FACES OF MAC

At the age of 12, Natalie Shershow had no idea who Portland-based indie rockers The Shins were, but that didn’t stop her from having a ball, or perhaps a wrecking ball, while filming the video for their track Simple Song. In it, dysfunctional siblings chase each other, and their memories, through their familial home, one step ahead of its demolition. “Here I am at 20, loving that,” she says.

Shershow got her start with a co-starring role on the locally filmed TNT action drama Leverage. Over the ensuing decade, she has worked on set for a number of independent short films and features, both as onscreen talent and a production assistant. She’s also done commercials, and had a part in the Netflix original series American Vandal. Most recently, she’s starring in My Summer as a Goth, which was released on DirecTV and other on-demand platforms in November. Set in Portland, the film focuses on her character, Joey’s, relationships with new friends and family as she discovers who she is. “One of the biggest challenges I faced working on the film was researching the Goth subculture in order to accurately depict them,” Shershow says. “I had inaccurately been thinking all along that being Goth just meant that you wear black, and are depressed. I obviously had much to learn and, by the end, I realized that a huge part of identifying as Goth is the affinity for the beauty in darker things.” Growing up at MAC might not exactly have been a walk on the dark side, but it did prepare her for the challenges of working in the entertainment industry. “I was constantly inspired by those around me. Whether it was my dance teachers motivating us all to push ourselves further, or my mom, Maria, and her Zumba friends giving their all in one of Andrea Sexton’s classes. I feel so grateful to have grown up in this community of hard workers who helped shape my determined nature.” Shershow moved to New York two years ago to study filmmaking and pursue her love of acting, and is currently studying the latter at the William Esper Studio. She’s living the “nitty-gritty life of a struggling actor” and working on an LGBTQ web series called Never Have I Ever, which is available to view on YouTube. “I loved growing up in Portland for so many reasons, but one of them is the diversity of lifestyles and subcultures the city has to offer. I love that our film shed light on this. People are accepted for who they truly are, even if that’s a little different or, of course, weird!”

Member and local filmmaker Ned Thanhouser recently finished a short-form 17-minute documentary film about a Portland native and prominent MAC member, Ray Tauscher: America’s Forgotten World Champion Motorcycle Racer. Tauscher was active at MAC as a young man and was the cousin of Al Tauscher, who many members will know from the award given out in his name each year. The honor recognizes inspirational junior members, and Al is referenced in the documentary as Ray’s inspiration. The film premiered Dec. 4 at the first of several international film festivals. Produced by Thanhouser and his multimedia broadcast journalist son Michael, it recounts the career of Portland’s “Yankee” rider and his rise to international fame as one of the world’s top motorcycle riders. In 1931, Ray Tauscher was the only person to hold four champion racing titles in Australia, England and France. “Recently discovered race footage plus Ray’s scrapbooks, photo albums and memorabilia from surviving family members allowed us to tell his life story and achievements,” Thanhouser says. “He attracted huge crowds, was revered by fans, respected by sportswriters, became a local race promoter at the Jantzen Beach Arena and was regarded as a well-rounded sportsman.” For more information, and to watch the documentary for free, visit raytauscher.com.