August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned Playbill

We are proud to support the talented artists and the people behind the scenes who make Portland a regional leader in the performing arts.

A cooperative effort by Portland Ovations, Portland Stage, Portland Symphony Orchestra and Merrill Auditorium Concert Events.

Program & Cover Design by Jennifer Roe, Wild Olive Multimedia

Aimée M. Petrin, Executive Director

Anita Stewart, Executive & Artistic Director

Eckart Preu, Music Director

Portland presents...

Welcome to Portland Presents.

The program book for Northern New England’s premier arts and entertainment organizations.

Portland Presents wishes to thank our advertisers for the 2022-23 season. Visit our website at www.portlandpresents.org for direct links to our advertiser’s websites.

Acadia Insurance

Baker Newman Noyes

Bath Savings

Brann & Isaacson

Browne Trading Company

Chilton Furniture

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Coffee by Design

cPort Credit Union

Cross Insurance

Cuddledown

Davis Landscape Co., Inc

Dr Arthur Gager

Drummond Woodsum

Eyecare Medical Group

Fogg’s Water Taxi & Charters

Gnome Landscapes, Design, Masonry & Maintenance

Greenhut Galleries & Cove Street Arts

HeadInvest

Home Instead

Hopkinson & Abbondanza, P.A.

Kennebec Company

Knickerbocker Group

LandVest Inc.

LeBlanc & Young

Maine Coast Waldorf School

National Distributors

New England Cancer Specialists

North Yarmouth Academy

Northern Light Mercy Hospital

Norway Savings Bank

OceanView at Falmouth

Opera Maine

Perkins Thompson

Piper Shores

Portland Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Care

Portland Yacht Services

R.M. Davis, Inc.

Reger Dasco Properties

Rowe Westbrook

The Bennett Law Firm, P.A.

The Cedars

The Portland Harbor Group of Raymond James

Veterinary and Rehabilitation Center of Cape Elizabeth

V.I.P. Eyes

Vitalius Real Estate Group

Waynflete

Wright Ryan Homes

If you or your business would like to advertise with Portland Presents, please contact any of the above organizations or check out our website at www.portlandpresents.org.

A cooperative effort by Portland Ovations, Portland Stage, Portland Symphony Orchestra and Merrill Auditorium Concert Events.

Photo © Darren Setlow

PSO Education Everywhere

Your digital resource for all things educational at the PSO!

KinderKonzerts

EDUCATION PARTNER:

These early-age performances are designed to engage K-3rd grade students while providing an introductory overview of orchestral instruments and music.

Watch all these amazing videos at PortlandSymphony.org

Meet the Instruments

Meet the different instruments that make up an orchestra from the PSO musicians who play them!

Long Story Shorts

Learn everything you need to know about your favorite composers in less than 2 minutes!

At Home Instruments

Learn how to make your own instruments with simple items you can find around your house!

PSO Masterclass

Learn from PSO musicians as they introduce you to the ins and outs of being a professional musician.

Classical

JAN 2023

World-Class Performances & Exceptional

THE RITE OF SPRING †

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 | 2:30 PM

MONDAY, JANUARY 30 | 7:30 PM

WATCH ON DEMAND: WED, FEB 8–FRI, MAR 10

Eckart Preu, Music Director

Pepe Romero, classical guitar

Osvaldo GOLIJOV: Sidereus

Joaquín RODRIGO: Concierto de Aranjuez

MAY 2023 MOZART & BRAHMS

TUESDAY, MAY 23 | 7:30 PM

Eckart Preu, Music Director

Alon Goldstein, piano

Brian NABORS: Pulse

W.A. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor

Igor STRAVINSKY: Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Johannes BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4 in E minor

FEB 2023

THE ROMANTICS: RACHMANINOFF & SCHUMANN

TUESDAY, FEBRUDAY 14 | 7:30 PM

Eckart Preu, Music Director

George Li, piano

Fanny Mendelssohn HENSEL: Overture in C major

Sergei RACHMANINOFF: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Robert SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 4 in D minor

MAR 2023

RAVEL’S BOLÉRO

SUNDAY, MARCH 12 | 2:30 PM

Nir Kabaretti, guest conductor

Gilles Apap, violin

Noam SHERIFF: Akeda

W.A. MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major (“Strassburg”)

Richard STRAUSS: Death and Transfiguration

Maurice RAVEL: Boléro

APR 2023

ECKART CONDUCTS MÁRQUEZ †

SUNDAY, APRIL 2 | 2:30 PM

TUESDAY, APRIL 4 | 7:30 PM

WATCH ON DEMAND: WED, APR 12–FRI, MAY 12

Eckart Preu, Music Director

Ina Zdorovetchi, Principal harp

Enrico CHAPELA: Rotor

Arturo MÁRQUEZ: Máscaras Concerto for Harp & Orchestra

Ana LARA: Angels of Fire and Ice

This concert will be professionally recorded to promote the works of living Mexican composers.

Goldstein

Classical season sponsor:

Exceptional Musical Experiences

PSO POPS!

MAR 2023 LOUIS ARMSTRONG & FRIENDS

SATURDAY, MARCH 18 | 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 19 | 2:30 PM

Byron Stripling, guest conductor & trumpet

Carmen Bradford, vocals

The charismatic and hugely popular Byron Stripling returns to your PSO with an electrifying tribute to the great Louis Armstrong and his famous friends including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and so many others.

APR 2023

THE NAT KING COLE SONGBOOK

SATURDAY, APRIL 15 | 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, APRIL 16 | 2:30 PM

Eckart Preu, Music Director

Denzal Sinclaire, vocals

Your PSO and celebrated vocalist Denzal Sinclaire pay tribute to the icon with the incandescent voice, Nat King Cole. Revisit his greatest hits in this unforgettable musical event!

MAY 2023

LIGHTS! CAMERA! POPS!

SATURDAY, MAY 6 | 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 7 | 2:30 PM

Bob Bernhardt, guest conductor

Mela Dailey, vocals

Experience some of the silver screen’s most iconic scores LIVE! Beloved blockbusters will be brought to vivid life by your PSO and acclaimed guest conductor Bob Bernhardt.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING THE PSO PLAY ON!

Discovery Concerts

Enjoy an unforgettable afternoon out with classical concerts conducted for children of all ages. For only $10 a ticket, it’s the fun, affordable way to spark your kids’ lifelong interest in the magic of live symphony music.

JOIN US AT AN UPCOMING EVENT

Once Upon a Time

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 | 2:30 PM

Michelle di Russo, guest conductor

Angelica Michelle, vocalist & actor

Spend an afternoon with your PSO traveling through beloved fairy tales and daring adventures! Special guests Mirabel from Encanto and Anna from Frozen will join us on our exciting journey!

Around the World with the Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra (Side-by-side)

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 2:30 PM

Eckart Preu, Music Director

Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra

Led by Robert Lehmann

Buckle your seatbelt and put your tray table in the upright position as the PSO and the Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra take you around the world!

Peter and the Wolf

SUNDAY, MAY 14 | 2:30 PM

Michelle Merrill, guest conductor

Matt Laberge, narrator

Enjoy this timeless classic and hear the sounds of the countryside as Peter defeats the fiendish wolf!

ARRIVE ONE HOUR EARLY FOR THESE PRE-CONCERT ACTIVITIES

Podium Hero!

Ever wondered what it would be like to conduct your own symphony orchestra? Find out at this pre-concert event that features two real PSO musicians along with the conductor! Learn how to use a baton and beat a pattern that the musicians will follow.

The Instrument Petting Zoo!

This is an opportunity for children to touch, play, and hear instruments with demonstrations by real professional PSO musicians. About 600 people experience the petting zoo during each of Discovery Concert. What instruments? Violin, Viola, Bass, Harp, and assorted Percussion instruments.

For Maine patients, leading-edge cancer research just got...

NEW ENGLAND CANCER SPECIALISTS IS PROUD TO BE AN AFFILIATE MEMBER OF THE DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE IN BOSTON.

After decades working together, we have embarked on a new, deeper relationship to make exceptional, compassionate care even more available to every patient.

...a lot closer to home.

Working in harmony with your needs.

Acadia

Welcometo  MerrillAuditorium,Portland’sPremierPerforming Arts Venue

Welcome to Merrill Auditorium, Portland’s Premier Performing Arts Venue

Home  toPrime  Tenants Portland  SymphonyOrchestra,Portland  Ovationsand The Friendsof  the KotzschmarOrgan.

Home to Prime Tenants - Portland Symphony Orchestra, Portland Ovations and The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ.

Eachyearwehost a  varietyofconcerts,dance  performances, children’sprogramming,comedyshows, corporate  meetings and  non profiteventswith  over150,000patronsin  attendance annually!

Thankyouforbeinga  guestat ourtheater,pleaseenjoytheshow!

Each year we host a variety of concerts, dance performances, children’s programming, comedy shows, corporate meetings and non-profit events with over 150,000 patrons in attendance annually!

Thank you for being a guest at our theater, please enjoy the show!

Merrill  Auditorium  is  managed  by  the  City  of  Portland  Pub licAssemblyFacilitiesDivision 212Canco  Rd  Portland  Maine PHONE:207.808.5400  WEB:PortlandEvents.com

Merrill Auditorium is managed by the City of Portland Public Assembly Facilities Division Andrew J Downs, Director

Welcometo  MerrillAuditorium,Portland’sPremierPerforming Arts Venue

-UPCOMING EVENTS -

Home  toPrime  Tenants Portland  SymphonyOrchestra,Portland  Ovationsand The Friendsof  the KotzschmarOrgan.

Eachyearwehost a  varietyofconcerts,dance  performances, children’sprogramming,comedyshows, corporate  meetings and  non profiteventswith  over150,000patronsin  attendance annually!

Sunday February 11th — Joshua Hughes Entertainment presents MOSES THE STAGED PLAY

Thankyouforbeinga  guestat ourtheater,pleaseenjoytheshow!

Saturday February 18th — Roberts Group presents MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL

Merrill  Auditorium  is  managed  by  the  City  of  Portland  Pub licAssemblyFacilitiesDivision 212Canco  Rd  Portland  Maine PHONE:207.808.5400  WEB:PortlandEvents.com

Saturday February 25th & Sunday February 26th — Falun Dafa Assoc presents SHEN YUN

Friday March 10th — Outback Concerts presents HEATHER MCMAHAN

Saturday March 25th — Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ presents BACH’S BIRTHDAY BASH

Monday April 24th — USM School of Music YOUTH ENSEMBLE

Tuesday May 9th — Live Nation presents NATALIE MERCHANT

Thursday May 18th — TEMPTATIONS AND THE FOUR TOPS

Thursday July 27th & Sunday July 30th —

Opera Maine presents ROSSINIS LA CENERENTOLA

For More Information about these and all our performances or to purchase tickets please Visit PortTix.com or Call 207-842-0800

PortTix is the Official Box Office for Merrill Auditorium. Please make sure when purchasing tickets, you are buying from PortTix.

Y OUR CARE IS OUR C OMMITMENT

W e s t r i v e e v e r y d a y t o m a k e h e a l t h c a r e w o r k b e t t e r f o r

t h e p e o p l e o f M a i n e . N o w , w i t h m o r e o f o u r n a t i o n a l l y r e c o g n i z e d s e r v i c e s o n o n e c o n v e n i e n t c a m p u s , w e a r e m a k i n g i t e a s i e r t h a n e v e r t o a c c e s s t h e c a r e y o u n e e d .

Learn more at MaineMadeUs.com/Mercy

Rush35 provides an affordable and inclusive gateway into live theater for audiences age 35 and under by offering low-cost rush tickets to ANY Portland Stage Mainstage production.

Same-Day*

$15 ALSO Tickets as low as

Exclusive access to monthly pre-performance parties & more!

*Tickets are available at the Box Office beginning at 12 noon on the day of the performance. (1 ticket per Rush35 member, per performance; must show ID at pickup)

A SEASON TAILORED TO OUR AUDIENCES.

FOSTERING EXPERIMENTATION & ARTISTIC RISK

NEW WORK

Portland Stage is known for its role in cultivating new voices in theater and for creating a significant body of theatrical work that has gone on to success beyond our stage. By incubating new work and supporting writers, Portland Stage has established Maine as a place to launch original and compelling plays.

Since its debut in 1990, the Little Festival of the Unexpected (LFU) has established a tradition of nurturing artists, invigorating audiences, and exploring new voices, visions, and forms of theater. Past LFU scripts include Almost, Maine (LFU 2003) and Papermaker (LFU 2014).

Playwrights

Richard Blanco (photo by Craig Dilger) & Vanessa Garcia and their play Sweet Goats & Blueberry Señoritas.

The play was selected to be a part of the 2022 Little Festival of the Unexpected, where it was performed virtually over Zoom for audiences.

A SEASON TAILORED TO OUR AUDIENCES.

Written by Richard Blanco & Vanessa Garcia

INSPIRING LITERACY, CULTURAL AWARENESS, COLLABORATION, & CREATIVITY

EDUCATION

Education is central to Portland Stage’s mission. Vital education programs are offered in schools for students from pre-K through high school, and to children ages 4-18 through classes in our Susie Konkel Theater for Kids storefront space. Portland Stage’s Education Programs provide over 14,000 student experiences each year.

Top Feature: Elementary students enjoying an in-school workshop.

A SEASON TAILORED TO OUR AUDIENCES.

Above: Actor Nolan Ellsworth and students during an interactive theater experience at the Portland Stage Theater for Kids.

PLAY ME A STORY presented by Portland Stage Theater for Kids allows participants to enjoy dramatic readings of picture books, then participate in an interactive acting workshop with professional theater artists.

HANDCRAFTED THEATER MADE IN MAINE

MAINSTAGE

With a season of six Mainstage shows, Portland Stage brings a wide range of performances to Maine. Every Mainstage show is handcrafted in our historic building in the Portland Arts District. Over one season, Portland Stage creates over two hundred live performances and serves 50,000 people from around the state and beyond.

Conan Doyle

Top Feature: Ezra Barnes (AEA), Brian Lee Huynh (AEA), & Isabelle Van Fleet (AEA)

Above: Ezra Barnes (AEA) & Tom Ford (AEA)

Side: Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (AEA)

Photos by NoUmbrella Media

A SEASON TAILORED TO OUR AUDIENCES.

Photos from the 2022 production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, by Steven Dietz, based on the original 1899 play by William Gillette and Sir Arthur

A Different Way of Looking at Things

In business, you have a lot to keep your eye on. Sometimes it’s hard to see the opportunities and the risks clearly. That’s where Drummond Woodsum can help. We use a team approach – a small group of highly specialized attorneys focused on helping your business see what’s ahead before you take that next step.

We practice law differently. Since 1965.

dwmlaw.com | 800.727.1941

Fogg’s

Water

Taxi & Charters

Providing a variety of options — from private charters on our small boat fleet that can accommodate up to six passengers, to our two larger vessels that can hold up to 49 passengers, we also offer daily public cruises aboard our 49 passenger Joseph S. Kennedy.

The perfect way to see Casco Bay. Give us a call to book your next charter.

Foggswatertaxi.com

207-415-8493

ABOUT US

Portland Ovations is a nonprofit cultural organization based in Southern Maine dedicated to gathering communities to share in the power of live performance. Ovations connects artists and audiences both onstage and off — making the arts an integral part of community life.

Our unique array of live performances for the public and school audiences are curated to delight, inspire and educate. Venues used throughout greater Portland include historic and modern theaters, clubs, galleries, and classrooms — chosen carefully to ensure the best possible experience for both audiences and artists.

Join us for a season of performances that span the traditional to the contemporary, the intimate to the spectacular, the popular to the unexpected.

OUR VISION

To inspire a curious and imaginative community where the experience of the performing arts is a vital part of every day life.

OUR MISSION

Portland Ovations propels the artistic, social, educational and economic wellbeing of communities through the power of the performing arts.

Dancing with Garba360 at Deering Oaks Park

OVATIONS 2022-23 SEASON

All tickets are exchangeable to another Portland Ovations performance within the

All tickets are exchangeable to another Portland Ovations performance within the

OCTOBER

season. All events are subject to change.

season. All events are subject to change.

Dwayne Tomah (Passamaquoddy) Jennifer Pictou (Mi’kmaq)

MEMBERS MAKE

MEMBERS MAKE THIS POSSIBLE

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY OF OVATIONS MEMBERS

CONNECTING

Ovations Offstage

Ovations Offstage (O2) creates interactive programming for audiences of all ages. From workshops, masterclasses, and lectures with artists and scholars to community events and School-Time Performances, O2 provides experiences for our communities to deeply engage with the artists, and art, creating those magical moments when audiences and artists connect.

Masterclasses

Work with and learn from exceptional artists through our masterclasses. Over a season we offer an array of masterclasses –for the general public or for students studying a specific art form.

Pre-Performance Lectures

An in-depth look at an art form, artist, or performance theme, these presentations contextualize the performance and bring new meaning to the main event.

School-Time Performances

Energize and engage your students with the performing arts and artists through onstage school-time matinees and offstage theater activities. Experiences are aligned with Common Core standards and are supported by educator resources and learning guides.

Cultivating Curiosity

Cultivating Curiosity helps grow young people’s love of books by pairing reading opportunities with School-Time Performances, by providing each child who attends the performance a free book inspired from its title.

Gatherings

From a processional performance to shared meals to a walking tour of Portland’s Freedom Trail, Ovations Offstage gathers communities to connect more deeply and locally with the art, artists, and ideas onstage.

AUDIENCES WITH ARTISTS AUDIENCES WITH ARTISTS

Executive & Artistic Director

Aimée M. Petrin

Office Administrator

Mary Campbell

Director of Marketing & Development

Casey Oakes

Bookkeeper

Marlene Dye

Development Manager

Jamie Barilone

Marketing Manager

Katie Day

Director of Community Programs & Partnerships

Katelyn Manfre

House Manager

Zoe Pancic

Production Manager

Eric Hager

Director of School & Family Programs

Liz Schildkret

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Mary Allen Lindemann

Secretary

Carolyn Hughes

Rachael Alfond

Michael A. Boyson

Maile Buker

Luisa Deprez

Ken Grady

Judith W. Adam

Kimberly Block

Janet M. Bowne

Bruce Brown

Maria Chambers

Vice Presidents

Peter Genova

James T. Morgan

Sayad Moudachirou

James Isaacson

Jack Lufkin

Nyamuon Nguany Machar

Susan Morris

Mary K. Noyes

FOUNDER’S COUNCIL

Philip H. Gleason

Judith Halpert

Heidi N. Hansen

Kendall Harnett

Tracy Hawkins

Treasurer

Michael F. Stillings

Daniel Nuzzi

Tania Powers

Olivier te Boekhorst

April Ylvisaker

Catherine H. Cloudman

Madeline G. Corson

Daniel N. Crewe

Charles W. Dibner

Francis A. Ferland

Robert H. Gardner

Phyllis Givertz

Elizabeth T. High

Daniel P. Hunter

J. Spencer Jones

Felicia Knight

Gary Koocher

Robert Ludwig

Jeff McKinnon

Elizabeth A. McLellan

Peter Milliken

Marcia G. Minter

Nicholas S. Nadzo

Thomas R. Newman

Bob Nielsen

Jean K. Nishiyama

Jane A. Parker

Stephen Poulos

Patti Roderick

Monroe Scharff

Sigmund D. Schutz

Jaimie Schwartz

Lynn Shaffer

John D. Tewhey

Louise Thomas

June Vail

Alison Vanderhoof

Sarah A. Verville

Margaret A. Wilkis

CELEBRATING 92 YEARS OF PERFORMING ARTS

This is Antonia.

We were there when she took her first violin lesson.

We’re here now as she performs in her high school honors recital.

Someday she will become a member of a renowned metropolitan orchestra. And when that day arrives, we’ll be there.

What kind of school knows that learning should spark joy?

Hands-on learning personalized to each student’s passions and potential. Small class sizes filled with diverse perspectives. Teachers and friends they trust.

At Waynflete, our students love to learn. The joy of painting their self-portrait as an astronaut and building Mars rovers from recyclables in Lower School becomes, over time, the thrill of solving complex equations alongside working NASA scientists to measure and name real asteroids in Upper School.

Visit waynflete.org/more to learn how Waynflete will make sure every student gets the most out of this school year.

This season is full of stories that come from the heart. Stories of family and friends, of caring, of finding new ways forward with humor and grace. You will meet a 5’5” Chinese basketball player intent on making the team; a Cuban American transplant to Maine making new friends and learning more about her roots in the process (a first play by poet Richard Blanco); a Black playwright, spinning stories and bringing to light a life in the theater; a baker concocting sweet ways to resurrect her marriage and make peace with another; Dr. Watson as he remembers the final adventure with his best friend Sherlock; and the entire town of Tuna, Texas. It will be fun, it will be moving, it will make you remember what it means to come together and share.

We thank you for joining us for this performance, whether this is your first show or you are a returning subscriber.

Anita Stewart, Artistic Director

“Experience Handcrafted Theater!”

Portland Stage Mission

As the leading professional theater in Northern New England, Portland Stage is committed to creating great art, passionate about using the theater to educate, and dedicated to enriching our community.

Board of Trustees

Darrell Pardy, President

Samantha Bowen

Susan Carter

Peter Clough

Scott Cowger

Fredric Farber

Margaret Groban

Amanda Hannan

Edith Iyer-Hernandez

John F. Leonard IV

Theresa McCarthy

Sara A. Murphy

Todd Nicholson

Carole Palmer

Darrell Pardy

Cathy Stankard

Jane Stevens

Robin Talbot

Courtney Thorpe

Nelson A. Toner

Daniel Tucker

Anne Wade

A SEASON TAILORED TO OUR AUDIENCES.

Pictured: Ray Yamamoto & Jim Shankman (AEA) from the 2022-23 Portland Stage and Hangar Theater coproduction of Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap

Portland Stage Team

LEADERSHIP

Artistic Director ................................................................................... Anita Stewart Managing Director ............................................................................. Martin Lodish

ARTISTIC • PRODUCTION

Associate Production Manager • Sound Supervisor ..................... Seth Asa Sengel

Associate Technical Director ............................................................. Jacob Coombs

Company Manager Jennifer London

Costume Shop Manager ................................................................... Susan Thomas

Literary Manager........................................................................ Todd Brian Backus

Production Manager • Lighting Supervisor .................................... Mary Lana Rice

Props Coordinator .............................................................................. Everett O’Neil

Stage Managers ........................................................ Myles C. Hatch & Meg Lydon

Technical Director ................................................................................... Ted Gallant

ADMINISTRATION

Apprentice Coordinators ................................... Jennifer London & Julianne Shea

Assistant Marketing Director ......................................................... James A. Hadley

Audience Services Manager ............................................................... Donald Smith

Box Office Assistant Manager .........................................................Renee Myhaver

Business Manager............................................................................ Paul Ainsworth

Campaign Assistant ..................................................................................Allison Fry

Development Associate ...................................................................Lindsey Higgins

Development Director .............................................................................Beth Given

Education Administrator .................................................................... Julianne Shea

Education Director ...................................................................Michael Dix Thomas

Front of House Associates ....... Beka Bryer, Audrey Erickson, Elizabeth Randall, ........................................................... Madeleine St. Germain, & Shannon Wade

Group Sales Coordinator .................................................................. Myles C. Hatch

House & Concessions Manager .........................................................Chris DeFilipp

House Manager ............................................................................. Adam Thibodeau

Marketing & Communications Director ............................................ Erin Elizabeth

APPRENTICES

Company Management ......................................................................... Thalia Wolff

Costumes .......................................................... Andrej Nawoj & Elizabeth Randall

Directing & Dramaturgy ............ Audrey Erickson, Moira O’Sullivan, & Rachel Ropella

Education ............................................................................... Nick Hone & Liana SC

Lighting & Sound .............................................................................................. Ashley Ward

Stage Management .............................................. Amanda Cooper & Brady Willis

Props....................................................................................................... Maddie MacDonald

Subscribers are the Backbone of Our Organization

Providing ongoing support for the theater both within our community as well as financially.

$

Flex

Sold as packs of 4 or 6 tickets, FlexPasses can be shared and combined to build yourself or you and your friends a season package that suits your needs. Make your reservations ahead of time, or wait until the week of the show to call and schedule; the box office will always help you find the best seats possible on the day you’re looking for. Made a reservation and then your plans changed? As a subscriber you can always exchange your tickets when you need to.

Benefits Comparison

Choose the best plan for you!

1 Misplaced or forgotten tickets can be easily reprinted at the Box Office on the day of the show.

2 Per-ticket price is lower than average single ticket prices and you only pay a one-time handling fee for each subscription package in your purchase.

3 Get access to reservations, exchanges, and additional tickets before shows go on sale to the general public.

4 The first exchange for each show is at no extra charge for a performance of the same price (i.e., evening to evening).

Pictured: Ezra Barnes (AEA) from the 2022-23 Portland Stage production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure by Steven Dietz, based on the original 1989 play by William Gillette and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Connect with Us!

Discover behind-the-scenes content and keep up to date about upcoming shows and events.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

PORTLANDSTAGE

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

@PORTLANDSTAGECO

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

@PORTLANDSTAGECO

PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG

A SEASON TAILORED TO OUR AUDIENCES.

Rush35 provides an affordable and inclusive gateway into live theater for audiences age 35 and under by offering low-cost rush tickets to ANY Portland Stage Mainstage production.

MEMBERSHIP* INCLUDES:

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO MONTHLY PRE-PERFORMANCE PARTIES!

These parties are a great happy hour and networking event for young professionals to meet before seeing our performance.

$15 SAME-DAY TICKETS TO ANY MAINSTAGE SEASON PRODUCTION!

Tickets are available at the Box Office beginning at 12 noon on the day of the performance. (1 ticket per Rush35 member, per performance; must show ID at pickup)

$15 Tickets

portlandstage.org/rush or call 207.774.0465

Your Support Matters

Because each contribution is an investment to the arts

Tax-deductible contributions keep Portland Stage a living, breathing, thriving theater, and ultimately ensure the fulfillment of our mission and the enrichment of our community. The generosity of individual donors, corporations, and foundations enables us to surround the work on our Mainstage with Education Programs, New Work Development Initiatives, and Community Engagement events that deepen and broaden the

impact of the shows themselves.

WAYS TO GIVE

TO LEARN MORE:

Pictured: Nathaniel P. Claridad (AEA) from the 2022-23 Portland Stage production of Ed Howard, Joe Sears, & Jaston Williams’s A Tuna Christmas

Make it a Group Event

It only takes 10 people to receive a group rate for your visit to Portland Stage. With 10 or more people, we offer group discounts starting at 20% off the regular ticket price.

Pictured: (front row) Elleon Dobias, April Lee Uzarski (AEA), Larry Tobias (AEA), (back row) Andrew Crowe (AEA), & Daniel Emond (AEA) from the 2022-23 Portland Stage and Maine State Music Theatre co-production of Smoke on the Mountain • Book by Connie Ray, Conceived by Alan Bailey, and Musical Arrangements by Mike Craver & Mark Hardwick Crav

Educational Camps & Classes

The classes and camps at Portland Stage produce a safe environment for young people to find a higher sense of play, stretch their imaginations, and gain valuable social skills.

Past offerings included: Fall After-School Classes, “Shakespeare Teen Company,” February & April Vacation Camps, and High School Intensives.

Serving children pre-K to grade 12 year round in our theater and in schools. Visit

Theater for Kids is made possible by the support & vision of Susie Konkel.

DRAMATIC READING & ACTING WORKSHOPS

SATURDAYS AT 10:30AM

JAN. 7 - MARCH 25 • AGES 4 - 10

New picture books & activities each week!

Theater for Kids is made possible by the support & vision of Susie Konkel.

Your Safety Matters

To address safety concerns, WH Demmons updated our HVAC system to utilize bipolar ionization technology to deactivate harmful substances like bacteria, mold, allergens, and viruses.

Hearing the stories, the rhythms, the language of How I Learned What I Learned, I’m transported back to the Café Edison where I had the privilege of spending time with August and his wife, my friend Constanza, on mornings when the two of them were in New York working on a show. Three of us, squeezed at a table for two, napkins under a wobbly table leg, endless pours of coffee, and Mr. Wilson holding court. If you’d ask, August would willingly spend hours sharing what was on his mind. August always had something to say, and he made the listening worth your while.

“By sharing what he has learned with us, August teaches us to look at stories from a different perspective, as only a great artist can.”

August was an orator, a verbal gymnast. Listening to him was like experiencing the performance of an elite athlete or dancer. Whether at a greasy spoon, or at the sold-out debate at NYC’s Town Hall where he faced heavyweight champion of the theater, Robert Brustein, in a debate that mirrored the Johnson - Jeffries (Great White Hope) fight of 1910. August relished the opportunity to spar by standing up for the principles in which he believed.

This play IS August, from the rapid-fire delivery to the instantaneous shift from prose to poetry. The sheer energy of his verbosity is intoxicating. In his words, we hear selfawareness and stubborn pride. How I Learned What I Learned is a tour de force for any actor who takes on the challenge, and it has been a joy to have Lance Nichols working with Jade King Carroll to tackle this epic.

In How I Learned What I Learned, as in the ten plays that make up The American Century Cycle, August describes an America that had mostly been unseen, unspoken, unrecognized on the stages of America. August brought that world to Broadway, giving Black America stature and grace as we witness what it was, and still is, to grow up Black in our country. By sharing what he has learned with us, August teaches us to look at stories from a different perspective, as only a great artist can.

Here’s to the great journey that was August Wilson’s life. May you take pleasure in listening and find there is something you can learn from what he has to share.

Anita Stewart, Artistic Director

AUGUST WILSON’S HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED

Written by August Wilson Co-Conceived by Todd Kreidler

ON STAGE • MARCH 1 - MARCH 19

SETTING

The crucible in which many a work of art has been fired.

This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

*Members of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

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

***The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society is the theatrical union that unites, empowers, & protects professional Stage Directors and Choreographers throughout the United States.

THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/ OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS, AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://concordtheatricals.com/ resources/protecting-artists

CAST

August Wilson ........................... Lance E. Nichols*

ARTISTIC/PRODUCTION

Director ................................ Jade King Carroll***

Scenic Designer .......................... Anita Stewart**

Costume Designer ........................ Loyce Arthur**

Lighting Designer ........................... Betsy Chester

Sound Designer ....................... Germán Martínez

Stage Manager ........................... Myles C. Hatch*

Assistant Director / Dramaturg...... Rachel Ropella

Production Assistant ......................... Brady Willis

Projections Assistant ........................ Ashley Ward

Light Board Operator ........................ Brady Willis

Wardrobe ...................................... Andrej Nawoj

Run Crew Swing ...... Elizabeth Randall & Rachel Ropella

August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

New York Premiere originally produced by Signature Theatre, New York City, James Haughton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director. The World Premiere of How I Learned What I Learned was presented by Seattle RepertoryTheatre in 2003, performed by AugustWilson.

Special Thanks: Constanza Romero, ML Geiger, Jenn Haltman, Adam Thibodeau, and to the Portland Public Library (for the use of their dictionary stand)

AUGUST WILSON, PLAYWRIGHT

(APRIL 27, 1945 - OCTOBER 2, 2005)

August Wilson authored Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II, and Radio Golf. These works explore the heritage and experience of African Americans, decade-by-decade, over the course of the twentieth century. His plays have been produced at regional theaters across the country and all over the world, as well as on Broadway. In 2003, Mr. Wilson made his professional stage debut in his one-man show, How I Learned What I Learned. Mr. Wilson’s works garnered many awards including Pulitzer Prizes for Fences (1987) and for The Piano Lesson (1990); a Tony Award for Fences; Great Britain’s Olivier Award for Jitney ; as well as eight New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains

Running, Seven Guitars, Jitney, and Radio Golf. Additionally, the cast recording of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received a 1985 Grammy Award, and Mr. Wilson received a 1995 Emmy Award nomination for his screenplay adaptation of The Piano Lesson. Mr. Wilson’s early works included the one-act plays The Janitor, Recycle, The Coldest Day of the Year, Malcolm X, The Homecoming, and the musical satire Black Bart and the Sacred Hills.

Mr. Wilson received many fellowships and awards, including Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships in Playwrighting, the Whiting Writers Award, a 2003 Heinz Award, a 1999 National Humanities Medal from the President of the United States, and numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities, as well as the only high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He was an alumnus of New Dramatists, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a 1995 inductee into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and on October 16, 2005, Broadway renamed the theater located at 245 West 52nd Street - The August Wilson Theatre. Additionally, Mr. Wilson was posthumously inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2007.

Mr. Wilson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and lived in Seattle, Washington, at the time of his death. He is immediately survived by his two daughters, Sakina Ansari and Azula Carmen Wilson, and his wife, costume designer Constanza Romero.

JADE KING CARROLL, DIRECTOR

Jade King Carroll is an award-winning director based in New York City. She originally hails from Woodstock, NY.

Jade specializes in new play development and directing. She is a multiple-time collaborator with playwrights such as Dominique Morisseau, Dael Orlandersmith, Chisa Hutchinson, and Sarah Gancher. She has also worked with many other emerging writers at organizations including the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Institute, Huntington Theatre, Ars Nova, Playwrights Horizons, and The Civilians. Carroll has directed new audio dramas for Audible, Broadway Podcast Network, Geva Theatre Center, and Marvel Entertainment. As the Artistic Associate at Second Stage Theater, she worked on world premieres by Lynn Nottage, Anna Deavere Smith, Kristoffer Diaz, Rajiv Joseph, and Douglas Carter Beane, along with running 2ST’s education department. Currently, Jade is the resident

artist at Dorset Theatre Festival, where she helms the commissioning and fellowship program along with their StageFree audio play series. Carroll is also a part of the artistic team at Rattlestick Theater and is a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect.

Jade has a long history of directing the classics and a strong desire to expand our cultural canon. She has directed over 50 productions across the country at such theaters as Primary Stages, Shakespeare Theatre (DC), Milwaukee Repertory, Atlantic Theater, Hartford Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, the McCarter Theatre Center at Princeton University, INTAR, Playwrights Realm, The Wild Project, Miami New Drama, Portland Stage, Weston Playhouse, Portland Playhouse, City Theatre, Marin Theatre, TheatreWorks, Two River Theater, PlayMakers Rep, People’s Light & Theatre, NYC Parks Summer Stages, Perseverance Theatre, Joe’s Pub, and Chautauqua Theater Company.

At Second Stage, Jade was a Van Lier and NYC Council of the Arts directing fellow, and received a TCG New Generation grant in artistic directing. She is a former NYTW emerging artist fellow, artistic apprentice at the Women’s Project Theater, and a directing and producing apprentice at the McCarter Theatre Center at Princeton University. She was a Gates Millennium Scholar and recently received a 40 Under Forty Award from her alma mater, SUNY New Paltz. She was also the recipient of the Paul Green Award from the National Theatre Conference and the estate of August Wilson, and a 2020 Drama League Award. She was an associate director on Broadway for A Streetcar Named Desire featuring Blair Underwood and Daphne Rubin-Vega and The Gin Game featuring James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson.

As an educator, Jade has taught and guest directed at Juilliard, Princeton, NYU, Iowa University, Penn State, Adelphi University, The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, Point Park University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, West Virginia University, Bard College, Columbia University, and Chautauqua Theater Company.

Jade’s director credits include: Chauatuqua Theater Company’s Producing Artistic Director; Seven Deadly Sins - Wrath by Dael Orlandersmith (Miami New Drama – Drama League Award); Proof of Love (Audible at Minetta Lane audiobook); New Age (Milwaukee Rep); Red Velvet (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Detroit ’67 (McCarter Theatre co-production with Hartford Stage); Intimate Apparel, The Piano Lesson (McCarter Theatre); The Piano Lesson (Hartford Stage); Having Our Say (Hartford Stage co-production with Long Wharf Theatre); Autumn’s Harvest (Lincoln Center Institute); Trouble in Mind (Two River Theater & PlayMakers Rep); Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Whipping Man, Native Gardens, Skeleton Crew, Bad Dates, Perseverance (Portland Stage); The Revolutionists, Sunset Baby (City Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun (Juilliard & Perseverance); The Tempest (Chautauqua Theater Company); Seven Guitars, The Persians (People’s Light & Theatre); King Hedley II (Portland Playhouse); A Raisin in the Sun, Cardboard Piano (Juilliard); Laughing Wild, Redeemed, Skeleton Crew (Dorset Theatre Festival); Marvel’s Wastelanders: Doom (Marvel, Ambies Nomination for Best Production); winner of the Paul Green Award from the estate of August Wilson.

PLAYNOTES PERSPECTIVES

AN INTERVIEW WITH JADE KING CARROLL

By Rachel Ropella

Rachel Ropella (RR): You first started directing here at Portland Stage 10 years ago with August Wilson’s play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom in 2013. How’s it feel to be back at PS with another August Wilson work?

Jade King Carroll (JKC): It’s just great to feel back at home within the play and at home at this theater. How I Learned What I Learned also feels very full circle for me, having now worked on this as well as having either directed or dramaturged all of the plays of The American Century Cycle. It’s so amazing to come to this production with the knowledge and experience of all of his other plays. There’s such important lessons and such beautiful storytelling within August language—nobody else in the country—in the world—writes like him.

RR: What is it like to direct a one-man show about a very notable real person? How’s that different from your typical process?

JKC: I think for each play that I enter, there’s some place that’s going to cause you some kind of anxiety. For this production, I think there is such a reverence around who August is in our memory, for who he was, that the size of his legacy is majestic. Who wouldn’t be intimidated by that? But at the same time, that’s not how I enter the room every day. Every day I enter the room, I trust what I know. Through trusting the language, we have found the emotion, the storytelling, and the rhythm. There’s such a rhythm in August’s language—I mean he called his influences the 4 Bs: Blues, Bearden, Baraka, and Borges. In this play, you can hear the blues, you can hear the poetry. While I’m not a musician, I have a deep understanding, respect, and appreciation for jazz and I hear it when I read this play. Lance is doing such a beautiful job of creating the space, infusing the rhythm. August has written these beautiful passages, but Lance is really lifting them. And that’s what the play wants.

RR: When it comes to our audiences at Portland Stage, what lessons within How I Learned What I Learned are you especially excited for people to hear?

JKC: I think the overall lesson of the play is finding your own voice. All of our experiences are worth something. I’m most looking forward to how it resonates with our younger audiences. And I’m hoping that they’ll walk away wanting to find their own song and knowing the value of their own voice. That they’ll see our biggest challenges can be the biggest gifts that life gives us in getting to the next step. This play is both hopeful and inspiring, filled with wit and humor. As August would say, all you need is joy in one hand and laughter in the other.

Scan the QR Code to hear the full interview with director Jade King Carroll!

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Lance E. Nichols* (August Wilson) This veteran character actor is best remembered as dentist Larry Williams on the critically acclaimed HBO series Treme, which chronicled the lives of postHurricane Katrina natives and their efforts in rebuilding their lives. His memorable performance as the “faith healing” preacher in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button garnered praise from critics and the general public. He recurs as The River King in the AMC television series Into the Badlands and recently started production on the new SyFy/USA series The Purge, working under the direction of Emmy winner Anthony Hemingway whom he collaborated with for four seasons on Treme. Mr. Nichols and his wife Zardis co-produced their first television pilot Shepherd, which won Best Drama at the prestigious ITVFest in 2017 and where he won Best Actor in a Drama. Their win garnered a development meeting with HBO. Lance and his wife are co-owners of Lanzardis Productions, which specializes in training young professionals for working in the entertainment industry. In their leisure time, they enjoy travel, dining, and attending the New Orleans Saints football games.

ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION BIOGRAPHIES

Anita Stewart** (Scenic Designer) has worked as a set and costume designer at leading theaters across the country, including the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Canadian Opera Company, Minnesota Opera, A.R.T., Steppenwolf, Hartford Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Long Wharf Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, Boise Contemporary Theater, New Jersey Shakespeare, and Portland Stage. Anita’s desire to play a meaningful role as an artist in a specific community brought her to Portland Stage as Artistic Director, a company for which she had previously done significant freelance design. Anita holds an MFA in design from the Yale School of Drama.

Loyce Arthur** (Costume Designer), associate professor, University of Iowa, has designed costumes for numerous productions, including The 39 Steps, The Mystery of Irma Vep and Peer Gynt, Portland Stage Company, ME; Once on This Island at the Skylight Music Theatre, MN; Brokenville and Nocturnal Wanderer, Athens, Greece; Famous Orpheus, Geva Theater, NY. Her work at the University of Iowa includes BLKS, People Before the Park, Iphigenia Point Blank, Welcome to Thebes, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. Arthur is fascinated with costumes far beyond a traditional theater stage. Most years, she is the lead designer for the Iowa City Caribbean- and Brazilian-style Carnival Community Parade at the Iowa Arts Festival. To date, 1000+ Iowans have become moving, dancing works of art. For 16 years, she has been a guest artist at award-winning Carnival designer Clary Salandy’s Mahogany Studio, UK. June 2022, Arthur worked with Mahogany on their section of the history-making parade for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. She has presented work on Carnival in Santiago de Cuba; Toronto, Canada; Cartagena, Colombia; and Trinidad and Tobago, and researched the art form in Leeds, UK; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; the Netherlands; Grenada, WI; Germany; Switzerland; and the US.

Betsy Chester (Lighting Designer) is an NYC-based freelance lighting designer. She has designed work for productions with NYU Grad Acting, Tisch Dance, and Columbia University, as well as Ayodele Casel + Arturo O’Farrill at the Joyce Theater. Recently, she assisted on Ohio State Murders on Broadway. She also works as the lighting supervisor for Trisha Brown Dance Company. Betsy received her MFA in Lighting Design at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Germán Martínez (Sound Designer) A proud son of immigrant parents, Germán Martínez is a NYC/NJ-based sound designer. Germán is a Montclair State University alum (2018), holding a degree in Theatrical Production and Design with a concentration in Sound. Germán is the current Eastern Representative for the TSDCA (Theatrical Sound Designer and Composers Association).

Show

* Dine In Only. Same date discount. Not valid on First Friday. Excludes 3-Course Meal, Alcohol, Bento Box. Cannot be combined with other offers.

His work has been featured at: The Public Theater, Women’s Project, Williamstown Theatre Festival, MCC, American Repertory Theater, Repertorio Español, GALA Hispanic, George Street Playhouse, Two River Theater, and Trinity Rep. Broadway credits include associating on: Into the Woods (St. James Theatre), The Piano Lesson (Barrymore Theatre), and Ohio State Murders (James Earl Jones Theatre). As a designer, he seeks work that will uplift and support BIPOC, queer, and immigrant stories in innovative and beautiful ways. Germán calls this work “art from the heart.” He invites any like-minded artists to collaborate. You can keep up with his work on Instagram: @GermanTheSoundDesigner.

Myles C. Hatch* (Stage Manager) is pleased to be working on his fourth August Wilson play here at Portland Stage. Historically, Myles has worked with such diverse theaters as the Hangar Theatre, Theatre By The Sea, The Freeport Shakespeare Festival, Maine State Music Theatre, The Theater at Monmouth, Arden Theatre Company, Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Everyman Theatre, Rep Stage, Horse Cave Theatre, New Stage Theatre, Round House Theatre, Source Theatre Company, Washington Stage Guild, Washington Jewish Theatre, Asolo Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, and the YALE Summer Cabaret. Myles is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

(*Member of AEA)

LAND & SLAVERY ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We are gathered on the unceded land of the Aucocisco and Abenaki peoples of the Wabanaki Confederacy. Portland Stage asks you to join us in acknowledging the Wabanaki community, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations. Portland Stage also acknowledges that it was founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous peoples, including those on whose land this institution is located. This acknowledgment demonstrates a commitment to beginning the process of working to dismantle the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism through our work at Portland Stage.

We encourage you to learn more about the peoples who stewarded the land that you now reside on whether you're from here in Portland or are visiting from away. For more information about the Wabanaki Confederacy, visit mainewabanakireach. org, and to find out whose land you are on, visit native-land.ca.

We also want to acknowledge that the history of Maine is deeply connected to the institution of slavery in the United States, and that residents of Maine participated in both slavery and the transatlantic slave trade even after slavery was outlawed in the District of Maine. While it may be easy to think of Maine and more specifically Portland as a very White place, we recognize that this is simply not the case and we are working to dismantle these harmful ideas. We encourage our audiences to visit the Abyssinian Meeting House (learn more at abyssinianmeetinghouse.org) or the Eastern Cemetery here in Portland, and to explore scholarship on the subject, like Lives of Consequence by Patricia Q. Wall, to learn more about this oftneglected part of Maine’s history.

We recognize that the American Theater has also exploited, misrepresented, and excluded communities of Latine, Asian, Indigenous, and Middle Eastern descent for centuries. Portland Stage is recommitting to telling authentic stories from diverse backgrounds that all of our audiences can experience and enjoy.

THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF AUGUST WILSON

By Moira O’ Sullivan

August Wilson, originally named Frederick August Kittel, Jr., was born on April 27, 1945, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Widely known for his Pulitzer Prize–winning plays Fences and The Piano Lesson (a revival of which just closed on Broadway starring Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, and Danielle Brooks), Wilson wrote about Black American life throughout the 20th century and put working-class Pittsburghers center stage.

In 1978, Wilson left Pittsburgh for St. Paul, Minnesota, where he lived and worked through the 1980s writing the series of plays that we now call The American Century Cycle. Nine out of the ten plays in the series were set in Pittsburgh (the exception being Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which takes place in Chicago) and told stories about the Black community in several different decades. His first play, Jitney (1979), earned him a fellowship at the Minneapolis Playwrights’ Center, and was followed by Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1980), which was developed at the National Playwrights Conference. From there, he premiered Fences on Broadway in 1987, which won Wilson his first Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone opened on Broadway in 1988, followed by The Piano Lesson in 1990, earning him his second Pulitzer Prize. His Broadway legacy is remarkable, with his plays appearing on stages for the next three decades: Two Trains Running (1992), Seven Guitars (1996), King Hedley II (2001), Gem of the Ocean (2004), and several revivals since. August Wilson died of liver cancer on October 2, 2005, at the age of 60 after opening his final play, Radio Golf, in Los Angeles a few months earlier.

Actor and producer Denzel Washington is such a big fan of Wilson’s writing that he made a deal with HBO to make film adaptations of the entire American Century Cycle. So far, he has released Fences (2016) and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

(2020) to critical acclaim and multiple Oscar nominations and wins. Washington said in a statement, “August Wilson is one of the greatest playwrights in American history, in world history. It is a privilege and honor, responsibility and duty, and a joy to be a small part in keeping him alive.” Wilson’s legacy continues to empower and inspire audiences through his writing’s deep understanding of humanity and it will live on in every adaptation or production that appears on screens and stages alike.

WHO IS TODD KREIDLER?

By Audrey Erickson

Bringing a story from the page to the stage or screen is a lot of work, and it is something that usually can’t be done alone. Creating theater takes working long hours, tackling emotional subjects, and navigating many moving parts; as such, when theatermakers find a partner they love working with and trust, they like to stick together over as many projects as possible. This was the case with August Wilson and Todd Kreidler, who was Wilson’s partner in creating How I Learned What I Learned. The duo’s partnership, starting in 1999 and continuing until Wilson’s passing in 2005, resulted in not only beautiful productions of Wilson’s plays, but a deep friendship and a lasting impact on the prolific playwright’s legacy.

When Todd Kreidler first met the prominent playwright, he was a young aspiring dramaturg and director, working as an assistant to Eddie Gilbert, the artistic director of the Pittsburgh Public Theater. When Wilson came to the Public to premiere King Hedley II, his eighth play of The American Century Cycle, Gilbert assigned Kreidler to assist Wilson throughout the play’s rehearsal process. Kreidler was intimidated to work with such an accomplished artist (in his own words, “It was hard…I’m a kid from Pittsburgh, and he’s August Wilson…”), but the two bonded

quickly, connecting over their mutual status as Pittsburgh natives. By the time King Hedley II closed in Pittsburgh, the two were fast friends and at the start of a fruitful working relationship. The next few years saw Kreidler working as dramaturg on Wilson’s next two plays in The American Century Cycle, Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf. A member of a theater production’s creative team, a dramaturg might have a myriad of responsibilities when working on a play. However, when working with a playwright on a brand new play, dramaturgs are often focused on supporting the playwright’s vision and providing feedback as they write and edit their story.

When not working on The American Century Cycle, Wilson and Kreidler were working on a different project of Wilson’s: the play running at Portland Stage now! How I Learned What I Learned started in 2003, when Wilson decided to set aside his ten-play cycle to make a memoir-play about his own life. With Kreidler on board as director and co-conceiver, the two men put the play together piece by piece in Wilson’s basement, and premiered the play with a limited run at Seattle Rep. Following his friend’s passing, Kreidler has worked to uplift and amplify Wilson’s legacy, honoring the playwright’s amazing career. He has gone on to direct How I Learned… and other Wilson works at theaters all across the country. Kreidler is also the founder of the August Wilson Monologue Competition, an opportunity for high school students to learn and perform some of Wilson’s words, expanding his legacy to new generations. In 2010, Kreidler was associate director of the Broadway revival of Fences, largely due to his relationship with Wilson and his understanding of the playwright’s vision. And so the legacy of their relationship continues as well: when Wilson can’t be in the rehearsal room, Kreidler continues to be his eyes.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

WRIGHT-RYAN is known for their commitment to building high-quality homes throughout Maine. Just like building a fine home, bringing a play to life requires the imagination and skills of a dedicated team, from the playwright who puts pen to paper, to the designers who envision the set, lighting and costumes, to the carpenters, painters, seamstresses, actors and artists who make it a reality.

Thanks to the longstanding support of Wright-Ryan, Portland Stage is able to bring August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned to life on our Mainstage.

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DEMMONS: TAKE A BREATH SPONSOR SUPPORTING AIR PURIFICATION AND AIR

QUALITY A very special thank you to W.H. Demmons for supporting our public safety! The HVAC system installed by W.H. Demmons utilizes bipolar ionization technology, which releases charged atoms that attach to and deactivate harmful substances like bacteria, mold, allergens, and viruses by pulling the hydrogen atom away, causing the harmful substances to die. Testing of the building’s system for effectiveness against the COVID-19 virus by two different independent laboratories, Analytical Lab Group and Innovative Bioanalysis, revealed that the level of the virus would be cut by 90% within 60 minutes.

Ourcorporatepartnershelpustoenrichourcommunitywhilepositioningtheircompaniesasculturalleaders.Wanttolearnmore about how a corporate partnership can benefit both your business and the theater you love? Contact Beth Given, Development Director, at 207.774.1043 x109.

August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Generous support also provided by the MaineTheater Fund/Maine Community Foundation, and the Shubert Foundation.

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Eric & Wendy Suehrstedt

Kari & Bob Suva

Deborah & Hall Thompson

Brit & Yasmin Vitalius

Susanna Weld & Peter Milliken

Natalie West & Robert Sellin

Monica Wood & Daniel Abbott

Sam & Tracy Zager

SUPPORTER ($250 - $499)

Anonymous

Alice M. Abbott

John & Judy Adelman

Janice B. Adler

William C. Arnold

Atlantic Sportswear, Inc.

Judy & Jack Bauman

Jane & John Berry

Dorothy Blanchette

Jim & Sarah Bowie

Broadturn Farm

Malcolm Burson & Eleanor Goldberg

Kristen Buteau

John Cariani

Pamela Cleghorn

Jacqueline Cohen

Happy & Ernie Copley

Richard & Judy Curtis

Stephen Davis & Nina Hope

Devenish Wines

Anthony Donovan

Donnelly & Abby Douglas

Katherine Dyhrberg

Melissa Duffy

Mary Ellms

Herbert & Alice Ferran

Terry & Mandy Garmey

Judy Gass

Douglas Green

Gordon & Judy Hamlin

Mary Jane Hanneld

Roslyn & Steve Hershfield

Becky Hunt & John Monroe

Mical Hutson

Phyllis Jalbert

Herbert & Kathleen Janick

Peter & Nancy Kaye

Bud & Wendy Kellett

Gail Kezer

David Kling & Kathryn Sanders

Paul M. Knight

Richard & Nancy Lemieux

Sandy & Chet Lunner

William & Paige Mangum

Jerry & Liz Mansfield

Andrew Marsters

John & June McClean

Jan McCormick

Paula Gibbs McKenney

Cristine McMurdo-Wallis & Thomas Eldon Anderson

Judy & Charlie Micoleau

Alice Moisen

Rick & Debby Molander

Susan Morris

Jeremy Moser & Laura Kittle

Richard & Sandra Neiman

Michael & Lucretia Nelson

Mr. & Mrs. John Paterson

Norma Piper

Hugh & Norma Phelps

Nancy & Frank Read

Lee Robbins

Lynne Rowe & Jonathan Radtke

William A. Rogers Jr. Trust 31

2021-22 ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS

Donald J. Rudalevige

Helen Ryder

Jeff & Susan Saffer

Gwen & James Sartoris

Robert Scribner & Clair Julian

Rick & Celeste Shinay

Kathy Silvia

Hugh & Mary Smith

Mary Snell & Irwin Novak

Betty & Barry Stallman

Jane & Nate Stevens

David & Kathleen Stuchine

Linden Thigpen

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Inc.

Adam R. Travis

Two Fat Cats Bakery

Cheslye & John Ventimiglia

Nancy R. Wade

Randall Weill & Catherine Coughlin

Robin & Les Wilkinson

David & Gail Witherill

Anne B. Zill

FRIEND ($100 - $249)

Anonymous

Camille Alden

Christenia Alden-Kinne

Andrew Allen

Jacqueline Alpert & Christopher Leighton

Peter & Lyn Ballou

Mary Barnes

Barbara Barrall

Lynne Beasley

Tiffanie Bentley

Thomas & Marjorie Berman

Christa Berry

Paul & Barbara Berry

Nona & Doug Boyink

Dee Dee Bradford

Norman & Emily Breitner

Patricia Briggs

Dan & Dale Bryant

Anthony S. Bucci & Victoria Brown

Robin & William Carter

Jennifer Caven

Cynthia Churchill & Edward Benjamin

Peter Clough

Andrew & Judith Coburn

Scott & Qamar Cowger

Richard & Margaret Curran

Endicott & Nanette Davison

Bonnie & Jonathan Dietz

Moira Driscoll

Marvin Ellison & Frank Brooks

Richard & Lynne Gammon

Alan & Doreen Gay

Katherine Gilfillan

George & Martha Gilmore

Bernard & Phyllis Givertz

Margaret Groban & Larry Fischman

Karen Harris & Rob Gips

Ken & Sandra Hayes

Michael Healy

Maura Heffernan

Chris Hourcle

Sue & Bob Isler

David & Linda Kirstein

Ken & Jean Kriedberg

Neil & Cathy Lamb

Calien Lewis & Martha Mickles

Theda Logan

Mark Love & Marcia Taylor

Ingeborg Marquardt

Damon Mayrl

Rob McAfee

Anne McBride

Aileen Mickey

Ellie & Charlie Miller

Kristina Minister

Carl Monk

Wendy Moore

Kevin Mullen

Leonard & Merle Nelson

John & Karen O’Brien

Jackie Oliveri in memory of Lindsey & Andy Cadot

Richard O’Meara & Christine Bulsa-O’Meara

John & Denise Palmer

Richard & Carole Palmer

Lenore & Norman Rapkin

Heidi & Daniel Reidman

Frank & Sharon Reilly

Jan Roberson

Howard & Mary Jane Rosenfield

Larry & Robin Rubinstein

Stephen Ryan & James Bishop

Bonnie Nelson Schwartz & Arlie

Schardt in honor of Martin Lodish

Mike & Pam Schwotzer

Aurelia Scott

Catherine Sengel

Nancy Shaw & John Gilmour

Jane Shepard

John Shetterly

Robert & Linell Slaktowicz

Betty Bricker-Small & David Small

Kevin Smith & Michelle Cacho-Negrete

Sarah Smith

Frank & Carrie Strasburger

Tania & Beth Sturtevant

Karen Sumner

Adam Thibodeau

David & Tina Treadwell

Patricia VanTuyl

Donald & Paula Watson

David & Elise Wilson

Judy & Norman Wilson

Mark & Janet Wrona

Margaret & David Zellinger

HONORARY GIFTS ($250+)

Walt Dunlap in honor of Michael Rafkin

Elizabeth & David Margolis-Pineo in memory of Libby Zerner

Kathleen Stevens in memory of Morgan Wakelin