Download HOW WE GOT ON - Portland Playhouse

PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS
HOW WE GOT ON
By Idris Goodwin
Directed by Jen Rowe
SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 25
We envision a world awakened
by the wonder of theatre.
CAST
Joe Gibson
Hank
Chip Sherman
Julian
Ashley Nicole Williams
Luann
Ithica Tell
Selector
Director
Mic Crenshaw
Music Director
Meredith Matthews
Stage Manager
Sarah Gehring
Dramaturge
Daniel Meeker
Scenic Designer
Jennifer Lin
Lighting Designer
Ashton Hull
Costume Designer
Em Gustason
Sound Designer
Will Bailey
Properties Designer
Phil Shaw
Technical Director
Owen Walz
SEASON PRODUCERS:
Harold Goldstein
& Carol Streeter
CREATIVE TEAM
Jen Rowe
Portland Playhouse is dedicated
to producing quality, intimate,
performances in which the interaction
between artists and audience is
paramount. We hold theatre to be a
space in which people of all social,
economic, racial, sexual, and political
backgrounds can come together
to celebrate the complexity of our
shared human experience.
Phillip Terranova
Ronni Lacroute
DESIGNER SPONSORS:
Karen & Dave Johnson
MKM Design
zerohomes.com
Scenic Artist & Master Electrician
RUN TIME: 90 minutes
Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com)
How We Got On premiered at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in March
2012. The development of How We Got On was supported by New Leaf Theatre's
Treehouse Reading Series 2011, and the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center.
The photographic, video and/or audio recording of this performance
by any means whatsoever is prohibited.
This project is
supported in
part by a grant
from the Oregon
Cultural Trust.
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.
PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE HOW WE GOT ON | P1
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
Within hip-hop culture, as in life, you
make a name for yourself by using your
voice. But first…you gotta find it. Then,
you gotta rhyme it.
I am privileged to be part of injecting
Portland with Idris Goodwin’s voice and
immensely thankful to Brian Weaver for
inviting me into this experience.
Tonight you are in good hands. How
We Got On weaves together a teenager’s
poetic dream with a cultural movement.
It’s inspiring and refreshing to be told a
story that reminds us to breathe in joy
when we speak our truths; especially
when we are struggling to be heard.
I would also love for you to be aware of
a local organization: SpitWrite
Hip-hop is inherently theatrical and I
am a lover of spectacle. I’m also a sucker
for any story involving a struggle and
large ambition. Idris is such a skilled
writer—you really are in for a treat.
He moves quickly, uses sharp humor,
loves his characters; endows them with
both resiliency and vulnerability—but
most importantly brings us a fresh
perspective.
YO!
Here is their gorgeously written mission
statement:
“We are Portlanders who took on this
heART mission in partnership with
Urban Word, based in New York City,
to bring this unprecedented literary
experience to The Rose City. This is part
of a youth-empowerment movement
that is rapidly spreading across the
United States, most recently into
Portland, Seattle and Atlanta.
As professional artists and writers, we
each have a passion for working with
urban youth. And we are excited to help
identify students who have the potential
to thrive as both poets and leaders, and
then give them training and a platform
to take their talents to the next level.
Instead of buying into the negative
media-influenced portrayals of our
youth, we are honored to create space for
our Portland area young people so they
can contribute to our region is evolving
cultural milieu.”
Support, learn about, and work with
them—www.spitwrite.com. Kick back. This is a love letter to hiphop. We’re here to remember, learn
about, and fall in love with a movement.
Enjoy,
Jen Rowe
MTV RAPS
BY SARAH GEHRING, DRAMATURGE
“I’m everlasting, I can go
on for days and days
with rhyme displays that
engrave deep as x-rays
I can take a phrase
that’s rarely heard
Flip it - now it’s a daily word”
–RAKIM, “FOLLOW THE LEADER”
“But they know. Even if they don’t like
rap, they love rap. Or at least they will.
Everybody will.” - Hank, from Idris
Goodwin’s How We Got On
In 1988, hip-hop was becoming
inseparable from rap, its beats more
eclectic, its lyrics more political and
personal, and its personalities more
aggressively confident. The genre was
thriving, but it had yet to reach the
P2 | PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE HOW WE GOT ON
mainstream dominance it would achieve
in coming decades. The music and the
culture were booming in the big cities,
but mere echoes through the suburbs
and beyond, only audible to those who
were listening for them. There was a
new frontier in music that was proving
a barrier for hip-hop artists: television.
Music video. And in 1988, there was only
one channel bringing music videos to a
national audience: MTV.
Music Television (MTV) launched in
1981, and did not play its first hip-hop
video until 1984.The channel claimed
to have been designed as a “rock music”
platform, but had quickly deviated
from that stance when it came to white
pop artists. The King of Pop himself,
Michael Jackson, did not get airplay
until 1983, and even that did not come
without a fight from his record label. A
year later, Run DMC’s “Rock Box” video
premiered.
August 6th, 1988: the first episode of Yo!
MTV Raps aired, bringing the golden
age of hip-hop to TV sets across the
country. In just 38 minutes, the program
captured some of the vibrancy and
variety of hip-hop music, and now, hiphop music videos.
The most popular acts on the show, Run
DMC and the Beastie Boys, were already
leading the pack in terms of commercial
success. 1986 had been a good year for
both groups, with The Beastie Boys
(the only white artists on the program)
having reached the top of the billboard
charts with their album License to Ill,
and Run DMC having achieved massive
crossover success with their riff on
Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”. Run DMC
made their debut with the new video to
their song “Mary Mary”, and the
Beastie Boys with “No Sleep Till
Brooklyn”.
“No Sleep Till Brooklyn” starts
with the event of the band coming
to play at a rock venue. When
they show the manager their
“Instruments” are records and
drum machines, the manager kicks
them out for not being “rock and
roll”. Of course, they sneak back in
to play their show, which, despite
the manager’s protestations, is
actually laden with rock guitar.
“Mary Mary” is the story of a
middle-aged conservative white
woman trying to disrupt a Run
DMC concert, claiming that “rock
and roll” is a moral outrage. By
the end of the video she is onstage
Rounding out the line-up were Doug
E Fresh and the Fresh Crew with
“Keep Rising To The Top”, a tune
and video which represented a mix
of old school and new school vibes,
LL Cool J’s “Going Back To Cali”,
which would later be nominated
for the first Grammy for Rap
Performance (which would be won
by “Parents Just Don’t Understand”),
and “Follow the Leader” by Eric B.
and Rakim.
“Follow the Leader”, more so than
any of its compatriots, gave the
world a glimpse into the future of a
genre that was just about to explode.
Rakim, still today considered to
be one of the greatest MC’s of all
time, brought to the track a laid
back boastfulness which he had
“But they know. Even if they
don’t like rap, they love rap. Or at
least they will. Everybody will.”
–HANK, FROM IDRIS GOODWIN’S HOW WE GOT ON
dancing, swept up in the fun
show. Run DMC and the Beastie
Boys managed to claim what little
public attention there was for hip
hop by somehow aligning both of
their acts with popular rock.
Another facet of the popular
spectrum were the DJ Jazzy
Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Along
with JJ Fad, they represented a
younger, non-threatening side
to hip hop, in their videos for
“Parents Just Don’t Understand”
and “Supersonic” respectively.
“Parents Just Don’t Understand”
features The Fresh Prince (aka
Will Smith) rapping about things
most high schoolers could relate to
(going clothes shopping with the
parents) or wish they could (taking
a Porsche for a joy ride), while
playing out the funny scenes on
screen. In “Supersonic”, three-girl
crew JJ Fad raps over dance beats,
performing cool, easily emulated
choreography, and wearing the
kind of oversized jackets and
leggings that were the height of
late 80’s fashion.
the rhymes and flow to back up.
The video featured Rakim as an
old-fashioned mob boss, dominating
over his competition, he and his
boys wearing sharp suits and thick
gold chains, rings, and watches. This
was the first time the mainstream
public was seeing how serious, and
seriously impressive, hip-hop and
rap could be.
Yo! MTV Raps would go on for 7
years, and ended as hip-hop and
rap videos became a regular part
of the MTV line-up. By 1999,
hip-hop would become the top
selling musical genre worldwide.
What’s more, the televising of hiphop allowed its many styles and
complexities to spread, from the
east coast to the west coast, and
everywhere in between, even to the
midwest suburbs, as Idris Goodwin
explores in How We Got On.
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM
Joe Gibson
(Hank)
Joe Gibson is excited
to be working with
Portland Playhouse and
this talented cast. In the
past year, Joe has kept
busy touring his solo
show with Portland Playhouse, working
with the Red Door Project on the August
Wilson Monologue Competition, and of
course acting. Some of his past projects
include, Cymbeline, NBC’s Grimm,
American Night, Masque of the Red
Death, Phaedra’s Love, Macbeth, and The
Lion in Winter.
Chip Sherman
(Julian)
Chip is so elated to be
in his first production
at The Playhouse!
Especially with such
an amazing cast and
creative team behind
this brilliant play on culture. Past
favorite Portland credits: Olivia in
Twelfth Night (Post5), Addison/etc. in
Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom (defunkt),
and Miguel in The Last Days (Post5).
Chip is a proud company member at
Post5 Theatre. He would like to thank
his mom for her amazing support and
courage throughout the years, and you
for your support of progressive live
theatre!!
Ashley Nicole
Williams
(Luann)
Ashley is very excited
to return to Portland
Playhouse in How We
Got On. This gives
Ashley a chance to
relive her rapping days on the radio.
She has most recently performed with
Profile Theatre in In The Next Room,
Or The Vibrator Play. She has worked
with Artists Repertory Theatre in Seven
Guitars as Ruby, Portland Playhouse
in A Christmas Carol as Mrs.Cratchit,
Jitney as Rena and The Portland Opera
in Show Boat.
Ithica Tell
(Selector)
Ithica is pleased
as punch to be
performing with
Portland Playhouse!
P4 | PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE HOW WE GOT ON
A 15-year veteran Portland performer,
and graduate of Southern Oregon
University, Ithica is a proud member of
Post5 Theatre and has been blessed with
the opportunity to perform with many
of the major companies in town. She is
delighted for another opportunity to do
one of her favorite things, Act. Thanks to
Mom for always bragging, and to Isha,
for infecting me with “The Bug.”
Jen Rowe
(Director)
Jennifer has Produced and Directed:
Waiting, The Jewish Wife/The Informer,
The Unseen (Drammy Award), Mercury
Fur, The Interview and Unda with The
Quick and Dirty Art Project which she
founded in 2010. At Portland Playhouse,
she directed Phaedra’s Love and the
2012-2013 apprentice solo showcase. As
an Actor, she has appeared in Mr. Burns:
A Post-Electric Play, A Christmas Carol
(Drammy Award), After the Revolution,
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Twelfth
Night (Portland Playhouse), Speech and
Debate, Distracted (ART), JAW festival
(5 years, PCS), Middletown (Third
Rail), Labyrinth of Desire (Miracle),
The Sweatermakers (Playwrights
West), Romeo and Juliet (Willamette
Shakespeare), Oh the Humanity,
Vinegar Thom (OSAR/TPL), 4.48
Psychosis (PSU) and spent a year
touring the show 1 1/2 to schools in
Oregon and Washington (OCT). She is
immensely grateful for this opportunity
to bring How We Got On to life in
Portland.
Mic Crenshaw
(Music Director)
Chicago-born poet and emcee Michael
(Mic) Crenshaw fell in love with music at
a young age while living in Minneapolis.
His teenage years were challenging as he
actively confronted white supremacist
gangs that were a growing part of the
hard-core music scene. He eventually
chose to escape the violence and moved
to Portland, where he quickly became
one of the most respected artists in the
Northwest, and his community efforts
have had both local and international
impact.
In addition to his highly-acclaimed
work in spoken word and hip hop,
Mic founded GlobalFam, a nonprofit project to create and maintain
a computer center for disadvantaged
youth in Burundi, Central Africa. Over
400 people have received free training,
and it is now expanding, generating
revenue and creating jobs. Mic also
partnered with Education Without
Borders (EWOB), which supports
education, music and art initiatives
in Portland and beyond and serves as
an umbrella for the local Books For
Prisoners chapter and GlobalFam itself.
GlobalFam has blossomed into a music
label, production, promotion, artist
management, and education company
providing mainstream entertainment
that supports Social Justice Activism.
Meredith Matthews
(Stage Manager)
Last season at Portland Playhouse,
Meredith had the pleasure of assistant
stage managing The Other Place, How
to End Poverty in 90 Minutes (with
99 people you may or may not know),
and The Piano Lesson. She also stage
managed Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric
Play and A Christmas Carol. Meredith
is a graduate of The Theatre School at
DePaul University with a BFA in Stage
Management.
Daniel Meeker
(Scenic Design)
How We Got On is Daniel’s 17th design
for The Playhouse. Previously he
designed the lighting for The Other Place
(Drammy nomination) and scenery and
lighting for The Light in the Piazza,
Detroit, Mother Teresa is Dead, The
Huntsmen, Bloody Bloody Andrew
Jackson, and The Brother/Sister Plays,
among others. Other recent credits
include: scenery and lighting for Vanya
Sonia Masha and Spike, Lizzie, The Last
Five Years, Bonita and The Mountaintop
and lighting for Twist Your Dickens at
Portland Center Stage; scenery for The
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling
Bee for The Pioneer Theater Company
in Salt Lake City, UT; scenery for
Ramona Quimby and Fancy Nancy for
Oregon Children’s Theater; lighting for
Adaptation at Disjecta. Daniel is also
the principal lighting designer for the
Pickathon Festival. Upcoming projects
include: Outside Mullingar for the
Pioneer Theater Company and L’italiana
in Algeria and Eugene Onegin for
Portland Opera’s 2016 season. Daniel is
a member of the faculty of Portland State
University; he is a graduate of Ithaca
College and the Yale School of Drama,
and a member of United Scenic Artists.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
IDRIS GOODWIN is a playwright, rapper
and essayist. His plays include How We
Got On, Remix 38 (Actors Theater of
Louisville); And In This Corner: Cassius
Clay (StageOne Family Theater),
This Is Modern Art (Steppenwolf ),
Blackademics (MPAACT, Crowded Fire).
Goodwin is one of the six playwrights
featured in Hands Up an anthology
commissioned by The New Black
Fest. Hands Up has been presented
across the country.
Upcoming productions include: Bars
And Measures (B Street Theatre) The
Realness (Merrimack Theatre) and The
Raid (Jackalope Theater).
He is the recipient of Oregon
Shakespeare’s American History Cycle
Commission and InterAct Theater’s
20/20 Award. Goodwin has been a
writer in residence at Berkeley Rep’s
Ground Floor Program, The Lark
Playwriting Center and New Harmony
Project.
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM
Jennifer Lin
(Lighting Design)
Jennifer is a very happy to be
working with Portland Playhouse. A
freelance lighting designer and stage
technician, and a company member of
Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Jennifer
has been working behind the scenes for
theatre, opera, and dance since moving
to Portland in 2005. She attended
Portland State University from 20062008, and received The Kennedy Center
American College Theatre Festival’s
Achievement Award for her lighting
design for PSU’s production of Electra.
Ashton Hull
(Costume Design)
Ashton is fascinated by the art(s)
of storytelling. A hundred trips
to Disneyland led her directly
(paradoxically?) to the hallowed halls
of Carnegie Mellon University and
the study of creating complete worlds.
Graduating in 2007 with a BFA: next
stop LA. Los Angeles took her into the
worlds of television (Big Bang Theory,
Two and a Half Men) and feature
film production (My Sister’s Keeper).
In 2009 she returned to her rich and
verdant Northwest roots and began
freelance collaborations with local
Portland Theaters. Today her freelance
work continues to grow, and Ashton
also manages the Costume Shop for
the Lewis and Clark College Theatre
Department.
Em Gustason
(Sound Design)
Em is delighted to be working with
Portland Playhouse on this beautiful
show. He recently won the award for
outstanding sound design for The
Sweatermakers at Playwrights West,
and has enjoyed working on many
wonderful productions around town
with OCT, Coho, Third Rail, and
Portland Center Stage. He holds a
BA in technical theatre and audio
recording from The Evergreen State
College.
Will Bailey
(Properties Designer)
Will is excited to be returning to
Portland Playhouse after his props
work on After The Revolution and The
Piano Lesson. Other Props credits
include Playboy of the Western World,
Blithe Spirit, The Invisible Hand, and
The Price at Artists Repertory Theatre.
Brian Weaver
(Artistic Director/Founder)
Brian has directed at Portland
Playhouse: The Other Place, The Light
in the Piazza, Detroit, Bloody
Bloody Andrew Jackson, Angels in
America, Gem of the Ocean, Dying
City, The Missing Pieces, Radio Golf,
bobrauschenbergamerica, Fiction, and
After Ashley; and acted in Bingo
with the Indians and Mauritius.
(Portland Playhouse); Regional
credits include American Buffalo
(Third Rail Repertory); Scapin and
Titus Andronicus (Intiman Theatre);
Ice Glen and Romeo and Juliet
(Shakespeare & Company); and Where
has Tommy Flowers Gone? and The
Illusion (Berkshire Theatre Festival).
Brian is a founding member of New
World Theatre. He directed the U.S.
premiere of the Spanish translation of
José Rivera’s play Marisol.
An accomplished Hip Hop poet,
his albums include Break Beat
Poems and Rhyming While Black.
Goodwin was featured on HBO, Sesame
Street and Discovery Channel. He is the
author of the pushcart nominated essay
collection These Are The Breaks (Write
Bloody, 2011).
Idris is the co host and contributor
to Critical Karaoke, a radio show and
podcast about music and culture. Idris
teaches performance writing and Hip
Hop aesthetics at Colorado College.
PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE STAFF
BRIAN WEAVER
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
MICHAEL WEAVER
MANAGING DIRECTOR
ELENA HEIN
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
NIKKI WEAVER
EDUCATION DIRECTOR
KARL HANOVER
AUDIENCE SERVICES MANAGER
THYRA HARTSHORN
PRODUCTION MANAGER
OWEN WALZ
DESIGN & TECHNICAL ASSOCIATE
APPRENTICE COMPANY
Elizabeth Bartz
Collette Campbell
Quinlan Fitzgerald
Alli Green
Andrea Whittle
Mamie Wilhelm
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Harold Goldstein, Chair
Angela Freeman, Vice-Chair
Michelle Mark, Secretary
Curt Janz, Treasurer
Karol Collymore
Michael Cowan
Joan Hartzell
Kimberly Howard Marge Kafoury
Bing Sheldon
Mary Swartz Andy Riccetti-Eberly
Mark Williams
Brian Weaver
PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE HOW WE GOT ON | P5
THANK YOU
Portland Playhouse gratefully acknowledges our supporters. Their
generosity allows us to activate surprise, delight and challenge in
our lives. We envision a world awakened by the wonder of theatre.
This list represents contributions and pledges received from August 1, 2014 through July 31, 2015. We make every attempt to acknowledge your name accurately.
If you find a mistake, want to make a change, or think your name should be listed and want to inquire further, please don’t hesitate to call us at 971-533-8743.
We are more than happy to make changes for the next playbill.
CORPORTATE,
FOUNDATION,
AND GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT
BELL
TOWER–$25,000+
James F. And Marion L.
Miller Foundation
Meyer Memorial Trust
Playhouse on Prescott
LLC
$10,000–$24,999
Juan Young Trust
National Endowment
For The Arts
Newman's Own
Foundation
Oregon Cultural Trust
PGE Foundation
Raymond Family
Foundation
The Boeing Company
The Collins Foundation
Willamette Week Give
Guide
Wrather Family
Foundation
The Looker Foundation
Lincoln Restaurant
Multnomah County
Cultural Coalition
NW Natural
Sharon M. Fekety
Fund of The
Oregon Community
Foundation
Oregon Community
Foundation
UNDER $1,000
Adidas America, Inc.
Black United Fund Of
Oregon
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Fifty Licks LLC
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Lincoln High School
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Estate LLC
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SUPPORT
PRODUCERS
$50,000+
ROOF RAISER
$7,500–$9,999
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Foundation
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SEAT RISER
$5,000–$7,499
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Council
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Foundation
SUPPORTING BEAM
$2,500–$4,999
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of Oregon and
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Washington
Multnomah County
OCF Joseph E Weston
Foundation
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Commission
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Management
The Standard
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$1,000–$2,499
Equity Foundation
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Foundation
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Phillip Terranova
PLAYWRIGHTS
$10,000–$24,999
Barry Bloom & Joanna
Doris Bloom
Ellyn Bye
Jeff & Esther Clark
Steve & Elsie Weaver
DIRECTORS
$5,000–$9,999
Marge & Stephen
Kafoury
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$2,500–$4,999
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Emerson
Elizabeth Carr & Kip
Acheson
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Sandy Polishuk
P6 | PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE HOW WE GOT ON
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Coleman
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Ronald Bloom
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Cofield
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Lamb
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Fonte
Curt Jantz
Alan & Dianne Johnson
Elizabeth Joseph
Maria Katzenbach
Ruth Kauffman
Frederick Kirchhoff &
Ronald Simonis
Krystal Klein
Bill Kwitman & Monica
Moriarty
Theodore Labbe & Kelly
Rodgers
Rebecca Lacy
Veronica Lawrence
in memory of Penny
O’Carroll
Sally Leisure
Richard Lewis &
Margaret Larson
Deborah Lockwood
Jenny Logan
Christine Mackert
John & Renee Manson
Steven Maser & Donna
McElroy
Shirley Mason
Anne E McLaughlin
Samuel Metz
Jeannette & Bill Meyer
Patricia Mizutani &
Richard Rosenhaft
Landry & Aino Molimbi
Madeline Moore
Nancy & Art Moss
Adrienne Nelson
Susan Newman & Phil
Goldsmith
Carlton Olson
Christopher Ott
Hugh Owens & Lauren
Turner
Jane Pansky
Charlotte & Chris Perry
Annie Popkin & David
Parker
Karen Pride
Linda Purcell
Mark Ramsby & Meg
McGill
Marj Reeves
David Reingold
Betty & Jacob Reiss
Forrest & Sharon Rae
Richen
Jeff Ring
Joe Rodriguez
Charles & Judy Rooks
Rochelle Rosenberg
Allison Rowden
Rich & Joan Rubin
Joanne Ruyle
Jono Sanders
Barbara & Juergen
Schuetze
Teresa Schultz
Mary & KC Shaw
Bert Shaw
Carole Shellhart & Bob
McGranahan
Gail & Mark Sherman
Hamilton & Francesa
Sims
Ann & Jon Sinclair
Ann Sitomer
Patricia Southard
Martha Spence
Karen Springer
Gary Taliaferro
Pan Thu
Betsy Toll
Misty Tompoles
Kay Toran
Michael Troyer
Vanessa Usui & Kim
Stafford
Kaye Van Valkenburg &
David Maier
Gina Warren
Amy Weaver
Michael Weaver & Suzi
Carter
Tom Wells
Emmett & Karen
Wheatfall
Priscilla Bernard
Wieden & Dan Wieden
Cynthia Williams
Ann Wilson
Mary Ann & John Wish
Jan Woita
Phyllis Wolfe
Kathleen Worley
Mary Beth Yosses &
Fred Williams
FALL FESTIVAL OF SHAKESPEARE
The Fall Festival of
Shakespeare is a noncompetitive region-wide
collaboration between
Portland Playhouse and
area middle and high
schools. The Festival is
a spectacular theatrical
event, in part because
student actors connect
well to Shakespeare; they
understand the passion,
the large stakes, and the
disaster. High school is
not unlike an Elizabethan
Tragedy.
NOVEMBER 9TH & 21ST
PGE SPOTLIGHT
WHY DO YOU SUPPORT
PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE?
The PGE Foundation believes in arts
education that promotes 21st century
learning skills such as innovation,
creativity, perseverance, grit and
self-discipline, which aligns with
Portland Playhouse’s vision of a world
awakened by the wonder of theatre.
WHY DOES THE PGE FOUNDATION
SUPPORT THEATRE AND THE ARTS
EDUCATION?
As a company, we value the
community where our customers and
employees live and work. Supporting
arts and culture puts PGE front and
center in developing a sense of place,
helping to drive change, growth and
transformation for the region.
HOW DOES PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE’S
MISSION STATEMENT RESONATE WITH
THE PGE FOUNDATION?
Portland Playhouse’s mission, to hold
a space in which all people come
together to celebrate the complexity
of the human experience, resonates
with Portland General Electric’s
business case for diversity, equity
and inclusion. PGE serves a diverse
population of customers who all
have unique perspectives and come
from different backgrounds and
experiences. Oregon is changing
and so is PGE. A workforce that
mirrors the changing demographics
of our community helps us to better
understand their needs and meet
them where they are.
WHAT IS ONE MEMORY OF PORTLAND
PLAYHOUSE THAT STICKS WITH YOU?
PGE brought a group of employees
from human resources, customer
service, and public policy to
experience How to End Poverty in 90
Minutes. It is a particularly relevant
topic for PGE, as we work, through
our various teams, to serve our
communities.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR
PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE’S FUTURE?
Keep being the catalyst for bringing
people together around conversations
of our shared humanity.
-Kimberly Howard
Education Initiatives
Corporate Social Responsibility
Portland General Electric
PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE HOW WE GOT ON | P7
2014 DRAMMY AWARD-WINNER
BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
BEST ENSEMBLE
“An immersive musical wonderland
that embodies the holiday spirit.”
-PORTLAND MONTHLY
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C A ROL
By Charles Dickens
DECEMBER 2 – DECEMBER 24
The enduring tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s
painful past, cruel present, and redemptive
future spring to exuberant life for a third
holiday run. Hopeful, musical and, above all,
fun; this production won 3 Drammy awards
including: BEST PRODUCTION OF 2014.
Adaptation and original lyrics by Rick Lombardo. Original music
by Anna Lackaff and Rick Lombardo. Music arrangements by
Anna Lackaff. Directed by Cristi Miles.
DREW HARPER AS SCROOGE. PHOTO BY BRUD GILES.