{photo: PCS Board member and avid arts supporter Ellyn Bye (third from left) with friends at PCS’ ‘08 Gala}

We were delighted to announce yesterday at the Community Celebration dedicating Vera Katz Park that the Studio Theater will be named for PCS Board Member Ellyn Bye and the Grand Staircase in the Gerding Theater Lobby will be named for PCS Charter Producer Joanne Lilley.

{photo by Owen Carey: The newly christened Ellyn Bye Studio}

A Board Member and an avid PCS cheerleader, Ellyn Bye is making a gift of $1.5 Million to the Capital Campaign, which will name the Ellyn Bye Studio in perpetuity. In addition to sponsoring Portland Center Stage productions, including A Feminine Ending and next season’s Grey Gardens and How to Disappear Completely and Never be Found, Ellyn is an avid supporter of charities related to animal welfare and the support of animal/human interaction. She is the founder of the Dream Envision Foundation, a California organization that worked to help train and habituate shelter animals that were having difficulty finding permanent homes. In Portland she helped to initiate the Dream Vision Project, which paired animal companions with at risk children struggling to improve their reading skills.

“Ellyn has been and will always be one of the most gracious, generous arts patrons, who understands the importance of developing new work to perpetuate the art form,” explains Executive Director Greg Phillips, “She, like Bob & Diana Gerding, is the kind of person we are thrilled will be forever honored and remembered for bringing great theater experiences to our community and country.”

Artistic Director Chris Coleman concurs, “Ellyn is someone that the staff and board here at PCS love as both a patron and a person. We could not imagine a better name to see shining on the studio.”

{photo by Uwe Schneider: The newly named Joanne Lilley Grand Staircase in the Gerding Theater Lobby}

Joanne Lilley gave a gift of $500,000, which will name the Grand Staircase in the Gerding Theater Lobby. Joanne was one of the original Charter Producers when Portland Center Stage was inaugurated as an offshoot of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 1988. She became re-acquainted with the organization on the eve of the company’s historic move to the Armory. Deeply impressed with the commitment to historic renovation, sustainable building principles and the high standards of theatrical production the company has maintained since its inception, Joanne chose to contribute to the Armory Fund to ensure a lasting legacy for Portland Center Stage and the Armory Project.

These two gifts totaling $2 Million help to bring the Armory Fund nearly 20% closer to completion of its historic campaign to transform the Portland Armory into a model of sustainable renovation and arts management practices. The building is both the nation’s first historic renovation on the National Historic Register and the first performing arts venue to receive a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum designation. Since opening its doors in 2006, the building has drawn national attention to Portland’s sustainable building practices and become a regional hub for research and exploration on the integration of Sustainable Design into all facets of public life.

Portland Center Stage has experienced a dramatic increase in attendance since the production of West Side Story that inaugurated the Gerding Theater at the Armory. The 2007/2008 season saw a 78% increase in single ticket sales, with sales for next season’s subscriptions currently running at double the pace of last season. In addition to the dramatically expanded opportunities for Portlanders to experience top quality theatrical performances, the Armory has become a critical resource for the community, hosting public events from beer tastings to lectures to weddings and private receptions, creating a true cultural and community hub in the center of the Pearl District.

The Armory Fund now needs only $9.1 Million to reach the total Capital Campaign goal of $38 Million. Additional naming gifts are in progress, including a $3 Million naming opportunity for the Main Stage and a $1 Million opportunity to name the Mezzanine. Once these gifts are secured, the remaining balance of the campaign will be just under $5 Million. Additional naming gift opportunities will be made available throughout the building, helping to complete the Armory Fund’s historic campaign and giving Portland Center Stage donors, patrons and community members the opportunity to make a visible and permanent contribution to the success of the Armory Project and the future of arts and culture in Portland.

more about the armory campaign || naming opportunities || the armory project