Portland Center Stage 30th Anniversary Season Opening Night Celebrates a Beautiful Heartbreaker

Portland Center Stage 30th Anniversary Season Opening Night Celebrates a Beautiful Heartbreaker

by | Oct 1, 2017 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. Cast and creative crew raised their glasses to toast the launch of the Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home. Portland Center Stage at The Armory’s 30th anniversary opened with the groundbreaking work described by the New York Times as, “a Beautiful Heartbreaker.” It’s based on the celebrated graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel. The Fun Home opening night party was September 22nd, and the musical will run through October 22nd on The Armory’s U.S. Bank Main Stage. At the party opening night party, “Fun Home” cast members, the three Alisons, Allison Mickelson, Aida Valentine and Sara Masterson, posed for a photo.

“Fun Home” director Chris Coleman with his husband Rodney Hicks (who recently appeared on Broadway in “Come From Away”); actor Merideth Kaye Clark (creator/performer for The Armory’s upcoming production of “Winter Song”); and “Fun Home” Stage Manager Mark Tynan.

Members of the “Fun Home” cast and creative team: Faith Sandberg (Helen Bechdel) with Stage Manager Mark Tynan and Sara Masterson (Medium Alison).

Allison Mickelson, who stars as adult Alison in “Fun Home” with Chris Porras, media director for Artslandia Magazine.

The cast of “Fun Home” with Stage Manager Mark Tynan (center).

“Fun Home” director Chris Coleman with his husband Rodney Hicks.

“The story is an emotional excavation of sorts,” said Chris Coleman of Fun Home. “I think it’s one of the smartest, freshest pieces of writing we’ve seen in the musical theater genre,” he continued. “I had a chance to see the original incarnation at the Public Theater in New York and was just knocked out by how inventive the piece was. It manages to be charming and funny and heartbreaking and haunting all within the same 90 minutes.” Portland Center Stage at The Armory is fortunate to be one of the very first regional theater companies to get the rights to produce its own version of the production, which will be presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Based on Alison Bechdel’s witty and wistful illustrated autobiography of the same name, the Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home ushers us inside Alison’s head — at three different ages — as she struggles to process the chain of childhood events that made her the adult she is today. Growing up in a funeral home as the closeted lesbian daughter of a father with secrets of his own was complicated. But by looking back on her family life, and remembering all the loving, silly, and even shameful moments, Alison learns to see her parents — and herself — for who they really are.

Theo Curl as John Bechdel, Karsten George as Christian Bechdel, Allison Mickelson as Alison, Faith Sandberg as Helen Bechdel and Aida Valentine as Small Alison in “Fun Home” at The Armory. Photo by Patrick Weishampel/blankeye.tv.

The cast of “Fun Home” at The Armory. Photo by Patrick Weishampel/blankeye.tv.

Allison Mickelson as Alison, Karsten George as Christian Bechdel, Theo Curl as John Bechdel and Aida Valentine as Small Alison in “Fun Home” at The Armory.
Photo by Patrick Weishampel/blankeye.tv.

From Portland Center Stage:

Regular tickets for Fun Home start at $25 and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at www.pcs.org, 503.445.3700, or in-person from the box office (128 NW Eleventh Avenue, Portland, OR). Rush tickets are $20. Students and patrons who are 30 or younger can purchase $30 tickets in premium seating areas. $5 tickets are available for Oregon Trail Card holders through the Arts for All program. Regular tickets are 50% off for active duty or veteran military personnel and their immediate families. Discounts for groups of 10+. General performance times are Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., and Thursday matinees at noon (special exclusions apply, see below). Fun Home is recommended for ages 16+; it contains adult situations, explicit language and sexual references. More information at www.pcs.org/funhome.

THE MUSICAL

Fun Home premiered Off-Broadway at The Public in 2013 as a sell-out hit with critical acclaim. The New York Times review called it a “beautiful heartbreaker” and the production swept the Off-Broadway awards, including winning the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Lucille Lortel and Obie awards for Best Musical. The following year, Fun Home was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. When it opened on Broadway in 2015, The Huffington Post called it a “grippingly heartwarming story mixed with some of the most smart and joyful musical numbers presently on Broadway. Seekers of provocative, invigorating and entertaining theatre will find it.” Fun Home earned 12 Tony Award nominations and won five, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. It made history as the first Broadway hit written by an all-female team to win a Tony Award for Best Musical

THE GRAPHIC NOVEL

Allison Bechdel’s graphic memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic was released in 2006 to widespread acclaim. The New York Times book review hailed it as a “pioneering work, pushing two genres (comics and memoir) in multiple new directions” and London’s The Times described it as a “profound and important book.” It was listed as one of the best books of 2006 by numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Times, New York Magazine and Publishers Weekly, and it was a finalist for the National Book Award. Bechdel, who had already gained national prominence for her countercultural comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, won the Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work for Fun Home, along with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book and the Stonewall Book Award for Best Non-fiction, among others. Fun Home – despite controversial attempts to ban it from libraries and remove it from reading lists at universities – is now regarded as a contemporary literary classic.

THE CAST

Three actors play the central character at various ages: Allison Mickelson (National Tour of Elf: The Musical and Ragtime at Surflight Theater) will play Alison as the adult cartoonist reflecting on memories of her past; Sara Masterson (The Secret Garden at Idaho Shakespeare Festival and A Christmas Carol at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park) will play Medium Alison, the college freshman discovering her sexual identity; and Aida Valentine will play Small Alison, the young daughter living with her family in the house on Maple Avenue. Robert Mammana (Les Misérables on Broadway; The Sound of Music, Show Boat and Les Misérables National Tours) will take on the role of Alison’s father, Bruce Bechdel. Alison’s mother, Helen Bechdel, will be played by Faith Sandberg (The Fourth Messenger for New York Music Festival and The Good Girl for Manhattan Musical Theatre Lab). Alison’s brothers, John and Christian, will be played by Theo Curl (James in Oregon Children’s Theatre’s James and the Giant Peach) and Karsten George (Pugsley in The Addams Family at Broadway Rose Theatre), respectively. Joe Knispel (All The Way and Ah, Wilderness at Asolo Repertory Theater) will play the roles of Roy, Mark, Pete and Bobby Jeremy. Kristen DiMercurio (Murder Ballad at D.C.’s Studio Theatre and Grease at Totem Pole Playhouse) will take on the role of Joan, Medium Allison’s college classmate. Alexa Kelly Shaheen (The Magic Flute at Portland Opera) will be the understudy for Small Alison.

THE BAND

Eric Little (The Last Five Years and Sweeney Todd at The Armory) will serve as pianist; Will Amend (Little Shop of Horrors and Ain’t Misbehavin’ at The Armory) will play bass; Dale Tolliver will play the cello (LIZZIE and Fiddler on the Roof at The Armory); Mitch Wilson (Little Shop of Horrors and One Night with Janis Joplin at The Armory) will play the drums; Eric Toner (Little Shop of Horrors and Dreamgirls at The Armory) will play guitar; Mieke Bruggeman will play reeds (Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Fiddler on the Roof at The Armory); and Tylor Neist (Fiddler/Ensemble in Fiddler on the Roof at The Armory) will play violin/viola.

tHE Creative Team

Director Chris Coleman (recently Constellations and Astoria: Part One at The Armory) leads a creative team that includes Music Director Rick Lewis (Astoria: Part One and Little Shop of Horrors at The Armory); Scenic Designer William Bloodgood (Cyrano and Other Desert Cities at The Armory); Costume Designer Alison Heryer (Lauren Weedman Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Wild and Reckless at The Armory); Lighting Designer William Kirkham (Constellations and The Oregon Trail at The Armory); Sound Designer Alex Hawthorn (The Armory debut; Fly By Night and The Great Immensity Off-Broadway); Stage Manager Mark Tynan; Kristen Mun (assistant stage manager) and Jordan Affeldt and Katie Nguyen (production assistants).

Ticket and Performance Information

When:                         September 16* – October 22, 2017

                        *Opening night is Friday, September 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Showtimes:     General performance times are Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (excluding Oct. 1, 15, 17 and 22), Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. (excluding Sep. 16, 17, 23 and Oct. 7), and Thursday matinees at noon (excluding Oct. 21).

Where:            On the U.S. Bank Main Stage at The Armory.

128 NW Eleventh Ave., Portland, Ore., 97209 

More Info:       www.pcs.org/funhome

To Purchase: Regular tickets range from $25 to $85. Rush tickets are $20. Students and patrons who are 30 or younger can purchase $30 tickets in all premium seating areas. $5 tickets are available for Oregon Trail Card holders through the Arts for All program. 50% off regular tickets for active duty or veteran military personnel and their immediate families. Discounts for groups of 10+. Prices vary by date, time, and seating area, and are subject to change.

Online:            www.pcs.org

By Phone:        503.445.3700, 12–6 p.m.

In Person:        PCS’s box office is at 128 NW Eleventh Avenue

12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on performance days

12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on non-performance days

Groups:           Discounts available for groups of 10+ by calling 503.445.3794.

Please Note:   Recommended for ages 16 and up; contains adult situations, explicit language and sexual references.

Accessibility:   PCS is committed to making our performances and facilities accessible to all of our patrons. Learn more at www.pcs.org/access/.

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Portland Center Stage 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. Around 150,000 visitors attend 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. 11 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 23 world premieres and presents an annual new works festival, JAW: A Playwrights Festival. 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.

THE 2017-2018 SEASON

The 2017-2018 season is funded in part by Season Superstars Tim and Mary Boyle and Lead Corporate Champion Umpqua Bank. Further support comes from Season Sponsors the Regional Arts and Culture Council, The Wallace Foundation and Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the state of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts. Support for Fun Home comes from Production Sponsors Blue Hour, The Standard, GBD Architects, Drs. Ann Smith Sehdev and Paul Sehdev, Dr. Barbara Hort, and Don and Mary Blair. Mark Spencer Hotel is the official hotel partner for the company. Portland Center Stage at The Armory was selected as a participant of the Wallace Foundation’s Building Audiences for Sustainability Initiative, a four-year effort with a nationwide cohort of 26 performing arts organizations.

The Old Church Carnivale Gala Raises Funds for Golden Jubilee Preservation Project

The Old Church Carnivale Gala Raises Funds for Golden Jubilee Preservation Project

by | Oct 1, 2017 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. A Carnivale Gala was the kickoff for the upcoming 50th anniversary and a fundraiser for the Golden Jubilee Preservation Project. The Old Church on SW 11th, built in 1882 and on the National Register of Historic Places is a world-class concert hall and community arts organization. Keith and Elizabeth Sconiers from the Northwest Advisory Group enjoyed the Saptember 15th gala. The benefit included performances by Aaron Meyer, Groovy Wallpaper, Circus Project and the unfurling of a new logo. (Photo credit, Richard Kolbell, Bridette Emard Photography)
Here’s a video about the event:

Amanda Stark, ED and Bob Hermanson, President of the board, The Old Church Society

Patrick and Maria Harvey / Really Big Video

Valarie Rundquist, Oregon Community Foundation

Michal Ann Russell, Richard and Anne De Wolf, ARCIFORM

The big reveal of our new logo

Moe Lincoln, Artist Liaison, TOC Concert Hall and Emcee for the evening

Janet Penner, actress

TOC Concert Hall, 50 Years in the Heart of Portland

From The Old Church:

The Old Church is a nonprofit, non-religious concert hall and all-ages event venue with a rich history and a dynamic 21st century identity. Built in 1882, it is the oldest church building in downtown Portland and is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1967, dedicated citizens banded together to purchase and save this heritage building from demolition. Our dual mission is to preserve and celebrate the building’s historic architecture and create music and arts programs that enhance the cultural life of the community. Through our programming and operations, we are committed to being a cultural living room open to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, disability status, geography, age and other forms of bias. Diversity, equity and inclusion are central values as we strive to foster inspired and creative community.

We encourage you to read more about our history, but we’re most excited about our present and future. The Old Church is run by a creative and dedicated staff and a passionate board of directors. With contributions from supporters like you, we are able to offer free music, culture and community-building programs for children and adults – all in a unique performance venue in the heart of the city.

We invite you to get involved!

  • Attend a concert or special event – Events Calendar
  • Book a show or event – How to Book
  • Volunteer – Get Started
  • Join the board of directors or become an Old Church ambassador – Learn More
  • Donate to ensure this architectural treasure continues as a vital gathering place –Give Today
Taste of Giving Strengthens Oregon Jewish Community Foundation

Taste of Giving Strengthens Oregon Jewish Community Foundation

by | Oct 1, 2017 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. The second annual Taste of Giving event had a band that played vintage blues, jazz and ragtime music. The event on September 13th was designed to showcase the grant-making capabilities of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation (OJCF). Jewish young professionals who attended enjoyed an evening of food, conversation and inspiration. Cara Perellis and Andrew Rosengarten, OJCF Giving Council Members, enjoyed the evening at the Lagunitas Community Room on NE Broadway.

Attendees gather to reflect on their personal giving and share with each other.

Chairs Brad Stern and Jacob Caniparoli join OJCF staff Sonia Marie Leikam for a quick picture.

From Oregon Jewish Community Foundation:

Since 1989, OJCF’s mission has been to create, promote and facilitate a culture of giving and to serve as a guardian of permanent funds available to safeguard the quality of Jewish communal life in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

We do this by helping individuals and families manage their current philanthropic giving as well as customizing permanent charitable endowments for the benefit of their favorite organizations. OJCF also manages and administers funds on behalf of other Oregon and SW Washington Jewish charities.

 

Caroline Kennedy Draws Sold-Out Crowd to Oregon Historical Society Event

Caroline Kennedy Draws Sold-Out Crowd to Oregon Historical Society Event

by | Sep 30, 2017 | Events, Features, News

Portland, Or.  In celebration of the Oregon Historical Society exhibition, High Hopes: The Journey of John F. Kennedy, the Oregon Historical Society welcomed Caroline Kennedy for a special lecture. She took time to meet Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Governor Barbara Roberts, and Governor Kate Brown at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on September 19th. Gov. Roberts gave opening remarks. Caroline Kennedy served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017. Caroline spoke about her experience as ambassador and why strong U.S.–Japan cooperation is so important for the security and prosperity of both countries.

Ambassador Kennedy poses with the Mark Family outside of the Oregon Historical Society exhibit High Hopes: The Journey of John F. Kennedy, on display now through November 12. Pete Mark, who passed away this past spring, was the catalyst for bringing the Ambassador to Portland. Much of the High Hopes exhibition features artifacts from his personal collection, and is the fifth exhibition of artifacts and rare documents from the Mark Family Collection to be displayed at the Oregon Historical Society.

Ambassador Kennedy met with Keiko & Rex Ziak prior to her lecture to hear about their work with the OBON Society, a non-profit that provides opportunities for reconciliation between family through the return of personal items taken during war.

Ambassador Kennedy poses with Oregon Historical Society Board President Carl Christoferson and Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk.

Ambassador Caroline Kennedy is an attorney and editor of nine New York Times best-selling books on constitutional law, American history, politics, and poetry. From 2002 to 2011 she was Vice Chair of the Fund for Public Schools, raising over $280 million to support public school reform and engaging a record number of New Yorkers to volunteer in New York City schools. She is Honorary President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and a member of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Committee. A graduate of Harvard University and Columbia Law School, Caroline is also Honorary Chair of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University.

Caroline Kennedy toured the exhibit at the Oregon Historical Society which is on display through November 12th. It celebrates President John F. Kennedy in what would have been the 100th year of his life. The new 6,000-square foot exhibition, “High Hopes: The Journey of John F. Kennedy” features hundreds of items from the president’s life and time in office. It is be the largest display of its kind outside the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Caroline Kennedy is a prominent member of the Kennedy family and the only surviving child of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy.

There are many photos of John F. Kennedy from visits he made to Oregon.

The Oregon Historical Society is located at 1200 SW Park Ave Portland, Oregon 97205

There’s a link to its website: http://www.ohs.org/

PSU’s School of Business Opens New Karl Miller Center

PSU’s School of Business Opens New Karl Miller Center

by | Sep 24, 2017 | Events, Features

Portland, OR.  Portland State University (PSU) business students have a new home. After a $64 million renovation and expansion, the campus facility is now called the Karl Miller Center. The ribbon cutting on September 19th was a chance for those who helped make it happen to celebrate, including former PSU President Wim Wiewel, Rick and Erika Miller (Rick is the grandson of Karl Miller) PSU President Dr. Rahmat Shoureshi, and the Dean of the School of Business, Cliff Allen.

The 143,000-square-foot building nearly triples the business school’s previous footprint and occupies a new space at the heart of the campus. The building has 21 classrooms and 10 project or meeting spaces.

Over 500 people came out to celebrate the new facility.

No student money was used for the design or construction of the Karl Miller Center. As much as $24 million came from private donors, and the remainder, $40 million was from state-backed bonds. Rick Miller, a 1991 business alum, and his wife, Erika, made a $9 million gift to help fund the expansion. The building is named for Rick’s grandfather, Karl Miller, a World War II veteran, firefighter and entrepreneur.

“The design of the building is truly stunning. The smooth metal exterior underscores the reflective relationship between the Portland business community and the School,” said Dean Cliff Allen, PSU’s School of Business. “In addition, the interior design is open and inviting as well as doubling our footprint. This includes the creation of common areas for a student engagement and a greater sense of community.”

From PSU:

The project’s key players include PSU; the architectural collaboration of Behnisch Architekten and SRG Partnership; general contractor Skanska USA; and trade partners who all worked together to help the long-standing vision for a business community “home” to take root and grow in the Karl Miller Center.

Achieving LEED Platinum, the highest international rating for building sustainability, has always been the goal for all parties, which underscores the School’s commitment to environmentally responsible education. Sustainable features include passive cooling in the new addition, and many of the strategies were chosen to align with community interests and expectations.

Alaskan Yellow Cedar siding was selected for the exterior of the new addition because it meets the sustainability objectives of the project and is rated by the Forest

Stewardship Council.  Advancing the learning environment – the vision of the building to create community and public study spaces – was realized by the unique and open design with work bars and large open spaces. The goal was to provide an environment in which learning happens everywhere and at all times, not just within the classroom.

Funding for the Karl Miller Center

Building Specs

  • 143,000 square feet (100,000 sf renovation, 43,000 sf addition), increasing the business school’s footprint more than 172 percent.
  • Twenty-one classrooms — three times more than in the existing building.
  • Ten project and team rooms that meet the advanced technological needs of our students.
  • Four industry-specific centers to support the diverse interests of our future business leaders.
  • A vibrant and active atrium with crisscrossing bridges and stairs, surrounded by study spaces.
  • High-quality offices for our award-winning faculty and staff.
  • A state-of-the-art LEED Platinum facility that will continue to attract and serve top talent from around the world.
  • Centralized business school activities and classes.
  • A suspended tree sculpture of Alaskan Yellow Cedar spans from level 3 up to level 5.
  • 5 green roofs on the project include two occupied terraces on levels 4 and 5 of the pavilion.

Karl Miller Center History

The Karl Miller Center was originally built in two phases between 1979 and 1989. Completion of the second half, then called the Professional Schools Building II (now Business Administration), occurred May 30, 1989. Professional Schools Building I was constructed for the Graduate School of Education in 1979 and retained that name until shortly before the Business Administration building opened. The architectural firm for both halves was Yost-Grube-Hall, although the 1979 structure was designed by an earlier incarnation of the firm, Campbell-Yost-Grube Architects. Starting in 2015, a third addition was begun, and once complete, it will create a new dramatic entrance to the School, activate the building along Sixth Avenue, as well as modernize and upgrade the existing structures.

About Portland State University’s School of Business

Portland State University’s School of Business is renowned for its leading-edge research and world-class faculty. Located in the heart of Portland, Oregon, this urban campus takes a realistic and holistic approach to learning with a focus on sustainability, economic impact, and social and environmental stewardship. PSU’s School of Business offers eight master’s degrees, seven undergraduate concentrations, four minors, and multiple certificate programs, all with real-world applicability. US News & World Report ranks its AACSB-accredited undergraduate and graduate business programs among the best in the nation.