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Seasons Greetings Friend!
As we move through the holiday season, we build new memories and reminisce on old ones. There are usually large family gatherings and proclamations of gratitude. Towards the end of the season, we look to the future with hope and a readiness for change.
This has become my favorite time of the year. I am constantly testing recipes for family gatherings and because it is winter, comfort food recipes are the ones I gravitate towards first. As the years have passed, I have become more aware that the biggest gift I give others is the comfort and joy of opening my home and providing nourishing sustenance.
At PCS, January brings The Great Leap, in collaboration with ART, and the long- anticipated reprise of Hedwig and the Angry Inch: a solid beginning to a brand-new year! 2022 also brings new works, newly commissioned plays, and so much more. We are excited to work with brilliant playwrights to build stories that are unique and relevant.
To celebrate new work, our annual fundraising event will look brand-new this year. Taking place on Saturday, February 26, 2022, you can count on the usual gala elegance, excitement, and – of course – fundraising. We will offer live music and delightful humor, while doing what we do best — creating brilliant theater!
Please save the date and read on for more information.
The Armory is brimming with audiences of all ages as we enjoy the robust run of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night- Time. Having cancelled this show only a few days after it opened in March 2020, there is a particular, moving synergy at PCS right now as we lift up this important, creative piece and celebrate its renewed life back on our stages.
This week, as I led a talkback with 170 teenagers after a student matinee, I was thrilled by their deep engagement with the work. Multiple students spoke with eloquence about how much the play resonated for them, and several students shared that they saw themselves in the central character of Christopher, who is neurodivergent. The experience of these young people, energetic and filled with ideas and questions, is at the heart of why we make theater. They are the future of the art form, and the future of our community. With your support, we get to nurture that bright future right here at PCS by sharing live theater with them all season long. Thank you for giving what you can to our year-end campaign that supports our Education programs!
I hope you have a peaceful and bright holiday season. When we come back together, I can’t wait to share our all-new, hilarious, and imaginative benefit performance with you on February 26. Kamilah Bush — a fantastic writer and purveyor of comedy — will be sitting down with me at our Happy Hour Talk in January to give you a sneak peek into the process of creating this year’s gala. I hope you’ll join us!
JOIN OUR YEAR-END CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS!
Portland Center Stage provides a wide variety of dynamic, powerful and impactful education programming for young people, especially teens. We asked a few of our teachers and students to share their experiences during the pandemic and how PCS classes impacted their daily life — you can hear their personal stories in this video.
We depend on your continued support to kindle connections within our community and create opportunities for teens to learn and grow. We hope you will join our year-end campaign and make a gift by December 31.
Coffee Happy Hour with Marissa Wolf & Kamilah Bush
Wednesday, January 12 • 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. • FREE
Thank You!
PCS donors are vital to our success and we are grateful for each and every one of you. Please join us in welcoming our newest donors!
Thank You — Mystery Donors!
Throughout the season we receive anonymous gifts from supporters through Amazon Smile and Kroger Rewards. Thanks to those of you who participate in these programs!
If you'd like to learn more, visit our ways to give page.
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: Lana Gordon backstage during The Color Purple, photo by Kate Szrom. Marissa Wolf photo by Gary Norman. Charles Grant, Andrea Vernae & Orion Bradshaw in Redwood, photo by Russell J. Young.
Graphic design by Mikey Mann.