Niña Blanca
Every year artist Alejandro IV Barragan creates displays and installations inspired by the traditional Mexican celebration of the Day of the dead. His art project OregonMuertos.org is in its third year, However Alejandro started to collaborate with The Portland Center Stage in 2020 building these installations at the lobby during the Hispanic Heritage Month until Dia de Muertos. This year "Niña Blanca" is a non- traditional altar with all the elements of a traditional one. Skeletons made traditionally of paper mache are much more than just fun sculptures, toys or candy. They are very popular representations of a culture that goes back pre hispanic times. These concepts about death took shape during syncretism in the colonial years when Mexico as we know it today was born. The "white Child" is an endearment term that describes a modern representation of death in Mexico. This name in particular was born in the middle of the past century. In 1940 the first documented information of la Santa Muerte became known in central Mexico. This is just one representation of death in modern Mexican culture. A reflection of the complexity and cultural diversity that Mexico has to offer. This installation is just a reminder of the different faces of the last door we call life. There is only one end to our mortality. A reminder of the "now is the time to celebrate the beauty of life here", and thank and honor those who help us to create the memories of who we
are today.
Artist Palma Corral, has been a supporter and collaborator of the project since 2023.
This year she created a representation of "La Santa Muerte for this exhibit. Special thanks to our artists volunteers for all their hard work during the preparation of this year's project. They helped to finish this skeleton. Jon Henderson, Shawntel Ivey
and Nadine Gray.
Multimedia, Filmmaker and photographer. Alejandro is the Director of the Dia de Muertos Project and Propulsion Network. No artist has more skeletons in the closet than him. Literally!
Palma Corral (American/Mexican, b. 1974 in Chihuahua, Mexico) creates conceptual multidisciplinary art installations using images, objects, organic substances, sounds, text, and video. Her work studies the existential issues of the human experience and its permutations in contemporary life, at times using her own life experience as a metaphorical example of the human condition. She takes both a phenomenological and psychological experimental approach to her installation work and incorporates ideas and symbolic images from history, language, mythology, philosophy, psychology, religion, science, and art.
Palma holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Marylhurst University, and a Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling from Lewis & Clark College. She has a private practice at Evolving Self Integral Counseling as a Professional Counselor Associate.
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!
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
From America’s most produced playwright comes another fresh adaptation of a familiar classic, just in time for the holiday season. Lauren Gunderson’s Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women takes the legendary novelist and places her at the center of her own story. Under the guidance of their beloved mother, the four young March sisters — tempestuous Jo, traditional Meg, gentle Beth, and spirited Amy — struggle to keep their family going while their father serves in the Civil War. This enduring celebration of sisterhood comes to life as a young writer makes space for herself and her stories in a society she’s determined to change.
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 :)
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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