PORTL A ND PL AY HOUS E S E A S O N 1 0 ANN …...trauma functions as a baseline within the play, I am more interested in exploring the lives of these women and how a community rebuilds

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Erika LaVonn and Lester Purry, Photo Credit Brud Giles

P O R T L A N D P L A Y H O U S E S E A S O N 1 0 A N N U A L R E P O R T

It is with deep gratitude and humility that we celebrate the success of Portland Playhouse’s 10th Season and the decade that has brought us to this moment. The season began in the middle of the renovation and our programming (a series of new play readings by women) was performed in living rooms across the city. What an auspicious beginning to the year for a theatre company whose mission is rooted in building meaningful connections with our community. You invited us into your homes!

One of the plays from the series is about to find its world premiere at the Playhouse this January: Emma Stanton’s No Candy. At the center of the story is a multi-generational community of Bosnian Muslim women who run a gift shop near the Srebrenica memorial. From Emma Stanton on the genesis of the project:

“I’d been thinking about communities of women, why they are formed and how they function. And in August 2014, when the Yazidi people were being persecuted by ISIS and women were forced into sexual slavery, I began to think about the female community in the context of ethnic and gendered oppression. I was reminded of the Muslims during the Bosnian War, specifically during the Srebrenica genocide. And it was through this landscape of Bosnia that gave me access to explore this particular kind of trauma and how a community of women sustains and rebuilds itself after a war. While trauma functions as a baseline within the play, I am more interested in exploring the lives of these women and how a community rebuilds itself through humor. In my conversations with Bosnian artist Sejla Kameric, a teenager during the Bosnian war, she insists on the duality of lightness living alongside atrocity. That during the war, there were sunny days, babies being born, theater being produced, and somewhere some teenager was listening to Nirvana in their headphones and ignoring their parents. There’s a kind of absurdity in that duality of living during a war. I believe it is at the center of these women in the play and at the core of their recovery.”

I’m excited to share this new work with you in the coming year. When I reflect back on the life of the Playhouse, this is what I remember: ten years creating, growing, and nurturing the little Playhouse that could. I remember our original cramped office (now our craft /TV room at home). I remember pushing risers with friends across the Church floor. I remember creating a website and signing people up for auditions. I remember standing in City Hall and wondering if the Playhouse would survive another life – witnessing hundreds of neighbors, students, and theatre lovers saying YES. When I think about the future of the Playhouse, I see a new theatre program being co-created with Open Hearts, Open Minds in the medium security side of Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. I see a cross cultural exchange between artists in Zimbabwe and our Portland Apprentice Company. (This year our family will move to Zimbabwe for three months to begin to create this vision!) I see a new community space that will be used for classes, rehearsals, dialogues and the creation of new work. I see our little Playhouse becoming an even bigger part of community conversations, a space holder for people to meet, share, learn, feel, and heal together.

The Playhouse has grown because of you, not because of me. It takes a community, a tribe of people coming together to create. Here is where we create the Portland we all want to see thrive. Thank you for being part of this creative process, for inviting these stories into your life, and for making space for growth and transformation in your own life and in the world around us. Here’s to another ten years! All my best, Nikki Weaver, Co-founder/Education Director

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BelongingPortland Playhouse is a space where everyone is welcome. We foster a feeling of belonging to artists and audience alike.

GratitudePortland Playhouse is here by the grace and generosity of our community. We are grateful for the goodwill and support of the many people who make our work possible.

Grit We do what we need to do to create great work. We operate as a team, and no one is above rolling up their sleeves and working hard.

AmbitionWe tackle large and complex plays and education programs with a refreshing ignorance of all the reasons why we should fail.

O U R VA L U E S O U R M I S S I O N is to create a space where people of all backgrounds can come together to celebrate the complexity of our shared human experience.

O U R V I S I O N

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is a world awakened by the wonder of theatre.

Photo Credit Elizabeth Seward

10Apprentice CompanyB O A R D , S TA F F, & A P P R E N T I C E S


Harold Goldstein, Chair

Jill Ahlstrand, Vice Chair

Mark Williams, Treasurer

Marge Kafoury, Secretary

Andrew Clarke

Michael Cowan

Angela Freeman

Fred Grossman

Joan Hartzell

Greg Hinckley

Kimberly Howard

Curt Jantz

Carla Kelley

Ken Lewis

Michelle Mark

Andy Riccetti-Eberly

Stephen Robinson

Pancho Savery

Natasha Terranova

Jennifer Watson

In Memorium Bing Sheldon

Sarah Bills, Marketing & Public Relations Director

La’ Tevin Alexander Ellis, Front of House Manager

Corinne Gaucher, Assistant Education Director

Charles Grant, Company & Box Office Manager

Thyra Hartshorn, Production Manager

Elena Hein, Development Director

Hayley Hilmes, Development Associate

Alix Kolar, Finance & Human Resources Manager

Rachel Lewis, Front of House Manager

Tamera Lynn, Front of House Manager

Andrea Vernae, Front of House Manager

Brian Weaver, Co-founder/Artistic Director

Nikki Weaver, Co-founder/Education Director

DJ Curtis

Alanna Fagan

Paul Harestad

Netty McKenzie

Alex Meyer

Rachel Millena

Melanie Owen

Abigail St. John

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Portland Playhouse was founded with two core principles: inclusion and artistic excellence. We intentionally confront the real or perceived bias that theatre is only for an elite audience. We believe that creative expression is for everyone and participation in creative experiences brings families, friends, and neighbors together. Theatre can help us better understand each other’s differences and increase our capacity for empathy. We are committed to bringing a voice to our diverse community through the arts. We established our theatre in a historic repurposed church in NE Portland in 2008 and have quickly garnered a reputation for an innovative approach to both our artistic and education programs. In ten years, Portland Playhouse has grown from an annual audience of 850 our first year to 15,000 in Season 10 and our education programs have served over 6,500 youth. We’ve mounted 44 successful productions, presenting important works from well-known, culturally diverse playwrights like August Wilson to new work by emerging voices like Idris Goodwin and Mia Chung. Named City’s Best Theatre by Portland Monthly readers, we have also been recognized with 41 awards for a variety of productions. As a 2015 and 2016 American Theatre Wing (creator of the Tony Awards) “National Theatre Company Award” recipient, we have been recognized as “integral to the fabric of the community and furthering the national cultural conversation in exciting ways.” Our community has come to rely on us as their neighborhood arts center. Several years ago when the Bureau of Development Services asked us to vacate the building because of a zoning issue, we began a months-long journey to gain the right to come home. With the King and Sabin Neighborhood Associations’ support, all five City Commissioners voted in favor of our appeal to return to the church building. We were humbled by the hundreds of neighborhood residents who wrote letters of support and demonstrated their commitment by filling City Council chambers on the day of our hearing. When asked why she supported our appeal, Barbara Conable said, “I took to see [August Wilson’s] Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a neighbor friend of mine. I’ve lived in Sabin four years. She’s lived there all her life, and she is five days older than I am. When it was finished she grabbed my hand and shook it over and over and said, ‘They got it right. Barbara, they got it right.’ Now, in our neighborhoods there is an ‘it’ to get right, and this facility, this institution addresses that, and we need it. From the 3/1/12 City Council Hearing. Council Hearing.


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December 2 - December 30

A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens, Adaptation and original lyrics by Rick Lombardo Original music by Anna Lackaff and Rick Lombardo Music arrangements by Anna LackaffDirected by Cristi Miles and Brian Weaver

January 17 - January 28

Weaving Women Together By Nikki WeaverDirected by Gretchen Corbett

February 28 - April 1

Scarlet By Michelle HorgenWorld Premiere MusicalDirected by Brian Weaver and Jessica Wallenfels

May 2 - July 1

Fences By August WilsonDirected by Lou Bellamy


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Todd Van Voris, Photo Credit Brud Giles

Nikki Weaver, Photo Credit Brud Giles

Rebecca Terran, Photo Credit Brud Giles

Lester Purry, Photo Credit Brud Giles

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Audience Feedback:“It was clever and innovative and breathed life into what otherwise would have remained a well worn tale.”

“I have been seeing this production every year since you started it and love it every time! One of the best Christmas traditions Portland has to offer.” “This was my ten-year-old niece’s first experience with any version of A Christmas Carol and she absolutely loved it. I brought her mother and my mother as well and everyone was blown away by the quality of acting, beautiful singing and creative staging. We literally laughed and cried. Thank you for a beautiful show!” “Fantastic! I was caught off guard as I was overcome by emotion while watching A Christmas Carol, a play I surely knew and didn’t suspect would make me cry! Wonderful acting. I was captivated.” “I liked how African-American actors were cast in roles alongside white actors in ways that you wouldn’t normally see.”

DETAILS AWARDS - Show ran 4 weeks - Reached 3,938 audience members- Employed 2 Union and 10 Non-Union Artists- 98% of survey respondents were satisfied/very satisfied with the production - A Christmas Carol continues to be a successful way to reach young people and engage the non-conventional theater goer

(3 – 2013 Drammys): Best Play, Best Director (Cristi Miles), Best Ensemble

By Charles Dickens. Adaptation and original lyrics by Rick Lombardo. Original music by Anna Lackaff and Rick Lombardo. Music arrangements by Anna Lackaff. Directed by Cristi Miles and Brian Weaver.


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Margo Weaver and Julian Remulla, Photo Credit Brud Giles


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W E A V I N G W O M E N T O G E T H E R N I K K I W E A V E R , P H O T O C R E D I T B R U D G I L E S

Audience Feedback: “I positively LOVED the production. I am even tempted to go back and see it again. I went in knowing virtually nothing about it (my friend found it online) and I was amazed. The actress was incredible. I mean really, nothing short of incredible! I love the full range of emotions that I felt while watching, loved the story and the different characters. Very, very well done.”

“Really made me think about relationships with significant women in my growing up years, and how that has molded my decisions about marriage, or not, and having kids.”

“It was powerful, entertaining, emotional, thought provoking and incredibly real. Nikki is absolutely extraordinary.”

“What an amazing talent, brave content, outstanding performance.”

DETAILS

- Show ran 2 weeks - Reached 1,069 audience members - Employed 1 Union and 5 Non-Union Artists - 79% of survey respondents were satisfied/very satisfied with the production

By Nikki Weaver, Directed by Gretchen Corbett

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Nikki Weaver, Photo Credit Brud Giles

- Nikki will remount her show in May 2019 at the Harare Arts Festival in Zimbabwe

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Review: “What makes this version of The Scarlet Letter so enjoyable is its depiction of Hester Prynne not as a vessel for a lofty rhetorical argument against conformity, but as a person – a woman who, like many of us, finds herself in violation of a social contract she has no recollection of signing, who is punished publicly for something her male counterparts do freely, and who must navigate a restrictive, backward community with nothing but her own inner resources.” Burbank, M. 3/14/18. At Portland Playhouse, Scarlet Gives Hester Prynne a Voice And a Song! Surprise! It’s a Scarlet Letter Musical! Portland Mercury.

Audience Feedback:“[Scarlet] gave rise to the most interesting reflections and conversations about sexism, racism, privilege, moral and social choice – and how they and their contexts have changed over the centuries. Makes me want to go back and read the original to see which of our current questions (and those raised by the playwright) were and were not expressly or implicitly perceived and presented by Hawthorne – and what issues HE saw that we may not see as being as salient or in the same way.”

DETAILS AWARDS - Show extended, for a total of 5 weeks - Reached 2,570 audience members - Employed 12 Union and 15 Non-Union Artists- 91% of survey respondents were satisfied/very satisfied with the production

(6 PAMTAs): Best Original Musical, Best Director for Original Musical (Brian Weaver and Jessica Wallenfels), best female actor (Rebecca Teran), Best Pit Orchestra (Eric Nodin, Dale Tolliver, Hannah Hillebrand, Alan Juza, Ann Van Bever), Best Song (Fallen For You), and Best Score (Michelle Horgen)

By Michelle Horgen, Directed by Brian Weaver and Jessica Wallenfels


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Eva Hudson and Rebecca Terran, Photo Credit Brud Giles

Review:“Purry and LaVonn are the pounding heart of the production. As Troy Maxson, Purry glows with joyful energy that shifts in a moment to frightening fury. He engages the full complexity of the man: a raconteur who has come to believe his own stories, a proud man who has had to humble himself to survive, a slugger with nothing to hit and a survivor of violence who passes violence on despite his best intentions. He earns the audience’s affection with his forceful embrace of life and its sympathy for his survival of poverty, prison and segregation, and it’s crushing when he fails to uphold the responsibility he espouses and hurts his family.” Waterhouse, B. 5/8/18. Portland Playhouse hits it out of the park with August Wilson’s ‘Fences’. The Oregonian.

Audience Feedback: “I was blown away. I have never felt the stage transforming me so. Absolutely one of the best pieces of theater EVER.” “The production of Fences was magnificent, so moving I couldn’t get it out of my mind. My friends and I are still pondering the issues and discussing the impact of the play. The actors and director deserve high praise for their performance, the best I have ever seen.”

DETAILS

- Show extended, for a total of 9 weeks- Reached 5,337 audience members- Employed 6 Union and 10 Non-Union Artists - 90% of survey respondents were satisfied/very satisfied with the production

By August Wilson, Directed by Lou Bellamy

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Lester Purry and Bryant Bentley, Photo Credit Brud Giles

What brought you to love theatre and the arts?I got involved in a high school play because my music teacher asked me to audition. I was one of the football captains and I thought none of the boys would think it was cool, but then I saw the girls and I said, “Okay, I’d like to be involved in this.” As time has gone on, I’ve learned that theatre is a great place to discover new things. You can hide in a character. I love creating, exploring, finding what makes people tick, and thinking about what type of person I would be if I were in a given situation.

Theatre is great because it helps you understand humanity in a different way. For instance, not a lot of people empathize with Troy Maxson, but I believe that as an actor you cannot hate the person that you are playing, otherwise, you won’t do the character justice. So I figured out what made him so angry, bitter, so unforgiving, and what the choices were in that.

How does Portland Playhouse’s mission resonate with you?Portland Playhouse’s mission is to open its doors and welcome everybody. It’s so fitting that it is in a church because that’s what a church is supposed to do. You come in as you are. Perhaps your experience in here will change or guide you in some kind of way. I think that’s what the Playhouse is doing by producing diverse works and casting in a way that makes sense historically. The first show I saw at the Playhouse was Scarlet and I was really surprised by the diversity of the cast, but if you truly look at history, communities would look like that all the time. For some reason, we just think that people were very separated. I think that’s because we’re looking at history from our viewpoint today. I also love that the Playhouse goes out to the community and doesn’t just expect the community to find them.

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What is one memory of Portland Playhouse that sticks with you?I love how small the Playhouse is. At first, I thought it would be distracting because the audience was so close, but then I started feeling that energy from the audience and it fueled me. I remember when we did the first 10:00 am show for students and I was like, “ Oh my gosh, I have to be angry this early in the morning?” And then I saw the face of this little girl in the front row. Sorry, no. There’s no way I can’t give this my all. It was a really a beautiful experience.

One night after a performance of Fences a man came up to me – he was probably in his 70s or 80s – he was a white man and he was crying. He said that Troy reminded him of his father. Then I turned to a woman, she was probably in her 50s and she was black. She said that Troy reminded her of her father. Then a young Latino man, probably in his 20s, came up and told me that Troy reminded him of his father. I don’t care who they were. People related to this production and it was beautiful to have them get it. This play is about relationships and it affected everyone in very different ways.

What do you hope to see in Portland Playhouse’s future?I’m just going to say this: support. There’s no way this theater should not be around for many, many years. I hope people come. I kind of want it to grow, but I just love the intimacy. Of course, this theatre is so good, it’s inevitable. It’s going to grow. And I hope that the Playhouse finds a way to keep the intimacy as it grows. I also hope more people find out about this theater and become donors, season ticket holders, and get the word out because this place is a gem. Fences is probably the best production of anything I’ve done in my 36-year career – at this small theater and I have worked in multi-million dollar theaters. This place cares about the art of it. Not the look of it, not the sound of it. The Playhouse cares about the heart of the performance and that’s why people are blown away when they go there.

S P O T L I G H T L E S T E R P U R R Y ( C O N T. )


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S E A S O N P R E M I E R E P A R T Y P H O T O C R E D I T O W E N W A L Z

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Season Premiere PartyIn September of 2017, Board Chair Harold Goldstein and his wife Carol Streeter generously opened up their hearts and their home (9th year in a row!) for our Annual Season Premiere Party. Nearly 100 people came together to celebrate the work of Port-land Playhouse and raised funds to kick off the season.

Play Reading Series: October 5 - October 16thSince the Playhouse was being renovated, we asked audiences if they’d be willing to host the Playhouse in their homes to read plays and over 60 people generously offered to do it! Over the course of two weekends, we read three new plays written by women in six homes across the city. They were:The Opportunities of Extinction by Sam Chanse No Candy by Emma Stanton Middle of Nowhere by Mónica Fainzaig

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day EventIn January, we hosted our annual MLK Day event. The program was centered on the shared reading of Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech. Guests stood in a circle and each person read a different line of the speech, person by person with our 50+ voices. The event was followed by a potluck. We invite you to join us next year on January 21, 2019!

Fade to BLACKThese interactive community events were centered around issues of race, gentrification, and life in Northeast Portland. The events included facilitated dialogue, small group break-out conversations, interactive exercises, and opportunities to talk one-on-one with neighbors to connect, build community, and hear/share diverse experiences while continuing to offer a platform for courageous topics. Fade to BLACK was offered exclusively for black people, creating a safe space where people could be vulnerable and share/listen to others.

2nd Annual Rise & Shine Brunch FundraiserIn early April 2018, 160 community members gathered for our annual Rise & Shine Brunch Fundraiser at the Playhouse. We celebrated the community, connections, and the creativity that takes place in our “House of Play.” And together we raised critical funds to support our future programming. Thank you to those who were able to join us and believing in the legacy of Portland Playhouse. Next year’s event will be held on April 28, 2019. We hope you will join us!

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2017Modeled after the highly successful Shakespeare & Company program in Lenox, MA, our 10-week after-school program links students’ first encounter with Shakespeare’s prose to the thrill of participating in live performance. We use a traditional Elizabethan-style approach, removing the language barrier reading Shakespeare often creates. This oral way of learning (hearing and repeating) levels the playing field for students with varying abilities. When young people experience Shakespeare as actors, what once seemed daunting and arcane comes alive. Any student that is interested can be involved in the production (actor, dancer, dramaturg, technical crewmember, research/marketing team). The first week concentrates on building a common language, warm-ups, acting skills, imaginative play, ensemble building, and physical/verbal expression. The next nine weeks explore the characters/stories while rehearsing and staging the shows. At the end of 10 weeks, each school performs a Shakespeare play at their school and then again as part of the Festival at the Winningstad in downtown Portland.

Why is this work important? Oregon’s graduation rate is one of the worst in the country and many schools have cut their arts programs. Yet research demonstrates that the arts inspire imagination and self-expression, improving academics and teaching valuable life skills. Staging and performing a show promotes teamwork. Learning lines and reciting them on stage builds public speaking skills and self-esteem. And while Shakespeare is a key component of high school curriculum across the country, many students find the plays difficult to understand. Our program helps make the meaning of Shakespeare’s work accessible.

Some participants have shared that they often feel estranged from their peers and disenfranchised at school, but found a sense of belonging and acceptance in our program. Many say they “fit in” for the first time. One participant shared, “I learned that I am valuable, I belong, and I am important.” Another student said, “I had a rough day once, and I was racially insulted, but what happened when I got to rehearsal was lovely. Everyone helped me, comforted me, and supported me. Especially the director. It’s a safe environment that can change everything; one’s mood, one’s thoughts and more.”

“The combination of respect, push, inquiry, challenge, and passion that Nikki [Playhouse Co-founder/Education Director] brought forward and demanded of all participants is an exemplar of effective arts education […] I congratulate Portland Playhouse on creating a powerful education program that advances mission and inspires the next generation of artists.” - Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, Fall Festival Parent, Metropolitan Group creative director/founder

To see the program in action, please visit https://vimeo.com/120205380, or join us for next year’s Festival.

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F A L L F E S T I V A L O F S H A K E S P E A R E P H O T O C R E D I T B R U D G I L E S

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BY THE NUMBERS

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Metropolitan Learning Center (MLC)

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MLC Da Vinci ACMA Boise Eliot

How many years has each school been involved?

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This is my first year participating in the Fall Festival

41%Returning Participant

59%First Year

2017 Fall Festival of Shakespeare Participant Surveys Reveal...

Are comfortable speaking in public.

95%

Are willing to explore new experiences.

99%

Believe they have the confidence to stand up for

their convictions.

Are comfortable recieving criticism for

their work.

97%

Are comfortable praising others’ work.

100%

Believe they can make and keep their committments.

96%

96%

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94% SAID YES

99% SAID YES

I would you participate in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare again.

I believe this program was a valuable experience.

2019

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What brought you to love theatre and the arts?When I was first asked to take over the drama club three years ago, I had no idea what I was getting into. A group of students approached me and asked if I would be a club supervisor for some Shakespeare Festival. I didn’t know anything about theater. I was reassured that no knowledge was necessary. The Festival model ensures students are in the hands of professional actors and directors, and I simply needed to be the teacher presence in the room. I walked into the audition room blindly and was greeted with an electricity that I hadn’t seen anywhere else in the school. I knew something special was happening. How does Portland Playhouse’s mission resonate with you?The Playhouse’s mission to bring people together to celebrate the complexity of a shared human experience really resonates with me. I have been amazed at how the Festival gets students collaborating and engaging in complex projects from beginning to end in a way that I haven’t been able to reproduce in my own classes. The stakes for students are high; after ten short weeks, they will be presenting their final product (a full production) to the other participating schools and a large audience. The students create a company agreement, participate in company meetings, and contribute to decisions that unfold throughout the process. The play we put on is a living, breathing project that is ultimately in the hands of the students. As a result, the kids take ownership of their learning and of the learning of their peers with impressive veracity. Students run lines together during lunch and discuss the text and blocking without the slightest bit of prompting. They explore hard questions independently. They delve deeply into character development, which in turns helps them gain perspective on our shared human experience.

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J E N N I F E R I S A N E N G L I S H T E A C H E R A N D H E A D S F O R T V A N C O U V E R H I G H S C H O O L ’ S D R A M A C L U B . O V E R T H E P A S T S I X Y E A R S , T H E S H A K E S P E A R E F E S T I V A L H A S B E C O M E T H E B A C K B O N E O F T H E I R T H E A T R E P R O G R A M .


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What is one memory of Portland Playhouse that sticks with you?For two years in a row, I have had special education students whose accommodations state they will likely never be able to memorize facts or text. Yet, these students have taken on roles in the Fall Festival and performed them beautifully on stage. They recited their own lines as well as the lines of other actors by memory, practicing their new found confidence in memorization and performance.

What do you hope to see in Portland Playhouse’s future?My hope is the Playhouse’s education programs get the financial support needed so more students from the Portland/Vancouver region can access them. I have seen students make meaning of complex texts using the Festival Model more hungrily than any class I have ever taught. Students sit or perform on stage day after day and dissect Shakespeare at a level I didn’t learn to do until well after I graduated college. Theatre as a whole provides a structured environment that promotes safety for students to explore themselves. The Fall Festival of Shakespeare elevates this structure and challenges students to “fail gloriously” until they truly feel it is part of the learning process. In a school where poverty is pervasive, and oppression comes in so many forms, the impact this has on kids has been described (by them) over and over again as “life-saving.” They learn practical skills through the technical elements and communication and advocacy skills through performance that they get nowhere else in their lives. The number of participants in the Festival at Fort is higher than any other activity the drama club does, and no kid is ever turned away. I want more schools to have access to this program.

S P O T L I G H T J E N N I F E R M C I N T Y R E ( C O N T. )


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Photo Credit Brud Giles


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LLaunched in 2017, the Social Justice Festival (9-week after-school program) was first inspired by national conversations on the Black Lives Matter movement. Playhouse teaching artists go into the schools to mentor participants, helping them devise new work to be performed for an audience. We started the program with “social justice” as the topic and in the second year, students narrowed their focus to the subject of ableism. Guided by theatre professionals, participants created new works of art that inspired action students could take at their schools and beyond. Expressions included poems, dance, spoken word, scenes, and short films. We were excited to expand this program from 1 to 4 schools in 2018 (Rex Putnam High School, Metropolitan Learning Center, Grant High School, and Roosevelt High School). 2018 Post-program participant surveys revealed

- 90% felt comfortable speaking in public- 94% were more willing to explore new experiences- 91% felt confident standing up for their convictions- 100% said they understood and could explain what social justice means and its importance

Student Testimonials “I was nervous, but I chose to be a performer because I got excited about the message of our play and the ideas we came up with.” “I learned how many of the behaviors I had that were ableist on accident.”

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Classroom Visits (2,000+ students reached):When it’s requested, and we have the capacity, we like to support schools through in-school residencies. In Season 10, we visited Lake Oswego and Lakeridge High Schools’ English classes to help students studying Shakespeare better connect to the work by facilitating theatre games.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Joan Schaeffer (550 students reached):In Season 10, we launched our first touring show for K-8th-grade students. Based on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., it was presented at Sabin Elementary to their full student body. We are bringing this program to more schools in 2019. If your school is interested in this program, please let us know!

Coffee Creek Correctional Facility:We partnered with Open Hearts Open Minds on a new education program in Season 10 with female inmates at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. Co-founder/Education Director Nikki Weaver directed their first-ever Shakespeare play, Twelfth Night, inside the minimum security side of the prison. Nikki shared, “It sounds strange, but I look forward to going to prison each Friday night. For me, it has become a place where I immediately have my privilege put in place, my gratitude in check, and my focus is purely on how might I serve these women and give them worlds they might imagine to be true. It is a privilege to share this time on the inside with the women.” Nikki has now completed training to enter the medium-security side of the prison and will be partnering again with Open Hearts, Open Minds to establish a new theatre program in 2019.

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apprentice

Each year, Portland Playhouse welcomes a small group of pre-professionals for a year of training. We serve as a bridge between the university and the profession, developing each individual’s skills by working alongside professional artists and reach 3-10 young artists each year. In Season 10, we worked with three apprentices.

Apprentices are offered classes in Movement (Suzuki & Viewpoints), Voice, Scene Study, Community Engagement, and Devising for Ensembles. Apprentices also learn to build sets, run front-of-house and are assistant directors in our education programs. They learn by participating in outreach/marketing activities, fund development and events, running box office and working in the office. The program culminates with the Apprentice Solo Show performances (devised by each apprentice). This annual program begins mid-August and runs through early June. Since we launched the program in 2010, 65 artists have benefited, with 89% having gone on to work professionally in the arts – locally, nationally, and internationally.

program

Know someone interested in becoming a Portland Playhouse Apprentice?Visit portlandplayhouse.org/apprentice-company for more information or to apply.


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P O R T L A N D P L A Y H O U S E S E A S O N 1 0 A N N U A L R E P O R TP O R T L A N D P L A Y H O U S E S E A S O N 1 0 A N N U A L R E P O R T

T H E S O L O S H O W S L I L O A L F A R O , T I N A M A S C A R O , K A Y L A K E L LY, P H O T O C R E D I T B R U D G I L E S

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F I N A N C I A L S

Did you know that ticket sales only cover 30% of our annual expenses? Our ability to present the intimate, high-quality theatre that we are known for depends a lot on the generosity of our community. No matter how large or small, each donation has a direct impact on our mainstage plays, education and outreach efforts, along with the special events that grace our stage throughout the year.

31% Individuals 30% Tickets Sales 13% Government Support 9% Foundations 5% Education Fees 5% Corporations 4% Other Income 3% Special Events

80% Artistic Expenses 20% Education Expenses

Rev

enue

Expe

nses


31%

13%

30%

9%

5%

5%4% 3%

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80%

20%


F I N A N C I A L S

OPERATING SUPPORT AND REVENUE

SUPPORT

Corporations Foundations Government grants Individuals In-kind support Special projects Total operating support

REVENUE Educational services Season subscriptions Single tickets Other income Total operating revenues Total operating support & revenue

OPERATING EXPENSES Artistic expenses Education expenses Management and general expenses Fundraising expenses Total operating expenses

Net operating income (loss)

Total

$ 3,679 $ 104,925$ 144,459$ 356,688$ 52,133$ 38,629$ 700,513

$ 58,250$ 64,129$ 284,260$ 46,575$ 453,214

$ 1,153,727

$ 751,952$ 142,073$ 119,565$ 135,955$ 1,149,545

$ 4,182

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TH

AN

K Y

OU

Portland Playhouse gratefully acknowledges our supporters. YOUR generosity allows us to open hearts and minds through the wonder of theatre. This list represents contributions and pledges received from 8/1/17 through 7/31/18 and includes gifts to our capital campaign. We make every attempt to acknowledge your name accurately. If you find a mistake, please call 971-533-8743 and let us know. We want to hear from you!

I N D I V I D U A L S

PRODUCER ($25,000+)Jonathan & Deanne AterDon & Mary BlairEllyn ByeCarol Streeter & Harold GoldsteinGreg Hinckley & Mary Chomenko HinckleyMarge & Stephen KafourRonni LacrouteJoyce Hart & Kenneth LewisSteve & Elsie Weaver

PLAYWRIGHT ($10,000 - $24,999)Raffle Donors Philip Terranova

DIRECTOR ($5,000 - $9,999)Roy & Kay AbramowitzLinda & Scott Andrews in honor of Michelle MarkBob Ball in honor of Greg HinckleyJonathan Betlinski in honor of Bryan RobakEvelyn J. BrzezinskiLiana Colombo & Gilbert ShawMichael Cowan in memory of Sandra ZickefooseJess Dishman

Pat & Paul Ferguson-StegerPolly GroseDavid & Barre HardyJoan Hartzell & Jeff HansenJennifer & Jim MarkBrad & Nancy MillerArlene SchnitzerThe Urang-Schuberth Family FundChristine and David L. Vernier Fund of The Oregon Community FoundationDaniel Gleason & Wendy Ware

DESIGNER ($2,500 - $4,999)Kimberly BakkenAnn Brayfield & Joseph EmersonNicole Brodeur & Alex PayneEsther & Jeff ClarkSharon M. Fekety Fund of The Oregon Community FoundationKaren FinkFred & Cheryl GrossmanDiane Herrmann in memory of GeorgeDave & Karen JohnsonYuki & Craig JohnstonKevin KruseMikki & Steve LipseyJames Purdy


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Charlotte RubinJane SchiffhauerWade Olsen & Jackie SetoBryan Steelman à RemoveBrian & Nikki WeaverMichael Weaver & Suzi Martinez CarterKathleen & David YoungLynn Youngbar

ACTOR ($1,000 - $2,500)Rukaiyah AdamsJill Ahlstrand & Hernando MunozJoel Axelrod in honor of Harold Goldstein & Carol StreeterBarnes Family Charitable Fund in honor of Greg & Mary HinckleyCochener Family FoundationDeanna Cochener à Cochener Family FoundationDeanna CochenerAndrew ColasHermann ColasJanet & Robert ConklinTaizoon & Munira DoctorKen & Annie EdwardsAC GreenRoger GriffithErin & Kirk HanawaltBruce & Kathleen HarderJames & Tina HeinJay Hoover & Elaine MartinWalter Jaffe & Paul KingJudy & Greg KafouryCarla Kelley & Andy AsherDani & Bill KerriganSue Knight & Glenn LambRoberta Lampert & Jim PiperPeggy MaguireChristine M. O’ConnorBonnie & Pete ReaganBrian RiceWoody & Rae Richen Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Community FoundationKate & Stephen Robinson Richard & Mary Rosenberg Fund of the Oregon Community FoundationSandra RussillPancho SaveryCarolyn Sheldon in memory of Bing SheldonIsabel SheridanLinda & Chet Skibinski

Mary & Ernie SwartzJill & Michael WeierEmmett & Karen WheatfallSophie Fauveau & Mark Williams

STAR ($500 - $999)Katie AbbottDiane & Erik AndersonDavid & Robyn AoyagiSue Armitage & Bob GreeneJeffrey Bowman & Leslie WorsfoldEllen & Jim BrodersenDenise Carty & Roger Brown Fund of The Oregon Community FoundationPatrick Cassidy & Eileen PerimeterAndrew Clarke & Jennifer WatsonRonnie-Gail Emden & Andy WilsonNeil Falk & Janet MacDonellBobbie FosterLynn Marchand GoldsteinMarc & Pam GrignonLuke & Vicki GroserGary & Lynne HartshornThyra HartshornAmy & Robert HayesElena HeinJoseph & Patricia HowellBarbara Jennings & Richard Teutsch FundJustin Jones & Shari LaneEmily KarrCharles KisselburgMaria Conneran & Dahv KlinerTed Labbe & Kelly RodgersRebecca Weedon LacyPhillip MargolinDan MaustDan & Katie MeekerMatt Jones & Kristin MihalkoMadeline MooreSandy PolishukLillian Shirley in celebration of Anna DavidsonCarol Smith-LarsonSue Ann Higgens & David StoutGilah TenenbaumKimberlee Stafford & Vanessa UsuiAndrew & Lori WatsonAmy & James WeaverBonnie & Winston Weaver

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Pat & Paul Ferguson-StegerPolly GroseDavid & Barre HardyJoan Hartzell & Jeff HansenJennifer & Jim MarkBrad & Nancy MillerArlene SchnitzerThe Urang-Schuberth Family FundChristine and David L. Vernier Fund of The Oregon Community FoundationDaniel Gleason & Wendy Ware

DESIGNER ($2,500 - $4,999)Kimberly BakkenAnn Brayfield & Joseph EmersonNicole Brodeur & Alex PayneEsther & Jeff ClarkSharon M. Fekety Fund of The Oregon Community FoundationKaren FinkFred & Cheryl GrossmanDiane Herrmann in memory of GeorgeDave & Karen JohnsonYuki & Craig JohnstonKevin KruseMikki & Steve LipseyJames Purdy

Greg & Valerie WeaverMerri WyattJonathan & Merrie Ziady

CAMEO ($250 - $499)Carole AlexanderKregg ArnstonDale Bajema & Diane ColemanLaura BartonKaren BassettCharlotte Beeman in honor of David LevinePatsy BernerClay Biberdorf & Erika SchusterEdward & Polley BowenJohn BranamBrian & Bridget BrooksNicole CanaleBeth Caruso & Patrick ClancyNathan Cogan Family Fund of the Oregon Jewish Community FoundationDeborah Coleman TrustLisa Collins & Amy Cox Ron CrosierThe William Diebold and Deborah Freedberg FundLori & Scott Eberly in honor of Nikki WeaverNorman EderLeslye Epstein & Herman TaylorJudith & Paul FardigAngela Freeman & Matt MouleRichard Gibson & Anna RoeDavid Goldman & Merilee KarrCorbett Gordon in honor of Shandi Walnofer MuffGretchen Holden & Michael OssarPhilip & Jessie HostetlerKimberly, Madison, & Kenton Howard in memory of Claude Howard IIIAngela HultGlynis Jones Alan JuzaTom KellyJan Kennedy Ferguson & Charles Colwell FergusonJeff & Carol KilmerBilly & Kali LaddCasselle LatouretteLaurence Daane & Mary LyonsChristine MackertAmy & Richard Manning

Michelle Mark & Michael EckerJean & Jim MascaroMignon Mazique & Jim RueBob McGranahan & Carole ShellhartJennifer MessengerAino & Landry MolimbiCarole E. MorseArt & Nancy MossMelissa Mulder-Wright & Bill WrightTed & Amy OcchialinoJohn RagnoLaurette Jan RobertsonRuona Banister FamilyMary Ann Seth-Wish & John WishKC & Mary ShawRobyn ShueyDrs. Linda and Mark SobellMaurice Horn & George SouleElizabeth & Les StoesslSuzanne Sullivan & Fritz Johnson in memory of William SullivanBrian & Jeanne ThomasSean Brennan & Gayle TokumotoKay ToranJ.Scott Soutter & Sharon UrryJanet WhitakerFred Williams & Mary Beth YossesJulie WilsonCarolyn & Martin WinchJan WoitaKathleen Worley

FRIEND ($100 - $249)Sheryl AchesonChris AlthoffJohn & Sally AndersonRobin AndersonKC Andrew Sona AndrewsGwenn BaldwinShannon Batts & Nick O’ConnorEric BaxterJan & Larry BeaudoinKaren BelseySusan BextonAtieno BirdSuzanne Blair

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Naomi Dagen & Ron BloomLyn BonyhadiMichele Bowler-Failing in honor of Harold Goldstein & Carol StreeterElise BradleyPatricia BradleyAmber & John BroughtonBarbara BrynelsonCarolyn BuhlIrene & Patrick BurkJoseph CallahanNaomi CampbellDon Caniparoli & Sarah RosenbergDoug & Liz CappsKip Acheson & Elizabeth CarrMaryanne Cassin & Ken MeyerNancy CatlinMatthew ColemanKristen ConnorDeborah Correa & Mark WilsonGraham Lee & Lori CovingtonPam CrowMary Beth Pinon & John CunninghamFran DaggettTatyana DembrowNorman Hale & Mary DevlinMandy DohertyEllen DonaldsonJack & Suzanne DowningAnn F DudleyAlison Ebbott & Bill HasanAustin Eddy & Annika SchindlerVida EderaJane EdigerSara & Steve ElgeeBenjamin Emerson & Jessy Friedt in memory of Kirk ReevesMichael FaithAnne & Richard FeeneyEdward & Jeanette FeldhousenNick FishDaniel & Melissa FisherTeri & Tobey FitchKaren FittsJudy Butler & Peter FitzgeraldJoan Fondell Page Fortuna & Pete BeemanGabrielle FoulkesKatie Frederick

Carolyn Gazeley & Brad Van AllenMarian & Steve GoldMarie GonzalezLisa GrampDavid Greenberg & Susan SteinShelley & Dave HakansonChristine HammDonna Hammar in memory of Luke Hammar, Louis Goeschl, Mike Olson, Ed CarrJamey Hampton & Ashley RolandJanet HanusKathleen Hardie & Joe StengerWayne HarrelJan & Tom HarveyDawn HayamiAmy Henninger & Andre LegerJames HeuerMaddelyn High & Eric RosewallJudy HilsentegerBarbara Holisky & Gary McDonaldLaurie HollandRebecca HoughtonBeth Hutchins & Pete SkeggsAndrea & Ruben IniguezJeri JenkinsStan JewettNicholas JohantgenFrances JohnstonAili Jokela & Lee StockerLaura Jones & David LivermoreCharlene JonesSusan JonssonLore JoplinLucy KeatingSusan KellyRobert Kerr & Claire RandallJanice & Mark KettlerJames & Jessica KinardJeannette KingSheila Koenig in honor of Fran DaggettAnn Kopel & Lee LancasterTeresa KronstedtRichard Hilbig & Deborah KrumGeorgia ObradovichMeg Larson & Richard LewisKelly & Brenda LawrenceMelissa LessardDavid Levine

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Michelle Mark & Michael EckerJean & Jim MascaroMignon Mazique & Jim RueBob McGranahan & Carole ShellhartJennifer MessengerAino & Landry MolimbiCarole E. MorseArt & Nancy MossMelissa Mulder-Wright & Bill WrightTed & Amy OcchialinoJohn RagnoLaurette Jan RobertsonRuona Banister FamilyMary Ann Seth-Wish & John WishKC & Mary ShawRobyn ShueyDrs. Linda and Mark SobellMaurice Horn & George SouleElizabeth & Les StoesslSuzanne Sullivan & Fritz Johnson in memory of William SullivanBrian & Jeanne ThomasSean Brennan & Gayle TokumotoKay ToranJ.Scott Soutter & Sharon UrryJanet WhitakerFred Williams & Mary Beth YossesJulie WilsonCarolyn & Martin WinchJan WoitaKathleen Worley

FRIEND ($100 - $249)Sheryl AchesonChris AlthoffJohn & Sally AndersonRobin AndersonKC Andrew Sona AndrewsGwenn BaldwinShannon Batts & Nick O’ConnorEric BaxterJan & Larry BeaudoinKaren BelseySusan BextonAtieno BirdSuzanne Blair

Del LewisSusan LienhartCristi Miles & Clint LindhorstAnne & Craig LindsayTom LisickiGeorge & Maryann MachanVictor MackMichelle MaidaLaura MarkAnn Balzell & Joseph MarroneSusannah Mars & Gary JohnsonRon MarshMarsie Martien Michela McMahonRichard Meeker & Ellen RosenblumJeannette MeyerMarlys MickMatt MorenoBrian Myers & Nell WalkleyAllen & Frances NauseJustice Adrienne NelsonPhil Goldsmith & Susan NewmanCynthia O’CarrollEileen OdumJane OlberdingWade Owens & Lauren TurnerMaria & Ronald PattersonCharlotte PerryRandall & Danielle PhillipsEiko PolitzTJ Browning & Scott PrattNancy PyburnSuzanne RagueCarol RamseyDeborah Redman & Don Whittemore in honor of Rudolph & Nevart MarthRichard ReesDave & Kay ReingoldBetty & Jacob ReissHector R. RocheBobbie & Joe RodriguezRochelle & Richard RosenbergPatricia Mizutani & Richard RosenhaftRuth RothJacqueline & Nick RothenbergSandy RuchSteven SaftigJoel & Laine Barbanell Schipper FundDarby Granberry & Gretchen SchnepperRussell Shirai

Ellen SimmonsCarol SlegersOlivia SolomonPatricia SouthardBob SpeltzMichael Owen & Alice SpitzerCarol StoutDavid & Rosemarie SweetRoberta TaussigKim Thomas & John MorrisonMisty TompolesEileen TrudeauAndrea ValderramaKathleen M. Van RiesenJacqueline Walton & John KimDorene Warner in honor of Carmen Schleiger & Joan FinholtAnn Coskey-Wasserman & Richard WassermanAbel Weinrib & Carmen Weinrib-EgidoCaroline & Paul WhiteMary Beth & Nathan WhiteSusan WilcoxVeronica WilliamsCarol S. WitherellAnthony Dal Molin & Kathryn WolffJill WollackDarrell & Geneva Wright

O R G A N I Z AT I O N S

BELL TOWER ($25,000+)James F. and Marion L. Miller FoundationM. J. Murdock Charitable TrustOregon Cultural TrustRaymond Family FoundationSERA ArchitectsWeaver Family Foundation in honor of Phyllis L. Weaver

BELL TOWER ($10,000 - $24,999)Colas Construction, Inc.Firstenburg FoundationJW & HM Goodman Family FoundationThe Jordan BrandJuan Young TrustNational Endowment For The ArtsOregon Arts CommissionPGE FoundationShapiro Didway

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The Shubert Foundation Inc.Herbert A. Templeton FoundationWillamette WeekWrather Family Foundation

ROOF RAISER ($7,500 - $9,999)The Boeing CompanyNewman’s Own FoundationThe Standard

SEAT RISER ($5,000 - $7,499)Bloomfield Family FoundationHumber Design GroupLagunitas Brewing CompanyThe Jackson FoundationThe Kinsman FoundationB.P. Lester & Regina John FoundationCharlotte Martin FoundationMe Fitness StudiosSchlesinger Family FoundationStarseed FoundationOCF Joseph E Weston FoundationThe Wyss Foundation

SUPPORTING BEAM ($2,500 - $4,999)Energy Trust of Oregon¿Por Qué No? TaqueriaRegional Arts & Culture CouncilHarold & Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation (Communicare Program)Tualatin High School (Communicare Program)Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust

STEPPING STONE ($1,000 - $2,499)The Autzen FoundationCorning FoundationFloat ShoppeJim and Sue’s Community Fund

UNDER $1,000Arts PeopleCameron WineryDelta Inn, Inc.Intel CorporationLam Research FoundationLiving Room RealtyMarquam Auction AgencyOregon Jewish Community FoundationPGE FoundationPremier Mortgage ResourcesStash TeaTrailhead Credit UnionVolunteers of America

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Ellen SimmonsCarol SlegersOlivia SolomonPatricia SouthardBob SpeltzMichael Owen & Alice SpitzerCarol StoutDavid & Rosemarie SweetRoberta TaussigKim Thomas & John MorrisonMisty TompolesEileen TrudeauAndrea ValderramaKathleen M. Van RiesenJacqueline Walton & John KimDorene Warner in honor of Carmen Schleiger & Joan FinholtAnn Coskey-Wasserman & Richard WassermanAbel Weinrib & Carmen Weinrib-EgidoCaroline & Paul WhiteMary Beth & Nathan WhiteSusan WilcoxVeronica WilliamsCarol S. WitherellAnthony Dal Molin & Kathryn WolffJill WollackDarrell & Geneva Wright

O R G A N I Z AT I O N S

BELL TOWER ($25,000+)James F. and Marion L. Miller FoundationM. J. Murdock Charitable TrustOregon Cultural TrustRaymond Family FoundationSERA ArchitectsWeaver Family Foundation in honor of Phyllis L. Weaver

BELL TOWER ($10,000 - $24,999)Colas Construction, Inc.Firstenburg FoundationJW & HM Goodman Family FoundationThe Jordan BrandJuan Young TrustNational Endowment For The ArtsOregon Arts CommissionPGE FoundationShapiro Didway

Our work is supported by Oregon Cultural Trust

Thanks to the Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland,

Multnomah County and the Arts Education & Access Fund.

Portland Playhouse receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the State of

Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Documents

PORTL A ND PL AY HOUS E S E A S O N 1 0 ANN …...trauma functions as a baseline within the play, I am more interested in exploring the lives of these women and how a community rebuilds