Portland, April 27th. Artists Rep. supporters raised their glasses to Allen Nause at a party in his honor. Nause has lead the creative team at Artists Repertory Theatre since 1988 and is retiring. The beloved Artists Rep. artistic director was feted at an invitation only event at the theatre. Supporters gathered to pay tribute and raise money to continue the work of the theatre company; the Artists Rep. Board also plans to name a theatre in his honor.
Darci Swindells and Associate Artistic Director Jon Kretzu
Also honored were vital Artists Rep. supporters Rosalie Tank and and former Managing Director, Jill Baum
Development Director Katy Franz and Angel Donor Ronni Lacroute
Artists Rep. supporters Wayne Ericksen, Sandy Ericksen, Art Kayser and Steven Klein
Artists Rep. Managing Director Sarah Horton with Donor Ronni Lacroute
Jessica Burton, Kirk Kelley and Luisa Adrianzen Guyer
Artists Repertory Theatre challenges artists and audiences with plays of depth and vibrancy staged in an intimate environment.
Silent auction items for the event included production photos including some of Allen Nause's performances with William Hurt.
Allen Nause plans to remain active in the Portland theatre community.
We offer unexpected experiences that expand hearts and minds. Artists Rep feeds our community’s artistic soul with premieres, re-imagined classics, new play development, and educational outreach. We thrive on the passion, vitality, and creativity of our community and reflect that in our work on and off the stage. As an active member of our city’s burgeoning arts scene and a nationally-respected professional theater company, we are proud to bring Portland the newest and most exhilarating plays being written today and simultaneously showcase the talents of local theater artists.The intimacy and immediacy of our work is enhanced by our on-stage homes – two off-Broadway-sized, sleek, and comfortable theaters. Our theaters are also the artistic home of our four-member Resident Acting Company – actors who will be appearing throughout the season.
Portland, April 25th. Leanne Marshall, (far right) former Portlander and 2008 winner of Project Runway Season 5, showcased her bridal line at a runway show at the Portland Art Museum. Marshall also presented Karina Reed, student designer from the Art Institute of Portland and winner of AniA’s gown design contest, with a $1,000 scholarship from the bridal boutique. Sharice Shepherd, Karina Reed, Morgan Lindberg, and Project Runway Winner Leanne Marshall enjoyed the event. Reed’s winning gown, The Ross Island Bridge, was a highlight of the show. AniA helped Reed by providing the fabrics and pairing her with local designer Jennifer Phillips, owner of “Nicole Couture.”
Selena Borne, Austie Eckley, Julia Platt-Hepworth and Cully Wright
Rosemary Stafford, Sharice Shepherd, Pamela Tan, Noel Mina and Lauren Hill
The runway show drew design students and brides
The high fashion bridal show featured popular local models
There were five themed runway shows and the event featured styling and decorating by Portland wedding designers and vendors.
AniA Collection Bridal Boutique is a couture bridal salon located in downtown Portland.
Portland, April 14th. Over 640 guests came to the Oregon Convention Center for St. Mary’s Academy’s 24th Annual Tahitian Blue Auction. The event raised nearly $800,000, the largest amount in the auction’s history. St. Mary’s Academy students Megan Simms, Megan Magsarili, Annamarie White and Kate Brouns volunteered at the auction.
Steve and Annie Diess, Marcy Forman and Keli and Bob Thompson
The event’s success is the culmination of countless hours of planning by volunteers, including the event co-chairs: St. Mary’s Academy alumna Marcy Forman and St. Mary’s parents Keli and Bob Thompson and Annie and Steve Diess. School administrators said, “These five individuals truly modeled the spirit of service and leadership.”
“There was a spirit in the room that was one of hope, optimism and enthusiasm, and all of it came together and resulted in the most successful auction in the 24-year history of this event,” said St. Mary’s Academy President Christina Friedhoff. Proceeds from the auction are critical to the financial strength and ongoing stability of St. Mary’s Academy and benefit the school’s 640 students.
Wes Forman, Marcy Forman and Terry Moore bid for kids.
Another bright moment was Bids for Kids, an opportunity for event goers to donate to the school’s tuition assistance program. Maggie Gardner, a 1998 St. Mary’s Academy graduate who herself received financial aid before going on to attend Harvard University and Harvard Law School, led the appeal. Bids for Kids raised more than $216,000 in support of the 40 percent of St. Mary’s Academy students who receive assistance.
About St. Mary’s Academy:
St. Mary’s Academy is a Catholic high school for young women located in the heart of downtown Portland that provides a challenging college-preparatory education with a focus on developing the whole person. Founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, St. Mary’s Academy is Oregon’s oldest continuously operating secondary school and offers a supportive learning environment to a diverse student body from more than 30 urban, suburban and rural communities in Oregon and Southwest Washington. It is the only school in the state to have received three Blue Ribbon awards from the U.S. Department of Education. For more information about St. Mary’s Academy, please visit http://www.stmaryspdx.org/
Portland, April 1st. Guided nature hikes and a native plant sale drew outdoor lovers to the 32nd Annual Trillium Festival in Tryon Creek State Natural Area.
Elisa Ford, Sarah Kreisman, Matthew Collins, David Cohen
“The festival is a great opportunity to introduce the park to new audiences and for visitors to learn more about the importance of using native plants in your garden and make a direct connection to nature with others who share those values”, says David Cohen, Executive Director of the Friends of Tryon Creek. Tryon Creek State Natural Area is located at 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd in southwest Portland.
Melarie DeSelvia with her daughters Malia and Priya get help from Derek Mellinger and Laura Markel
The Friends of Tryon Creek, together with their partner Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, celebrate spring with this fun-filled family event.
Ann Meub, Carl Axelsen, Karen Jorgensen, Aissa Harrofi, Bruce Rottink, John Mullen
Every spring leading nurseries from around the state come to Tryon Creek with a large range of native northwest plant inventory available for purchase.
The Trillium Festival also features guided nature hikes by Friends’ volunteers, children’s nature activities, local craft and edibles vendors, a garden art show and sale, and an information area featuring local environmental groups.
The 675-acre park currently welcomes over 385,000 visitors each year and is home to over 200 species of birds, mammals and amphibians. Visitors enjoy miles of hiking trails, a paved bicycle path and horse trails.
The Friends of Tryon Creek was founded in1969 by a group of forward-thinking individuals who came together to preserve a unique and historic forested canyon between Lake Oswego and Portland and turn it into a park.
About the Friends of Tryon Creek
The Friends of Tryon Creek are a catalyst for cultivating a lifelong relationship with nature using Tryon Creek State Natural Area, the largest urban state park in Oregon, as our classroom. We are known throughout the region for our exceptional environmental education programs and stewardship opportunities.
Today, the Friends, a private non-profit that receives no state funding, continues to utilize the park as a classroom for their environmental education programs as well as leading efforts to conserve and restore the park to its original pristine setting.
Membership opportunities are available, which include event fee discounts. For details and a schedule of events, visit http://www.tryonfriends.org/.
Portland, March 10th. The Neil Diamond tribute band, Super Diamond, provided the toe-tapping sound for Robison Jewish Health Center at Cedar Sinai Park benefit. At The Nines Hotel, Taylor Goodman poses with event co-chairs Christi Goodman and Michelle Gradow.
Lisa and Linda Tillman celebrate as does Marty Zell
Supporters raised nearly $130,000 at the event, from both sponsorships and individual donations during the Mitzvah Moment paddle raise.
Staff and friends with Robison resident Trudy Madsen at Super Diamond
Milt Carl and Gerel Blauer at Super Diamond
Michelle Gradow with parents Stan and Bev Eastern at Super Diamond
Super Diamond takes the stage
From the Robison Jewish Health Center at Cedar Sinai park:
Mission
Cedar Sinai Park provides residential and community-based care to our elders and adults with special needs, allowing them to live with comfort, independence and dignity in a manner and in an environment based on Jewish values.
Cedar Sinai Park, a nonprofit organization, is committed to delivering a broad-based continuum of care that can be tailored to individuals’ unique needs. Active consumer choice and a person-centered approach to care are at the heart of our mission. Our service delivery and development is about recognizing that people, including our eldest and most frail citizens, have the right to control decisions made about their lives. Our strategic goal is to seek and implement new ways to support those decisions.
Portland, March 25th. An original play created by Miracle Theatre Group,” Jardín de Sueños” (Garden of Dreams) is on stage at the Milagro Theatre at 525 SE Stark Street. The nonprofit is dedicated to the Hispanic arts and community and has introduced a host of new performers, opportunities, and diverse artists to the local arts scene. (Photo Credit, Russell Young)
Pablo Saldana and Gabriela Dipascuale in Miracle Theatre Group’s production of “Jardín de Sueños” (Garden of Dreams),
Miracle’s outreach initiatives serve the underprivileged, at-risk youth, and under-served communities and individuals throughout the Northwest. Miracle has also utilized its artistic capacity and resources to collaborate with local and regional human and social service agencies to assist them in addressing important issues impacting health, education and cultural sensitivity.
Siumara Samayoa, Gabriela Dipascuale, Rosa Cristobal and Juan Antonio Martínez in Miracle Theatre Group’s production of “Jardín de Sueños” (Garden of Dreams),
Here’s more about the production:
Imagine the impossible, the magnificent, the terrifying … Like a garden of dreams, folktales are filled with legendary creatures who lead us down the paths of discovery. For some, it’s about love; for others, it’s about knowledge. For young Cristina, it’s about listening to her heart and finding her voice. Cristina is about to finish high school and go to college, and she needs all the support she can get. But her family is distracted by the technology of modern life, from cell phones and text messages to bills and budgets. They are all too busy to listen. But when Cristina enters a dream world, she encounters several familiar characters from Latino folklore — the jaguar, the armadillo, and the daughter of the Sun God, among others — who not only help her speak her mind, but give her the confidence to face her future.
Siumara Samayoa and Pablo Saldana in Miracle Theatre Group’s production of “Jardín de Sueños” (Garden of Dreams),
JARDÍN DE SUEÑOS
Written by Sofia May-Cuxim, based on text by Pablo Jiménez and Teatro Español, Directed by Nelda Reyes,
Sponsored by Sterling Savings Bank, Oregon Cultural Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, The Oregonian and the Consulate of Mexico in Portland
Presented in Spanish with easy-to-follow supertitles in English
WHEN: MARCH 22-APRIL 14, 2012 Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sundays at 2 p.m.
WHERE: MILAGRO THEATRE, 525 SE Stark Street, Portland, Oregon 97214
ADMISSION: $10 – $29; discounts for students, seniors, groups of 15+ and advance purchases
Tickets can be purchased from on line or by calling 503-236-7253
From The Miracle Theatre Group: We offers you an experience unlike anything else around. See one show, and you’ll have crossed the border to another culture; see a whole season, and you’ll have traveled the globe. Where else can you see live performances of a play by Federico García Lorca in Spanish with English supertitles? Or observe Portland’s longest-running (and bilingual) Day of the Dead celebration? From Afro-Cuban dance theatre to Argentine novelas, from Golden Age classics to world premieres of new work, you’ll find that performances at El Centro Milagro are always vivacious and visually stunning. We believe in experimentation informed by tradition; thinking creatively and acting collaboratively; being irreverent but never irrelevant. We entertain; we give you pause to think, feel and imagine; and, through the cultural lens of latinidad, we embrace the full spectrum of humanity.
Portland, January 24th. The First Congregational Church was packed with political heavyweights celebrating the life of Senator Mark O. Hatfield. The event organized by the Oregon Historical Society was a special retrospective and the kick-off of the 2012 Mark O. Hatfield Distinguished Historians Forum.
Mark Hatfield's wife, Antoinette Hatfield, was honored as well
Panelist included: Former Member of Senator Hatfield's Legislative Staff Jack Robertson, Former Chair of the Grand Ronde Tribal Council Kathryn Harrison, Former United States Senator Bob Packwood, Kerry Tymchuk, Executive Director Oregon Historical Society, Former United States Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse, Senator Betsy Johnson
Panelists spoke of their affection for the late Senator and recounted aspects of his political life. Born in 1922, Hatfield died August 7, 2011. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States Senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. A native Oregonian, he served in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II after graduating from Willamette University.
Gerry Frank believes Hatfield's legacy will be the help and personal friendship he gave to thousands of Oregonians
“In the 152 years since our statehood, perhaps no Oregonian impacted history more than Mark Hatfield. Throughout his remarkable public service career, Mark Hatfield earned a reputation for intelligence, integrity, courage, and character. His Washington, D.C. office was a training ground for countless Oregonians who, inspired by Senator Hatfield’s example, returned to Oregon to make a positive difference for their community and our state. He was a very proud supporter of the Oregon Historical Society, and the Mark O. Hatfield Distinguished Historians Forum will live on as a fitting tribute to this true giant of Oregon history.” – Kerry Tymchuk, OHS Interim Executive Director
Since 1998, the Mark O. Hatfield Distinguished Historians Forum has provided broad insights and perspectives on United States history. Each series brings together the nation’s top scholars and writers for thought-provoking evenings of history. Most featured lecturers have won a Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award for their writing, and many are among the most revered academicians in the nation.
Manzanita, January 1st. “If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good.” 180 hardy souls honored that Dr. Seuss quote on New Year’s Day and braved the frigid waters of the Pacific Ocean to welcome 2012. It was the annual Manzanita Polar Plunge. With another hundred-plus onlookers, who stayed in their warm clothes, the event on Neahkahnie Beach was the most successful to date. The temperature outside was unseasonably warm, nearly 60-degrees, but the Ocean temperature was closer to 49!
Before the plunge, hardy souls warmed themselves by the fire and took photographs. The first year, 2004, only 6 people took the polar plunge.
Fun-loving Janice Gaines, in the pink bathing suit, started the tradition.
In 2004, Janice Gaines, the owner of the Spa Manzanita, decided a leap into the Ocean was a great way to cool off after a long hike. Since then, her Polar Plunge has gained momentum. It’s a free family event and Gaines has resisted requests to make it a fundraiser. She explains, “The event is growing because, it’s just simple and fun. People are looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Day and this doesn’t cost anything. It’s easy to do because people are already here, and some people even drive down for the plunge.” Participants pose for their photos by the fire and then it’s a race off to the water!
The water temperature was a chilly 49-degrees.
Participants say when they plunge into the cold water, it takes their breath away.
Below are two links to two fun YouTube videos of the big 2012 Manzanita Polar Plunge!
Portland, October 30th. Oregon’s Governors past and present had a chance to honor to the individuals, companies, organizations, and communities that have contributed to the greatness of Oregon at an event which benefits Special Olympics Oregon. This year’s Governor Gold Awardees included the following: Orville Roth from Roth’s Fresh Markets. Joe Weston, Wally Rhines from Mentor Graphics, Governor Victor Atiyeh, Governor Barbara Roberts, Governor John Kitzhaber, Governor Theodore Kulongoski, Tamara Lundgren from Schnitzer Steel Industries, Chip Terhune from Schnitzer Steel Industries, Gary Fish from Deschutes Brewery, Leesa Cobb and Aaron Longton from Port Orford Ocean Resource Team.
Special Olympics Oregon athlete, Travis Koski, address the audience and thanks everyone for their support of Special Olympics Oregon programs and services. Travis is a gold medal winner in the pentathlon, enjoys public speaking and hanging out with his friends.
Governor John Kitzhaber, awards a Special Olympics Oregon athlete with this year’s Gert Boyle Greatness Award.
Nearly 1,000 corporate and business leaders joined the crowed at this year’s Governors’ Gold Awards. One of Special Olympics Oregon supporters was also there, Mariel Zagunis; two time World Championship and a stunning two Olympic Gold medal winner.
Portland, December 20th. The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall was packed with Pink Martini fans ready for holiday cheer. Japanese star Saori Yuki joined Thomas Lauderdale and the band on stage to sing and thank Portland area residents for their generosity following the Japanese tsunami and its devastating aftermath. (Photography by John Rudoff, M. D.)
Pink Martini and Japanese star Saori Yuki
The concert also marked the return of Pink Martini lead singer, China Forbes. Storm Large had been replacing Forbes on tour while she recovered from serious surgery to treat bleeding in her vocal cords.
Storm Large and China Forbes
Thomas Lauderdale, bandleader/pianist
The exciting holiday concert also featured Ida Kahana and the Pacific Youth Choir.
Pacific Youth Choir.
About Portland-based Pink Martini:
“Pink Martini is a rollicking around-the-world musical adventure … if the United Nations had a house band in 1962, hopefully we’d be that band.”
– Thomas Lauderdale, bandleader/pianist
There’s a website about the music scene in Oregon called Oregon Music News. (Click the previous title for the link)
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