foundation for Contemporary Arts (2017). studio, in a way.”

Rainer, and later, Ishmael Houston-Jones Still, Austin remains enigmatic: From and Yvonne Meier. Austin found her way where does the thing that follows that oth- Austin’s Instagram account is public proof into the scene during the final decades of that while so much has changed in her life, the last millenium. “You know, people would er thing come? What about this practice of her inclination to mess around in a work- meet me in [dance] workshops and then dance-making, which articulates a palpable space has not. She said she does not consider but unseen and unpredictable logic? How invite me to be in their work,” Austin says. herself very “process-oriented,” but while her She eventually started dancing in work by and where does the artist develop such a artistic outputs ebb and flow with available practice? These questions lead back to a choreographers such as Yoshiko Chuma and time and resources, her making does not question about origins—of Austin, of her Sally Silvers, who are still active today. >>>> MAY | JUNE 2018

41

WHY I’M HERE, WITH YOU Continued from page 41

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>>>> During her early years in the city, she sought an advanced degree, which allowed her to transition from service industry gigs into a career that sustained her dancing life. “I did my masters in English as a Second Language from 1980–82. And my first dance show was in ‘83,” she says, reflecting on how her work in ESL helped sustain her from New York to Portland, until she finally retired three years ago. When asked if it felt good to quit her ESL job, she responds, “Oh my gosh, so good.” While Austin admits she did enjoy the work, she also knows her path, clarifying: “It’s like, ‘Really? I did that all these years?’” she continues, “Because, I feel like, now finally is the life I was supposed to have.”

Austin found herself choreographing her first dance piece when a well-connected friend invited her to show work at Danspace Project in St. Mark’s Church. “He decided to invite people to make a work who had never made a dance before, and he invited me,” said Austin. The work was called An Atrocity Exhibition in Two Parts. “It had objects in it,” she remembers. “It had humor in it. It had things in it that I still come back to.”

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The fact that Austin’s first work was presented in a religious gathering space came as an omen for the locus her creative practice would eventually find in a small Romanian Orthodox church—what we now know as Performance Works NW. Austin’s dance-making life continued to evolve in New York from this chance opportunity. She kept creating and showing work at other established venues, including Movement Research at Judson Church and The Kitchen. She sustained her work, not only through teaching ESL but also through a chance investment that stabilized her living situation in New York—her purchase of an apartment for $2000 in 1978—which would eventually help propel her to Portland.

Things started to shift subtly for Austin round the mid-’90s. She started to feel, as she puts it, like she was spinning her wheels.

She could “make the downtown circuit,” but had no dedicated space to make her own work. The idea to move back to Oregon,

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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

to invest the equity from her apartment, which had appreciated exponentially, into somewhere she could call a home for her creative practice began to percolate. Then, love happened, further tipping the scales toward a move back home to the West.

Austin says it best, “On a trip back to Portland, I ran into Jeff Forbes, who I’d known in college. We were on lighting crew together, and he was two years behind me.”

Forbes is a prominent technical director and lighting designer working with arts groups in Portland, such as Portland Institute for Contemporary Art and White Bird Dance.

“I ended up moving out,” Austin concludes.

The rest is history, and certainly a more complicated history than presented here: Austin leveraged her assets to open a space and co-founded PWNW with Forbes. In so doing, for a period, she took on a threefold role of ESL educator, dance maker, and arts administrator, a choice she regards with a level of ambivalence.

“I had this mantra that I wasn’t going to become an arts administrator,” said Austin, “But I couldn’t help it.” She explained the choice: “Having a space made me want events to happen and to make things possible that I missed [from her time in New York].” The price may have been time devoted to her own art-making, but the payoff is felt across the dance scene here in Portland.

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot [from Austin],” Hankins said. “I think, practical things, like: Just show up. Be around. Be present.

Be in the community. And generosity goes a long way, and generosity makes a community function.”

In addition to dancing in two of Austin’s most recent evening-length works, Hankins is currently embarking on a collaboration with Austin.

“Alchemy is something that Linda has,” Hankins mused. “Having come from a big

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family, she’s experienced a lot of loss in her life, and she’s able to hold that loss next to all the other things that it happens alongside.

Like, it happens alongside someone else she knows getting married, or having a baby, or something hilarious happening, or Trump getting elected.

“You see how she transforms the world around her.”

In the midst of my interview with Austin, she paused to pull out her iPad. “I now have this app. Have you heard of it? It’s called WeCroak, and it reminds you five times a day that you’re going to die,” she says. Austin is in a phase of thinking about themes of death in her creative practice, as well as in the pragmatics of life. She dreams of expanding PWNW, but she is also contemplating a succession plan—holding space for a multiplicity of futures, at which seems so adept.

I think she’s able to see the complex and multifaceted ways around things,” she elaborated. “We’ll be in the middle of rehearsal, and she’ll suddenly be like, ‘Oh my God, I have to show you this cat video!’” (Austin is a cat person, should that not already be clear). “She allows things that bubble up to “I think it’s funny that my mom, who only be present,” Hankins said. saw me perform twice in my life—once in high school and once at a performance in Portland in 2007—is right here!” Austin chuckles, gesturing the silver urn. “I think she’d get a kick out of it.” .

In addition to PWNW’s roster of public access programming this spring, Linda Austin will be performing Recipe: A Reading Test and Raw Material, new versions of two solos from the 1980s, at 8 p.m., June 22–23. You can learn more and donate to support the work at pwnw-pdx.org.

MAY | JUNE 2018

43

VANPORT

MOSAIC 2018

A S TO RY C O M E S H O M E

TOP: Children at Swan Island refugee center set up by the Red Cross after the Vanport Flood, 1948. BOTTOM LEFT: Aerial view of Vanport. BOTTOM MIDDLE: Vanport Daily Vacation Bible School, 1943. BOTTOM RIGHT: Vanport refugees, 1948.

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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

PHOTO CREDITS: Oregon Historical Society Research Library (ba018658, OrHi 56002, OrHi 78867, OrHi 90163).

BY BOBBY BERMEA

“Stories need to be freed to do their work.”

—Laura Lo Forti MEMORIAL DAY, 1948, was a seminal moment in the evolution of contemporary Portland. On that day, the city of Vanport, hastily constructed to house workers at the Kaiser Shipyards during World War II, was wiped out when a dike gave way at 4:05 p.m.

The swelling Columbia River came crashing through the breach, and by nightfall, there were at least 15 dead. Vanport, at one point the largest housing project of its kind in the United States and the second largest city in Oregon, was underwater, and some 18,500 people were left homeless.

This Memorial Day weekend, May 25–28, the Vanport Mosaic will commemorate the 70th anniversary of that cataclysmic event with a four-day festival of “exhibits, theater performances, a reunion/celebration of former Vanport residents, documentary screenings and recordings, poetry, tours of the historic Vanport City area, and community engagement activities.”

It will be citywide, stretching from the Expo Center to Delta Park to City Hall to the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church and is supported by some 30 sponsors, funders, and partners. The festival, like the nonprofit organization from which it gets its name, is “artist-led” but “community driven.” In other words, the festival is less about artists taking inspiration from an event and making work that satisfies their own creative impulses, and more about providing a platform for stories that don’t often get heard or are, in fact, silenced.

Perhaps the most significant part of the Vanport Flood’s legacy is that it forced integration—of a kind—on Portland. Vanport was located where Delta Park and the Portland International Raceway are now. (The name was a portmanteau of Vancouver and Portland.) At its peak during the war years, Vanport had a population of 40,000, of which about 6,000 were black.

By 1948, the total population was down to around half that, with the number of African-Americans holding steady. Many white families left as soon as they could, but because of redlining and other discriminatory housing policies, Black people found themselves with nowhere else to go. Postwar Vanport’s population also included Native

Obie Award-winner Lou Bellamy directs this winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Americans, Japanese-Americans returning from internment camps, and veterans returning from the war. Thus, the majority of Vanport—poor, of color, or both—were unwanted by greater Portland. Vanport Mosaic co-founder and Co-artistic Director, Laura Lo Forti, characterized Vanport as a city of “undesirables.” These undesirable stories, before and after the flood, are exactly the focus of Vanport Mosaic.

But what exactly is the Vanport Mosaic?

As the name implies, the Mosaic is many things, many pieces, and each piece has different facets. It’s a festival that commemorates a far-reaching tragedy. It’s a year-round nonprofit that celebrates human resiliency.

The Vanport Mosaic, as Lo Forti describes it, is “memory activism”—it uses history as a living tool to lay the groundwork for a more tolerant and just future. It seeks to “capture stories” while at the same time, freeing them “to do their work.” It rewrites old narratives using the lived experience of the people who were actually there, with the hope of making Portland the city that it strives to be.

In the words of Lo Forti, “This is history from the bottom up. It’s a piece of history that is not being told because it’s an uncomfortable story.” >>>>

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45

A HOP, SKIP & JUMP TO YOUR THEATER SEATS

VANPORT MOSAIC 2018 Continued from page 45 >>>> There is a painful dichotomy, Lo Forti believes, between Portland’s view of itself as a progressive, liberal, nice city, and its frequently white supremacist history. “Our past is ugly. You can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. People are still struggling with the legacy of policies and decisions that were made about where people could live and not live.”

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When Lo Forti, a native of Italy, first moved to Portland about five years ago, she was shocked by the homogeneity of the population. It became imperative for her to find out the various causes of this “unhealthy environment.” When she started researching the racial dynamics of Portland, the story of the Vanport Flood immediately started to emerge and fascinated her. With the help of the Skanner Foundation, Lo Forti, a self-described “story midwife,” started collecting oral histories. She enlisted and trained people in the community to interview on camera a family member, friend, neighbor, or an elder from Vanport. When these rough documentaries were shown at libraries and churches, dozens of people would attend.

“What happened,” remembers Lo Forti, “was that every time we did these screenings, someone else came forward and said, ‘I have a story’ or ‘What about the JapaneseAmericans? We were there too.’ ‘What about the veterans?’ It became kind of a collective inquiry of trying to put the pieces together of a story that’s being told in a very limited way.”

Collecting these oral histories brought Lo Forti into contact with theater artist and activist S. Renee Mitchell. Mitchell at the same time was also working on a staged reading of a new play, Cottonwood in the Flood, written by local playwright Rich Rubin and directed by Damaris Webb.

Laura Lo Forti (bottom, third from left) and Damaris Webb (holding the book) take a group selfie with other Vanport Mosaic creators. Photo by Shawnte Sims.

portlandartmuseum.org Chrysler Thunderbolt, 1941. Photo: Peter Harholdt.

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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

The plight of Japanese-Americans returning from the internment camps is one of the stories re-discovered with the Vanport Mosaic.

Photo by Shawnte Sims.

“Right from the beginning, the Vanport Mosaic served as a mechanism for connecting the dots.”

Webb had recently come home after spending several years working as a theater artist in New York. “About a year after I’d returned,” remembers Webb, a Portland native and a multifaceted theater artist, “Rich Rubin contacted me via email to see if I might consider directing one of his plays for Fertile Ground. So he sent me a few possibilities. One of them was Cottonwood in the Flood, and I was like, ‘What? What happened? There was a city that—what?’

You see, growing up here, I had never even heard of Vanport. That struck me.”

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Lo Forti saw Cottonwood in the Flood, and Mitchell introduced Lo Forti to Webb. Thus, a formidable partnership was created. Webb and Mitchell immediately recognized the need for the kind of work that Lo Forti was championing and aligned their own expertise, both as members of the community and as artists, with a view of social justice that all three women shared. That was three years ago. Today, Lo Forti and Webb are artistic co-directors of Vanport Mosaic, and Mitchell is on the board.

Right from the beginning, the Vanport Mosaic served as a mechanism for connecting the dots. Both Webb and Lo Forti are adamant in declaring that they aren’t the first ones to try to tell these stories. Essentially, what the Vanport Mosaic did (and continues to work at today) is to take all these disparate voices— and more besides—and bring them together, put them in conversation with and riffing off one another, and elevate them. >>>>

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VANPORT MOSAIC 2018 Continued from page 47

>>>> Something else happened, too. Other ignored voices found a natural outlet in the Vanport Mosaic. The flood led organically into a history of the Albina district.

Confluence (confluenceproject.org), an organization that focuses on collecting and preserving Native voices from the Columbia River basin, is taking part in the festival this year. Kent Ford, who founded the Portland chapter of the Black Panthers, will conduct a walking tour of Northeast Portland where he’ll talk about the history of that civil rights organization in the Rose City. There will be a screening of Priced Out, a documentary about the local history of gentrification.

There will be a forum about disaster preparedness and community resilience. There are exhibits and bike tours and bus tours, each curated in such a way for one to lead to the other one.

“That’s why it’s a mosaic, right?” says Webb, “It’s so many little gems and pieces.” Indeed, gems and pieces that when viewed as a whole, tell a powerful story. The idea, according to Webb, is that a normal person with normal energy can, if they so desire, experience everything going on at the festival over the course of the four days.

Everything, except one thing. There is one closed event, a dinner with music, that is simply a reunion of survivors of Vanport.

These are people in their 80s, 90s, and even 100s. Some will be coming from different states to see people they haven’t seen in years and may not ever see again. A woman from Colorado will be bringing a diary her father kept about Vanport. They will share their stories, memories, and lives with each other.

This is the essence of the Vanport Mosaic.

As Webb says, “The story stays their story all the way through, and it remains in the community.” .

The Vanport Mosaic Festival 2018 will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Vanport Flood with a four-day festival, May 25–28. Visit the Vanport Mosaic website, vanportmosaic.org/festival-2018, for details.

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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

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“

My personal goal and dream is to become a better person each day. I want to live in more compassion, more mercy, more grace, and more love. My heart is full of love, and I hope to share it with everyone who I meet.

50

�

Angel BLUE

By Blanche Minoza

Artslandia caught up with soprano powerhouse Angel Blue as she prepares for her role as Marguerite in Portland Opera’s groundbreaking production of Faust.

YOU GRADUATED FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS, HAVE HAD MANY SUCCESSFUL ENDEAVORS SINCE, AND I’M SURE HAD MANY BEFORE. HOW EARLY IN YOUR LIFE WAS MUSIC—OR MORE SPECIFICALLY OPERA—CLEARLY YOUR VOCATION? My earliest memory of opera is when I was four years old. I saw the opera Turandot, a concert version. I loved the music and was moved by the performance, the singing, the music, the costumes, everything. From that moment on, I knew. As I explained to my Dad when I was a child, “I want to be the woman in the light.”

YOU’VE PERFORMED IN 35 COUNTRIES IN THE LAST SIX YEARS. HOW HAS WORKING ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE INFLUENCED YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF PERFORMANCE AND MUSIC? Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said: “Music is the universal language of mankind.” What I’ve learned from traveling is that he is entirely correct. I’ve been to many countries with languages and cultures/customs I don’t know. However, we all understand music that moves us. [It] is one language all humankind can understand and share. We all have that in common.

WHICH HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CITY THAT YOU’VE PERFORMED IN SO FAR? London is one of my favorite cities to visit and perform. But I enjoy singing so much that, regardless of where I am, I enjoy the job as much as possible because I’m grateful to be performing.

IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF YOUR JOB, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? Traveling. Traveling is definitely the most challenging aspect of my job because it is wonderful to do, but it also takes time away from being with family. Thankfully, my family has been traveling with me for the last few months. I’m very happy about that.

Phot

IS THERE ANYTHING NEW OR SIGNIFICANT YOU’VE GOTTEN OUT OF PRACTICING FOR THE ROLE OF MARGUERITE SO FAR?

o by a Ga

Sony rza.

YES! This is my first time singing the role of Marguerite, and I’m learning so much about her character. Before I studied the score, I didn’t know that her music and role were so dramatic. The most important thing I’ve learned from this role is that it is a “big sing!” By that I mean, I will pace myself throughout the opera to sing this part well. >>>> MAY | JUNE 2018

51

ANGEL BLUE Continued from page 51

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To be totally honest, I’m so excited to come to Portland. I might be more excited about singing in Portland than Faust. And who can blame me—Portland is a beautiful city!

However, I’ve fallen in love with this opera and am looking forward to singing and acting this great piece of music.

PHILADANCO Photo by Lois Greenfield

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>>>> WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT FAUST—WHETHER IT BE A SONG, AN OUTFIT, PERFORMING IN PORTLAND?

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CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR CHARACTER IN FAUST, MARGUERITE, AS A FEMALE SOCIETAL FIGURE? Marguerite represents so many women in so many different ways. She is important because her story, albeit from a different time period, resonates strongly in today’s society.

She is innocent in the beginning—her only crime is being beautiful and, perhaps, naive.

However, she is deceived by Faust, who abandons her after seducing and impregnating her.

She is blamed by her own brother, Valentin, for his death, and he curses her to hell. So much happens to her over the course of the opera. However, in the end, she remains steadfast and true to what she believes is right. She is a strong woman, a fighter.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE ON A ROLE?

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I have to understand the character and the music! I’ve been offered certain roles where I can sing the music but cannot relate or understand how to portray the character and vice versa. For me to take a role, I have to be able to meet the requirements of the role on every level: acting, singing, communicating as the character, and portraying the character with as much integrity as possible.

I treat each role as though the [character is] a real person whom I’ve met.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE AUDIENCES WILL TAKE FROM FAUST?

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Peter Franc New Work

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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

Katherine Monogue New Work

Helen Simoneau Departures

This opera is the epitome of evil versus good.

In my opinion, good always wins! Always. I hope the audience takes away that we all have choices to make in our lives; sometimes we choose the right thing, and sometimes we choose the wrong thing. However, there is always redemption when we recognize our mistakes and try to do better. There is hope— that is what I take away from this opera.

“ ”

My dream in singing is to be able to do it for as long as I can.

THE FIRST AWARD FROM SYLVIA’S KIDS FOUNDATION, WHICH YOU FOUNDED, WAS GIVEN JULY 2017.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING ONE LUCKY YOUNG ADULT TO BE GRANTED SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND HAVE YOU BEGUN TO CONSIDER THE NEXT RECIPIENT? Yes! Sylvia’s Kids is a foundation that I’m very proud of and so thankful to have.

There were three different high schools that participated in the Sylvia’s Kids Award in 2017. This year, we are looking to add schools in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Last year, the award was given to a student in Las Vegas, which is where Sylvia’s Kids originated. The award is chosen by the board of the Sylvia’s Kids Foundation who read the essays and recommendations provided by each student. The award is given to the student with the best essay and highest GPA. Thank you for asking this question. This foundation is very dear to my heart. I would love to start a branch of Sylvia’s Kids in Portland one day.

IS THERE ANYTHING NEW YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH DOWN THE LINE, EITHER PROFESSIONALLY OR PERSONALLY? My dream with my foundation is to one day be able to fund an inner-city graduating senior through four years of college.

My dream in singing is to be able to do it for as long as I can. My personal goal and dream is to become a better person each day. I want to live in more compassion, more mercy, more grace, and more love.

My heart is full of love, and I hope to share it with everyone who I meet. .

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MAY | JUNE 2018

53

WHO ARE

Artslandia sat down with Oregon Symphony cellists MARILYN DE OLIVEIRA and TREVOR FITZPATRICK to chat about this and that.

MARILYN DE OLIVEIRA & TREVOR FITZPATRICK? Interview by Susannah Mars

TF: I really enjoy Paris, especially in the '20s and the '30s, which is the time that [Gil Pender, the main character] wanted to go back to. But the idea that movie brings forth is that we always think that that past generations were somehow better. I like to think that I would love to live back [then]. But if I [did], would I have liked to live 20 and 30 years before that or 20 and 30 years before that? It’s hard to say.

MDO: Does it have to be a past generation?

Trevor and Marilyn with their daughter, Isla.

Photo courtesy of Oregon Symphony.

SUSANNAH MARS: What would you like to wake up to every morning?

MARILYN DE OLIVEIRA: Honestly—and I know it sounds cliché—but, I feel like I’m so blessed already. I live in a great city. I play in an amazing orchestra. I have an amazing husband and a beautiful daughter. I have it all already! The thing at the top of my head is, I would like to see different leadership for our country. If I could wake up to a community that is inspired and committed to working together, to loving one another—I would love to wake up to that.

TREVOR FITZPATRICK: I was just going to talk about maybe a different cup of coffee or something… I enjoy my morning routines. They’re really nice and comfortable. If you know me well, you know that I don’t like change too much. I just like waking up and cooking breakfast, having our daughter run downstairs, get on the counter, and talk to me for twenty minutes while I make breakfast.

SM: If you could pick any generation to grow up in, which would you choose?

TF: It’s tricky. One of my favorite movies is Midnight in Paris.

MDO: I knew you were going to say that.

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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE

SM: I didn’t think about that, but I don’t think it does.

MDO: I mean I just feel like as a woman— a working woman especially—I don’t think that I would choose to go back any further, only because we’ve come such a long way.

And I don’t know if I could make myself fit in. So maybe, in my idealistic, hopeful future, where there are truly equal rights… I think I would want to go to the future, actually.

SM: Name someone alive or dead whose biography you would love to write. You would have full access to their life.

MDO: That’s a tough one.

SM: It is, right? I’m just thinking, who is someone that hung out with some really interesting people and maybe has some secrets.

MDO: Ooh, who has some secrets? You know, actually, somebody that comes to mind, somebody that has been inspiring, is Michael Tilson Thomas. When I was in New World Symphony and worked under him, he was such a visionary with everything he did with creating [and developing the New World Symphony]. It’s helped so many of us find our place in the orchestral industry. Also what he’s done with San Francisco Symphony with their season, their movie projects, programming, and his connections. I bet he has a lot of secrets. Also, knowing him somewhat as a person and way off the podium too, he’s a very interesting character, to say the

least. I feel like there would be endless stories there. And so much knowledge. I would love to get behind his creative process to know how he came up with all these things, how he had these visions, and how he pursued them and made [them] work, because he’s really changed the music scene a lot.

SM: In what ways?

MDO: I think with his work, mostly with creating the New World Symphony, bringing all this talent together, and creating a space where people really push themselves to be the best they can be for the orchestral world. Not to be soloists or anything, but…

SM: That’s a whole other animal: to be a member of an organism.

MDO: Right…You have to be so great, but you also have to row with the other[s]. We work as a team. I think he’s just shaped all of that. [Also] his videos of the Mahler symphonies, bringing that kind of music into people’s homes.

TF: I was going go a different direction. I know a lot of books have been written about these guys, but I’m always inspired by the founding fathers of this country. Guys like Benjamin Franklin. I always like to pick up his biographies and read about his life— where he’s gone, the places he’s seen, and what he’s done. His mind would be just an interesting thing to pick. If I could sit down in a room with someone like that…talk about inspiration! He had to create so much; he created so many things in this country that most people don’t even know. And how did he come up with these ideas? How does his mind work? Those are the things that fascinate me, and I’d love to learn a little bit more about that. .

Condensed for print. Please visit artslandia. com/category/podcast for the full Adventures in Artslandia interview.

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