The "Astoria" Design Team Visits Astoria
During early July last summer, we had the chance to spend two weeks in the room with 16 actors working on my adaptation of Peter Stark’s book, Astoria. And the day following our public showing of the work, the entire design team piled into a van and drove West.
First stop was Ft. Clatsop (pictured above), a reproduction of the camp where Lewis & Clark spent their first winter. It was fascinating to see the sleeping quarters (pictured below), which were tight but decent. And I’m sure felt palatial after months in the open air.
I also loved seeing how they might have cooked their food. They would have had to lug the pots along with them.
There was a fascinating discussion of how they would have had teams round the clock at the ocean, boiling water to create salt: their primary preservative and critical for maintaining a supply of protein.
This gent (above), who was teaching us about how they might have cooked and made candles, also teaches history at a nearby middle school.
Toni Leslie tried on the buckskin representation they had on hand (pictured above). They would have all known how to sew their own clothes, as well as repair their firearms, build the quarters, hunt or grow their food, etc.
Then we drove about half an hour north to Cape Disappointment: Diane and Tony Cisek talked about the scale of what you see atop that cliff.
After lunch, we drove back into Astoria to the Maritime Museum where Deputy Director David Pearson showed us around. We were all struck by how tricky it is to actually see what the ‘bar’ is doing beneath the surface of the water (pictured above).
Tony Cisek loved the extreme angle of the replicated Coast Guard ship, that gives a sense of how steep the waves can be outside the Columbia’s mouth.
And we were all enamored of the replica of The Tonquin, the ship that the seagoing party of the Astor expedition sailed.
We finally landed in the conference room at the museum for our design conference.
Totally inspiring day.
Behind the Scenes of "Astoria"
From props to rehearsal to creating 53 wooden pikes, get a special sneak peek into the making of Astoria.
Beer Tastings from Fort George Brewery
Join us for a series of complimentary of beer tastings from the Fort George Brewery located in Astoria before select performances of Astoria. Must be over 21 to participate.
Resource Guide for Educators: Astor Expedition
A detailed look at the two journeys that took the Hudson Bay Company to Astoria.
"Astoria: Part One" Cast and Creative Team
Learn about the incredible cast and creative team we've assembled for the world premiere of Astoria: Part One.
Reviews of "Astoria: Part Two"
"Astoria is a great way to learn the history behind the place we all call home. It reminds us to be grateful to the people who sacrificed their lives, as well as recognize the cultures that had been here long before Astor conceived his plan.”
Specialty Cocktails Inspired by "Astoria: Part Two"
Resident Mixologist and The Armory Bar Supervisor Melissa Larrabee writes about creating the delicious specialty cocktails inspired by Astoria: Part Two.
A Family History Unfolds On Stage
In 1811, Alexander McKay and his son Thomas arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River aboard the Tonquin ship as members of the Pacific Fur Company. 206 years later, in 2017, Alexander’s great-great-great-great-grandson, Bob Nelson, settled into a seat at The Armory to watch Astoria: Part One.
Art Installation by Portland Cherokee Artist Brenda Mallory
The Armory will host Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes, an art installation by Brenda Mallory, a local artist and member of the Cherokee Nation. Now through the run of And So We Walked.
Current & Upcoming
Art Exhibit: ¡Soy Yo! by Mika Martinez
¡Soy Yo!, is a multi-media project, created by Mika Martinez, that examines and celebrates Latinx identity featuring more than 50 portraits of the Hispanic/Latino community in Portland.
Piano Bar with Courtney Freed and David Saffert
Join us for this monthly event with local songstress Courtney Freed and Portland-based pianist David Saffert as they host a good old-fashioned PIANO BAR.
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!
Nassim
From Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour (creator of the Off-Broadway smash hit White Rabbit, Red Rabbit) comes an audacious new theatrical experiment, presented in collaboration with Boom Arts. Each night, a new, unrehearsed local performer joins the playwright on stage, while the script waits, unseen, in a sealed box... Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, NASSIM is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us.
Art Exhibit: Garam Garam Chai by Yusra Siddiqui
Portland Center Stage will host Garam Garam Chai, an art exhibit by Portland-based multidisciplinary artist Yusra Siddiqui, featuring a series of hand-sewn teabag printmaking pieces that serve as a contemplation of the communal tea times shared between Desi and British culture.
Coriolanus
Shakespeare’s tragedy about the war hero Coriolanus and the fight between the elite and the deprived masses will be fueled by a dynamic female and non-binary ensemble with a muscular, movement-focused staging.
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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