Legally Blonde The Musical

It's refreshing, from time to time, to treat yourself to a night of entertainment that is simply fun and lighthearted. This is what you can expect from Legally Blonde The Musical. The 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon has been adapted for the stage, infused with music and dance, and is touring February 16-21 here in Portland as part of the Broadway Across America series.

The premise is simple: college sorority president and blonde bombshell Elle Woods has everything going for her – perfect clothes, perfect friends, perfect boyfriend/future husband Warner Huntington III, until said boyfriend heads to Harvard Law and dumps Elle for someone more "serious", Vivienne Kensington. Determined to get her man, Elle manages to get herself into Harvard and sets a plan into action to get Warner back. It never occurs to her that she could fail, that no one will take her seriously, or that she might fall for someone else.

The role of Elle Woods is played, for the majority of the Portland run, by Becky Gulsvig. She keeps up with the high energy demands of the role and has a striking resemblance to Reese Witherspoon. For those of you planning to see the show later in the run, I would shoot for one of the performances on February 20 and 21 to see Portland native and Tigard High grad Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone in the role of Elle. I wish I could have seen a show with her to see some local talent.

Most of the rest of the cast are what you would expect from a traveling show. The vocals vary, some performances are stronger than others, and they double and triple up on actors playing multiple roles (not my favorite). When it comes down to it, however, this is a musical based on a fairly silly romantic comedy, so you have to keep that in mind and just enjoy the spectacle. The show does have some very funny and cute moments, like the first time Elle's chihuahua, Bruiser, runs on stage and delivers "lines", the marching band and cheerleaders at Elle's admissions interview at Harvard, the "Take It Like a Man" number during which Elle's law school friend, Emmett Forrest (played by D.B. Bonds) changes clothes on stage behind a tiny changing room door, and the courtroom scene with the entire ensemble singing "Is He Gay or European".

An upbeat, spirited production, and dizzying number of pink costumes, Legally Blonde The Musical is entertainment that lets you just turn off your brain and enjoy.

Legally Blonde Runs at The Keller Auditorium 2/16-2/21. Get more info from the Legally Blonde The Musical National Tour Site.

- @PDXHeather

Related posts:

1. Xanadu The Musical in Portland Review

Skip McKallip With The Map of Portland Schools

The idea sounds like a good one: update the structure of Portland Public High Schools to accommodate the changing population and needs of an ever-developing higher education platform. The unfortunate thing is that the plan may ultimately be less about updating individual schools, meeting their needs and helping them succeed, and more about trying to creating an equal divide across the district of offerings and students.

In representing the board at a recent Grant Cluster Parents for a Thoughtful High School Redesign meeting, Portland school board member David Wyde laid out the issue:

"It would be wonderful if we could offer a program like the one at Grant and have sixteen hundred kids attend that school and that program at all nine of our high school campuses. It would be great if we could do that. There's one problem – we don't have nine times sixteen hundred kids. We cannot offer this program, with this number of kids, and you can't offer this kind of program without this number of kids. We can't do this on all nine campuses."

It's a bitterly painful irony that just weeks after Oregon voters approved two revolutionary tax measures to fund social services, including schools, that the Portland Public School district will be meeting to discuss closing anywhere between one and three community high schools as part of their High School Redesign Plan.

The plan, which had its genesis in cluster meetings and is heavily based on population data submitted by Portland State University, has the potential to create a bitter battle in Portland that pits neighborhood against neighborhood and the east side against the west.

The first step in this plan takes place on Monday, February 8th, where a resolution (which has not been posted to the PPS site yet) will be read to the committee. This resolution is reported to contain the number of community schools which would be closed under this new plan. In March the school board will vote on this proposal and then in June they will specify which schools are to be closed.

In the interim, the PPS Board along with the school superintendent and staff will work on developing the ultimate plan for the neighborhood schools. Part of this process will be to open a request for proposal process for proposed 'focus schools'. These 'focus schools' are a kindler gentler way of saying 'magnet school,' without all the historical baggage and issues which go along with them. They are, however, truly magnet schools focused on specific vocational categories and open to district wide admission through a lottery.

Before moving to NE Portland, I lived in the SW suburbs with my kids who attended school in the Beaverton School District. In that district our middle school had a very poor reputation. Almost every family on our block scrambled to try to get their kids into a magnet program, an oasis against a failing school. In the developing PPS plans, these 'focus schools' seem like they are on track to provide a similar oasis.

Unfortunately, a core issue with the school system – necessary capital investment to bring many of the neighborhood schools up to modern code - does not seem to be an active part of this plan. The PPS plan, which is being pitched as 'budget neutral,' is more of a cost cutting program than a program designed to meet the needs of the individual schools. Grant High School Vice Principle Kim Patterson explains, "This building is so antique, I don't have a PA system. If something troubling happens I can't get on a PA system."

The PSS phased approach to dealing with the school design also is an issue, by deciding how many schools to close before a comprehensive plan is developed. It pushes the discussion towards a singular direction, running under the assumption that the answer is closures. This assumption is more than just a fiscal move; it appears to be a stark and radical rethinking of education in Portland. After speaking with Pam Knowles and listening to David Wyde speak I got the unmistakable impression that the prevailing focus of the redesign is equality.

Trying to create a 'fair and equal' school system is a wonderful ideal but it doesn't take into account the reality of the diversity of the Portland Public School District. The unfortunate truth is that no matter how many schools PPS closes or how much shuffling it does of its student body, the offerings at some schools will be better than others. One of the inherent things about neighborhood schools is that they often are a reflection of the people who live in the neighborhood. In some neighborhoods parent involvement, demographics and socio-economic factors create an environment to support programs which simply could not work in other neighborhoods.

The good news in all this is that the PPS High School plan is not set in stone. While it may seem to be a freight train moving in a disastrous direction, it's not too late for parents across Portland to get involved. Fixing Portland schools is an important task but it needs to be more comprehensive. There are still issues that linger from the K-8 transitions that need to be addressed and serious overcrowding at many of the very feeder schools that this high school redesign targets. The school board also needs to acknowledge that this endeavor isn't budget neutral and that there are serious facility issues that need to be addressed as a critical part of any high school plan. Finally PPS needs to preserve the schools in the district which do work and are successful. It would be disastrous for them to close a sucessful school in a failed attempt to try to raise the bar across the district.

Here is video of Pam Knowles & David Wyde Speaking to the Grant Cluster Parents for a Thoughtful High School Redesign at Grant Highschool

For more info on the PPS High School Redesign Plan:

• PPS High School Redesign Plan
• PPS School Board Members and Contact Info
• Grant Cluster Parents for a Thoughtful High School Redesign

No related posts.

Tessy and Tab at Heart Coffee

Here's something that is uniquely Portland. Tessy and Tab Reading Club, a twice per month subscription by mail 'magazine' for early readers (aged 2-6) is located on the east side of Portland.  One afternoon late last year, magazine publisher Judy MacDonald Johnston followed her love for coffee to the newly opened  Heart Coffee on  NE 22nd and Burnside.  She was so taken with the coffee shop that she decided to make it the subject of the an issue of Tessy and Tab.

The result is a pairing of two fantastic local craft businesses, each with a strong vision and passion for doing something unique.

Tessy and Tab Reading Club is a breath of fresh air in a market where even 2 year olds are heavily marketed to. Focused on developing early readers, it delivers two printed booklet-like magazines per month via mail.  The club helps instill the the love, passion and skills for early readers. It provides an exceptional 'marketing free' environment for kids to learn to read. We've been subscribers to the club for many years and have given subscriptions as gifts. It's a truly exceptional publication and it's located right here in Portland.

Heart Coffee is a relatively new coffee house and roaster (run by notable snowboarder Willi Yli-Luma). Featuring one of the simplest and most straightforward menus I've seen in a coffee shop, Heart Coffee has an extremely myopic focus on servering the absolute best coffee you can get in a cup.  While I was there for the "Cocoa with Tessy and Tab" event they were roasting beans. You'd think that they were conducting a science experiment.  I've seen beans roasted in many places in town, but never with such intense focus and attention.  The coffee served at Heart is out of this world and is in the league with some of the very best coffee in Portland.

Since the issue of Tessy and Tab takes place at Heart Coffee, the owners of both companies invited local subscribers to come to Heart Coffee to share some hot cocoa and meet the reading club creators.  The baristas from Heart Coffee drew elaborate pictures in the foam of the hot cocoas and the kids colored in pictures of the barista's animal alter egos from the latest issue. It was a fantastic pairing of two local businesses following their hearts and doing something special.

For More info:

• Tessy and Tab Reading Club
• Heart Coffee (2211 E. Burnside)

Related posts:

1. Choffy – A Coffee Alternative Made From Chocolate

Snow Falling on Cedars at Portland Center Stage

I honestly didn't have huge expectations for Kevin McKeon's adaptation of David Guterson Snow Falling on Cedars. So many popular books and movies have been poorly adapted for the stage recently and
Scott Hick's 1999 film adaptation of Guterson's best selling book simply left me cold. Imagine my shock when I was blown away by one of the best productions I've seen on a stage in Portland. McKeon's adaptation is simply amazing and coupled with Chris Coleman's pitch perfect direction and uniformly excellent acting, Snow Falling on Cedars at Portland Center Stage is nothing short of a triumph.

Set in the late 40's and early 50's, Snow Falling on Cedars follows the trail of Kabuo, a Japanese American fisherman accused of murdering a fellow fisherman in a small northwestern island town. The play flashes back and forth between the trial and the years leading up to it, covering the interweaving stories of the characters. Smack dab in the center of Snow Falling on Cedars is a look at the Japanese internment camps in America, enacted after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Although Snow Falling on Cedars covers an important point (and arguably one of our lowest points) in American history, the play is more about the relationships and connections between the people involved than the history itself. Olivia Oguma and Vince Nappo play Hatsue and Ishmael, two childhood playmates who flirt with something more. Their relationship comes to a head with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There's a devastatingly beautiful moment when Hatsue turns to Ishmael and says, "Look at me, look at my face, I have the face of the enemy!" It's within a moment like this between characters that brings everything together and adjoins the greater narrative, the historial context and makes this play work so well.

A lot of credit goes to Kevin McKeon for his masterful adaptation of Guterson's book. McKeon covers considerable ground in his stage play and really has a sense of how to capture and present the soul and essence of the book. McKeon often gives us just enough of a glimpse at something as he weaves back and forth throughout the lives of the key characters. This results in some truly magical moments, and while fleeting, they give us a tremendous amount of insight and connection with the story. One of my favorite moments of the play involves the coupling of Hatsue and Kabuo, a short scene played perfectly, almost magically; I'll surely be thinking back to it a long time from now.

Director Chris Coleman, who has been playing around with inventive and minimalistic staging this year, really hits his groove working with McKeon's adaptation. The staging transitions from scene to scene, emotional note to emotional note flawlessly. At one point we flash between the front lines in the South Pacific to a quiet and tender scene between two of the characters on the field of an internment camp and back again. Coleman's actors never seem lost in the shuffle and he gives them a tremendous amount of faith and trust to carry off some of the most important elements of the play. In one scene two police officers, played by Scott Coopwood and Casey McFeron, pull a body caught in a fishing net out of the water and onto a boat. This entire scene is done using pantomime, and it executed so well you'd swear they had a real body on stage. I couldn't help but think back to Coleman's work on Ragtime and the show-stopping scene where Gavin Gregory (who plays Coalhouse Walker) sits down to play at an invisible piano.

It's this kind of deep trust in the artform and the capacity of his actors that makes Chris Coleman a truly great director, and under his direction, the actors rise to the occasion. Olivia Oguma gives an award worthy performance as Hatsue, carrying her character through a huge life arch from pre-teen to a married woman with kids. Vince Nappo takes his character Ishmael on a similar journey and caps the show with an emotional moment that is simply amazing. Bruce Locke gives the role of Kabuo a rich texturing despite the fact that his character is extremely reserved.

Across the board the performances in Snow Falling on Cedars are excellent even though many of the cast members double and triple up, playing a variety of roles throughout the show. My one and only gripe about the production is its opening. The characters come on and speak in narrative to set things up. It works but not nearly as well as when we see the characters interact with dialogue. Admittedly, this is a minor issue and in many ways is like complaining about the frame on a true masterpiece, which is what this is.

Kevin McKeon's adaptation of Snow Falling on Cedars is so good and Chris Coleman's Portland Center Stage production is so well performed it has the potential to become a truly classic piece of theater. McKeon works magic with Snow Falling on Cedars, crafting a truly contemporary theatrical experience using classic theatrical tools, and in the hands of Chris Coleman the result is simply amazing. Snow Falling on Cedars has the potential to be the kind of show that moves on from its Portland debut to New York and then beyond. It's a truly great piece of theater and is absolutely not to be missed.

Snow Falling on Cedars plays at Portland Center Stage 1/12-2/17. Tickets Start at $35.

For more information:

• Snow Falling on Cedars at PCS
• Production photos on Flickr
• Chris Coleman's production of Ragtime Reviewed

Related posts:

1. Portland Center Stage Ragtime Review
2. Xanadu The Musical in Portland Review
3. The Santaland Diaries with Wade McCollum Review

Xanadu The Musical in Portland

It's hard to write a review of Xanadu The Musical with a straight face. Part of me is thinking, "Really, you're going to pick apart a musical based on one of the cheesier films from the 80's?" and in truth there will be some people who click off their brain and just enjoy the brief 90 minute staging of this kitschy musical no matter what faults it has, and that's fine. The problem with Xanadu The Musical is that it actually far, far worse than the movie it's based on.

Adapted from the 1980 film with Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly and Michael Beck, Xanadu is a fantastical story of a Greek demi-god sent to Earth to be a muse for a struggling artist. In the process she breaks some cardinal rules, including falling in love and getting involved with the creative process itself. Peppered throughout the story are some classic songs from the film including "Magic", "Suddenly", "I'm Alive" and the theme song "Xanadu". None of these songs are pure classics in their own right, but they do really capture some of the delicious elements that make the 80's so fun to wax nostalgic over.

Musically this gives Xanadu a fairly solid base. Like Mama Mia, there's enough of a musical foundation for a fun night of musical theater. Unfortunately the music is so subverted in favor of cheap gags and poor staging that it's hard to genuinely enjoy it.

Elizabeth Stanley, who performs the lead role, has a fantastic voice, similar in tone to Oliva Newton-John, with a depth and breadth that truly fills the auditorium. But she so hams it up while singing that it's really difficult to enjoy her genuine talent. When she isn't singing, Elizabeth Stanley's performance is really subpar. For part of the show she sports an absolutely horrid Australian accent. The accent is yet another aspect of the show played as a gag, but it's so poorly executed it's painful.

Stanley's co-star Max Von Esson, who plays Sonny Malone, has such a small stage presence that he's absolutely eclipsed by Stanley. Von Esson reminds me of the kind of performer you see on a cruise ship or at Disneyland. He awkwardly hams it up and then completely under delivers when it comes time to really sing. Von Esson even comes up short in terms of skating – in the grand finale he doesn't even skate. With all the talent out there (including the cast-offs from all the seasons of American Idol), it's hard to believe they couldn't find a better performer to play Sonny.

Of all the other cast members the only other real highlight of the show is Larry Marshall, who has the unenviable task of performing a role originated by the great Gene Kelly. Marshall is one of the only genuinely talented and well rounded performers on stage. He seems to be the only one to be able to balance both the humor and the narrative of the musical and both sings and acts wonderfully.

One of the biggest problems with Xanadu The Musical is that it seems to have a fairly strong disdain for the time period which the film and story are set in. Throughout the show the 80's are often referred to as 'culturally devoid' and references to most of the 80's things are more pejorative than positive. The musical also seems to have a disdain for the very artform of the musical itself. It constantly pokes fun and commentates on the very institution of art that it is. This creates an undertone to the piece which is far from celebratory. Rather than trying to be so self referential, Xanadu had an amazing opportunity to celebrate the absolute over-the-top aspects of the time period and musical theater art form; instead, it seems more interested in bashing it.

The staging for Xanadu The Musical is an absolute mess. Rather than embracing the crazy and wonderful styles of the 80's the stage looks more like a cheap, dull ampithere with columns and risers that accommodate on-stage seating. Having audience members sit on the stage has become fashionable after plays like The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Spring Awakening. In both those productions the placement of these audience members served a purpose. Here it's just another element tacked on to make the show more 'hip'.  These audience members are out of place in this period piece and are only really there to help make the stark staging feel less empty.

My absolute biggest gripe with Xanadu The Musical is how nearly every moment of the show is played for laughs. The show is littered with so many cheap jokes and gags that it leaves very little room for anything else. This completely subverts the characters and the narrative so it becomes extremely difficult to care about anyone or anything in the show. I think it's possible to play Xanadu over the top and still have some genuine moments between characters.

Ultimately Xanadu is one huge opportunity lost. The original movie had an element of huge spectacle which gets completely lost in the adaptation to stage. Xanadu could have been a flamboyant and unrestrained celebration of an era that wasn't ever aware how 'far out' it really was. But, I don't think the creative team behind Xanadu genuinely loves the material or the era they're presenting, I think they saw a good opportunity to mount a Broadway production that would attract a 30something audience who would place very little demands on the play and would appreciate its short running time.

Xanadu plays at the Keller Auditorium January 12-17th. For more info:

• Xanadu on Broadway – The Tour
• Original Xanadu Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Broadway Across America in Portland

(ed note: Portland Opera informs us that Max Von Esson sprained his ancle prior to the performance I saw and so did not skate as much due to it.)

Related posts:

1. Legally Blonde The Musical in Portland
2. Snow Falling on Cedars at Portland Center Stage Review
3. Portland Center Stage Ragtime Review

Unfortunately Avatar isn't everything that it could be, or even should be. Side by side strong performances are some ridiculously bad ones. Giovanni Ribisi is laughably bad as a corporate boss focused on acquiring "unobtainium" from the land beneath the Na'vi. Stephen Lang is straight out from a bad Steven Segal or Jean Claude Van Damm movie as a Marine who will hit his objective at all costs. Also, I'm sad to report the actual Avatar script is extraordinarily predictable and uneven. Plot turns are so ridiculously linear and easily anticipated that there rarely is any sense of surprise in the story. Some of the dialogue is also extremely bad, laughably so (expect them to become rampantly overused as Twitter updates and Facebook statuses for months to come).

But with all its faults, Avatar isn't a bad movie. Aside from the pure visual spectacle, there are some genuinely magical moments. In it's 2 1/2 hour running time there are definite sections which pull you in and help make you forget the films many faults. And yet, Avatar fails at becoming a great film. James Cameron clearly has all the tools to create legendary cinema, and yet he fails here, relying on a bad script and some poor actors who knock his film out of contention for being truly great.

This of course leaves us with the essential question: should you go see Avatar? Even given all its faults and imperfections I'm recommending that, yes, you go see this film. Avatar is worth the price of admission for the visual spectacle alone, and it does deliver an extraordinary experience. But I'd strongly advise going into it with the understanding that it is a very imperfect film, that it has some really significant faults, and to be truly enjoyed those faults need to be ignored or forgiven.

Avatar is an exciting piece of cinema, its technological achievement will surely have a major impact on films that follow it. It also is the 'killer app' for 3D movies and is probably the film which will be credited with keeping 3D around and not letting pass as a fad. It's just a shame that it couldn't have been a great film.

If you're going to see Avatar in Portland, I HIGHLY recommend you see it in 3D at The Roseway Theater. The Roseway is the best movie theater experience in Portland with the best digital projection and sound and it would be an absolute shame to see this movie any other way. The Roseway Theater is Located at 7229 SE Sandy Blvd. Avatar has a midnight showing on Friday December 18th and then runs 12:00 3:30 7:00 10:30.  You can also follow the Roseway on twitter at @rosewaytheater for updated showtimes and more.

Related posts:

1. Ink comes to the Hollywood Theater July 24 with Whiffies After Party

Bob Saget

Many people may still see Bob Saget as Danny Tanner, the wholesome Dad from the late 80's and early 90's sitcom Full House. Or perhaps they see him as the goofy host of America's Funniest Home Videos. However, if those people were to catch Bob Saget doing standup they'd realize he's actually one of the dirtiest comedians performing today. Saget plays a lot with these clashing perceptions in very much the same way a five year old takes pleasure in saying the word 'shit'. It's a mix of shock, amusement and perhaps delight in shaking people's perceptions.

Saget embraces his dirty side right off the bat, joking about his love life and the possible paternity connection to some of the people in the audience. Saget spends a lot of time poking fun at himself and his own image, even telling a story about how someone yelled "I suck dick for coke" to him while he was spending time with his mom. He follows with a volley of dick jokes, the rapid fire approach finding some hitting their mark and some missing, but Sagat is cool, comfortable and at ease as he lobs his jokes into the audience.. The first part of Saget's show felt very alive and unstructured and featured a lot of off the cuff and improvised material. Many of the evening's funniest moments came out of this part of the show and his unrehearsed interactions with the audience. I enjoyed the fact that Saget's opening was all over the place. For a comedian who has been around quite a long time it's great to experience their raw sense of humor, something that is much more alive than the general schtick that they become known for.

After Saget was done playing with the audience, he moved into a segment of jokes that came from his father Benjamin Saget. In both a tribute to his dad and an explanation of "why I'm like this", Saget told a number of wonderful and charming dirty jokes.

Picking up a guitar, Saget transitioned from telling jokes to singing them and he played several humorous songs to the audience, many of which he's performed on his HBO special or on TV. My favorites of his songs were "My Dog Licked My Balls", "Old English Folk Song" and "Danny Tanner Was Not Gay" (which he closed his show with).

In all Saget delivered a really solid night of comedy. His complete comfort and ease on stage and his wonderfully dirty sense of humor are an absolute delight to watch. I liked how Saget moved through different styles of comedy and seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself onstage. Unfortunately, Saget's opener, Ryan Stout, was the opposite of Saget, with humor overly contrived and uncomfortable. Stout seemed to be trying to play in the same space that Michael Ian Black does but without the charm. Stout does a have a sharp sense of humor, but  he needs to find a way to be more authentic with his routine and material and perhaps learn some ease from Saget. (Also, an opening act shouldn't keep checking his watch – it's bad form).

For more info on Bob Saget:

• Bob Saget's Official Site
• Bob Saget on Twitter
• Bob Saget – That Ain't Right HBO Special

Related posts:

1. The Santaland Diaries with Wade McCollum Review
2. Xanadu The Musical in Portland Review

Amy Ruppel's Oregon

Now that the buy binge that is Black Friday has come and gone and you've snagged those $10 Blu-Rays from big box retailers and other doorbusters it's time to open your wallet and support many of the great businesses, caftspeople and artists here in Portland.

I'm not knocking snagging some of those cheap cyber monday deals it's just extremely important to support local.  In our first spotlight on a local business or artist you should support is Amy Ruppel. Amy is well known to many of you who follow the local art scene and she's one of the artists who have made birds such a fashion and art craze here in Portland.

Although Amy might be best known for her birds it's her new Oregon print entitled "home" that we're crazy about. Amy is only doing 100 of these limited edition signed prints at only $40 each.  This is an insanely cheap price considering that Amy's 'stock' is on the rise. Amy is working on a super secret project that will be getting her HUGE national exposure in 2010!  In addition to the Oregon print, Amy has a wide variety of holiday sized and priced works for sale. You can order these online or catch her along with MANY other amazing artists at the Crafty Wonderland on Sunday December 13th at the Oregon Convention Center 11am-7pm

For more information on Amy Ruppel:

• Amy Ruppel's Web Site
• Amy Ruppel's Online Store
• Amy Ruppel on Etsy (where you can buy the Oregon print)
• Crafty Wonderland

No related posts.

Wade McCollum in Portland Center Stage's The Santaland Diaries

Wade McCollum is one of the select few performers in Portland that makes whatever performance he's in one worth seeing. One of the most entertaining and likable people on stage in Portland, McCollum consistently delivers exciting and engaging performances well worth the price of admission. With Portland Center Stage's production of David Sedaris' The Santaland Diaries we get just over an hour of pure McCollum.

The Santaland Diaries follows one fatefully holiday season when Sedaris decided to work as "Crumpet" an elf in Macy's New York Santaland. The play takes place during Sedaris' leaner starving artist period, long before he became a household name for his dry, witty and offen askewed humor. McCollum does an excellent job of capturing Sedaris' wit and humor while making his performance feel very real and immediate. During the first part of the monologue McCollum reaches out to the audience to directly connect what he's saying with people in the crowd. He acts more like a guy telling a wild tale at a party than someone on a stage.

As the piece continues more and more characters enter the story and McCollum literally embodies each with pitch perfect vocal and facial technique. McCollum does more than impersonate people he channels them and this makes this one man show feel like it's populated by an entire cast of characters. One of the risks of McCollum's Jim Carrey like talent is that he'd get so lost in all the characters he'd lose the sincere undertone of the piece. McCollum seems keenly aware of this and adeptly plays a wide range of emotional notes throughout the piece, ultimately leading a crescendo of emotion that feels as genuine and sincere as if it had really happened to McCollum himself.

Sedaris' piece itself is far from perfect. There are definite highs and lows to it. The closer the piece gets to Christmas Eve the more rushed and muddled it becomes. But it does finally hit its mark as it covers the flood of last minute Christmas shoppers all clamoring for their chance to hang with Santa. If you aren't a fan of One Life To Live (which I am not) there are a good number of jokes and references which will go right over your head.

The real reason to see The Santaland Diaries isn't really for David Sedaris' humor or even because it's a nice holiday tale, it's Wade McCollum. McCollum is so eminently entertaining, any time he steps on stage with this kind of electric energy it's absolutely worth seeing and The Santaland Diaries is no exception.

The Santaland Diaries runs through January 2nd at Portland Center Stage. Tickets $44-$49. Due to demand the show won't have any rush tickets.

For More info on The Santaland Diaries with Wade McCollum:

• Portland Center Stage's The Santaland Diaries
• Wade McCollum

Related posts:

1. Imago Theater No Exit Review
2. Snow Falling on Cedars at Portland Center Stage Review
3. Xanadu The Musical in Portland Review

You wouldn't think that an existentialist play with three people who emotionally torture each other for an hour and a half would be so enjoyable, but Imago Theater's production of No Exit manages to find the playfulness and absurdity buried beneath the surface of Jean-Paul Sartre's famous play. Staged on a floating, tilting square, Imago's No Exit is a dynamic and constantly moving production.

Imago's No Exit Tilting Stage

Imago's No Exit stage pitches and moves under the weight and movement of the actors. This tilting and movement becomes more angular and dramatic as more actors are added to the mix. Using such a strong device to present the play, Imago ran the risk of having No Exit be a one trick pony. Through the first part of the play the novelty of the tilting stage does generate strong excitement, which tapers off as the play settles in. This transition point is handled extremely well and the staging transforms from a novelty into an essential character in the show. I loved how the moving stage changes the audience's physical perspective on the show; at times, actors seem to float in the air in front of us, and at others they seem to be falling away into the darkness.

Director and set designer Jerry Mouawad seems to be constantly playing with the arrangement of the actors on stage, using that constantly shifting dynamic to enhance the tension and create drama. Mouawad does a fantastic job of coordinating the actors' positioning, lighting and Sartre's text into a piece that far exceeds anything that could be done on a conventional stage. Mouawad also seems to realize how important it is not to rely simply on the technical device of the teetering stage for the success of the show, so he injects a nice undercurrent of humor to balance things out.

Much of the humor in Imago's production of No Exit is generated by Bryce Flint-Somerville who plays the role of the Valet. Bryce's performance of the Valet is a blend of Dr. Daamen Caligari from the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Jim Carrey. It's a delicious mix of near-comic insanity which starts the play off on a fantastic note and carries it through the first half.

Tim True and JoAnna Johnson in No Exit

Bryce's intensity and humor is well balanced by Tim True who plays Garcin, a pacifist writer who is at constant odds with the world and his sense of self. Tim True plays Garcin in near opposite to Bryce as he constantly draws his energy and intensity inwards rather than playing everything out in exageration. True is excellent throughout the production even though he seemed to stumble with his lines a few times throughout the evening. I'll give True the benefit of the doubt here as I saw the production on opening night. I'm sure as he settles into the run these stumbles will vanish and he'll be left with a simply exceptional performance.

Adding a much different kind of intensity is JoAnn Johnson, who plays Inez, an aging, lusting lesbian postal worker who has a flair for the dramatic. "I'm a bitch" exclaims Inez, and Johnson seems to enjoy every last morsel of playing that. At times it felt like Johnson was channeling Gloria Swanson, using her physicality to communicate in dramatic fashion as much as her words. Towards the end of the show Johnson injects something into a very serious moment that is so unexpected and disarming I had a hard time containing my laughter.

Maureen Porter in Imago's No Exit

Maureen Porter rounds out this excellent cast playing a fantastically alive Estelle, a woman who lived to be desired and persued by men. Porter is captivating and when she performs her key monologue you simply can't take your eyes off her. Unfortunately Porter's performance is handicapped by an absolutely horrid blond wig that she wears through out the show. It's Halloween bad and it greatly distracts and detracts from the performance. It may seem petty, but it sticks out so accutely and is really my only gripe with an otherwise fantastic production.

In other hands Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit might be a tough piece to get through. Loose in its narrative structure, extremely morose and tightly confined in a single space, a performance of No Exit runs the risk of making you feel utterly trapped and miserable. There is no schadenfreude in watching three people emotionally torture each other, but Jerry Mouawad and the Imago Theater company have found something immensely entertaining and even absurdly enjoyable within this play. Through its innovative staging and deliciously performed characters, Imago has created a fantastic piece of theater that is extremely enjoyable and absolutely worth seeing.

Imago Theater's No Exit runs October 15th – November 15th [Thursday @ 7:00 ($28); Friday @ 7:30 ($33); Sat @ 2:00 ($33) & 7:30 ($39); Sunday @ 2:00 ($28) Youth/Senior tickets are $3 less.] The theater is located at 17 SE 8th Ave (just south of Burnside).

For more information on Imago Theater's No Exit:

• Imago Theater
• Jean-Paul Sartre
• No Exit
• Imago Theater No Exit Blog

Related posts:

1. TBA:09 in Review – Back to Back Theater Small Metal Objects
2. TBA:09 in Review – Young Jean Lee's Theater Company's The Shipment & Meg Stuart's Maybe Forever
3. Snow Falling on Cedars at Portland Center Stage Review

Honor Society in Portland

What thin line divides a band like Honor Society from the The Jonas Brothers? Why is Miley Cirus selling out stadiums while Esmee Denters plays to a crowd of just a few hundred? Musically you could stand Esmee Denters single "Outta Here" and Honor Society "Over You" against the songs from either the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cirus's, but in the business of big pop bands, music is only part of the equation.

Both Esmee Denters and Honor Society got their breaks through various social networks. Esmee was discovered doing covers of her favorite songs on YouTube while Honor Society found their following via MySpace. As they played to a small but devoted following, many of the teens in the crowd sang along to almost every word of every song. As Esmee finished her set, she stopped and took a picture of the crowd to post on her twitter account (@esmeeworld). Honor Society spent more time after their show meeting their fans than they did playing to them. This kind of personal connection between artist and fan is something that's being taken to an entirely new level. But it is enough?

Esmee Denters in Portland

Esmee's opening set was short, sweet, and slightfully soulful. Touching on some of her most notable work, including "Outta Here", Esmee showed the advantages of texture and range for a female pop performer. Her music was a nice bridge between the bubblegum pop tunes of a Hannah Montana and a more soulful pop star like Joss Stone. Unfortunately her cover of Ne-Yo's "Closer" felt more like something out of American Idol than something from a teen pop idol. Esmee did ultinately show off her talent and inventiveness with a reinvisioning of the classic song "I Only Have Eyes For You", a nice fusion of classic sounds with a modern beat. Esmee returned to the stage mid way through Honor Soceity's set to do a duet which I also liked.

Honor Soceity at The Hawthorne Theater

I had previously seen Honor Society as one of the opening bands when The Jonas Brothers played The Rose Garden. Although the crowd at the Hawthorne Theater was about 1% of that when they played the Rose Garden, Honor Society brought the same high level stadium intensity and performance. Playing songs from their new album "Fashionably Late", Honor Society had a few stand out songs, any of which could carry them onward to bigger and better spaces. Of particular note is the bonus track from the album "Where Are You Now", their current single "Over You" and the song that brought them into radio airplay "See You in The Dark". As with Esmee Denters music there was a clear line between the Honor Society songs that hit their mark and the ones that missed, but in this era of iTunes and digital downloads a few strong songs seems to hold more weight over a one solid album.

Honor Society's Michael Bruno

The only real low point of the evening came at the end of the concert. In this little club with no more than 150 people, Honor Society set up a paid meet and greet. Rather than work to build their fan base they took the opportunity to charge their fans to buy a wrist band that gave them the privilege to meet the band and have them sign autographs. All this took place three feet from the stage in the already tiny club. What's worse is that they issued two different colored wristbands, one for the members of their fan club and another for people who weren't. The entire thing was both odd, uncomfortable and completely out of place in the club atmosphere.

If you need proof that the music industry is in an entirely odd space, look no further than the Esmee Denters and Honor Society club tour.  Both bands seem to have all the essential elements of a big pop tour and yet it was booked into a small club with very little promotion. Which brings me back to my initial question: What is it really that separates the mega-pop bands from bands like these? Because in this case the answer doesn't seem to be MySpace, YouTube and Twitter.

Here's a video from the concert of Honor Society performing "See You in The Dark":

For more information on Honor Society see:

• Honor Society Interview
• Official Honor Society Site
• Honor Society Fan Site
• Honor Society on Myspace (including the single "See You In The Dark")

For more information on Esmee Denters see:

• Esmee World
• @esmeeworld on Twitter
• Esmee Denters on Youtube

Related posts:

1. Honor Society Interview
2. The Jonas Brothers in Portland – A Review
3. Monotonix – A Music Fest NW Review

A contemplative Yoda onscreen over the orchestra during Star Wars™: In Concert.

Everything about Star Wars in Concert is done on an epic scale. An 86 piece orchestra is combined with a huge choir and backed by a 100-foot LED high-def screen, which is one of the largest, clearest high-def screens I've ever seen. The massive screen is surrounded by three other textured screens which envelope the entire back of the stage. This all is combined with a dizzying array of lighting and special effects which include full stadium lasers, smoke, huge fire and steam jets, providing some explosive exclamation points to the music.

The show opened appropriately enough with "Star Wars (Main Theme)", the iconic piece which filled the Rose Garden with a palpable excitement. The crowd roared and cheered throughout the song. It was an amazing experience to hear a stadium full of people respond so enthusiastically to a piece of orchestral music. This is part of the magic of Star Wars in Concert, behind all the flash of all the staging, the real star of the evening was John Williams's legendary score.

Yoda brandishes a light sabre onscreen over the orchestra during one of the musical segments of Star Wars™: In Concert.

As the orchestra played, montages of clips from the Star Wars Saga were projected on the huge screens behind them. I've never seen these films look better; the crisp clarity, the deep color, even footage from the original series is literally jaw dropping. Seeing the films presented this way really accentuated the fact that the Star Wars Saga still isn't available in Blu-Ray. I really hope that Lucasfilm will piggy back the excitement of this tour with a high-def release. The film montages combined clips from all six Star Wars movies (including original character concept drawings), often interspersing segments from the original series with the three prequels. The occasional clip had the sound from the film, usually featuring one of the many legendary quotes.

For the hardcore Star Wars fan I'm sad to report that the footage from the original Star Wars trilogy is the revised footage from the special edition releases (including things like the new approach to Mos Eisley Cantina). Also you'll probably cringe when you see Han Solo and Greedo in their cantina duel and realize that Lucas is standing strong with Greedo now shooting first (for more on this see Han Shot First). But these minute details are easily forgiven, contexted in the absolute Star Wars love fest that is Star Wars in Concert.

Actor Anthony Daniels narrates a portion of the story from the films onstage during Star Wars™: In Concert.

After the theme song came to an end and the crowd finished their uproarious applause, Anthony Daniels (who played C3PO) was introduced. Daniels immediately began narrating the over-arching story of Star Wars, not as if it were some fairytale or fiction, but as if it were a real story with real people. Daniels was the perfect choice for this role, as his humor and enthusiasm provided the connecting point between the audience, the orchestra and the clips from the movie. While Daniels's narration is infused with the occasional quip, it never droned on too long and was never cheesy.

STAR WARS: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back key art onscreen during Star Wars™: In Concert.

STAR WARS: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back key art onscreen during Star Wars™: In Concert.

Each number of the evening was accompanied by a themed segment looking at each aspect of the Star Wars Saga including the story of Anakin and his transformation into Darth Vader, Pod Racing, Droids, Luke and Leia, Yoda, The Death Star, The Rebel Alliance triumph over the Empire, and Vader's redemption. I really enjoyed how each segment focused on a specific aspect of the saga. Pulling some of these themes out of the context of the individual films enables them to be viewed from a new perspective. I especially enjoyed the segment on Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. It's a really nice portrait of their relationship across the original trilogy films and seeing their relationship chronicled in this way really gave me a new appreciation for it. The biggest benefactors of this style of presentation are the three prequels. Divorced from some of their baggage they really shine. I found a real sense of fondness for the core story from the prequels, which was both a surprise and a delight.

C-3PO onscreen with lights and lasers during Star Wars™: In Concert.

With so much to experience on the gigantic high-def screen, it's easy to overlook the phenomenal performance of the orchestra and conductor Dirk Brosse, who tackles the monstrous task of performing music so ingrained in the audience's mind that even the slightest deviance would be noted. Brosse does an exceptional job conducting a pitch perfect orchestra with an extraordinary level of comfort and ease. Brosse was never showy and seemed dedicated to presenting the orchestration that really honored John Williams's score. His work was a real partnership with the video segments and Daniels's narration and the three elements worked in perfect harmony, a real credit to Brosse's talent.

I really can't imagine a better tribute to the Star Wars Saga than Star Wars in Concert. It's an event which can be equally enjoyed by fans of the series both old and young. The fact that it can draw so many people to come together to celebrate and enjoy classical orchestral music is simply amazing. The Star Wars series and John Williams's score both deserve to be celebrated and Star Wars in Concert is the most profound celebration possible. I highly recommend the Star Wars in Concert tour and hope that it will return to Portland again in the future, because I would absolutely go see it again.

Here is the formal Star Wars in Concert Set list:

Star Wars (Main Title)
Duel of the Fates
Anakin's Theme
Moisture Farm
The Flag Parade
Across the Stars
Battle of the Heroes
The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)

INTERMISSION

The Asteroid Field
Princess Leia's Theme
Tales of a Jedi Knight
Cantina Band
Yoda's Theme
TIE Fighter Attack
Luke and Leia
The Forest Battle
Light of the Force
Throne Room/End titles

Encore: The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)

In addition to the main show, Star Wars in Concert features a number of costumes and models from the Star Wars Series.  If you go to the show be sure to allow extra time prior to enjoy these displays. They were swarmed by people at the Rose Garden and so picture taking was very difficult.

For more information about Star Wars in Concert:

• Star Wars in Concert site
• Star Wars in Concert Event Page at the Rose Garden

Photos: Courtesy Lucasfilm LTD. © 2009 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM where indicated. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Related posts:

1. Star Wars In Concert Giveaway
2. Miley Cyrus Wonder World Tour Concert Review
3. Patton Oswalt One of The Funniest Comedians Alive – A Portland Concert Review

Gavin Gregory in Portland Center Stage's Ragtime

Portland Center Stage didn't take the easy road in selecting Ragtime for their 2009-2010 season. Ragtime is a huge production, with a large cast, quickly changing scenes and children who play two key singing roles. Given the complexity and scale of the show, it's a little surprising that a regional theater company would try to tackle such a large production, especially in a recession when production funds don't flow as freely.

Director Chris Coleman seems aware of the issues of scale in his production of Ragtime and places his trust in his performers and their ability to come together to fill in the spaces where set pieces and backdrops would traditionally be. At first I didn't like the stark staging of Portland Center Stage's Ragtime. G.W. Mercier's design consists of a bare patterned wood floor, a few chairs and four massive swinging doors that open and close throughout the production. That's it. As the production rolled on I found that I did really warm to the set, due in large part to the phenomenal lighting design and pitch-perfect staging of the actors. By the middle of the first act I found myself completely lost in the world of Ragtime.

In addition to the phenomenal lighting, a lot of credit goes to the performers, who absolutely commit to seeing and interacting with objects that aren't there on stage. There's one moment when actor Gavin Gregory (who plays Coalhouse Walker) sits down to play at an invisible piano that is truly magical. There's no doubt that he's playing piano, it's just not there. As the production progresses there are a number of pretty sophisticated transitions which happen seamlessly – no small feat when you have twenty four people on stage.

One of the reasons Ragtime has such a large cast is that it is much more a portrait of a period in American history than a conventional narrative. At its core is a story of a Ragtime piano player and the struggles surrounding the woman he loves, but the show uses this main throughline to tell dozens of little stories. Terrence McNally does a fantastic job pulling E.L. Doctorow's novel together for the stage. All the right pieces are there to present a mural of a pivotal time of change in history. Unfortunately the lyrics aren't as strong as the adaptation.

There are some strong moments musically in Ragtime, especially when the ensemble come together and their interweaving narrative threads unite into a single chorus and there are at least two solo numbers which are strong enough to bring down the house (one performed by Gavin Gregory and the other by Susannah Mars). But none of the songs get stuck in your head and I can't see myself humming anything from Ragtime anytime soon.

In terms of the performance, there's a lot to like about Portland Center Stage's Ragtime. Most notably is Gavin Gregory who is the absolute stand out of this cast. Gregory brings such an amazing emotional presence to stage and is so vocally talented that it's impossible not to be captivated. I'd recommend running out to see this production of Ragtime for Gregory's performance alone. He's that good. Ragtime is an ensemble piece and while Gregory is the standout there are a number of other extremely strong performances including Susannah Mars who is excellent, Danny Rothman who does a tremendous job with a role that could have easily fallen into the background, and Alex Thede, a sixth grader who is an absolute inspiration to any young aspiring actor or actress.

The only performance I didn't care for was Leif Norby who is horribly miscast as Tateh, an immigrant from Latvia who comes to America to find a better life. Norby, decked out in a horridly fake beard, does a caricature of an immigrant that is cartoonish and amateurish. His character goes through a transformation in the show that is played so rough by Norby that it's completely lost, and the following duet between Leif Norby and Susannah Mars is the real low point of the show. The only saving grace of Tateh's storyline is Anna Jane Bishop who plays Tateh's daughter. While she doesn't have a lot of lines, Bishop's stage presence is extremely strong, especially for a ten year old.

Norby aside, the production of Ragtime in its entirely is really something to experience. Director Chris Coleman has demonstrated with Ragtime how a regional theater can tackle a very ambitious production intelligently, thoughtfully and skillfully. There are a lot of choices out there for Portland Center Stage to select from and I'm very pleased to see them aim high and tackle something that other theater companies might dismiss as 'too big' or 'too complex' for a regional theater.

Ragtime is a very satisfying evening of theater, and when you add Gavin Gregory and his performance to that mix it makes it an evening of theater not to be missed.

For more information on Portland Center Stage's production of Ragtime:

• Portland Center Stage Ragtime
• Ragtime video trailer

Related posts:

1. Snow Falling on Cedars at Portland Center Stage Review
2. Back Stage at Portland Opera's Rigoletto
3. The Santaland Diaries with Wade McCollum Review

Star Wars in Concert in Portland

It's unnecessary to exalt the virtues of Star Wars, it exists as one of the most influential series of films of the 20th century (well at least the original trilogy). One of the things which helps make the Star Wars franchise so amazing is John Williams’ legendary score.

Almost anyone who hears just a few notes of any of John Williams’ music from the series should be able to easily identify it as Star Wars.

Now,  the music from all six films have been combined with a multimedia spectacular into a live show that will surely thrill even the most casual Star Wars Fan (if there is such thing as a casual Star Wars Fan).

Star Wars In Concert arrives at the Rose Garden on Wednesday October 14th and On Portland is giving away 4 pairs of tickets to this once in a lifetime event. This two-hour musical event that features scenes from the movies projected on massive high-def screens, a full symphonic orchestra with choir, and live narration by Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO.

In addition, audiences will be able to view an exhibition of STAR WARS original memorabilia, props, costumes and artwork from all six films from the Lucasfilm Archives.

Enter for your chance to win one of 4 pairs of tickets we're giving away. Enterting is simple, just post your favorite Star Wars line, quote, memory or ancedote in the comments and you're entered. Winners will be picked at the end of the day on Monday October 12th.

My The Force Be With You :)

For more information about Star Wars in Concert:

• Star Wars in Concert site
• Star Wars in Concert Event Page at the Rose Garden

Congrats to the winners:  Monica Drake, Kimberly, Brenton Hunting and Lyle McNaughton!

Related posts:

1. Star Wars In Concert Review
2. Miley Cyrus Portland Concert Ticket Giveaway
3. Professional Bull Riders in Portland Giveaway

Josh Kornbluth - Ben Franklin: Unplugged

History is an interesting animal, in some ways it is like a dinosaur. We can look at the bones of the once mighty dinosaurs and pontificate: How did it live? What did it look like? What might its life been like? With more contemporary history we often have the luxury of texts, letters, documents or diaries to refer back to. But there will always gaps between the bones to fill in and moments that were never recorded or are lost. The telling of these stories often speak volumes about the person telling the story, who can't help but bring their bias and perspectives to the telling. Perhaps this is why it makes sense for an autobiographical monologist to explore the world of biography in the telling the story of "the first American", Benjamin Franklin.

For Josh Kornbluth, the story of Ben Franklin, his relationship with his son and his complicated position in history is an ideal canvas to express and explore Kornbluth's own life and relationships both to his father and history. These themes run thorough out much of Kornbluth's autobiographical work and so it's no surprise that they are present here. What is a surprise is how Kornbluth ultimately sets aside his own narrative in service of the greater story of Benjamin Franklin. It's a pretty huge step for someone who has spent the majority of his career in the autobiographical space and it shows that Kornbluth has an immense maturity as an artist and an enormous amount of trust in his material.

Josh Kornbluth's Benjamin Franklin: Unplugged begins with Kornbluth reenacting the day he discovered he bore a striking resemblance to Benjamin Franklin and then follows an adventure into Kornbluth learning more about the historical figure. That adventure is extraordinarily entertaining and Kornbluth feels a lot like a slightly nerdy Jewish Robert Langdon in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code (with out all the car chases and murder mystery).

Through out the piece we learn a tremendous amount about Benjamin Franklin as Kornbluth literally wrestles with the fact and fiction surrounding one of the most recognizable figures in American history. For fans of American history this show is a literalsmorgasbord, an immense feast of knowledge and insight that will leave even the most ardent history buff spinning. But the piece doesn't work because it'll thrill history buffs, it works because it'll thrill those who aren't particularly enamored with history. Kornbluth manges to make the world of one of our founding fathers come alive and contextualizes it in a way that makes it exciting and entertaining. He literally dusts off the history books and shows the humanity contained within. Merging that narrative with his own he creates an evening that is extraordinarily entertaining.

In the case of Benjamin Franklin: Unplugged, entertaining doesn't always mean funny. Many contemporary monologists use humor extensively as their conduit to entertaining the audience. Here the occasional quip feels extemporaneous as Josh moves beyond humoring us to truly fascinating us. By conjuring up a cast of very real characters, both from history and from Josh's own life, Kornbluth takes us on an incredible adventure and he does this as a single performer on a lightly dressed stage.

For me it's exciting to see the art of monologue grow in this way. I grew up on tales from Spalding Grey who sat behind a simple desk with a glass of water and his notes. That's the image I've always had of monologue. Josh Kornbluth explores the possibilities of this art form with a set, props and staging. In the second act of the piece he emerges dressed in costume as Benjamin Franklin and the impact of that is considerable.

Benjamin Franklin: Unplugged is utterly entertaining, it brings Benjamin Franklin to life in a way no 'reenactment' could. By making the story of such an iconographic historical figure personal Josh Kornbluth inspires the audience to connect to history in their own way, to look beyond the commemorative poster of historical figures the into the real people behind them.

Josh Kornbluth's Benjamin Franklin: Unplugged runs at Portland Center Stage Oct 1- November 22nd.

For more information on Josh Kornbluth's Benjamin Franklin: Unplugged:

• Interview with Josh Kornbluth – Ben Franklin Unplugged
• JoshKornbluth.com
• Ben Franklin: Unplugged at Portland Center Stage

Related posts:

1. Interview with Josh Kornbluth – Ben Franklin Unplugged
2. Portland Center Stage Ragtime Review