But recently I was interviewed by the smArts and Culture blog about the process, and it occurred to me that her article does a pretty good job of articulating what worked, what didn’t, and what we might do again.

Here’s an excerpt:

Portland Center Stage held an experiment with twitter last month.

They invited “30 or so of [their] closest twitter friends” plus anyone else who cared to join them, to live-tweet the world premiere performance of the play Apollo. You can read the resulting twitter stream on their blog, or use #apollo on Twitter Search.

According to Trisha Pancio, PR and publications manager for PCS, the goals were two-fold: one goal was to embrace the use of social media, rather than fight it – people were already tweeting and texting in the theater. “…we wanted to see what it was like to release that restriction, and let them have a real conversation with each other (and the world) during the performance.”

Publicity was the second goal. It was almost by definition an experiment in publicity – twitter is about sharing your thoughts with the world at large. “We wanted the experience, not to replicate the experience of seeing the show, but tease the experience… leave people wanting more,” said Trisha in an email to me.

For half the stretch of the production, #apollo was in the top five for twitter traffic on a specific topic, and the story was picked up by national arts blogs, as well as local media.

” … we ended up being astonished at the sheer volume of twitter correspondence each participant produced,” said Trisha. “We expected the occasional ‘wow,’ or ‘how’d they do that?’ or ‘I’m bored,’ but what we got was a near minute-by-minute, multi-perspective breakdown of the show, complete with people googling and explaining references that were unclear to fellow tweeters, and connecting the work on stage to current events in all kinds of interesting ways.”

Read the rest of the article.

Da Vinci: The Genius is now open at OMSI.

Bring your Apollo or How to Disappear ticket stub to OMSI’s Ticket Desk and receive $3 off admission to the event.

Da Vinci: The Genius brings to life da Vinci’s amazing contributions to the worlds of art and science. See on display oversized reproductions of his most famous art and full-scale displays of his machine inventions including a glider, parachute, helicopter, tank, and more. Discover 25 startling revelations about the Mona Lisa in the Secrets of Mona Lisa gallery. Visit www.omsi.edu for more info.

On Wednesday February 4 only, Ten01 and Portland Center Stage are partnering up to give you a special evening out.

Using the code word “moon,” tickets for that evening’s performance of Apollo are only $10, online or by phone. And treat yourself to a cocktail first at Ten01, use the code word “moon” again, and they’ll throw in their delicious award-winning truffle fries for FREE!

Don’t miss out; code word “moon,” Wednesday, at Ten01 and PCS. Order your tickets to the 2/4  play anytime; enjoy your cocktail and FREE truffle fries at Ten01 before the show that night! Named Best Restaurant of 2008 by Portland Food and Drink.

Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Portland Center Stage, Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, the Oregon Symphony and White Bird invite you to make the rounds of culture in February! We know times are tough so we, collectively, want to help you see more performances for less money. Use your February ticket stub from one company to buy tickets for any February (or later) performance at any of the other companies listed below. Repeat this process as often as you like and keep recycling your stubs.

Artists Repertory Theatre

20% off tickets to String of Pearls

January 27, 2009 – March 8, 2009

Throughout the play, the audience travels with a single strand of pearls – across the country and to Europe – over the span of 35 years. The pearls touch the lives of mothers and daughters, sisters and friends, even husbands and wives as they weave a deeply affecting story of love, laughter and loss. This quick-witted and kaleidoscopic observation of the undeniably feminine experience was hailed by the New York Times as a “highly satisfying, hilarious blend of sex, satire, poignancy, and absurdism.”

See website for complete details http://www.artistsrep.org

THE FINE PRINT: We’ll give 20% off a ticket to our production of String of Pearls for every ticket stub presented from a February performance. Subject to availability. Not valid for Opening Night (Jan 30). Must present one ticket stub from a participating Stub Savings arts organization per 20% off ticket. Must present ticket stub in person to redeem offer. May not be combined with other discounts. Not valid on previously purchased tickets.

Portland Baroque Orchestra

French Style: Paul Goodwin directs CPE Bach, Rameau, Couperin and Handel

February 20, 21 at 7:30pm – First Baptist Church

See website for complete details www.pbo.org

THE FINE PRINT: Take your February PBO Ticket Stub to any of the other organizations mentioned to take advantage of their offers. Very limited seats for PBO’s February performances are still available on-line. No presentation of ticket stub necessary for on-line purchases.

Portland Center Stage

2 for 1 tickets to Apollo playing through February 8, or The Importance of Being Earnest (offer dates are February 24 – 28)

The world premiere of Nancy Keystone’s Apollo is a multimedia examination of post WWII America, exploring the birth of the U.S. space program, its employment of former-Nazi rocket scientists, and their surprising intersection with the Civil Rights Movement. The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde’s brilliant comedy masterpiece about love, manners and mistaken identity in Victorian England. Experience the range of theatrical fare that PCS brings to Portland!

For complete details on these productions, visit www.pcs.org

THE FINE PRINT: Save your ticket stubs from any February performances at participating Stub Savings arts organizations, and redeem them for 2 for 1 tickets at February PCS Main Stage performances. Must present ticket stub in person to redeem offer, one ticket stub required for each 2 for 1 purchase. May not be combined with other discounts. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Subject to availability.

Portland Opera

2 for 1 tickets for Benjamin Britten’s THE TURN OF THE SCREW – February 6, 8m, 12, 14 – Based on Henry James novel, this intriguing ghost story is music that has to be seen not just heard.

For all the details on this exciting production visit www.portlandopera.org.

THE FINE PRINT:~ Save your ticket stubs from a performance by our participating partners and bring them to the Opera Box Office at 211 SE Caruthers, 9-5,M-F. Use them to purchase 2 for 1 tickets to any TURN OF THE SCREW performance. No refunds or exchanges for prior purchases. May not be combined with other offers. In person sales only.

Oregon Ballet Theatre

50% off tickets to Lambarena

February 21, 22, 27 & 28, 2009

Lambarena’s irresistible fusion of Bach and traditional African songs have made it an international sensation. It’s the third ballet by the remarkable Val Caniparoli to enter OBT’s repertoire, and the first since 1992. The February program pairs it with the speed demon virtuosity of Peter Martins’ exhilarating Ash, and a Christopher Stowell world premiere set to the jagged, percussive rhythms of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.

See website for complete details http://www.obt.org/

THE FINE PRINT: Bring your ticket stub from any February performance by a participating Portland arts organization to the OBT box office at 818 SE Sixth Avenue, and receive 50% off seats to Lambarena. Subject to availability. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Not valid on previously purchased tickets.

Oregon Symphony

2 for 1 deal on Oregon Symphony Tickets

Elgar: Enigma Variations

Svoboda Premier

Soul of New Orleans

Gutierrez/ Rachmaninoff

See website for complete details on these performances www.orsymphony.org

THE FINE PRINT: Save your ticket stubs from this performance and bring them to the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office at 923 SW Washington Street, 10am to 6pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm Saturdays. Use them to purchase 2 for 1 tickets to any Oregon Symphony performance from March 8^th, 2009 to April 6^th, 2009! Get out and see as many great theatre, ballet, opera and orchestral performances in February as you can. Then bring your stubs to the Oregon Symphony and recycle them for discounts! No refunds or exchanges for prior purchases. In person sales only. Excludes premium seating in the Dress Circle. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Not valid on previously purchased tickets.

White Bird

Presents: Compañia Nacional de Danza 2, from Spain

April 22, 7:30 pm – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Compañia Nacional de Danza 2 is an electrifying company of superb young dancers, founded by Nacho Duato, widely considered one of the world’s outstanding choreographers.

See website for complete details www.whitebird.org

THE FINE PRINT: Must be redeemed directly through White Bird – Send your ticket stubs from participating Stub Savings arts organizations with full contact information to: White Bird, P.O. Box 99, Portland, OR 97207-0099 Or fax copies of stubs to 503-244-2111 Stubs must be received in the White Bird office by Tues, April 21. Information: 503-245-1600, Ext. 201 Two tickets for the price of 1 in Price Levels 3 and 4 ($35-$20). $2.00 additional handling charge applies per request. May not be combined with other discounts. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Subject to availability.

Portland is Better Together:

Give Help – Get Help – Choose Local

Loooooots of email responses to Apollo coming in.  And they are all over the map.  One woman wrote:

‘Still absorbing it all.  I did talk about it to my manicurist today and my husband and I discussed it at length.  I likely will recommend it to people who have the stamina to sit through a long play.  I’m trying to get my mind around the interweaving of the goods and evils of this project.  I had no idea and I feel more informed than I did before.  We marvelled at the 3000 boxes on the stage and wondered where you store them before and after.”

Matt wrote:

‘I saw Apollo last evening with my partner, Michael.  We probably talked and debated for two full hours after it was over.  And that is the sign of a successful theater experience.”

{photo by Owen Carey. The Apollo ensemble reach for the stars.}

From Leonard:  “What a day, the inauguration of President Obama, to see this ‘tour de force.’  As one who lived through the civil rights movement (I am 66), it was an amazing presentation of the coincidences of place.  As a Jew, I was also pleased to see the Nazi connection of the rocket leadership of NASA.  These are historic events that need to be told, particularly when our education system is so weak in their  teaching of history.  It is a shame that so few people attend live theater, yet it needs to be out there.

The acting was superb.  In the end, because of what has transpired this past year, I know that we really have come a long way as a nation.  Apollo magnifies just how far we have come and it makes the time line so clear.”

And from Leslie:

“Wow!  This play is fabulous and timely and provocative and the message came through all the senses.  Great work.  I hope you are really proud of this world premiere.”

{photo: African American NASA scientist David McCadden watches Kennedy give his landmark speech about race relations just before he becomes the first African-American to be admitted to the University of Alabama at Huntsville.}

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