“A COMPANY OF SLICK, SKILLED DANCERS” – THE NEW YORKER
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BOLERO + BILLIE
DEC 7 - 9 / 7:30PM
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Photo / Blaine Truitt Covert Dancers / Andrea Parson + Elijah Labay
WELCOME TO BOLÉRO + BILLIE Thank you so much for joining us for our special Boléro + Billie show! Each year, we turn our winter show over to our incredibly talented company members to conceive, cast, and create. While this may seem like a fun idea — which it certainly is — giving the dancers a chance to make new work and produce a show is an incredibly important learning and growing opportunity. This year we decided to throw in a special treat — the return of Resident Choreographer Ihsan Rustem’s original Boléro, which Oregon Arts Watch reviewed as “bright and witty…rescued from the graveyard of pop-culture banality and restored affectionately to its pedestal of seductively oddball expressionism.” ENVISIONED, CREATED, AND LED BY SARAH SLIPPER, WE REMAIN DEDICATED TO PROVIDING CHOREOGRAPHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEIR ARTISTIC DRIVES AND DREAMS TO FRUITION FROM THE STUDIO TO THE STAGE AND CHARTING THE FUTURE OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE.
“... ONE OF THE HOTTEST DANCE COMPANIES IN AMERICA.” –Portland Stage Reviews
As we make our way through the holiday season and look to the year ahead, we are asking you for your crucial financial support. We are navigating an unprecedented and deeply challenging time of rapidly shifting funding priorities and drastic reductions in grants for the arts, punctuated by the likely complete elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts. Non-profits, especially the performing arts and dance in particular, are facing frightening times and a funding landscape that is sliding away. In order to continue and further our work — dance creation, performance, and touring; broad, deep, and accessible dance education; ongoing arts engagement, participation, and outreach for youth — we will need the generous support of patrons and friends such as yourself. We hope you will support NW Dance Project with your generous year-end tax-deductible contribution. Better yet, share your love year-round by joining our Sustaining Circle with automatic monthly donations! As a special thank you for giving big, donate $300 or more (either as a single gift or a monthly donation of $25 or more) and you will score our new NW Dance Project 2018 Calendar autographed by all the dancers along with heaps of gratitude and deep appreciation. Finally, please join us in honoring Company Manager Katie Holliday for her seven years of amazing service with NW Dance Project. Wish her well as she enters the next chapter in her life and please welcome Michael Moura, who is taking over for her. Thank you again for being here and thank you for supporting NW Dance Project! Enjoy the show and we will see you in the lobby.
Sarah Slipper | Artistic Director
Scott Lewis | Executive Director
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PRESENTS
BOLERO + BILLIE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Sarah Slipper
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Scott Lewis
DANCERS Samantha Campbell Kody Jauron Franco Nieto
William Couture Elijah Labay Andrea Parson Julia Radick
Katherine Disenhof Lindsey McGill Anthony Pucci
MAJOR SUPPORT FOR BOLERO + BILLIE PROVIDED BY
MEDIA SPONSORS
The use of photography or other recording equipment is prohibited. Please silence your cell phones. PLEASE NOTE: Food, beverages, cameras, and recording devices are not permitted in Lincoln Performance Hall. Smoking is not permitted in the theater or in the building.
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NW DANCE PROJECT
Photo / Blaine Truitt Covert Dancers / Lindsey McGill + William Couture
2017–18 SEASON
NW DANCE PROJECT WAS FOUNDED IN PORTLAND IN 2004 BY PRINCIPAL DANCER, AWARD-WINNING CHOREOGRAPHER, AND ACCLAIMED DANCE MENTOR SARAH SLIPPER, AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN MAKING A SPLASH AND A NAME FOR ITSELF BY DOING THINGS A BIT DIFFERENTLY IN DANCE. Our dedication to providing dancers and dance makers the resources and artistic freedom needed to create and take new, inspired dance works to the stage led Dance International Magazine to proclaim that we are “changing the way dance is created” and established NW Dance Project as “a laboratory, factory and repository for risk-taking new works from the next generation of choreographers from Europe and North America.” NW Dance Project has grown into a world-class contemporary dance company and an international leader in the creation and premiere of significant new contemporary dance works. We commission gifted choreographers from around the world to create on our classically trained yet daring and fearless professional company, giving them full artistic freedom and all the resources needed to bring their artistic drives, inspirations and dreams to fruition and to the stage. With over 250 new dance works created and premiered in Portland to date — more than any other company in the country — NW Dance Project truly is “the ‘it’ company…one of the most dynamic dance troupes in the country” (Oregon Public Broadcasting) and “an essential part of the city’s arts scene” (The Oregonian), with “some of the best dancers you will ever see.” (Calgary Herald) And while Portland gets to experience our works first, the world is watching. NW Dance Project took the Audience Award at the prestigious 25th annual Hannover Choreographic Competition in Germany in April 2011. Later the same year, we were picked the winner, out of nearly 200 entrants from around the world, of the 2011 Sadler’s Wells Global Dance Contest, and as the winner, enjoyed two sold-out, standing ovation London performances in June 2012 as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
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We are so proud that four of our talented company dancers have been awarded the most prestigious award in dance — The Princess Grace Award: Andrea Parson in 2010; Franco Nieto in 2012; Viktor Usov in 2014; and Ching Ching Wong in 2015. Audiences in Oregon, New York, Seattle, Arizona, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Colorado, Los Angeles, Houston, London, throughout Canada and Germany, and even Mongolia have been similarly wowed by the company’s touring performances. NW Dance Project is proud to represent Portland and further our city’s glowing and growing reputation as a destination for dance and inspired new works of art. We are equally proud of the work we do in our cherished local community that occurs off the theater stage. Our innovative and interactive Dance Moves outreach program brings free dance classes and workshops to thousands of at-risk and low-income young members of our community each season. Our Arts Access initiative provides numerous fully accessible, professional dance performances locally each season, even drawing a record breaking, 4000-strong crowd to the Washington Park Rose Garden Amphitheater to experience the company perform select works from our all-original-repertoire. NW Dance Project is also an extraordinary and comprehensive training center for all dancers. We hold open community classes for adults and youth seven days a week in our beautiful Creative Center at 211 NE 10 th Avenue, as well as special opportunities for professional and pre-professional dancers such as our signature LAUNCH project and our esteemed Summer Dance Intensive. NW Dance Project believes in dance. We believe everyone can dance and anyone can appreciate the beauty and power of human movement. We believe that dance can, and should, touch and enrich each and every person’s life. And with tonight’s special performance, we believe you’ll agree.
“SARAH SLIPPER IS TRULY GIFTED. THIS IS WHAT DANCE SHOULD BE ... SHE FOUND THE POINT AT WHICH THE FORM OF DANCE (STEPS, TECHNIQUE, FEET, PERFORMANCE) COMBINE TO CREATE A WORK OF ART.” —The News Record
Photo / Christopher Peddecord Dancers / Franco Nieto + Andrea Parson
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR / SARAH SLIPPER Sarah Slipper was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, and received her professional training at the Royal Ballet School in London, England and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. In 1980, she made her professional debut with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet as a corps de ballet member, and became one of the company’s leading dramatic ballerinas. Sarah worked closely with many internationally renowned directors, choreographers and teachers, including Arnold Spohr, Rudi van Dantzig, Hans van Manen, Jirí Kylián, Agnes de Mille, Galina Yordanova, and Alla Savchenko. Sarah was noted for her classical line and dramatic abilities, dancing the principal roles in classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Giselle, and The Nutcracker. In addition to the classical repertoire, she received worldwide acclaim for her performances of contemporary ballets, most notably Nobert Vesak’s The Ecstasy of Rita Joe and the award winning Belong pas de deux. After Sarah left the stage, she continued her passion for music and drama, studying theatre at the honours
level at the University of Winnipeg, and in Oxford, England. During the 1996/97 season, she served as ballet mistress of Alberta Ballet, and from 1997/99 as ballet mistress of Oregon Ballet Theatre. Sarah’s command of classical and contemporary styles is demonstrated in her active role of teaching and coaching younger dancers. As a guest master teacher, Sarah has worked with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Washington Ballet, Ballet Austin, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Jefferson Dancers and the Dance Departments of the University of Utah, Cornish College of the Arts, and the University of Iowa. An award winning independent choreographer, Sarah is presently based in Portland, Oregon, creating dance worldwide. She has worked with prominent dance companies including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Nashville Ballet, Washington Ballet, Ballet Jorgen, Louisville Ballet, BalletNY, Alberta Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, Cornish Dance Theater, NW Dance Project and The Jefferson Dancers. She was awarded the Grand Prize for Choreography
at the International Choreographic Competition Saint Sauveur 2000 for her ballet Shattered Night, which was created on the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. During her choreographic residency at Festival des Arts in Quebec, Canada, her ballet A River In A Dry Land, was described by the Montreal Gazette as “one of the finest choreographies produced in residency.” Sarah’s works have been described as “absolutely remarkable... grippingly pits breezy romanticism against a sinister undercurrent.” (The Oregonian) and “...a complete, enclosed world, a somber yet hopeful winter landscape across which the three couples thread in a long, smoothly unfolding skein of dance” (The New York Times). A Fine Balance, her pas de deux created during NW Dance Project’s inaugural season, was a finalist for the prestigious Benois de la Danse award in 2006 and was performed at the Bolshoi Theatre as part of the award’s gala celebration. Sarah is currently working on several new creations and serves as the Artistic Director of NW Dance Project. BOLERO + BILLIE • NW DANCE PROJEC T
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Photo / Blaine Truitt Covert Dancers / William Couture + Elijah Labay + Kody Jauron + Anthony Pucci + Franco Nieto
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Save the Date MAY 12 / 2018
GALA & SEASON CELEBRATION VIP TABLES & TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR PRESALE CONTACT Michael Moura, Company Manager michael@nwdanceproject.org | 503.828.8285
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NW DANCE PROJECT RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER BIOGRAPHY
IHSAN RUSTEM
Ihsan Rustem was born in London and studied from 1998-2000 at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, during in which time he was a member of the National Youth Dance Company. His professional performance career began in the UK with Matthew Bourne’s Adventures in Motion Pictures; in Germany at Ballet Theater Munich (Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz); Introdans in the Netherlands; and in Switzerland as a founding member of both the Stadt Theater Bern Ballett (Cathy Marston) and the Tanz Luzerner Theater. Ihsan has worked with many of today’s leading choreographers including Mats Ek, Ji í Kylián, Hans van Manen and Paul Lightfoot and Sol León; has originated roles in works by Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman, Wayne McGregor, Matthew Bourne, Stijn Celis, Cayetano Soto, Felix Landerer; and has performed further works by William Forsythe & Twyla Tharp, amongst others. He works extensively with and regularly assists choreographer Patrick Delcroix. In 2010, Sarah Slipper invited Ihsan to Portland to create his first commission for a company. The resulting work, State of Matter, went on to receive international success, winning both the Sadler’s Wells Global Dance Contest in
2011 and the Audience Choice Award at the 25th International Competition for Choreographers in Hannover, Germany. Rustem has since gone on to choreograph for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 2, Istanbul State Ballet MDT, Lucerne Dance Theater Switzerland, BYU Contemporary Dance Theater & Theater Ballet Utah USA, Würzburg Ballet Germany, DSC Company Italy, Akbank Sanat Istanbul, Interdans Festival Belgium, Palucca Schule Dresden and Holland’s ArtEz Dansacademie. He has choreographed four original for works for NW Dance Project to date, his first work State of Matter in 2010, and in 2012 he returned to Portland to create Mother Tongue. In March 2015 he premiered his third work for NW Dance Project “Yidam,” and was also appointed NW Dance Project’s Resident Choreographer. Most recently, in March 2016, Ihsan premiered his fourth original creation, “Le Fil Rouge,” and his fifth original creation, “Bolero” in October 2016, for NW Dance Project, which will be toured nationally and internationally. Ihsan was the 2014 recipient of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s International Commissioning Project and Whim W’Him’s inaugural Choreographic Shindig, in 2015.
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DANCER BIOGRAPHIES
by Aszure Barton, Nelly van Bommel, Thang Dao, James Gregg, Felix Landerer, Joshua Manculich, Jirˇí Pokorný, Ihsan Rustem, and Yin Yue.
KATHERINE DISENHOF
SAMANTHA CAMPBELL
is from Salt Lake City, Utah. She attended the University of Utah as a Ballet major and graduated with a B.F.A. in May 2007. She was a member of Utah Ballet for three years while at the University, danced with Alabama Ballet and danced on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studio (Hubbard Street Dance Chicago). Samantha has danced original roles in NW Dance Project works by Didy Veldman, Lucas Crandall, Sarah Slipper, Donald McKayle, James Canfield, Patrick Delcroix, Wen Wei Wang, Andrea Miller, Pedro Dias, Loni Landon, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Noam Gagnon, Edgar Zendejas, Maurice Causey, Lauren Edson, Carla Mann and Minh Tran.
was born and raised in Mill Valley, California, where she trained at Marin Ballet. She graduated from Stanford University in 2012 with a B.A. in Human Biology and received the Louis Sudler Prize in the Performing and Creative Arts. Katherine was a member of Robert Moses’ Kin for four years, with which she toured internationally and was part of a cast that received the 2015 Isadora Duncan Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Performance-Company.” She was also on staff at Alonzo King LINES Ballet for five years as the BFA Program Coordinator and Graphic Designer. Katherine attended NW Dance Project’s 2017 LAUNCH project.
ELIJAH LABAY
was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and started training at Ballet Arts Academy in Spokane, Washington. In 2004, Elijah joined Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet Professional Division and then attended the Fellowship Program at The Ailey School on full scholarship. He received a Professional Advancement Award at Jacob’s Pillow to work with Aszure Barton, Helen Pickett, and Tero Saarinen. In 2009, Elijah joined Florida Dance Theatre directed by Carol Erkes and had the opportunity to choreograph Kaos in Wonderland. Elijah attended NW Dance Project’s LAUNCH:4 project where he worked with choreographers Loni Landon and James Gregg. He was featured in NW Dance Project’s premiere of André Mesquita’s duet, A Short History of Walking, and in other original NW Dance Project works created by Patrick Delcroix, Ihsan Rustem, Lucas Crandall, Pedro Dias, Loni Landon, Sarah Slipper, Noam Gagnon, Olivier Wevers, Carla Mann and Minh Tran.
KODY JAURON
WILLIAM COUTURE
was born and raised in St. Paul Minnesota, where he attended the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts, and from there went to San Francisco to study at Dominican University of California with LINES ballet. While in college Will traveled as a guest artist to perform with the Southern California Ballet, Santa Rosa Ballet, and LINES ballet. In 2013 Will received a scholarship with the Dizzy Feet Foundation and was invited to perform a solo at their gala event. After graduating in 2015 Will returned to Minnesota to dance with Shapiro and Smith Dance and teach.
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hails from Phoenix, Arizona where he began his formal dance instruction at age 15 with Andrew Needhammer. Shortly after, Kody furthered his pre-professional studies with the Miami City Ballet School and Ballet Austin’s Professional Division Trainee Program where he was honored to become a recipient of the Sarah & Ernest Butler Scholarship. After one year at Ballet Austin, Kody was promoted to an apprentice to the company where he danced for two additional seasons. Kody has supplemented his training at Lou Conte Dance Studio’s scholarship program, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, Springboard Danse Montréal, and most recently at NW Dance Project’s LAUNCH:10. Prior to joining NW Dance Project, Kody danced with DanceWorks Chicago under the tutelage of Julie Nakagawa and has been a featured guest artist with the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, Evansville Ballet, and Salt Creek Ballet. He has had the opportunity to perform works
LINDSEY MCGILL
was born in Houston, Texas. She began her formal dance training under Elizabeth and Rosemary Molak in Orange County, California and continued training at the Houston Ballet Academy under the direction of Ben Stevenson, Clara Cravey and Priscilla Nathan Murphy. Since graduating from Houston Ballet Academy, Lindsey has worked with Jane Weiner’s Hope Stone Dance, Michele Brangwen Dance Ensemble, iMEE, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, O Dance, NobleMotion
Dance, The Next Stage Project, KDNY and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2. She has also had opportunities to dance in projects by a number of independent artists including Jhon R. Stronks, Paola Georgudis, Teresa Chapman, Amy Ell’s Vault and Freneticore. Lindsey participated in NW Dance Project’s LAUNCH:5 project.
FRANCO NIETO 2012 PRINCESS GRACE AWARD WINNER
was born and raised in Vancouver, Washington. Franco was an athlete playing football for seven years before making his choice to dance. Franco began his training at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, and Columbia Dance, later studying under Tracey Durbin as a student and an assistant in Portland. Franco graduated from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a B.F.A. in Jazz in 2009. Franco has danced original roles in NW Dance Project works by Didy Veldman, James Canfield, Sarah Slipper, Luca Veggetti, Pedro Dias, Maurice Causey, Wen Wei Wang, Andrea Miller, Noam Gagnon, Loni Landon and Lauren Edson. In August 2012, Franco was one of only six dancers in the U.S. to win a Princess Grace Award for Dance. Franco received a full page feature in the February 2014 issue of Dance Magazine.
Angeles in 2008. Andrea has taught dance throughout Oregon and Washington and has participated in workshops with the Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, anoukvandijk dc and the NW Dance Project. She has danced original roles in NW Dance Project works by Patrick Delcroix, Sarah Slipper, James Canfield, Luca Veggetti, Pedro Dias, Ihsan Rustem, Andrea Miller, Aszure Barton, Noam Gagnon, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Maurice Causey, Lucas Crandall, Wen Wei Wang, Alejandro Cerrudo, Cayetano Soto, Loni Landon, Edgar Zendejas, Carla Mann and Minh Tran. In June 2010, Dance Magazine named Andrea their dancer “On the Rise.” The following month, Andrea received her biggest career honor to date, winning a 2010 Princess Grace Award for Dance and she appeared on the cover of Dance Spirit Magazine in February 2011, which did a feature on her and another on the company.
JULIA RADICK
was born and raised in New York City. She graduated from LaGuardia Arts High School and earned her B.F.A. in Dance from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She has also trained at North Carolina School of the Arts, Boston Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and with Batsheva. Julia has danced original works by Nathan Trice, Brunilda Ruiz, James Sutton, Cherylyn Lavagnino, Aszure Barton, and Kate Weare. She was a member of the Yomoco and has performed with Classical Contemporary Ballet Theatre. Julia is a certified Mind Body Dancer™ yoga instructor. Julia took part in NW Dance Project’s LAUNCH:7 project. Company Portraits / Michael Slobodian ©
ANTHONY PUCCI
was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, began his dance training at Studio Dance under Michele Burke. He attended the University of Iowa, where he received a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography. While attending university, he had the privilege to perform extensively in faculty, graduate, and undergraduate work — most notably a site-specific work at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia with the visually stunning Tori Lawrence & Co, as well as an evening-length work exploring energy cultures at an Anthroprocene symposium hosted by the University of Wyoming with Incite Insight Arts. Anthony danced for the past four years with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre in their productions of Carmen, Don Giovanni, and others. Anthony is also a 200-hour certified yoga instructor through the Yoga Alliance. In 2017 he attended NW Dance Project’s LAUNCH project.
ANDREA PARSON 2010 PRINCESS GRACE AWARD WINNER
began her early dance training in Hillsboro, Oregon, at NW Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Anita Mitchell. She received her B.A. from Loyola Marymount University in Los
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THANK YOU PATRON $10,000+ Craig Aalseth The Boeing Company Alan & Sharon Jones – North Country Productions James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation The Oregonian Media Group The Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland and The Shubert Foundation Peter & Ann van Bever West Portland Physical Therapy Associates Work for Art, including contributions from more than 75 companies and 2,000 employees
BENEFACTOR $5,000–$9,999
Gregory & Betsy Hatton The Jackson Foundation Juan Young Trust Gary S. Leavitt Scott Lewis Missy & Mark MacDonald Steven Neighorn Oregon Arts Commission Prographics Sarah Slipper Al Solheim The Herbert A. Templeton Foundation
CHAMPION $2,500–$4,999 All Classical Public Media, Inc. Altabira City Tavern The Autzen Foundation Jacqueline R. Cape & Arnie Perlstein Vaunda Carter Marilyn Crilley & George Rowbottom Domaine Serene Winery Roger Griffith Intel Corporation J & J Foundation Mr. Paul T. Jones & Dr. Charles A. Murphy Gary LeClair & Janice Friend Mark Spencer Hotel Carole Montarou Portland Flower Works Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust Jane & Steven Tighe John Tracy The Valspar Corporation Lucinda Welch & Dennis Nolan Serena Zilliacus & PierreLaurent Baudey
PRODUCER $1,000–$2,499 Nita Brueggeman & Kevin Hoover Claude Burgoyne & Vicki Smith
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NW DANCE PROJECT DONATIONS: NW Dance Project would like to thank the following individuals, foundations, corporations and government agencies for their generous support. Listing reflects gifts received from November 1, 2016 through November 9, 2017. If you have a question or a correction to the listing, or would like to add or deepen your support, please contact Executive Director Scott Lewis at 503.756.1912 or info@nwdanceproject.org.
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Molly & Brian Renauer Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider Heidi & Chris Rianda Karissa Rippy & Dan Meier Kimberly Ross SHO Authentic Japanese Cuisine Sarah Shugerman Charles Sax Eric Shaffner Christine Smith & Lowell McKelvey Vicki Smith & Joan Harman Elizabeth Stafford The Standard Kathryn & Trent Stocking Stormbreaker Brewing Toni & Matt Tabora-Roberts Gary Taliaferro Robert & Ann-Marie Tate Eileen & David Threefoot William Toepper Topgolf Carol Turtle Elena & Ted Volchock Barbara Walton Catherine & Jeff Warren Kristy Weidner Emily Whitfield & Bryan Lin White Bird Charles Williams Karen & Bob Williams Levi Winkler Sara Wiseman Gwendolyn Wong
Nick & Karen Wutzke Lisa Zaharoni Venus & Ed Zaron
VERY SPECIAL THANKS Altabira City Tavern Melissa Barry / Missionary Chocolates Frank Blanchard / Portland Flower Works Boora Architects Nita Brueggeman & Kevin Hoover Anna Burnette James Canfield Mona Cordell Blaine Truitt Covert Lucas Crandall Tom Creamer / ProGraphics Michelle & Jason Davis Ralph Davis Dobbes Family Estate Wines Tracey Durbin Nick Fish Hank the Dog Bob Hicks Hoyt & LuLu Barry Johnson Sharon Jones James Kalvelage Tom Kilbane & Lauren Holden Kilbane
JOIN US in applauding the following corporations, foundations, agencies, and government institutions for their commitment to enriching the cultural fabric of our community by supporting the arts and NW Dance Project.
Alexis Kurland Patti Koehler Joe Kye Lagunitas Brewing Matthew Larson Dick & Carole Lewis Jim Lykins David Machado Carla Mann Nel Centro Restaurant Opsis Architecture Christopher Peddecord PSU College of the Arts Ihsan Rustem Sarah Schwarz Aaron Scott Al Solheim Tony Starlight George Thorn Minh Tran & Gary Nelson Henry V Don Vallaster Julie Vigeland Jason Vondersmith Caitlin Warren & Zach Pickens Jamie Watson Scott & Ann Weaver White Bird Richard Winkel, CPA Dr. Katharine Zeller
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nwdanceproject.org or send your gift to: PO Box 42488 | Portland, OR 97242 503.421.7434 info@nwdanceproject.org nwdanceproject.org NW Dance Project is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization BOLERO + BILLIE • NW DANCE PROJEC T
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NW DANCE PROJECT
STAFF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Sarah Slipper EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Scott Lewis COMPANY MANAGERS Katie Holliday + Michael De Farias Moura EDUCATION & OUTREACH COORDINATOR Caitlin Warren ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Jennifer Hancock STUDIO STAFF Kolina Chitta + Kasandra Martinez + Lindsay Spoonmore LIGHTING DESIGNER & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Jeff Forbes STAGE MANAGER Thyra Hartshorn COSTUME & WARDROBE MANAGEMENT Alexa Stark ACCOMPANISTS Ray McKean + Susan Schroeder GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN Rachel Beckwith + Christopher Peddecord WEB SUPPORT Christopher Peddecord PHOTOGRAPHY Blaine Truitt Covert + Christopher Peddecord + Michael Slobodian VIDEOGRAPHY Ralph Davis, Action Video + Michael Slobodian HEALTH & WELLNESS Dr. Katharine Zeller PHYSICAL THERAPY West Portland Physical Therapy Clinic ACCOUNTING Richard Winkel, CPA BOOKKEEPING Susan Matlack Jones & Associates
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DANCE TEACHERS
Pierre-Laurent Baudey Jacqueline Cape Alan Jones Gary Leavitt Scott Lewis Carole Montarou Steven C. Neighorn Sarah Slipper Jane Tighe John Tracy Peter Van Bever Lucinda Welch Serena Zilliacus
Andre Baker Allison Brando Diana Bustos Samantha Campbell James Canfield Micah Chermak Kim Choeychan William Couture Lucas Crandall Jason Davis Michelle Davis Mariecella Devine Selina Dipronio Tracey Durbin Cora Guerin Charlene Hannibal Kathryn Harden Izzy Holmes Kody Jauron Tracy Julias Sharee Lane Ella Matweyou Lindsey McGill Morgan Moore Faith Morrison Thorey Mountain Franco Nieto Andrea Parson Yellie Shustack Nicholas Petrich Julia Radick Sarah Slipper Vanessa Thiessen Gerard Theoret Jasmin Trotter Caitlin Warren Holly Wooldridge
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Sarah Slipper
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Scott Lewis
COMPANY MEMBERS Samantha Campbell William Couture Katherine Disenhof Kody Jauron Elijah Labay Lindsey McGill Franco Nieto Andrea Parson Anthony Pucci Julia Radick
PRINTING & MAILING ProGraphics + MetroPresort
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STUDIO SUPPORT Jonathan Floyd + Kristalyn Gill + McKaye Harris + Allison Irby + Sophia Kongshaug + Kasandra Martinez + Genna McAllister + Raelynn Webb
CONTACT
Company Portraits By Michael Slobodian
Ticket Info
Flowers Donated By Portland Flower Works
Website
Studio
503.421.7434 503.828.8285 nwdanceproject.org Program Cover Photo / Christopher Peddecord
NW Dance Project PO Box 42488 Portland, OR 97242
Creative Center
211 NE 10TH Ave Portland, OR 97232 Dancers / William Couture + Lindsey McGill
Florence Events Center, host of the 2nd Star Festival. Funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust.
TOGETHER, WE FUND 1,400+ CULTURAL NONPROFITS IN OREGON. INCLUDING THIS BOY AND HIS DRAGON. Oregonians have a unique opportunity to fund cultural activities in the state and double their impact for free - with the Cultural Tax Credit. Make sure you are claiming yours. Doing so takes three simple steps that do so much for Oregon. Talk to your CPA, or learn more at (503) 986-0088 or CulturalTrust.org.
DOUBLE THE LOVE. HERE’S HOW:
1. TOTAL
2. GIVE
3. CLAIM
YOUR DONATIONS TO CULTURE
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WHAT TO SEE IN ARTSLANDIA ARTS CALENDAR
RHAPSODY IN BLUE
OREGON SYMPHONY The Oregon Symphony is proud to present the first of the Sounds of Home series, focusing on immigration, and they invite you to join them in thinking about this topic central to American identity. Gershwin’s legendary work revolutionized classical music with its jazzy riffs, clarinet wails, and blue notes. Gershwin was also the son of immigrants. Symphony favorite Kirill Gerstein, hailed by The New York Times as “one of the most respected pianists of his generation,” stuns with a rare and special two-concerto program. Composer Chris Rogerson and award-winning immigrant playwright Dipika Guha will also premiere a linked work, commissioned by the Oregon Symphony, that focuses on the immigrant experience. NOVEMBER 4–6; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
MOJADA: A MEDEA IN LOS ANGELES
PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY In this retelling of Medea, playwright Luis Alfaro blends tragedy, wry humor, Mexican folklore, and a bracingly modern setting to unleash the power of Euripides’ ancient tale of love, transformation, and betrayal. A coproduction with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Mojada comes to Portland after a triumphant six-month run in Ashland. NOVEMBER 4–26; PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY, U.S. BANK MAIN STAGE
THE MUSIC OF MICHAEL JACKSON
OREGON SYMPHONY The Oregon Symphony, a full rock band, and an electrifying vocalist team up to take you through hit after hit from the King of Pop! With I’ll Be There, Thriller, The Way You Make Me Feel, and many more, you’ll rock the night away as the Symphony celebrates Michael Jackson’s multiplatinum career. Conducted by Brent Havens with vocals by James Delisco. NOVEMBER 9; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
BEETHOVEN’S SECOND SYMPHONY
OREGON SYMPHONY Discover another side of Beethoven in his Symphony No. 2, full of cheerful energy and humor. The Symphony also welcomes the renowned St. Lawrence String Quartet who join the orchestra for the performance of John Adams’ intriguing string quartet concerto. Conducted by Johannes Debus. NOVEMBER 18–20; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
MUSIC
DANCE
THEATER
A CHRISTMAS MEMORY & WINTER SONG
PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY An autobiographical recollection of Truman Capote’s rural Alabama boyhood, A Christmas Memory is a tiny gem of a holiday story, offering an unforgettable portrait of an odd but enduring friendship between two innocent souls—one young and one old—and their shared memories of beloved holiday rituals. The brilliant singer Merideth Kaye Clark and Director Brandon Woolley present Winter Song, an original production of favorite songs that celebrate winter and all it represents: love, loss, family, solitude, renewal, and friendship. NOVEMBER 18–31; PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY, ELLYN BYE STUDIO
VSO LEGACY SERIES
VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Now in its seventh season, the series was co-created by Dr. Michael C. Liu, the VSO pianist and board member, and Dr. Igor Shakhman, VSO Executive Director and Principal Clarinet, to present great musicians playing in a very intimate setting. The content of each concert is unique, and most of the participating musicians are members of The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. NOVEMBER 19; KIGGINS THEATRE, 1011 MAIN ST., VANCOUVER
THE TENORS CHRISTMAS
OREGON SYMPHONY The powerhouse trio returns, this time using their soaring voices to get your holiday season off to an electrifying start. They sold out the ‘Schnitz in their last time with the Symphony. No wonder. Their charm and diverse vocal styles thrill audiences wherever they go around the globe. Conducted by Norman Huynh. NOVEMBER 21; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
OREGON SYMPHONY Since 1984, Mannheim Steamroller’s distinctive blend of acoustic and synthesized sounds has been a hallmark of the holiday season. Now, members of the Oregon Symphony join forces with the world’s top Christmas recording ensemble to perform their contemporary twists on Yuletide classics. NOVEMBER 24; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
CULTURE
ONE NIGHT ONLY
FAMILY SHOW
A POPS HOLIDAY
OREGON SYMPHONY Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik and the band are joined by the Pacific Youth Choir and Ashley Brown (Broadway’s Mary Poppins) to get the holidays off to a rollicking start with favorite carols and beloved holiday tunes that will send you out into the season in the perfect spirit. NOVEMBER 24–25; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
ANDRÉ WATTS PLAYS GRIEG
OREGON SYMPHONY All the ingredients for a perfect winter’s night of music with a Scandinavian-themed evening. Powerhouse pianist André Watts returns to play Grieg’s magnificent piano concerto. Conducted by Leo Hussain. DECEMBER 2–4; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
THE SECOND CITY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL: TWIST YOUR DICKENS
PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY A complete sendup of the holiday classic, this adult comedy is adorned with the improvisational genius of the legendary comedy troupe The Second City. Twist includes zany holiday sketches and uproarious improv based on audience participation—it’s never the same show twice! The production has become a Portland holiday favorite and returns from runs this past season at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Twist is recommended for ages 14 and up. DECEMBER 5–31; PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE AMORY, U.S. BANK MAIN STAGE
BOLERO + BILLIE
NW DANCE PROJECT A company-created, delightful holiday(ish) tradition with a bonus. This winter, NW Dance Project is putting a little Billie Holiday into their annual seasonal show and spicing it up nice with the return of Ihsan Rustem’s Boléro. DECEMBER 7–9; LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL, PSU
GOSPEL CHRISTMAS
OREGON SYMPHONY This 19-year tradition keeps getting bigger and better. The region’s premier gospel singers and the Oregon Symphony orchestra will have you on your feet, clapping and shouting, celebrating the true spirit of the season. Don’t miss out on this exhilarating experience! Conducted by Charles Floyd. DECEMBER 8–10; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2017 VSO HOLIDAY POPS SERIES: WINTER CLASSICS
VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Featuring music from Frozen, The Nutcracker, Viennese waltzes, and other seasonal favorites. Please visit the VSO website for additional information. DECEMBER 9–10; SKYVIEW CONCERT HALL, 1300 NW 139TH ST., VANCOUVER
GEORGE BALANCHINE’S THE NUTCRACKER®
OREGON BALLET THEATRE Sometimes the best journeys are the ones we take to familiar places—filled with warmth, tradition, and new memories waiting to be made. Oregon Ballet Theatre’s annual performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® has brought joy to the holidays for 14 years. Join Marie and her Nutcracker Prince as they are swept away by dancing snowflakes to a magical land of sweets ruled by the Sugarplum Fairy—all to Tchaikovsky’s brilliant score!
Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker features magnificent scenery and elaborate costumes. The company remains one of only a handful in the nation with the rights to produce George Balanchine’s version of this holiday classic. OBT is pleased to announce the addition of two more shows this year featuring the OBT Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s magical score live. Please visit the OBT website for tickets. DECEMBER 9–24; KELLER AUDITORIUM
BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY
OREGON SYMPHONY Get into the swing of things with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, whose high-energy, deliriously fun shows have entertained sold-out crowds around the world. Now they join the Oregon Symphony orchestra for an evening of spirited flair that’s sure to have you singing and dancing all night long! Conducted by Norman Huynh. DECEMBER 16; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
COMFORT AND JOY: A CLASSICAL CHRISTMAS
OREGON SYMPHONY Light holiday classics, seasonal favorites, and a very merry singalong make for a jubilant evening shared with friends. Conducted by Norman Huynh. DECEMBER 17; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
PINK MARTINI NEW YEAR’S EXTRAVAGANZA
OREGON SYMPHONY Could there be a better way to ring in the New Year than with Pink Martini and the Oregon Symphony? Especially when Pink Martini has a brand new CD—Je Dis Oui!—in its arsenal. And in keeping with the Symphony’s Ode to Joy tradition, the concert will include the full-throated final movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Conducted by Carlos Kalmar with vocals by China Forbes. Catch the show on the 31st for vocals by Storm Large. Special guests Ari Shapiro, The von Trapps, and Cantor Ida Rae Cahana round out the production, ensuring that this is one extravaganza not to be missed. DECEMBER 30–31; ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
SPONSORED BY Photo by James McGrew.
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
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®
AT TH E P E R FO R M A N C E A CIT Y PL AYBILL AND PERFORMING ARTS MAGA ZINE
41
FEATURES 29 FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE 33 TWIST YOUR DICKENS
36
A full accounting of The Second City’s holiday delight
36 BAG&BAGGAGE VAULTS INTO THE FUTURE New space, new possibilities
41 PORTLAND’S GRAND CENTRAL STATION
Musings on the City of Books inspired by K.B. Dixon’s photography
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N OV E MB ER | DECE MB ER 2017
46 WHO IS POISON WATERS? The “fun” in “fundraiser”
A R T S L A N D I A .COM
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
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“SOME OF THE BEST DANCERS YOU WILL EVER SEE”
®
– CALGARY HERALD
BOLERO + BILLIE
AT TH E P E R FO R M A N C E
TICKETS
NWDANCEPROJECT.ORG 503.828.8285
DEC 7 - 9 / 7:30PM LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL
PHOTO / CHRISTOPHER PEDDECORD DANCERS / WILLIAM COUTURE + LINDSEY MCGILL
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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
PUBLISHER + FOUNDER Misty Tompoles EDITOR-AT-LARGE Barry Johnson COPY EDITOR Kristen Seidman DESIGNERS Lisa Johnston-Smith Dan Le MEDIA DIRECTOR Chris Porras SALES DIRECTOR Lindsey Ferguson PUBLISHING COORDINATOR Bella Showerman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brett Campbell Bob Hicks PHOTOGRAPHER Christine Dong PODCAST HOST Susannah Mars
Artslandia at the Performance is published by Rampant Creative, Inc. ©2017 Rampant Creative, Inc. All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher. Rampant Creative, Inc. /Artslandia Magazine 6637 SE Milwaukie Ave. #207 | Portland, OR 97202
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FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE
T
oday’s subject is the contradiction between Oregon’s obvious love for the arts and our tepid support for them at the state level. Well, actually, the subject is how you and I, dear reader, can help solve that contradiction.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask us to lobby our representatives. I’m not even going to suggest that we peel some greenbacks from our bankrolls and slide them into the collection plate. I’ve got a better solution in mind. A bit of info to bring us up to date: The glorious state of Oregon ranks 35th in funding for the arts through its arts agencies—the Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust. That’s a little weird. The state always ranks near the very top in attendance at its arts events. You would think, all things being equal, that we’d be happier to support the arts than most other places. That’s not the case. I’m going to focus on the states that start with the letter “O” for a moment, a universe of three states. According to the complex calculations of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, Oregon state government spends a grand total of 84 cents per state resident on the arts. Let that sink in a moment. Eighty-four cents. A grand total of $3,422,588. Now, I hear people complain about government support for the arts a lot, but complaining about 84 cents is complaining about nickels and dimes. Actual nickels and dimes. Even if one is ideologically opposed to it, there are much bigger targets around for slings and arrows. (For the record, I think the same thing about people who complain about the Arts Tax in Portland. That $35 is going directly toward something we actually voted for—arts education at the primary school level and support for our nonprofit arts organizations. But that’s another story.)
Oregon is most dependent on its creative economy—the design, tech, new knowledge companies that drive our economy now. The arts are crucial for attracting the talent that sharpens the edge of those companies and for keeping them engaged with their creative side when they get here.
Back to the O states. The other two are Ohio and Oklahoma. Ohio is a much bigger state, and during the 20th century, it was one of the nation’s richest, home to behemoth national corporations, from Procter & Gamble and Kroger in Cincinnati to Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron. It’s still an industrial center of major national importance, but its per capita income has slipped below Oregon’s. We’re 26th nationally, at $54,148 per household. They are 34th, at $51,075. Still, they are ahead of us in state funding for the arts: They spend $1.39 per capita for a total of $16,173,750. Oklahoma is more our size, and for much of its history, its wealth was built on an extractive industry, just like ours—oil in their case, timber in ours. The average household income in Oklahoma is $48,568, which ranks 39th nationally. So, they give less of their state budget to the arts than we do, surely? Uh, no. It’s close, but they contribute 99 cents per capita to their state arts agencies, which ranks 26th nationally. Among the O states, Oregon is last. »»» NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
29
FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Continued from page 29
Info Session & Tour Dates 2017-18 Middle School Tuesdays, 10:30 to 12:00
High School
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November 14 December 5 January 9 May 8 November 16 December 7 January 11
Contact Lainie Ettinger, Admissions Director, to RSVP or schedule a tour: lettinger@nwacademy.org
Inspiring daily through academics and arts. nwacademy.org
»»» Some might say this is a brilliant economy of resources—we invest little and get a lot. Unfortunately for us, among the O states, Oregon is most dependent on its creative economy—the design, tech, new knowledge companies that drive our economy now. The arts are crucial for attracting the talent that sharpens the edge of those companies and for keeping them engaged with their creative side when they get here. We can’t afford to be penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Fortunately, the Oregon Cultural Trust allows us to rectify an ongoing error of the state Legislature—in this case, its reluctance to fund the arts sufficiently. As I said at the top, it doesn’t cost us any money. And though it’s been around for a while now, many of us don’t take advantage of its unique provisions. Many do: Oregonians invested more than $4.55 million in the Oregon Cultural Trust in 2016, after all. For good reason: It distributes money to every corner of the state and funds tribal and historical organizations, as well. So, if you’re taking advantage already, this is just a refresher. The process isn’t difficult, but it does involve a few steps. The subject of taxes makes my head swim, my eyes blurry, and my knees weak. But we can do this! 1. It starts with a gift to one or more of the 1,400 or so arts and cultural groups in the state. You can find the list of qualifying groups on the Oregon Cultural Trust’s website, though nearly anyone you can think of qualifies. 2. Make a matching gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust. You can do it online. Print the confirmation screen for your records to claim your tax credit. You can also donate by telephone (503-986-0088). 3. Claim your entire contribution to the Oregon Cultural Trust as a tax credit on your Oregon income tax—up to $500 for an individual, $1,000 for couples filing jointly, and $2,500 for corporations. 4. Much of that money will be distributed to Oregon arts groups directly, and some will go to the Oregon Cultural Trust’s permanent fund. Let’s compress that: You gift your favorite arts group(s); you give to the Oregon Cultural Trust; you take a tax credit for the gifts; you enjoy great art the rest of the year. Not so hard, is it? Ohio and Oklahoma, we’re coming for you! .
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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
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At French American International School (FAIS), we develop internationally-minded and actively engaged citizens; we harness the power of language to build greater intellect, openness, and problem-solving ability; we challenge students to inquire across multiple disciplines; and we deliver academic excellence through a triple-accredited program. Unlock the world for your child—learn more about FAIS at an upcoming open house (November and January) or on a campus tour. Details at www.faispdx.org/visit. 8500 NW Johnson St., Portland, OR 97229 • admissions@faispdx.org • 503.292.7776 • www.faispdx.org Artslandia mag half page November-December 2017.indd 1
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10/23/17 1:03 PM
MBERS U N E H T Y B
1
As in #1. Twist Your Dickens was the very first show created by The Second City that features full production values (most of their shows include only a few props and costumes). Portland Center Stage at The Armory was also the very first company in the country to secure the rights to the show after it premiered in Los Angeles in 2012.
35
The number of costume changes that happen in the first 15 minutes alone. There are 80+ costumes in the show and 27 wigs.
$100,000
The amount of fake money needed for Scrooge’s bankroll. The fake bills were ordered from a company authorized to print near-perfect replicas. The only difference is that “Cinema Use Only” is printed where “United States of America” is on real money.
1,000
Roughly the number of handpainted bricks featured in the set. The Armory’s scenic artists painted eco-friendly sheets of molded Pulp Art to achieve the appearance of brick walls.
1959
The year The Second City first opened its doors in Chicago. This improv giant created Twist Your Dickens and also trained comedic greats such as Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey and many others.
December 5–31, 2017
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Bag&Baggage
VAULTS FUTURE INTO THE
By Brett Campbell Photos by Casey Campbell Photography
R
ecently, Bag&Baggage Productions’ Artistic Director Scott Palmer and the actors in the company’s fall production returned briefly to their old home, downtown Hillsboro’s Venetian Theatre, for a quick rehearsal when their new home, The Vault Theater & Event Space, was unavailable. Nine months after departing, they found the old theater almost unchanged, even with copies of the program from the final production there last Christmas.
“It felt like walking into a museum,” Palmer remembers. “There was a huge feeling of coming home and familiarity. I spent the last decade in my life in that building. It was very emotional, bittersweet. It did remind me of how grateful we are to the Venetian for having allowed us to explore our style of theater there. We owe so much to that building, but after the rehearsal was over, it felt so great, being able to walk back over here [to The Vault]—and close the door to my office.” Just steps down Main Street from their old home, they now own a purpose-built, 21stcentury theater, the former Wells Fargo building, which opened in September. Even their first show that same month demonstrated just what a tremendous transformation the new space sparks in one of Oregon’s most artistically accomplished companies. The Vault opening culminated a frenetic year for Bag&Baggage. At 9:30 p.m. last November 5, Palmer got the phone call he’d been dreading for years. The Venetian had been put up for sale, forcing the company to move its penultimate show of the season to a small venue and cancel its big season-ending moneymaker, the ever-popular comedy Noises Off. 36
ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
The resulting $80,000-plus loss stunned a company that had always run in the black—a rarity in Portland-area theater. But after an intensely stressful winter, which Palmer said he might not have endured without other company members stepping up to take on new roles, the company survived (barely). Aware that a sale could happen, Palmer had already taken steps to secure a new venue, much better suited to the plucky company’s style and audience. A year since that fateful phone call, the company has bounced back smartly, offering discounts to subscribers and disappointed ticket holders for the canceled and moved shows. Its audience has responded: “We’re up 25 percent in season ticket sales from last year,” Palmer says.
The company’s 18-month capital campaign to remodel the building is already complete, having exceeded its $1.5 million goal by $25,000. Their future looks auspicious, giving a double meaning to the name of its new home—the old bank vault and the company’s leap into a promising (and very different) future. Intimacy and Intensity Designed by Portland’s highly regarded Opsis Architecture, whose name comes from the Greek word for “theatrical spectacle,” The Vault is the kind of flexible “black box” space beloved of innovative theater companies because it’s adaptable to any kind of production, including perhaps someday even augmented or virtual reality. While some of the 1948 building’s industrial chic, midcentury modern fea-
tures remain, from exposed nails to giant steel trusses, it boasts improvements in lighting, projection capability, accessibility, rehearsal space, and storage. The spiffy lobby features a baggage-themed art installation, and there’s even office space, including (for the first time) an office for Palmer himself. The company plans to employ the adjacent outdoor area as both an event and adjunct theatrical space. “We’re going to use the fabric of the building as a blank canvas for our work,” Palmer says. The most obvious difference between the company’s old and new homes is size. The Vault’s 165-seat capacity—less than half of the Venetian’s—is close to the company’s average attendance, making each show feel more crowded and lively, the audience just a few feet from the performers. Audiences will now be able to see more nuances than the broad-brush comedy and drama that made the company’s reputation. And that, in turn, changes the style of acting and directing. “We’re known for doing big stuff,” Palmer acknowledges. “This gives us the opportunity to respond to people who think the only thing we know how to do is big and brash. That has largely been a necessity of our old space. I’m a fan of the giant farces we’ve done for Christmas. But they’re also the kind of show that fits in the Venetian. You’ve got to big it up.” It didn’t necessarily fit Palmer, though. “I’m trained to do up-close, intimate theater, so this is kind of a second life for me. We’ll shift attention to smaller cast shows, five- or six-handers. Everyone’s moving toward small casts now.” The transformation was evident in the very first production in the new space, Rebecca Gilman’s 1999 play Spinning into Butter, an
The most significant news about The Vault is how its impact is already extending beyond the company that calls it home. Owning its own space, at last, has opened opportunities for Bag & Baggage-and for its community. intense, character-driven play that Palmer had wanted to stage for years. “That show would never have worked in the Venetian,” Palmer says. Nor would the three-actor March production, Ariel Dorfman’s intense 1991 classic, Death and the Maiden.
performances, the actors admitted that there was “no room to hide” in such a confined space. But they praised the “instant feedback” from the audience that the close quarters made possible, seeing it as an opportunity to explore subtlety and nuance in their acting.
The change in content goes hand in hand with a shift in style. “For 10 years, I’ve been telling people ‘be bigger, be louder.’ But in Spinning into Butter, I spent most of my time telling people to be smaller, more internal,” Palmer says. He was gratified to see the company’s actors embracing the welcome new challenges of “a radically different set of acting chops.” Instead of constantly worrying whether they were loud enough for the people in the back rows to hear them, the question became, “Am I clear enough and specific enough for people to believe me?” Palmer explains.
Audiences members so far agree. According to Palmer, a survey taken during Spinning’s run revealed that 96 percent of respondents said they preferred the intimacy of The Vault to previous locations, especially noting the ability to hear the actors clearly. While that’s a biased selection—presumably, some of those who preferred the old space might not have attended—it still reflected the views of hundreds of respondents and exceeded the company’s hopes.
It certainly worked. Audience members almost felt like they were participating in the tense meetings among college administrators striving to deal with racial harassment incidents at a small college. At a talkback session after one of the opening weekend
Set design will also adapt. “No one could see the set in the Venetian,” Palmer says. “We were constantly painting with broad brushes, just like the actors. Now we can turn our attention to detail and be more specific in our designs.” This season’s other productions will each demonstrate a different, new theatrical facet to one of the Portland area’s gems. »»»
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
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»»» A revival of David McGillivray and Walter
Zerlin Jr.’s farce The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of “Murder At Checkmate Manor” is “a big spectacle that shows off all the toys, more about the special lighting effects and the sound system,” Palmer says about the venue’s new state of the art technical capabilities. “Charles Dickens Writes A Christmas Carol is all about the projections—360-degree immersive stuff,” he says. “We’re taking advantage of what the space offers one piece at a time rather than throwing it all at them at once.”
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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
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The most significant news about The Vault is how its impact is already extending beyond the company that calls it home. Owning its own space, at last, has opened opportunities for Bag&Baggage—and for its community. Palmer intends to host improv comedy and the company’s annual Robert Burns holiday dinner fundraiser at The Vault. Much as downtown Portland’s Armory and Artists Repertory Theatre host events separate from their resident companies, The Vault is already taking a variety of bookings. The space provides fast-growing Hillsboro (Oregon’s fifth-largest city, with more than 100,000 residents) with a much-needed venue for everything from parties to performances. It also supplies Bag&Baggage a separate income stream (about a quarter of its total) from rentals and, thanks to a kitchen and wine bar, concessions. “We’re thinking about the venue itself becoming a huge resource for us and the community. I want people to think of it as a place to go to have a wide range of experiences, not just Bag&Baggage.” The community has embraced the notion. “Our community is delighted that Bag&Baggage and The Vault will help ensure that Hillsboro remains a thriving hub for arts and cultural activities,” says Hillsboro Public Affairs Manager Patrick Preston. “This high-quality venue is a wonderful addition.
[It] enhances downtown Hillsboro’s reputation as a regional arts destination and increases opportunities for downtown restaurants and retailers to welcome patrons before and after performances and other events.” Recognizing the company’s fiscal soundness and contributions to the local culture and economy, Hillsboro chipped in with a 25-year loan, and the state followed suit with a $50,000 grant to support the company’s Cultural Innovation Program. “These funds will allow us to create one of the most flexible and advanced digital projection laboratories on the West Coast,” Palmer says. The 360-degree digitally immersive projection system will give “our artists, students from throughout the state, animators, innovators, and digital content creators a playground where they can experiment, develop new applications, and perfect their skills.” The company may even reduce the number of productions, going to five shows per season. “We may do fewer things but increase our overall production values,” Palmer says, “[and] give ourselves a bit of breathing room to explore the options the building presents to us.” It’s a lesson taught by the company’s old home, the one they briefly revisited this fall. In the Venetian, Palmer explains, “I learned more than anything how much you have to adapt to a space rather than having the space adapt to you. That’s been incredibly valuable.” .
Bag&Baggage Productions stages its Christmas show, Charles Dickens Writes A Christmas Carol, November 30–December 23 at The Vault, 350 E. Main Street, Hillsboro.
NOV 19 - DEC 17
JAN 20 - FEB 18
IT’S THE SMALL FAMILY DINNER THAT MADE BIG WAVES ON BROADWAY. 2016 TONY AWARD WINNER FOR BEST NEW PLAY
AN EPIC AND IMMERSIVE EXCURSION TO THE END OF THE EARTH. 5 ACT WORLD PREMIERE WITH A DINNER BREAK.
ROBERT & MERCEDES EICHHOLZ FOUNDATION
RONNI LACROUTE
artistsrep.org 503.241.1278
DAVID & CHRISTINE VERNIER
The Gif t To S in g! The captivating voices of the Portland Symphonic Girlchoir present delightful songs joined by special guests, the Portland Youth Ballet, collaborating to present songs from Seussical: The Musical, as well as Kayama and Cantus in equalis from Karl Jenkins’s “Songs of Sanctuary”. The concert also features songs of inspiration: Dreamers of Dreams, The Gift To Sing, and Psalm 8, as well as seasonal favorites The Night Before Christmas, Gaudeamus Hodie, and Hanerot Halalu.
3PM ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH
Oh, the Thin k s You Can Thi nk! A musical celebration sparkling with our youngest artists presenting delightful songs from Seussical: The Musical and seasonal favorites The Night Before Christmas, Gaudeamus Hodie, and Hanerot Halalu. Add your voice in the audience singalongs: Deck The Hall For All, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, and Jingle Bells.
3PM ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH
29TH SEASON 2017–2018
Rise Up and Sing!
www.girlchoir.com • 503.226.6162
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
39
NOV. 18 – DEC. 31
JOIN US FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Portland Center Stage at
Tickets at pcs.org, by phone at 503.445.3700 or drop by at 128 NW Eleventh Avenue.
DEC. 5 – 31
PORTLAND’S GRAND CENTRAL STATION Everybody comes to Powell’s. Photographer K.B. Dixon’s new exhibition and book find volumes in the mix of people and place. culturally telling black and white images. He
POWELL’S CITY OF BOOKS is Portland’s Grand Central Station, the teeming crossroads of the city’s cultural life: not just one of the nation’s great commercial repositories of literature and language, but a busy transit center of people and ideas. Kids, teens, singles, doubles, parents, grandparents. Locals who drop in for an hour and spend the day. Serious scholars doing research. Tourists who treat it like a shrine. Foreign visitors looking for something in their native language or something to help them brush up on their English skills. People on their way to someplace else. People on their way back from someplace else. Browsers, buyers, passersby. Like Rick’s, it seems, eventually everybody comes to Powell’s. IT IS ALSO, LIKE THE MULTNOMAH County Central Library just a few blocks away, one of Portland’s best people-watching places, an almost endless fascination of faces, connections, and enthusiasms. Something about a great bookstore encourages people to be very public and very private at once—lost, publicly, in the obsessions and curiosities of their own minds. Portland photographer and writer K.B. Dixon believed Powell’s was an ideal spot to pursue his own obsession for creating interesting and
gained permission to spend hours and hours in the aisles, following his eye where it led. The results of his project are now on view in a sort of meta-exhibition: images of Powell’s at Powell’s, in the bookstore’s Basil Hallward Gallery, upstairs in the Pearl Room, through October. Images here are from the exhibition or the larger selection of photographs in Dixon’s accompanying book, titled simply The Bookstore.
By Bob Hicks Photos by K.B. Dixon
African influences on the emerging culture of ancient Greece, classic science fiction, or any of a thousand other topics tumbling together in a quietly raucous tussle for attention. What might be inside these covers? Is this a world I want to explore? YOU CAN ENTER POWELL’S on a solitary mission or in a partnership. You can map out a trip you’re taking, or a trip you’d like to take, or simply figure out your way around this rambling conglomeration of literary spaces. And you can sit a spell while you’re doing it. Powell’s isn’t one of those »»»
WHAT DIXON DISCOVERED was a small city of intersecting interests. People seeking, people finding, people headed straight to what they’re looking for or wandering into unexpected territories of the mind and spirit, places they’ve never been before. People pursuing graphic novels, history, cookbooks, art or architecture, the craft of governance, religious studies, geography or geology or astrophysics, French philosophy of the 19th century, numismatics, NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
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The
Wyeths
THREE GENERATIONS
Works from the Bank of America Collection Through January 28, 2018
portlandartmuseum.org N. C. Wyeth (American, 1882–1945), Printing plates for Phoenician Biremes, Created by N. C. Wyeth for Ladies’ Home Journal, 1925, Bank of America Collection
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41
»»» comfy-armchair-and-a-cup-of-tea bookshops that pop up in cozy murder mysteries set in quirky villages in the countryside or little coastal getaway towns above the stormy sea. Powell’s is big and brawny and busy, and the seats you can find tend to be hard and basic, requiring a certain gluteal rigor. But they are there, and you can rest. If you can’t find a seat, there’s always the floor, where squatting is both a challenge and a tradition.
LIKE VIRGINIA, POWELL’S IS FOR LOVERS. Lovers of books, lovers of ideas, lovers of possibilities, lovers of people, lovers of romance. People make dates here: “Meet you at Powell’s, 8 o’clock?” Turning pages side by side in the poetry aisles or among the outdoors guidebook shelves, they nudge each other: “Oh, listen to this!” They meet unawares, not knowing or expecting anything to happen, except that something does: They reach for the same book; they sit across from each other in the coffee shop and fix their eyes on each other’s pile of books; they go to a reading by an author they both admire. Maybe it’s the intimacy of shared purpose, the happiness of a mutual thirst for the peculiar pleasure that comes with the exploration of new intellectual territories. Pleasure; yes. In an odd but important way, Powell’s is a pleasure palace. Marriages, no doubt, have come out of all this. Marriages of true minds. 42
ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
If you think the view is good, wait until you see our art galleries.
Experience Cannon Beach Oregon @ExperienceCannonBeach | CannonBeach.org
“WHEN WE READ, WE HEAR A VOICE IN OUR HEADS,” Dixon writes in the preface to his book, “—it is a voice of our own imagining, an individual translation of the language, of the text, of the writer’s stylistic voice. It is cognitively tailored in a way no other voice can be. Reading is savoring, reflecting, free-associating. There is no substitute for it. It is a singular adventure. Its reward is not only the uniqueness of the experience it offers but the depth of understanding it allows.” When we enter a Powell’s or another bookstore or a public library, we are hunters on a lone but far from lonely quest, for we are intimate with our prey, which in the end is not prey at all but a fundamental part of ourselves: It feeds us and becomes a part of us, and we become a part of it, part of a greater consciousness, yet always holding on to our own voices and our own selves. Even if the person standing next to us is reading the same passage from another copy of the same book, she is reading in another singularity, in another voice, from another set of experiences. At a place as sprawling as Powell’s, such singularities multiply. “The largest independent bookstore in the country,” Dixon writes, “it is a vital part of this city’s cultural and intellectual life. It is not ‘a’ bookstore—it is ‘the’ bookstore. It has been my bookstore for more than 30 years.” »»»
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NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
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Shine on you crazy diamond Maloy's offers a fabulous selection of antique and estate jewelry and fine custom jewelry, as well as repair and restoration services. We also buy.
»»» WANDER INTO THE RARE BOOK ROOM
on any given day, and who knows what you might find? An old and unusual pop-up book. An early, signed edition of an important classic. A history of the world as it was known and experienced in 1659. T.E. Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Wisdom, rising from the sands of time. The attractions in this room are magnifications of what you’ll find throughout the store. First, a veneration of the physical object itself, which in some cases might take precedence over the actual contents of the pages. The patina, the age, the heft, the feel of the thing. The shape and smell of the paper: Is it that old faint perfume that lingers like a friend, beguiling and elusive in its presence? Or is it sharp and chemical like a cheap wine, in which case it is unlikely to be in this room and probably won’t tempt you on the shelves of newer books, either? Does the binding give to your touch? Are there inscriptions that suggest the presence of another soul from another time? Do you hear the crinkle of old and delicate pages, translucent like the shedding skin of insects, when you gently turn them and note the yellowing like soft shellac that can only come from age? A book can be a sculpture from a garden lost in time. AH, BUT THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE. Such a splendid array! What is inside the cover of these books, of course, is written and ar-
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ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
ranged by people, in all of their variety and disputation and enthusiasm and anger and envy and wisdom and folly and humor and expectation and dryness and devotion to the pursuit of knowledge—for if one isn’t seeking some sort of truth, why make a book? If one isn’t seeking some sort of truth, why buy or read a book? Powell’s is a hall of mirrors, openly reflecting our hopes and fears about ourselves, and the promise of something new just around the corner. Someone new, in the flesh or its reflection on a page. It isn’t just the books we try to read here. It’s the other people, too. Who are you? What brings you to this place, this crossroads, this station of enduring ideas and passing fancies in rapid transit?
Artslandia: Half (7.0625 x 4.75) Runs: November–December Artist: Pink Martini
WHEN WE CALL A PLACE OR THING AN INSTITUTION, we mean it’s larger than this moment: It has a past; it has a present; it has a future. It’s one of those things we count on, one of those places that help us know who and what and why we are, or at the least what this particular place is where we have come to live: something of the shape and belief and habit and consequence of it. In Portland,
Powell’s is a generational place. People come here as babies, and learn to look and read, and grow up here, and move on to make their own families and bring them here, and grow old here, and mingle across the generations, bound in a not-so-secret sharing of the word. In a city that is not particularly religious compared to other parts of the nation, Powell’s is something of a church: a touchstone, a ritual, a meeting-place, a molder of belief, a monument to the mysteries, a tie that binds. It’s where we come together, where we shape the particular culture of this particular place as it, in turn, shapes us. It’s grand. It’s central. It’s the station of our lives. .
K.B. Dixon’s photography exhibit The Bookstore continues through October 31 at the Basil Hallward Gallery in the Pearl Room of Powell’s City of Books, 1005 West Burnside Street, Portland. His book by the same name is available at the store.
PINK MARTINI NEW YEAR’S EXTRAVAGANZA SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 7:30 PM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 7 PM & 10:30 PM Carlos Kalmar, conductor Could there be a better way to ring in the New Year than with Pink Martini and the Oregon Symphony? Especially when Pink Martini has a brand new CD – Je Dis Oui! – in its arsenal. And, in keeping with our Ode to Joy tradition, the concert will include the full-throated final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth.
orsymphony.org | 503-228-1353 arlene schnitzer concert hall
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017
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POISON WATERS?
Photos by Christine Dong.
POISON WATERS, Portland’s extremely fabulous, wildly hilarious drag queen event hostess puts the “fun” in “fundraiser.” Her larger-than-life, feathered and sequined, demographic-bridging presence can loosen up the mood (and wallets) of the staidest of crowds, with clients ranging from the Portland Art Museum to Habitat for Humanity to Nordstrom. Kevin Cook, the man behind the woman, is a self-described multiethnic, multitalented, multitasker from Santa Monica who brought Ms. Waters to life nearly 30 years ago and has since amassed an unparalleled record of service and community leadership, particularly in the HIV and AIDS community. If you’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you, what happened? I’ll be celebrating another year chock-full of events for awesome organizations that benefit the arts and groups who work for social change. I’ll raise a glass to the folks who took a chance bringing my type of art into their circles, exposing guests to the world of drag! When have you been most satisfied in your life? Why? I’m constantly in a state of satisfaction, [especially so at] the end of every show or event when the client is happy, when the guests are congratulating and complimenting me. A job well done is the greatest feeling! Who were your role models growing up? I was always drawn to the glitz and glamour of Diana Ross and Dolly Parton. I loved the idea of celebrity in all forms. 46
ARTSL ANDIA AT THE PERFORM ANCE
What accomplishment or project has been the most significant in your career? Becoming the Volunteer Camp Director for Cascade AIDS Project’s HIV-affected children’s camp, Camp KC (Kids Connection). While I don’t do it in drag, I wouldn’t have been introduced to it if it weren’t for a fundraiser show I was invited to participate in. Also, getting to play Mother Ginger in Oregon Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker these past seven years (2017 is my eighth season!) is amazing fun and definitely a highlight! I’m very fortunate and have worked with fabulous folks in Portland and throughout the Pacific Northwest. I mean, Kristin Chenoweth at Portland Opera’s Baroque Ball last month? Wow! What have you done that has scared you? This summer I rappelled down the 1000 SW Broadway building in drag as a fundraiser for Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest… 24 stories! Yikes! What makes you happiest? Knowing I’ve helped raise a lot of money for worthy organizations and that their programs and services will be accessible to the communities that need them. And glitter. Glitter makes me happy. What did you do on your most recent arts adventure in Portland? The last nonworking event I experienced was the fantastic Idina Menzel concert at the ‘Schnitz. She was awesome! .
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