A Brown Branch Christmas: 5th Annual Big Band Show
Celebrate this holiday season with A Brown Branch Christmas at Portland Center Stage. Now in its fifth season, this two-night big band celebration features directors Domo Branch and Charlie Brown III guiding a heavy 15-piece lineup of regional and national musicians. Performing traditional scores with a modern twist, the Brown Branch Big Band returns once again with swinging sounds steeped in the holiday spirit.
The band's lineup includes saxophonists Max Roark, John Nastos, Mieke Bruggeman, Leon Cotter and Hailey Niswanger; trombonists Kyle Molitor, James Powers, and Adriana Wagner; trumpeters Noah Simpson, Abner Deltle, Austin Ford, and Justin Copeland; bassist Finn Jones; as well as band directors Domo Branch on drums; and Charlie Brown III on piano. Featured guests include LaRhonda Steele and Davasate Phelps.
A Portland native now hailing from Manhattan, Domo Branch is a drummer, composer, and educator alum from the Manhattan School of Music. He has quickly established himself as one of the world’s top up-and-coming drummers, having performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Sean Jones, Stefon Harris, Catherine Russell, Terance Blanchard, and Taylor Eigsti. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Monterey Jazz Festival, Caramoor Jazz Festival, Rose Hall Jazz at Lincoln Center, Blue Note New York, Angra Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's, Moda Center and more. He has provided jazz workshops and instruction for students of all ages from around the world.
A Portland native, Charlie Brown III is a musical director, producer, and keyboardist whose work has gained international renown in recent years. Brown has gained wider exposure when producing for mainstream rap artist, Aminé, and has since become a fixture in the tight-knit live unit supporting Memphis-based bass guitar prodigy, MonoNeon. Pushing the boundaries of jazz and new music, Brown does so with a unique knack for both composition and improvisation in the studio. He currently splits time producing and performing with his group Greaterkind in Portland, as well as hitting the international touring circuit with a variety of acts.
Albina Music Trust is the only full service community archive in the United States, dedicated to the restoration of a Black community's historic musical culture. Our programs amplify the legacy of Albina's musicians through intergenerational community-building that expands access to the arts. The Albina Community Archive preserves Albina’s arts and culture legacy, serving as a living resource for education and creative engagement.
KMHD Jazz Radio has been a staple of the Portland music scene since 1984. KMHD celebrates a diverse array of the rich history of recorded jazz and its related sub-genres, ensuring that this uniquely American art form continues to thrive in our region and beyond.
Current & Upcoming
PCS Fall Teen Academy: Stage Combat
Professional stage combat choreographers and certified instructors Kristen Mun-Van Noy and Adam Mun-Van Noy lead these Fall Teen Academy sessions where teens will learn the necessary skills and techniques that performers use to "fight & die" onstage night after night. Choose hand-to-hand combat, knife skills, or both!
See Jane Run - an Indo Story by Jane Vogel Mantiri
See JANE Run, An Indo Story - a solo memoir play is a universal story that confronts grief, inspires hope and is steeped with love. Written and performed by Jane Vogel Mantiri and directed and designed by Andrés Alcalá.
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Acting for Adults: Shakespeare Monologues
Dive into the world of the Bard and explore the excitement of performing Shakespeare!
PCS Movie Night: Little Women (2019)
In celebration of our main stage production, join us in our Rehearsal Hall for a screening of Greta Gerwig's Little Women.
We're turning our rehearsal hall into a loungy living room theater vibe with couches for this special screening to whet your appetite for the main event - our very own stage production opening late November!
This screening, along with a selection of candy, sodas and popcorn are all FREE! Donations encouraged :)
Theater for Everyone & Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (SOLD OUT)
Join Kamilah Bush, Portland Center Stage's Literary Manager and Dramaturg, in examining this recent adaptation where Alcott becomes central, weaving her famous novel for the sisters who inspired it. Includes a backstage tour and a preview performance.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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