"A Tuna Christmas" @ The Winningstad Theatre

"A Tuna Christmas" is nearly unbelievable, I knew going in that two actors played a multitude of characters, but I was unsure whether they played them all.... I found myself glancing at the playbill to see who played a particular character, and confirmed that it was indeed one of the two actors.....

Almost as stunning as the number of characters played by two people is the sheer speed at which they transform. For a show whose main source of humor comes from poking fun at the slow pace of life in Texas's tiniest town, things on stage sure move at a breakneck pace. (The biggest laugh I had of the night was over something very simple, one character is on the phone with another, waiting for her to pick-up: all of a sudden the other character rockets on to the scene in a huge easy chair, perfectly encapsulating the split-second timing that is key to the show.)

The scene-stealer of the night for me was Didi Snavely, the owner of the used weapons store, whose slogan is: If we can't kill it, it's immortal. ("Her" sing-song delivery is hilarious!)

Another stand-out is Charlene Bumiller, a depressed teenager.

"A Tuna Christmas" is quite a show, a seemingly impossible undertaking by only two actors, it will put you in the mood for the season, and it will certainly put your idea of hustling  into perspective.....

Cast:

Jeffrey Jason Gilpin

&

Alan H. King 

"A Tuna Christmas" runs now through Dec. 23rd. at The Winningstad Theatre located inside the Portland Center for the Performing Arts 

The Dinner Detective

I arrived in the reception area for "The Dinner Detective" at the Courtyard Marriott City Center and was asked to pick a name that would be my alias for the evening, I chose "Stephen Hawking" which would get a big laugh....

I took my seat and the show began. "The Dinner Detective" is slightly different from other Interactive Mysteries in that the characters in the show are not obvious at the outset, and you are expected to mingle and "interrogate", rather than have the characters make their way over to you, hence the aliases. While this does serve to enhance the mystery a little bit, I wasn't really in a position to move freely. In fact, I had chosen my seat poorly in relation to where the "stage" ended up being, fortunately a woman (who also turned-out to be one of the actresses) offered to switch seats,  I believe that there was at least one character at each table, and if so, that does help negate the need to move.

All of the actors have fun with their roles and most of the information is revealed in scenes and hand-outs. The solution to the mystery was fittingly obscure, only two people guessed the culprit, and the only one who answered it fully was also the man who the detectives picked on for most of the night, dubbing him "The Rookie"

I had a lot of fun, the three-course meal was very tasty, and missing-out on the mingling portion did not seem to detract too much, although it might be something they should consider changing..... 

"The Dinner Detective" at the Courtyard Marriott City Center, 550 SW Oak St.

Dinner & Show $59.95 (two-for-one deals are sometimes offered on Groupon and LivingSocial....)

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" @ Portland Center Stage

Portland Center Stage's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a marvel. With a gorgeous, appropriately dreamlike sets, extraordinary actors, and a huge dose of  laughter, this is a show everyone will enjoy. There are some modern touches, most memorably a bluesy Puck, and they all work.

My favorite moments came from the Acting Troupe. Particularly James Newcomb as "Nick Bottom", the actor who thinks he can play every character in the production, as well as "Snug", played by the frequently goofy Tim True. This was my first time seeing "Midsummer" performed, so I can't state for certain, but I wager PCS's slant is much funnier than most  Everyone seems to really relish getting a laugh, and many get their turn--starting from curtain-up.....

I would especially recommend this  production for those who have limited exposure to Shakespeare and might be "afraid" of the complexity of the language, I cannot overstate the hilarity of the show.

The costumes also deserve special praise. The fairies have golden halo-like antennae, and the Donkey-Head that results from a curse placed on poor Nick Bottom is just priceless....

This is a play that brightens your mood, I would not delay in seeing it.....

"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Tears of Joy Theatre

Tears of Joy Theater is best known for their family-friendly puppet shows, but they have also not been afraid to delve into more disturbing subjects from time to time. The first of these darker shows that I saw was "The Long Christmas Ride Home" at Theatre Vertigo a few years ago--that show explored many disquieting subjects, but there was also something deeply un-nerving about an actor manipulating a puppet made to look like himself......  "The Long Christmas Ride Home" taught me that puppets need not be confined to children's entertainment, they can be truly frightening.... It was with this in mind that I jumped at the chance to see Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" get the Tears of Joy treatment, and I wasn't disappointed, to say the least.

This was a fantastic show, and the puppetry was phenomenal. The bulk of the play features only two characters, Adam (David Clemmer), the human student of Herr Gossvetter, a renowned philosopher, cantankerous old man, and puppet, though it doesn't take long for the audience to forget the latter fact. The puppeteers, (Jon Plueard, Bill Holznagel, Jason Miranda) are shrouded in black from head to toe, making them look a bit like apparitions, this is especially effective in a nightmare sequence.

Unfortunately, I became aware of the production rather late, and it closes tonight, but if you can make it, it will certainly put you in the mood for Halloween, and it appears that the show might be an annual event, though I may have misheard an answer during the Q&A regarding sadness as the show nears closing, but I think they intimated that they took solace in knowing it would be back in a year.... Oh, and the Q&A was with the puppet, and the improvisational skills of the puppeteers were remarkable. They gave a brief explanation of the workings of the puppet, and then opened it up for questions, most of which were light-hearted... One person asked if the old man could head-bang, and the otherwise stodgy Herr Gossvetter obliged. So, I thought I'd ask who Herr Gossevetter wanted to win in the upcoming election, and very quickly he answered "Taft", and even made an excuse for any discrepancy in the timeline by noting that he was a philosopher, not a historian... To summarize, you get an inspired retelling of a classic dark tale, a splash of improv comedy, and a scene of puppet dismemberment, all in one show. I suspect you wont find that anywhere else.....  

(Showing tonight at Lincoln Hall Studio Theatre, beware at least one ticketing site erroneously says The Winningstad....)

"The Body of an American" by Dan O'Brien at Portland Center Stage

"The Body of an American" is a play of intersections-the intersection of art and journalism by way of photography, and how they each again intersect with theatre. The play tells the story of playwright Dan O'Brien and war-photographer Tom Watson. Mr.Watson's photograph of a soldier dragged through the streets of Mogadishu forms the heart of the play.

As William Salyers re-enacts the taking of the photograph, he says the voice of the dead soldier warned him, "if you do this, I will own you forever", and much of the play deals with the truth of that statement. Mr. Watson desperately wishes to exorcise this spirit from his thoughts and dreams, and in the days following the performance I shared the feeling. This is an intense show. All of the elements come together with a common purpose--to burrow deeply into your brain and unnerve you. The starkness of the studio is a well-suited space, and the projections are used effectively, but it was the sound design that made me realize just how far I'd been pulled in.... There's a moment in which Paul describes stepping back to properly compose a photograph, and in the process he steps on the bones of an old woman, upon hearing the crunch I involuntarily let out a truly disgusted groan.....

Paul tells the story of The Pentagon being able to deny an atrocity because he was not able to obtain photographic evidence--proof of the truth--and that is what the play is about most of all. If you are prepared for truth, I recommend that you see "The Body of an American"....

August Wilson's "Seven Guitars" @ Artists Rep

"Seven Guitars" has ample amounts of what we love about August Wilson:  poetic language, symbolism, and an epic scope, (this play is nearly three hours itself, and it is a companion-piece to the equally sweeping "King Hedley, II" which will open December 6th at Portland Playhouse.)Reflecting back on Wilson plays I have seen or read, I realize that many of them had violent scenes, but both "Seven Guitars" and "King Hedley, II" seem to thrive on their darker edge, which puts them in my top-three favorites of the 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle.

"Seven Guitars" centers around Floyd "Schoolboy" Barton and his attempt to improve his luck in Chicago with a new record deal, after a long-ago hit song, and the poor decisions that followed it. He wishes to rekindle his relationship with his old girlfriend and have her join him on this all-important journey. Along the way, he faces resentment from friends, and obstacles that would rival Ulysses, all without leaving...

The play is performed by a top-notch cast, quite a few of whom were part of Portland Playhouse's Wilson productions, including director Kevin Jones. Victor Mack (Canewell) has a presence that can only be described as charisma unhinged.

It is so gratifying to see August Wilson presented again by one of Portland largest theatre companies. (Portland Center Stage provided my first exposure to his work-"Fences" at the inaugural-season at the Armory, and I was sad to see them abruptly pull "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" a few years back......) To see Wilson preformed is a privilege, one we get to enjoy twice this year....

"Little Shop of Horrors" @ Broadway Rose Theatre Company

The first word that comes to mind to describe "Little Shop of Horrors" is "fun." There are plenty of shows that are fun, but "Little Shop" just seems to be overflowing it; it's fun to watch, and it looks really fun for the performers. And yet, elements of it are really dark-- the ending of the film version was famously changed after focus groups reacted with intense negativity....

 Portland-area theatres seem to be getting into the ghoulish spirit of Halloween. We've had the cannibalistic "Sweeney Todd" at Portland Center Stage, and now the saga of Seymour and the Man-Eating Plant Audrey II in "Little Shop of Horrors" at Tigard's Broadway Rose.

"Little Shop" is the first show I've seen at Broadway Rose's New Stage Auditorium and like the theatre's other auditorium on the campus of Tigard High School, the New Stage has excellent wheelchair-seating....

"Little Shop of Horrors" has a characteristic that is unusual in shows--one of its biggest roles is played by an unseen actor, the voice of Audrey II, and lets just say that Jerrod Neal chews more than scenery.

Rebecca Teran makes Audrey's sweetness believable and her voice is excellent. Brian Debmar Jones plays Orin the dentist with um, appropriate menace. 

Don't miss this show, it runs from now until Oct. 21, and several dates have sold-out....

"And So It Goes" @ Artists Rep

"And So It Goes" by Aaron Posner is based upon three short-stories from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr's collection "Welcome to the Monkey-House," each revolve around the theme of love. The first of these, "Long Walk to Forever" is about the narrator, Tom Newtom, and his wife Kate (a creation of this stage version.) It's a nice little story, enjoyable and simple... But, the stand-out of the show is "Who Am I this Time?" (also adapted into a film by Jonathan Demme, director of "Silence of the Lambs.") It contains the evening's funniest moments, and some nearly unbelievable acting. It chronicles the love that blooms on the stage of the community theatre within the small Connecticut town, between Harry (Alex Hurt) and Helene, (Kayla Lian) as they perform "A Streetcar Named Desire." Harry is the town's go-to actor, and Helene is a brand-new transplant.  Harry works as a clerk in the hardware store, he is exceptionally ordinary and terribly shy, until he is on the stage.... During auditions, the staff endures performances  from Harry's boss, Verne,(Leif Norby) who turns in a hilariously awful impression of Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski. (Watching Verne warm-up for his embarrassing performance is worth-seeing all by itself....) When it's Harry's turn, he shyly makes his introductions, and then slowly takes off his glasses, by the time he folds them up, he has transformed into Stanley, the famous brute of "Streetcar." (I suppose in some ways actors always transform, but it is rare to see it happen right in front of you, and it's something to behold.) Helene quickly finds that Harry can only express emotion while acting, so they decide to act in everyday life, the piece ends with Harry and Helene in character for "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Tim True does a superb job as the narrator, and nowhere was his talent more evident then when an inconsiderate audience member was not quick enough to turn off the sports radio broadcast he was listening to during intermission. True's improvised digs at the man were some of the best lines of the show, so good in fact that you almost felt sorry for the transgressor. Almost.

See "And So it Goes" while you still can, I had trouble getting in myself, and it only runs from now to Oct 7th......

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street @ Portland Center Stage

"Sweeney Todd" opened Portland Center Stage's 25th Anniversary Season, and everything about the production befit the momentous occasion. Portland Center Stage's version began uniquely; the opening scene in which London's Street People invite us to "attend the tale of Sweeney Todd" features anachronistically dressed police officers, a deliberate allusion to the "Occupy Portland" protests.

"Sweeney Todd" is the story of a renowned barber bent on revenge, whose thirst for blood grows worse, and soon London's most famous barber partners with a purveyor of meat-pies and they happen-upon a ghastly new recipe..... 

Sweeney is played with simmering anger and boundless energy by Aloysius Gigl. Another stand-out performance is given by Matthew Alan Smith, as Judge Turpin. To call him repellent would be an understatement. Maybe it was body language, or maybe his scraggly hair, but despite his position of prestige and nearly unquestioned authority in the play, there's something about him that suggests he is unclean. Of course, his actions and desires bear that out figuratively, but the scene in which he proposes to his young Ward, even without considering their age-difference or the circumstances of their relationship, it is still a stomach-churning idea, (I think the Street Walkers would turn him down...)

The set is by the man who designed Portland Center Stage's first production, and they invited him to return for the anniversary, and looking at the truly impressive, fittingly large, and frequently morphing set, one can see why they brought him back, and I'm sure the aptness of having someone named William Bloodgood design the set for "Sweeney Todd" was not lost on anyone.....

Also worthy of praise is the haunting lighting by Diane Ferry Williams. In short, Portland Center Stage has pulled out all the stops for this production, and all would be wise to attend the tale.....

Crippled Critic Comedy Review: Wanda Sykes @ Spirit Mountain

Wanda Sykes, who is known for her roles on the "New Adventures of Old Christine" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm"  graced the stage at Spirit Mountain Casino Saturday night. Her material ran from politics to the trials of parenting, all delivered with her trademark sarcasm. Birthers felt her wrath, as did opponents of Don't Ask Don't Tell, then she gave us insight into life with her children and her French wife. Her vivid observations about her children's eccentricities were hilarious. Ms. Sykes' stage presence and persona is a truly unique blend of biting wit and genuine confusion at the absurdity of life, it was a privilege to watch.

Spirit Mountain itself deserves special praise for its layout in terms of wheelchair seating. I have attended twice, and although this time I had the privilege of front row seating, Spirit Mountain is one of the few venues whose most desirable sections are made up of removable chairs, making any seat a potential wheelchair seat. While I am on the subject of accessibility, I must also note that the casino is also quite accommodating to patrons in wheelchairs, every slot machine is equipped with a removable chair, and many gaming tables are lowered. I would encourage any wheelchair user interested in either attending a show or gambling to rush to Spirit Mountain, because they seem uncommonly willing and able to serve our needs.

The Sound of Music @ Broadway Rose Theatre Company

"The Sound of Music" is an ambitious show in every respect. It begins with a haunting chant by the nuns of the abbey, which not only stands in stark contrast to the joyful tunes that follow, but it's also the first glimpse you get of the precision and synchronicity the show demands. We soon meet Maria Reiner, who has drawn the skepticism of her fellow nuns as to whether the abbey is a good fit for her. Leah Yorkston brings a nearly palpable naivete to the role. She is indeed unprepared for the life of solitude and silence she attempts to choose, and she also has innocence and eagerness.

I know Margie Boule as a columnist, so  her significant vocal ability was a pleasant surprise... The same can be said of the seven Von Trapp children.

The sets are impressive, and while I have only attended a few productions at Broadway Rose, I am always amazed by the stylishness of their auditorium on the campus of Tigard High School... (It must be noted that the wheelchair-seating is superb , on a rise in the middle of the theatre. Broadway Rose has recently expanded and now has two auditoriums, I look forward to evaluating the accommodations in The New Stage, for "Little Shop of Horrors" in September....)

"The Sound of Music runs from now until the 22nd, and I would advise that you hurry, tickets seem to be selling quickly....

Justin Townes Earle @ The Aladdin Theater 7/3/12

Maybe it was because it was the eve of Independence Day, but the first image that entered my brain while watching Justin Townes Earle was a firework with a very long fuse. Mr. Earle began his performance solo, accompanied only by a guitar. It may have been a low-key start, but because I had seen him perform previously, I knew of the musical explosion to come....

Someone in the audience asked me to classify his music, and all I could come up with was the broad category of Southern Rock, but I added, "his stage-persona reminds me of Buddy Holly...." Indeed, that's the best description I can give, a bespectacled skinny guy whose musical wild-streak betrays his looks....

During the evening, Mr. Earle self-identified with Woody Gutherie, and then played "I'm Wanderin' " and said that he hoped Gutherie would approve.... For what it's worth, I find the song to be such a successful homage that I will now add Gutherie to my description the next time I'm asked....

But, the resistance to classification is one of the things I admire most about Justin Townes Earle, and I believe it is reflected in his songwriting, not only in the fact that he jumps from genre to genre with such ease, but also because unexpected mixtures of styles and tone often lead to wonderfully mismatched songs.... I'm thinking particularly of "Harlem River Blues," a composition that is the happiest song about suicide you'll ever hear...

Then there's a song like "Christ-Church Woman" which while it does at times have a mournful quality, takes on a whole new demension and resonance when Earle reveals that it was inspired by the devastation in Christ-Church....

 So, how does one ultimately classify Justin Townes Earle? As a songwriter who is comfortable in many genres, and never underestimates the value of surprise....

John Fogerty @ The Edgefield 6/17/12

Well, I'd love for this post to be purely an attempt by me to capture the gorgeousness of John Fogerty's performance last night, but duty calls and in keeping with this blog's mission to document the quality of wheelchair accommodations around Portland I must unfortunately focus upon that.....

My first experience at Edgefield was poor and I blogged about both it and its stunningly positive resolution here:http://www.crippledcritic.com/2010/08/praise-be-to-concert-god-dylan.html. My second experience landed me in the incomparable VIP seats, while I awaited the construction of the new wheelchair section:http://www.crippledcritic.com/2011/08/music-in-garden-of-eden-amos-lee.html

My third experience was Ray Lamontagne in the new, and vastly improved wheelchair section. I had an issue with one very inconsiderate concert-goer who blocked my view because she stood just outside the fire lane and the new platform was just barely too low to see past her.... But, with intervention from security and a hearty-dose of public-shaming, she eventually sat down....

Which brings me to Fogerty. Starting this year, Edgefield revised its policy and rather than give a GA ticket and wristband as they had done previously, they now had a separate official ADA ticket.... (No notice of the change was on the website, the way it was written implied that a GA ticket and ADA were the same, as I had assumed.) Only after on-sale time did I notice that ADA had a separate drop-down menu, which was no help to me because I had ordered mine over the phone. This meant a hassle to change my tickets as well as double service fees because there were technically two transactions. Despite this, I hoped that the change in policy would mean that people with severe disabilities would be given priority by virtue of this special-ticket.....e.g. the first few rows would be reserved for wheelchair-users.....

How wrong I was! In the ADA section I was one of only 3 wheelchair-users, the rest would definitely be considered comparatively able-bodied..... (Capable of standing and walking.) Two couples who would certainly fall into that category re-positioned the entire second-row which ruined the view completely for everyone else, the other patrons asked them politely to move and they refused..... (All of them were able to stand, and they did.....)

We tried to get security to intervene, but they would not. Frustrated, we decided to try our luck on the lawn.... On our way there, we passed wheelchair-users who were just outside of the ADA section, which I can only surmise was because they could not find a suitable view, ironic, huh? Someone was circulating a petition of complaint about the section which I of course signed. Security did eventually bring McMenamin's Chief Operating Officer to meet us, and I will be sending him a link to this post.... My feeling is one of profound disappointment in a venue of which I have become quite fond, hopefully this will change...... 

Crippled Critic Theatre Review: It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues @ Portland Center Stage

The title of the show is interesting. When I read it, I thought the creators were being playfully nonchalant.. I imagined someone uninitiated to the blues being blown-away by this new sound, and when the musician is asked, "What IS that?" he would respond, "It ain't nothin' but the Blues," and this interpretation would of course imply a focus on that genre. So, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the show's Two Acts would trace the evolution of the  genre, from slave-songs to an unexpected trace of Country, and therefore enlighten us to its roots which would in-turn inform other styles of music that came after it, and in that way, nearly everything is nothing more than altered Blues....

The show is narrated by Sugaray Rayford. What struck me most about him, beyond the power of his voice, was the sheer amount of sweat that poured from him during the show. That man puts everything he has into the songs he sings.  The Gospel numbers were my favorite, particularly "Catch on Fire," which was the Act I finale. The highlight of Act II was a song called "Crawlin' King Snake." The actor who sings that song looks positively reptilian, it's actually a little unnerving.....

"It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues" has a few things in common with "Black Pearl Sings!" the show still running in the basement Studio, they both trace musical history, they even share "Goodnight Irene," (although the two versions are radically different), but most importantly, they both make the walls quake.....

Crippled Critic Theatre Review: "Next to Normal" @ Artists Rep 5-8-12

It's really almost cruel, the trick that "Next to Normal" perpetrates on its audience-- the fact that it seems so innocuous at first glance... We know going in that it's about mental illness, but we are led to believe for awhile that we're talking about depression and anxiety... Even when Diana, (Sussanah Mars) makes sandwiches on the floor, she pulls-off the "oh silly me" response so well, that we allow ourselves to think that her brain must play little games with her--there's probably enough story there to sustain a musical; a family dealing with one member who isn't in full control of herself, and we all learn we are not as normal as we think we are.......

"Next to Normal" is not that musical, and sometimes things get so intense that you may wish it were....

My first exposure to Susannah Mars was one of her holiday cabarets at Artists Rep, my second was her performance as Becca in "Rabbit Hole." Seeing her in two wildly different roles made me wonder what it might be like if she combined her amazing vocal talents with the nearly palpable grief she exhibited in "Rabbit Hole". "Next to Normal" is the answer.

Diana has very vivid delusions, and she slowly sinks deeper and deeper into them. If you are not prepared to see a woman almost audibly crack in front of you, do not see this show. However, if you do possess the stamina to withstand such an emotionally exhausting experience, you are in for an exhilarating, enlightening ride.

The music assists in transporting you into raw and real madness. It's loud, sometimes blaring and you feel as though it might mirror what it feels like inside Diana's mind.

Willam Wadhams does a wonderful job as Diana's lost, flailing husband Dan, and the couple's neglected daughter Natalie is portrayed by supremely talented high school senior Meghan McCandless.

Everything is still tattered and frayed after the somewhat upbeat finale, you will likely be drained from the experience, but it is one that is worthwhile.....

Crippled Critic Theatre Review: "Anna Karenina" Portland Center Stage, 5/4/12

I approached "Anna Karenina nervously, because I have not read Leo Tolstoy's gigantic tome. But, I needn't have worried, Portland Center Stage's production was very accessible, with an informative playbill and the unusual and clever structure of a "Book-It" play, (local examples include "Owen Meaney's Christmas Pageant," and "Snow Falling on Cedars"), I did fine.

The first thing you''ll notice about "Anna Karenina" is just how well it fills the stage. Everything is big, there are ice-skating scenes and grand ballroom dances, with elaborate and striking costumes. And the set! Oh, the set! Not only was it fittingly large, to match the production's epic scope, but it also had an abundance of little touches that were so cool, like twinkling lights in the houses in twilight.

There is also a smattering of humor which I enjoyed for its unexpectedness, given the sometimes crushing sadness of the story.

"Anna Karenina" is among Portland Center Stage's most ambitious productions, the climatic scene at the end was so impressive and effective that I had to resist the urge to cover my face due to the oncoming train.

On a brief personal note, I went with my grandmother who loved the show, and I had the privilege of honoring a broken promise to see a production of "Anna Karenina" made by my grandfather sixty-four years ago. During intermission, we talked about how much she identified with the female-oppression themes. This really enhanced the experience for me, and so I suggest you too attend with an elderly loved-one, you might be surprised how much you learn ....

Crippled Critic Theatre Review: "Black Pearl Sings" 4/27/12

"The Crippled Critic" is now on the Official Press List of Portland Center Stage, and I doubt there could've been a better show to mark my first night as an Invited Critic than "Black Pearl Sings," which opened last night in the Ellyn Bye Studio......

"Black Pearl Sings" explores the partnership of prison inmate Alberta "Pearl" Johnson and Library of Congress musicologist Sussanah Mullally. Sussanah is searching Southern prisons for old slave songs to preserve them.

In their first meeting, Pearl sings "Trouble So Hard," the clang of her leg-irons keeping time. The scene depends upon being able to hear Sussanah's awe-struck silence, but let me tell you, it's difficult to resist the urge to applaud.... Fear not, there are many opportunities for that later in the show, and even a few audience-participation moments....

Sussanah secures Pearl's release and takes her to New York. Pearl can help Sussanah in her academic ambitions and Sussanah can assist Pearl in finding her daughter. There are many shifts of power in the show-- Pearl possesses the musical treasure-trove Susannah desperately needs, and Sussanah knows the inner-workings of the system Pearl must navigate. Along the way, the play explores issues from racism to academic politics, and its real-life inspiration is the relationship between Lead Belly and musicologist John Lomax.

The play is a fascinating history lesson, many times you'll find yourself saying, "Wow! I didn't know that song was so old, and there really was a time when no one knew it..." But, what makes "Black Pearl Sings" unmissable is of course the rollicking songs that shake the walls inside the The Studio's black-box....

Cast:

Chavez Ravine.......Alberta "Pearl" Johnson

Lena Kaminsky..........Sussanah Mullally

Lydia Comer.........Guard

My City Council Speech in Support of Portland Playhouse