{Diane (Antoinette LaVecchia) pours on the charm to seal a deal on behalf of her client in The Little Dog Laughed.}
So The Little Dog Laughed is finally up and running - and if our first four audiences are an indication - we are in for a wild, wild ride.  First night out was a benefit […]

»read more from "And the Dog Barks"

It’s still raining outside, but it is beginning to heat up inside the studio theater.

We moved downstairs last night for technical rehearsals for The Little Dog Laughed. There were all these cool hipsters pouring into the building as we came in (we started at 5:00 pm) and after nosing around a bit, I learned […]

»read more from "Little Dogs Onstage"

We’re leaving in May! We’re gonna be a part of it NY, NY. With the warmer weather finally upon us we can finally really start counting down the days for our Spring Theater tour of the Big Apple. Our exciting itinerary includes three Broadway plays. I am most looking forward to The Country Girl with […]

»read more from "Start spreading the news…."

{photo: Storm Large hanging out with Chris in his office.}
Storm and I had a great conversation this morning about her show next year (Crazy Enough). She has shared several pieces of her writing with me thus far, and sitting on my balcony today she sang a song that had come to her while walking […]

»read more from "Praying to Kurt Cobain"

{After an unguarded moment of tenderness, Alex (Dennis Flanagan) watches over an exhausted and beleagured Mitchell (Brik Berkes)}
Had a really fun conversation yesterday with Douglas Carter Beane, the author of The Little Dog Laughed.  I was driving (cellphone in hand, I know, I know) to Columbia Gorge - he was doing research for an upcoming […]

»read more from "The Adventures of Alex"

As Sometimes a Great Notion was readying for its first preview last Tuesday evening, we were also beginning rehearsals for Douglas Carter Beane’s racy and hilarious comedy, The Little Dog Laughed, which will close out the studio season.

Brik Berkes plays the rising movie star who (as his agent puts it), ‘has a slight recurring […]

»read more from "Laughing with the Little Dog"

{photo: The Stamper family rests a moment, each in their private world. Vivian Stamper (Sarah Grace Wilson, left) samples from Wallace Stevens’ poetry while patriarch Henry (Tobias Andersen, right) does some reading of his own. Leland (Karl Miller, middle), is awakes to visions of older brother Hank (P.J. Sosko, standing) and cousin Joe Ben (Andy […]

»read more from "“And the River Rises”"

There is definitely a buzz charging through the building as Sometimes A Great Notion moves toward opening night. The cast moved onto the set on Saturday (4 days early???? Why doesn’t that happen on MY shows?) And this morning they began focusing the lights.

As you can see, the set is a jagged […]

»read more from "Onstage with the Stampers"

 
One of my favorite letters of the year arrived this morning, from Heather Frederick.   Allow me to quote:
 ”Dear Jane and Chris and the entire stellar cast of ‘Twelfth Night,’
I simply had to write to thank you for all your amazing, inspired, fabulous, and thoroughly enjoyable production of ‘Twelfth Night’.  My 17-year-old son was home on […]

»read more from "“Mom, that was awesome.”"

{There’s a reason they’re called the Stampers. Hank Stamper (P.J. Sosko) test drives a new pair of caulk (pronounced “cork’) boots in Sometimes a Great Notion, opening April 4th on the Main Stage.}
I saw a runthrough of Sometimes a Great Notion in the rehearsal hall yesterday.  The company was still digesting new pages of […]

»read more from "The River is Rising"

I am currently sitting on the “Creative Capacity Steering Committee” which Commissioner Sam Adams has convened to look for a dedicated funding stream for the Arts in PDX.  I was interested in some recent research gathered comparing Portland’s overall arts funding breakdown, with national trends:
 Nationally, Arts organizations get 50% of their revenue from Earned Income […]

»read more from "Show Me The Money"

The high was 14 degrees the first day we landed in Rochester for Cabaret rehearsals at Geva Theater. Geva was one of the theaters we studied closely when designing the Armory, as it is also housed in a renovated Armory building.

The theater is configured differently than the Gerding, in that the stage thrusts out […]

»read more from "Cabaret in the Snow"

After several days teching 12th Night, the cast of Beard of Avon changed their costumes and headed right into another round of technical rehearsals. Weary, but silly we launched into adding lights and sound, building the transitions between scenes, and figuring out how the play would best translate from the rehearsal hall to the […]

»read more from "Beard Hits the Stage"

So my last posting, about who actually wrote “Shakespeare’s” plays has drawn numerous comments.  Thought you might find a website dedicated to this subject of interest.  Go to:  www.shakespeare-oxford.com.  Happy trails.

»read more from "Details about the Shakespeare authorship controversy"

This is an action figure of William Shakespeare that you can purchase for a modest fee at Powell’s Books.  Who knew such inspiration was possible?
Beard Of Avon has me thinking daily about the question of who actually penned the plays we have come to know and love as “Shakespeare’s”.  For most of my life, I […]

»read more from "Who Is This Guy?"

Let’s see - today is December 21st and we just ran the first act of Beard of Avon yesterday (well stumbled through is really the appropriate term at this point in the process).  I believe that 12th Night reviewed the entire first half yesterday as well.
 Last week we began by learning the songs in Beard […]

»read more from "Buried in the Middle"

Our Board/Cast dinner for Beard of Avon and 12th Night happened last night at the lovely home of Board Member Barbara Baker.  Barbara is Senior VP for Cultural Enhancement at Umpqua Bank - and is chairing our HR Committee.  (Cool cupcakes, huh?)

The dinner is an opportunity for board members to meet the cast of an […]

»read more from "B12 Board Dinner"

The Beard of Avon and 12th Night began rehearsals on Saturday with a brief design presentation from Bill Bloodgood, the set designer; and Deb Trout, costume designer. Both sets use major elements of the same set and costumes, with variations for each. Kim Crowe, our dramaturg for both shows has created a website […]

»read more from "Beard/12th Launches"

A Christmas Carol is up and running, and it has proven as huge a production to mount as Cabaret.  Two shows the size of Ben Hur back to back has taken its toll on our production department, but seems to be making audiences happy.

Ted Roisum, who you’ve seen in numerous productions at PCS (King Lear, […]

»read more from "The Season is Upon Us"

I am delighted to announce Creon Thorne’s promotion to the position of General Manager here at PCS! Creon has been with the company for fourteen seasons: first as Master Electrician; for many years as our Production Manager (overseeing Sets, Costumes, Lights and Properties); he served as our Project Manager on the design and […]

»read more from "A Promotion"

The scene shop is stuffed full with Christmas Carol scenery. I counted at least four Christmas trees.

The costume shop gathered around to hear notes from Designer Jeff Cone about last evening’s rehearsal.

As the weary crew made last minute alterations.

And the sets received additional coats of paint from Geno.

And final touches were added to […]

»read more from "Final Preparations"

Work on A Christmas Carol has reached a fevered pitch in both of our shops.
Jeff Cone, our resident costume designer is trying to find his holiday cheer amidst all the Victorian clothing he has to have ready in a week.

Larissa is hard at work on the mountains of fabric used for The […]

»read more from "The Ghosts Are Coming"

[Photo by Owen Carey]
In the past few months we’ve had a slew of interest in the Armory. We’ve fielded calls from Hartford, CT; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Chicago, IL; Vancouver, BC and Windsor, Ontario (what are the initials for Ontario?).
We’ve also hosted tours for visitors from San Diego, Nigeria, Mexico, Singapore, China, Indonesia, […]

»read more from "Spreading the Good Word"

{Sally Bowles (Storm Large) and Kit Kat Boy, Hans (Luke Longacre) in “Mein Herr” from Cabaret.}
As the Portland run of Cabaret comes to a close, the cast prepares for our transfer to Geva Theater in Rochester, NY just after the New Year. Next week we load up trucks with the sets, costumes and props and […]

»read more from "Cabaret Moves On"

It’s official: we have a brand new Executive Director - GREG PHILLIPS! After a four month national search we landed on this fantastic new addition to the PCS team.
Greg brings a really interesting background to Portland Center Stage. Most recently he served as Executive Director for Broadway by the Bay in the Bay Area. In […]

»read more from "The New Guy"

First rehearsal for A Christmas Carol began this morning - with what seemed like 100 people assembled in the rehearsal hall. Wesley Mann (above) will play Scrooge. Wesley has also had an illustrious television career, appearing on the children’s shows That’s So Raven and Adventures in Wonderland.

Madison Wray (above in the pink) will […]

»read more from "Let the Caroling Begin"

Last week, PCS was honored to host colleagues from across the country for the LORT (League of Resident Theaters) Conference. About 75 Managing Directors and Development Directors from the largest theaters in America descended upon Portland to meet about all the nuts and bolts negotiations that go into keeping our theaters healthy.
Kathy Budas, our Marketing Director, […]

»read more from "Visitors from Elsewhere"

An incredible group of actors will be joining us for 12th Night and Beard of Avon after the new year. Some are faces you’ll remember, others you’ll just be getting to know.

Above: the wonderful Ken Albers (Tarleton from last season’s Misalliance) who will be playing the theatrical producer extraordinaire, “Heminge” in Beard […]

»read more from "Faces Familiar and Un"

A first glance at the set design for A Christmas Carol. This is a front elevation, so doesn’t show the shape of the set yet, but does offer a sense of color and scale.
Cliff Fanin Baker, who directed Act A Lady and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead for us returns to steer the project - […]

»read more from "A Christmas Carol Sets"

First sketches and set ideas arrived last week for 12th Night and Beard of Avon.  Bill Bloodgood (Misalliance, King Lear) is designing. 

The idea is to create an “Elizabethan backstage” with properties hanging from the sky.

The large  beams shown will mirror re-construction of the new Globe in London.

»read more from "Beard/12th night sketches"

I’ve probably received as many emails during the first two weeks of Cabaret as I receive for the entire run of most shows.  A few of my favorites:
“Ann, Noreen and I got to see Cabaret last night and it was overwhelming.  It was one of the most powerful statements and performances that I have ever […]

»read more from "more Cabaret feedback"

During the final preview for Cabaret on Thursday night, I sat next to a couple who asked why I was taking notes.  I told them, and the gentleman introduced himself as Tom.  With a little coaxing, I learned that he is remodeling a house that he expects to sell at NE 29th and Alberta.  Tom and his wife (girlfriend) look to […]

»read more from "The Buzz on Cabaret"

Favorite comment of the week came from Mary Fellows, a friend of my wonderful Board Member, Howard Shapiro’s.  I was walking down 10th Street on the Cabaret dinner break and ran into Howard who promptly introduced me to Mary.  Howard told her I was with PCS, and Mary said - “West Side Story” was the […]

»read more from "ON THE STREET"

Technical Rehearsals for “Cabaret” began on Thursday evening. Over a four day period we move into the theater, add lights, costumes, michrophones, and the band. Trying to figure out how to maneuver each of the scene changes, respace the scenes to fit the actual physical set and adjust the choreography so a dancer doesn’t land […]

»read more from "Finally Onstage"

The crew began loading the set into the theater yesterday.  We ran the whole thing for the first time this afternoon, and on the break went downstairs to see how they were coming.

It looks deeper than I had imagined (which is a good thing).  We’ve been in the tiny rehearsal so long, its going to […]

»read more from "FIRST SIGHTING"

Fight choreographer, John Armour, came in on Friday to build the two fights for the show. After having to build the operatic sequences in West Side Story’s “rumble” this was pretty straightforward. Scott Sachs is seen here working on his punching technique.

John David Woods practiced “kicking” Romain in the head, while Romain […]

»read more from "FIGHTING HARD"

The costume shop is about to explode.  In one week the clothes have to be ready for actor’s to wear onstage.  Tesa is seen here working on the “gorilla” costume for Act II.

Meanwhile, Foggy worked on the dress that said Gorilla will actually wear.

Larissa provided final touches on the ladies undergarments. 

Barbara built a pair of […]

»read more from "COSTUMES COUNTDOWN"

In the original version of Cabaret the Emcee is an entertainer, the audience’s guide through the evening and a great showman.  But he stands clearly outside of the action of the play.
In the version we are using (from the Studio 54 Revival) he is woven through the action in a more interesting, though at times […]

»read more from "WHO IS THE EMCEE?"

 
There are four versions of Cabaret.  The original script for the 1966 Broadway premiere (directed by Hal Prince and choreographed by Ron Fields). 
 The 1972 Movie version (directed by Bob Fosse) which added two songs for Sally:  Mein Herr and Maybe This Time.
The 1987 Broadway Revival (directed by Hal Prince) - which tried to update and clarify Cliff’s sexuality - […]

»read more from "The Cool New Version"

 So one of my favorite moments from week one of rehearsal:  we’re rehearsing the scene where Sally bursts into Cliff’s apartment and tries to convince him to take her in.  Storm and Romaine (Cliff) are reading through the scene for the first time and we get to the song “Perfectly Marvelous Girl”, the piano accompaniment […]

»read more from "Bursting into Song"