The inaugural newsletter just for donors! View in browser

I am excited to share our inaugural Words from the Wings, the new donor newsletter from the PCS Development Team. This bi-monthly update will cover an array of topics, especially chosen for you and your fellow donors, to provide unique views into the wonderful world of PCS! You’ll find program highlights and behind-the-scenes insights from Marissa Wolf and her artistic team, invitations to special events, and useful information about charitable giving.

Your support is crucial to everything we do at Portland Center Stage, and we are grateful for your generosity. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like additional information.

With gratitude,

Luisa Adrianzen Guyer
Director of Development


Get Ready for Metamorphosis!

Our annual gala, Metamorphosis, will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2021. 

Save the date for a fabulous night of performances and fun to celebrate PCS!  


New Plays Come Alive at PCS!
Insights from Marissa Wolf

"I love new plays! Every play or musical that we cherish was once new, untested, and oftentimes incendiary in its debut. Our ongoing commitment to invest in commissions ensures a bright and thriving future in which PCS helps launch the 21st century classics that will define our time.

"PCS has a robust history of commissioning and developing new plays through the Northwest Stories series and JAW festival. Now, we are commissioning five new plays from a diverse group of exciting local and national playwrights. With the intention of producing the world premiere productions in the years to come, we will offer workshops, public readings, and exciting behind-the-scenes conversations with PCS supporters. We will continue to champion playwrights whose work highlights stories and experiences that wrestle with the most pressing issues of the day, creating thrilling theatrical experiences for our audiences."

Our Play Commissioning Program is made possible by donors like you and by longtime corporate sponsor The Standard, a financial services company founded and headquartered in Portland since 1906. 

“We are proud to support the creative and diverse storytellers at Portland Center Stage,” said Bob Speltz, senior director of Community Relations at The Standard. “PCS reminds us all of the power of art to entertain, engage, inspire, challenge and — most importantly — ensure a more vibrant community for all.”  


Immense Gratitude to Joan Peacock

Joan Peacock attended her first theater performance when she was eight years old, and it was love at first sight! PCS was fortunate to count her among our most enthusiastic subscribers, and she was beloved by all on staff who knew her. Sadly, Joan (shown here with her daughter, Julia Nelson) passed away in October 2019, but her legacy lives on through a significant bequest to support the “live, local theatre” she so loved.

Everyone can be a Planned Giving donor. All gift amounts make an impact! If you are curious about Planned Giving, please contact Luisa Adrianzen Guyer, Director of Development, at LuisaG@pcs.org for more information.  


Update on the CARES Act and Charitable Giving

The new CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act is designed to help you, our generous donors, as well as businesses and nonprofits facing economic hardship during the coronavirus pandemic.

Check out this video for a deeper understanding of this new law, explained by a charitable planning attorney.


Thank You!

PCS donors are vital to our success, and we are grateful to each and every one one of you. Please join us in welcoming our newest donors!

Anonymous (5) • Ansley Beshere • Sara Bottomley • Annie D'Orazio • Jessica Fechtor • Marjorie Garcia • Samantha C. Mascarenas • Gene McManus • Elizabeth Phillips • Allyson Quirico • Patricia Rimmer • Charlotte Rutherford • Jennifer Samuels • Jill Schellberg • Linda Scher • Betsy Sleeper • Carol Vinson • Melaura Wittemyer


Learn more about how you can support creative work at PCS!


Our Community Values

Theater often brings productive discomfort to the surface. Portland Center Stage is committed to grappling with that discomfort, on and off the stage, and we invite members of our community to participate in that growth process with us. Our goal is to co-create safety for our community by identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression, when we witness them, through specific actions rooted in the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). Learn more.


Photos: Delphon "DJ" Curtis Jr. as Hedwig; Chip Miller and Marissa Wolf; Charles Grant, Andrea Vernae, and Orion Bradshaw in Redwood.  Photos by Kate Szrom and Russell J. Young. Graphic designs by Mikey Mann.