Cultural Calendar

Delicious as a mug of frothy eggnog, meet your new favorite holiday classic!

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. While happy in the company of books and her piano, Mary has grown tired of her role as the dutiful daughter. When the Bennet sisters gather at the home of Lizzy and Darcy for the holidays, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and perhaps even love. Blending modern wit and period style, this enchanting romantic comedy promises to delight Austen aficionados and newcomers alike.

By Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Marissa Wolf

Delicious as a mug of frothy eggnog, meet your new favorite holiday classic!

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. While happy in the company of books and her piano, Mary has grown tired of her role as the dutiful daughter. When the Bennet sisters gather at the home of Lizzy and Darcy for the holidays, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and perhaps even love. Blending modern wit and period style, this enchanting romantic comedy promises to delight Austen aficionados and newcomers alike.

By Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Marissa Wolf

Prudencia Hart is an academic scholar of traditional Scottish folklore and immensely dislikes all things pop culture, including her professional nemesis, Colin Syme. After a particularly long night full of draughts and drams at a pub, Prudencia gets lost in the snow-covered forest and winds up getting saved by a man who may have nefarious intentions. Bewitchingly exuberant, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart is a wild romp through Scottish ballads, karaoke mainstays, and devilish encounters.

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart will be performed among the audience in a pub-style setting. Enjoy traditional Scottish pub fare, beverages, and (of course) whiskey for a nominal additional fee.

Magenta Theater “Miracle on 34th Street”
Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.
Magenta’s December show is a stage adaptation of the novel by Valentine Davies, and the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. The adaptation for the stage is by Mountain Community Theater, and is produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing. The original movie starred Maureen O’Hara and a very young Natalie Wood. Magenta Theater’s casting is equally as charming.
For those unfamiliar with the story: Kris Kringle, an old man in a retirement home, gets a job working as Santa for Macy’s. Kris unleashes waves of good will with Macy’s customers and the commercial world of New York City by referring parents to other stores to find exactly the toy their child has asked for. Seen as deluded and dangerous by Macy’s vocational counselor, who plots to have Kris shanghaied to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, Kris ends up in a court competency hearing. Especially at stake is one little girl’s belief in Santa. In a dramatic decision, the court confirms Kris as the true Santa, allowing Susan and countless other children to experience the joy of childhood fantasy.
A large cast (26) is under the direction of Brenda McGinnis who has directed numerous plays at Magenta previously, including BASKERVILLE, ROSE COLORED GLASS, and PARFUMERIE. Brenda’s warm approach with her cast comes in very handy when working with children, and oftentimes their parents. Brenda made it very clear at auditions that she was hoping to cast whole families if possible! “It really plays into our sense of creating community,” she said. “In actuality, there is a family of four in the play, and a three-generation family of three!
Melissa Swenson plays the role of Doris Walker, with Aviya Orr playing the iconic role of Susan, her daughter. David Roberts portrays Fred Gayley, with David Bower playing Kris Kringle. (The beard is real!)
There are eleven performances scheduled for December 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30pm, and December 14 and 21 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, and $22 at the door (as available).
Magenta Theater
1108 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
http://www.magentatheater.com
360-635-4358 Box Office

It’s 1885 and Christmas Eve at the country house of the Ashford family, and an engagement is imperiled when a valuable gem goes missing. But thanks to a visiting detective and her daughter, all goes right in a holiday comedy that’s two parts P.G. Wodehouse and one part Agatha Christie. A world premiere from the author of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol.

Written and directed by John Longenbaugh, with Allison Anderson, Katherine Grant-Suttie, Hunter O’Harrow, Riley Parham, Andy Mangels, Rebecca Morse, Caralynn Shields and Rick Warren, with set by Tyler Buswell and costumes by Christine Richardson.

Delicious as a mug of frothy eggnog, meet your new favorite holiday classic!

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. While happy in the company of books and her piano, Mary has grown tired of her role as the dutiful daughter. When the Bennet sisters gather at the home of Lizzy and Darcy for the holidays, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and perhaps even love. Blending modern wit and period style, this enchanting romantic comedy promises to delight Austen aficionados and newcomers alike.

By Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Marissa Wolf

This spirited and vibrant class is open to all backgrounds, levels and abilities, teen through adult. MOVE is all about connecting with and reenergizing your physical body in an open and accepting atmosphere. Movers will be guided by Sara through a series of physical practices that prime the body in all capacities of strength, length, stamina and expressivity. Rather than focusing on specific dance techniques and forms, MOVE is a creative framework in which each mover is given the opportunity to explore their body without restraints. Get ready to dance and sweat: no mirrors, inspiring music, and the freedom to dance like no one’s watching!

$16 – Single Class $125 – 10 class card $210 – 20 class card Class cards expire 6 months after purchase date. No refunds or exchanges. (Class cards cannot be used for workshops or master classes.) Drop-ins are allowed at $16 per class. Student rate of $12 with valid college ID.

It’s the last T@T of 2019, and it’s going to be a fantastic show! First up is All Classical Portland’s premiere Young Artist in Residence: cellist Taylor Yoon. She is a senior and a principal cellist at Lakeridge High School. Taylor and her older sisters perform as the “Yoontrio,” often raising funds to support local charitable causes. Winner of Oregon Cello Society Scholarship Competition in 2010, and Trula Whelan Concerto Competition in 2011 & 2014, Taylor currently studies with Mr. Ken Finch. Awarded residency in partnership with Metro Arts Inc.

On the second half of the show is a group of musicians from Trinity Cathedral, previewing their upcoming show, Sharing the Light I: Messiah. We’ll hear from the Pacific Youth Choir as well as singers Laura Beckel Thorseon, Samantha Grambow, William Goforth, and pianist Bruce Neswick. Please join us for this delightful performance!

It’s December 1936, and Broadway star William Gillette admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. It is then up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. Winner of the 2012 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Play, and featuring a cast of B&B favorites directed by Resident Acting Company member Kymberli Colbourne, the danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.

Prudencia Hart is an academic scholar of traditional Scottish folklore and immensely dislikes all things pop culture, including her professional nemesis, Colin Syme. After a particularly long night full of draughts and drams at a pub, Prudencia gets lost in the snow-covered forest and winds up getting saved by a man who may have nefarious intentions. Bewitchingly exuberant, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart is a wild romp through Scottish ballads, karaoke mainstays, and devilish encounters.

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart will be performed among the audience in a pub-style setting. Enjoy traditional Scottish pub fare, beverages, and (of course) whiskey for a nominal additional fee.

Portland Revels  “Christmas Revels, The Ghosts of Haddon Hall, An English Country Celebration of the Winter Solstice”  performances will be at the beautiful Newmark Theatre in downtown Portland!

It’s our 25^th year, and ghosts will return to haunt the stage during Portland’s annual Christmas Revels performance as we inhabit Haddon Hall, the setting for the original Christmas Revels! This year’s performance transports us back to an imaginary day when the Duke, his wife and his children enter the castle after two centuries of presumed emptiness, expecting to demolish it, only to find it inhabited by the spirits of all those who have ever celebrated the winter solstice within its walls.

The real Haddon Hall was derelict for roughly 200 years, enough time for ghosts to gather in the crumbling remains, until the Duke of Rutland began a renovation between WWI and WWII. What prompted him to do so is the speculation that inspired the original Haddon Hall show, written by Oregonian Grey Eubank who believed the ghosts of the Hall persuaded the Duke to do so.

Old and new combine for a fresh take on the ghosts and their efforts and encounters with the living. Sprites cavort to celebrate the seasons; mummers recall the cycles of the year in the death and revival of a hero; Morris dancers leap right out of the middle ages to keep time with their flying sticks and richly ringing bells; fools gambol in physical comedy; and ancient figures (the “folk fool,” the “man-woman,” the “hobby horse” and the “archer”) step to the mysterious Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (still performed in the English village of Abbots Bromley).  All in service of convincing the Duke and his family to stay his hand and keep the Hall.

Portland Revel’s original fool, Burl Ross will be joined by other talented actors including two child alumni from our children’s chorus.  Gail and Phil Neuman, masters of early music, will join our regular musicians and the talented volunteer chorus to present a wide-ranging feast of music primarily from the late medieval through Renaissance eras, the same periods that inspired the original Christmas Revels.

And of course, there will be opportunities for our audience to get involved!  A Lord/Lady of Misrule will once again grace the stage, and the 12 Days of Christmas will be enacted with typical Revels frivolity.

In a clever, timeless and beautifully balanced way, the ancient is interwoven with a relevant contemporary context: Can we open the door to the future while holding on to what’s important to us from the past?

It’s 1885 and Christmas Eve at the country house of the Ashford family, and an engagement is imperiled when a valuable gem goes missing. But thanks to a visiting detective and her daughter, all goes right in a holiday comedy that’s two parts P.G. Wodehouse and one part Agatha Christie. A world premiere from the author of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol.

Written and directed by John Longenbaugh, with Allison Anderson, Katherine Grant-Suttie, Hunter O’Harrow, Riley Parham, Andy Mangels, Rebecca Morse, Caralynn Shields and Rick Warren, with set by Tyler Buswell and costumes by Christine Richardson.

Kick off your holiday weekend and titillate your jingle bells with a fully improvised musical by Double Pretty, a performance by Portland drag kings XXXY, and live piano karaoke where the audience can get up and sing out (Louise) to their favorite show tunes, Disney songs, standards and more!

This 1-night-only musical event will offer a variety of performances (including live piano karaoke for the audience) filled with singing, laughter, and the kind of spirit that will help inspire the Portland community to support each other during this holiday season.

All profits go to Outside In, an organization helping to break the cycles of chronic homelessness, poverty, and poor health among Portland’s LGBTQIA+ community, people of color, those experiencing homelessness, and the under-served.

OBT’s season would not be complete without Portland’s Favorite Holiday Tradition, the 17th annual production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ^®. Filled with swirling snowflakes, glorious scenery, and lavish costumes, this production gets better and better with each passing year. Join Marie, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Prince on their adventure through the Land of Sweets – all set to Tchaikovsky’s joyous score! Immerse yourself in this magical journey for children of all ages.

Choreography by George Balanchine | Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Delicious as a mug of frothy eggnog, meet your new favorite holiday classic!

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. While happy in the company of books and her piano, Mary has grown tired of her role as the dutiful daughter. When the Bennet sisters gather at the home of Lizzy and Darcy for the holidays, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and perhaps even love. Blending modern wit and period style, this enchanting romantic comedy promises to delight Austen aficionados and newcomers alike.

By Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Marissa Wolf

Magenta Theater “Miracle on 34th Street”
Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.
Magenta’s December show is a stage adaptation of the novel by Valentine Davies, and the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. The adaptation for the stage is by Mountain Community Theater, and is produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing. The original movie starred Maureen O’Hara and a very young Natalie Wood. Magenta Theater’s casting is equally as charming.
For those unfamiliar with the story: Kris Kringle, an old man in a retirement home, gets a job working as Santa for Macy’s. Kris unleashes waves of good will with Macy’s customers and the commercial world of New York City by referring parents to other stores to find exactly the toy their child has asked for. Seen as deluded and dangerous by Macy’s vocational counselor, who plots to have Kris shanghaied to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, Kris ends up in a court competency hearing. Especially at stake is one little girl’s belief in Santa. In a dramatic decision, the court confirms Kris as the true Santa, allowing Susan and countless other children to experience the joy of childhood fantasy.
A large cast (26) is under the direction of Brenda McGinnis who has directed numerous plays at Magenta previously, including BASKERVILLE, ROSE COLORED GLASS, and PARFUMERIE. Brenda’s warm approach with her cast comes in very handy when working with children, and oftentimes their parents. Brenda made it very clear at auditions that she was hoping to cast whole families if possible! “It really plays into our sense of creating community,” she said. “In actuality, there is a family of four in the play, and a three-generation family of three!
Melissa Swenson plays the role of Doris Walker, with Aviya Orr playing the iconic role of Susan, her daughter. David Roberts portrays Fred Gayley, with David Bower playing Kris Kringle. (The beard is real!)
There are eleven performances scheduled for December 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30pm, and December 14 and 21 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, and $22 at the door (as available).
Magenta Theater
1108 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
http://www.magentatheater.com
360-635-4358 Box Office

Magenta Theater “Miracle on 34th Street”
Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.
Magenta’s December show is a stage adaptation of the novel by Valentine Davies, and the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. The adaptation for the stage is by Mountain Community Theater, and is produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing. The original movie starred Maureen O’Hara and a very young Natalie Wood. Magenta Theater’s casting is equally as charming.
For those unfamiliar with the story: Kris Kringle, an old man in a retirement home, gets a job working as Santa for Macy’s. Kris unleashes waves of good will with Macy’s customers and the commercial world of New York City by referring parents to other stores to find exactly the toy their child has asked for. Seen as deluded and dangerous by Macy’s vocational counselor, who plots to have Kris shanghaied to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, Kris ends up in a court competency hearing. Especially at stake is one little girl’s belief in Santa. In a dramatic decision, the court confirms Kris as the true Santa, allowing Susan and countless other children to experience the joy of childhood fantasy.
A large cast (26) is under the direction of Brenda McGinnis who has directed numerous plays at Magenta previously, including BASKERVILLE, ROSE COLORED GLASS, and PARFUMERIE. Brenda’s warm approach with her cast comes in very handy when working with children, and oftentimes their parents. Brenda made it very clear at auditions that she was hoping to cast whole families if possible! “It really plays into our sense of creating community,” she said. “In actuality, there is a family of four in the play, and a three-generation family of three!
Melissa Swenson plays the role of Doris Walker, with Aviya Orr playing the iconic role of Susan, her daughter. David Roberts portrays Fred Gayley, with David Bower playing Kris Kringle. (The beard is real!)
There are eleven performances scheduled for December 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30pm, and December 14 and 21 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, and $22 at the door (as available).
Magenta Theater
1108 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
http://www.magentatheater.com
360-635-4358 Box Office

OBT’s season would not be complete without Portland’s Favorite Holiday Tradition, the 17th annual production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ^®. Filled with swirling snowflakes, glorious scenery, and lavish costumes, this production gets better and better with each passing year. Join Marie, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Prince on their adventure through the Land of Sweets – all set to Tchaikovsky’s joyous score! Immerse yourself in this magical journey for children of all ages.

Choreography by George Balanchine | Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

About:

The Bach Cantata Choir’s mission is to sing the entire set of cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach over a period of 30 years. We are a choir of about 50 members plus an orchestra of between 8 to 15 members depending upon the concert.

We perform approximately five concerts each year – two or three cantatas per concert.  Most concerts are on Sunday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. and all concerts are held at the Rose City Park Presbyterian Church at 1907 NE 45th Avenue in Portland, Oregon (map). Concerts are free (free-will offering accepted) unless advertised otherwise.

Baroque Holiday Concert
Tickets Required – Tickets on sale in September at Brown Paper Tickets
J. D. Zelenka (1679-1745): Magnificat
J.S. Bach (1685-1750): Christmas Oratorio, Parts 4-6

Portland Revels  “Christmas Revels, The Ghosts of Haddon Hall, An English Country Celebration of the Winter Solstice”  performances will be at the beautiful Newmark Theatre in downtown Portland!

It’s our 25^th year, and ghosts will return to haunt the stage during Portland’s annual Christmas Revels performance as we inhabit Haddon Hall, the setting for the original Christmas Revels! This year’s performance transports us back to an imaginary day when the Duke, his wife and his children enter the castle after two centuries of presumed emptiness, expecting to demolish it, only to find it inhabited by the spirits of all those who have ever celebrated the winter solstice within its walls.

The real Haddon Hall was derelict for roughly 200 years, enough time for ghosts to gather in the crumbling remains, until the Duke of Rutland began a renovation between WWI and WWII. What prompted him to do so is the speculation that inspired the original Haddon Hall show, written by Oregonian Grey Eubank who believed the ghosts of the Hall persuaded the Duke to do so.

Old and new combine for a fresh take on the ghosts and their efforts and encounters with the living. Sprites cavort to celebrate the seasons; mummers recall the cycles of the year in the death and revival of a hero; Morris dancers leap right out of the middle ages to keep time with their flying sticks and richly ringing bells; fools gambol in physical comedy; and ancient figures (the “folk fool,” the “man-woman,” the “hobby horse” and the “archer”) step to the mysterious Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (still performed in the English village of Abbots Bromley).  All in service of convincing the Duke and his family to stay his hand and keep the Hall.

Portland Revel’s original fool, Burl Ross will be joined by other talented actors including two child alumni from our children’s chorus.  Gail and Phil Neuman, masters of early music, will join our regular musicians and the talented volunteer chorus to present a wide-ranging feast of music primarily from the late medieval through Renaissance eras, the same periods that inspired the original Christmas Revels.

And of course, there will be opportunities for our audience to get involved!  A Lord/Lady of Misrule will once again grace the stage, and the 12 Days of Christmas will be enacted with typical Revels frivolity.

In a clever, timeless and beautifully balanced way, the ancient is interwoven with a relevant contemporary context: Can we open the door to the future while holding on to what’s important to us from the past?

It’s December 1936, and Broadway star William Gillette admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. It is then up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. Winner of the 2012 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Play, and featuring a cast of B&B favorites directed by Resident Acting Company member Kymberli Colbourne, the danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.

Prudencia Hart is an academic scholar of traditional Scottish folklore and immensely dislikes all things pop culture, including her professional nemesis, Colin Syme. After a particularly long night full of draughts and drams at a pub, Prudencia gets lost in the snow-covered forest and winds up getting saved by a man who may have nefarious intentions. Bewitchingly exuberant, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart is a wild romp through Scottish ballads, karaoke mainstays, and devilish encounters.

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart will be performed among the audience in a pub-style setting. Enjoy traditional Scottish pub fare, beverages, and (of course) whiskey for a nominal additional fee.

It’s 1885 and Christmas Eve at the country house of the Ashford family, and an engagement is imperiled when a valuable gem goes missing. But thanks to a visiting detective and her daughter, all goes right in a holiday comedy that’s two parts P.G. Wodehouse and one part Agatha Christie. A world premiere from the author of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol.

Written and directed by John Longenbaugh, with Allison Anderson, Katherine Grant-Suttie, Hunter O’Harrow, Riley Parham, Andy Mangels, Rebecca Morse, Caralynn Shields and Rick Warren, with set by Tyler Buswell and costumes by Christine Richardson.

Delicious as a mug of frothy eggnog, meet your new favorite holiday classic!

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. While happy in the company of books and her piano, Mary has grown tired of her role as the dutiful daughter. When the Bennet sisters gather at the home of Lizzy and Darcy for the holidays, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and perhaps even love. Blending modern wit and period style, this enchanting romantic comedy promises to delight Austen aficionados and newcomers alike.

By Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Marissa Wolf

Portland Revels  “Christmas Revels, The Ghosts of Haddon Hall, An English Country Celebration of the Winter Solstice”  performances will be at the beautiful Newmark Theatre in downtown Portland!

It’s our 25^th year, and ghosts will return to haunt the stage during Portland’s annual Christmas Revels performance as we inhabit Haddon Hall, the setting for the original Christmas Revels! This year’s performance transports us back to an imaginary day when the Duke, his wife and his children enter the castle after two centuries of presumed emptiness, expecting to demolish it, only to find it inhabited by the spirits of all those who have ever celebrated the winter solstice within its walls.

The real Haddon Hall was derelict for roughly 200 years, enough time for ghosts to gather in the crumbling remains, until the Duke of Rutland began a renovation between WWI and WWII. What prompted him to do so is the speculation that inspired the original Haddon Hall show, written by Oregonian Grey Eubank who believed the ghosts of the Hall persuaded the Duke to do so.

Old and new combine for a fresh take on the ghosts and their efforts and encounters with the living. Sprites cavort to celebrate the seasons; mummers recall the cycles of the year in the death and revival of a hero; Morris dancers leap right out of the middle ages to keep time with their flying sticks and richly ringing bells; fools gambol in physical comedy; and ancient figures (the “folk fool,” the “man-woman,” the “hobby horse” and the “archer”) step to the mysterious Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (still performed in the English village of Abbots Bromley).  All in service of convincing the Duke and his family to stay his hand and keep the Hall.

Portland Revel’s original fool, Burl Ross will be joined by other talented actors including two child alumni from our children’s chorus.  Gail and Phil Neuman, masters of early music, will join our regular musicians and the talented volunteer chorus to present a wide-ranging feast of music primarily from the late medieval through Renaissance eras, the same periods that inspired the original Christmas Revels.

And of course, there will be opportunities for our audience to get involved!  A Lord/Lady of Misrule will once again grace the stage, and the 12 Days of Christmas will be enacted with typical Revels frivolity.

In a clever, timeless and beautifully balanced way, the ancient is interwoven with a relevant contemporary context: Can we open the door to the future while holding on to what’s important to us from the past?

It’s 1885 and Christmas Eve at the country house of the Ashford family, and an engagement is imperiled when a valuable gem goes missing. But thanks to a visiting detective and her daughter, all goes right in a holiday comedy that’s two parts P.G. Wodehouse and one part Agatha Christie. A world premiere from the author of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol.

Written and directed by John Longenbaugh, with Allison Anderson, Katherine Grant-Suttie, Hunter O’Harrow, Riley Parham, Andy Mangels, Rebecca Morse, Caralynn Shields and Rick Warren, with set by Tyler Buswell and costumes by Christine Richardson.

Magenta Theater “Miracle on 34th Street”
Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.
Magenta’s December show is a stage adaptation of the novel by Valentine Davies, and the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. The adaptation for the stage is by Mountain Community Theater, and is produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing. The original movie starred Maureen O’Hara and a very young Natalie Wood. Magenta Theater’s casting is equally as charming.
For those unfamiliar with the story: Kris Kringle, an old man in a retirement home, gets a job working as Santa for Macy’s. Kris unleashes waves of good will with Macy’s customers and the commercial world of New York City by referring parents to other stores to find exactly the toy their child has asked for. Seen as deluded and dangerous by Macy’s vocational counselor, who plots to have Kris shanghaied to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, Kris ends up in a court competency hearing. Especially at stake is one little girl’s belief in Santa. In a dramatic decision, the court confirms Kris as the true Santa, allowing Susan and countless other children to experience the joy of childhood fantasy.
A large cast (26) is under the direction of Brenda McGinnis who has directed numerous plays at Magenta previously, including BASKERVILLE, ROSE COLORED GLASS, and PARFUMERIE. Brenda’s warm approach with her cast comes in very handy when working with children, and oftentimes their parents. Brenda made it very clear at auditions that she was hoping to cast whole families if possible! “It really plays into our sense of creating community,” she said. “In actuality, there is a family of four in the play, and a three-generation family of three!
Melissa Swenson plays the role of Doris Walker, with Aviya Orr playing the iconic role of Susan, her daughter. David Roberts portrays Fred Gayley, with David Bower playing Kris Kringle. (The beard is real!)
There are eleven performances scheduled for December 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30pm, and December 14 and 21 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, and $22 at the door (as available).
Magenta Theater
1108 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
http://www.magentatheater.com
360-635-4358 Box Office

About PSG:

Now in our 31st season, PSG singers experience the challenge of mastering complex and exciting music; make lifelong friends in a unique musical community; work with world-class choirs, composers, and conductors; and perform beautifully. Singers in four ensembles (Debut, Intermezzo, Premier and Encore), ranging in age from 5 to 18, travel from the greater Portland metro area and SW Washington to participate in Girlchoir’s comprehensive choral music program. Widely acclaimed by composers, conductors, and music educators for its musicality, adventurous programming, and dynamic performances, the Portland Symphonic Girlchoir offers a performance-based choral music education for girls who love to sing.

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Choir
Kol Echad – Choir of Congregation Beth Israel

Pacific Youth Choir
Samantha Grambow – soprano
Laura Beckel Thoreson – mezzo soprano
William Goforth, tenor
Anton Belov, baritone

Program
Yaacov Bergman  – Baruch Haba B’Shem Adonai
Benedetto Marcello – Ma-oz Tsur Y’shu-ati
M. McGlynn – Lux Aeterna
C.G. Lidaarti – Cantata
INTERMISSION
Handel – Messiah part one

It’s 1885 and Christmas Eve at the country house of the Ashford family, and an engagement is imperiled when a valuable gem goes missing. But thanks to a visiting detective and her daughter, all goes right in a holiday comedy that’s two parts P.G. Wodehouse and one part Agatha Christie. A world premiere from the author of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol.

Written and directed by John Longenbaugh, with Allison Anderson, Katherine Grant-Suttie, Hunter O’Harrow, Riley Parham, Andy Mangels, Rebecca Morse, Caralynn Shields and Rick Warren, with set by Tyler Buswell and costumes by Christine Richardson.

Delicious as a mug of frothy eggnog, meet your new favorite holiday classic!

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. While happy in the company of books and her piano, Mary has grown tired of her role as the dutiful daughter. When the Bennet sisters gather at the home of Lizzy and Darcy for the holidays, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and perhaps even love. Blending modern wit and period style, this enchanting romantic comedy promises to delight Austen aficionados and newcomers alike.

By Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Marissa Wolf

Saturday, 7:30 pm AT TRINITY CATHEDRAL
Sunday, 4 pm AT CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL (1972 NW Flanders St., Portland)
Featuring the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah on Saturday and Judas Maccabeus on Sunday.Kol Echad, Choir of Congregation Beth Israel & Trinity | Pacific Youth Choir
Portland Chamber Orchestra | Samantha Farmilant, soprano | Helen Karloski, mezzo
William Goforth, tenor | Anton Belov, baritone | Yaacov Bergman, conductor
Trinity’s annual Wassail Party follows the Saturday performance.
Chanukah treats and menorah lighting follow the Sunday performance.
TICKETS: Available now or call 503.478.1201

OBT’s season would not be complete without Portland’s Favorite Holiday Tradition, the 17th annual production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ^®. Filled with swirling snowflakes, glorious scenery, and lavish costumes, this production gets better and better with each passing year. Join Marie, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Prince on their adventure through the Land of Sweets – all set to Tchaikovsky’s joyous score! Immerse yourself in this magical journey for children of all ages.

Choreography by George Balanchine | Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Prudencia Hart is an academic scholar of traditional Scottish folklore and immensely dislikes all things pop culture, including her professional nemesis, Colin Syme. After a particularly long night full of draughts and drams at a pub, Prudencia gets lost in the snow-covered forest and winds up getting saved by a man who may have nefarious intentions. Bewitchingly exuberant, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart is a wild romp through Scottish ballads, karaoke mainstays, and devilish encounters.

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart will be performed among the audience in a pub-style setting. Enjoy traditional Scottish pub fare, beverages, and (of course) whiskey for a nominal additional fee.

It’s December 1936, and Broadway star William Gillette admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. It is then up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. Winner of the 2012 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Play, and featuring a cast of B&B favorites directed by Resident Acting Company member Kymberli Colbourne, the danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.

Portland Revels  “Christmas Revels, The Ghosts of Haddon Hall, An English Country Celebration of the Winter Solstice”  performances will be at the beautiful Newmark Theatre in downtown Portland!

It’s our 25^th year, and ghosts will return to haunt the stage during Portland’s annual Christmas Revels performance as we inhabit Haddon Hall, the setting for the original Christmas Revels! This year’s performance transports us back to an imaginary day when the Duke, his wife and his children enter the castle after two centuries of presumed emptiness, expecting to demolish it, only to find it inhabited by the spirits of all those who have ever celebrated the winter solstice within its walls.

The real Haddon Hall was derelict for roughly 200 years, enough time for ghosts to gather in the crumbling remains, until the Duke of Rutland began a renovation between WWI and WWII. What prompted him to do so is the speculation that inspired the original Haddon Hall show, written by Oregonian Grey Eubank who believed the ghosts of the Hall persuaded the Duke to do so.

Old and new combine for a fresh take on the ghosts and their efforts and encounters with the living. Sprites cavort to celebrate the seasons; mummers recall the cycles of the year in the death and revival of a hero; Morris dancers leap right out of the middle ages to keep time with their flying sticks and richly ringing bells; fools gambol in physical comedy; and ancient figures (the “folk fool,” the “man-woman,” the “hobby horse” and the “archer”) step to the mysterious Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (still performed in the English village of Abbots Bromley).  All in service of convincing the Duke and his family to stay his hand and keep the Hall.

Portland Revel’s original fool, Burl Ross will be joined by other talented actors including two child alumni from our children’s chorus.  Gail and Phil Neuman, masters of early music, will join our regular musicians and the talented volunteer chorus to present a wide-ranging feast of music primarily from the late medieval through Renaissance eras, the same periods that inspired the original Christmas Revels.

And of course, there will be opportunities for our audience to get involved!  A Lord/Lady of Misrule will once again grace the stage, and the 12 Days of Christmas will be enacted with typical Revels frivolity.

In a clever, timeless and beautifully balanced way, the ancient is interwoven with a relevant contemporary context: Can we open the door to the future while holding on to what’s important to us from the past?

Utilizing methodologies and movement structures loosely informed by vernacular such as Cunningham, Horton, McKayle, and Duncan, this course will hone in on shape, structure, and intentionality. Emphasis will be placed on specificity of form as well as pathways into and out of the floor.

Beginning with a whole-body warmup, class will move through exercises that awaken core and length, challenge coordination and balance, and strengthen large-system and intrinsic muscularity. Class will end with cumulative multi-level phrase work with regard given to specificity and dynamics.

Aspects of this class will require usage of weight bearing on hands for floorwork and comfortability with transitioning levels. Knee pads recommended; sense of fun and enthusiasm highly encouraged!

$16 – Single Class $125 – 10 class card $210 – 20 class card Class cards expire 6 months after purchase date. No refunds or exchanges. (Class cards cannot be used for workshops or master classes.) Drop-ins are allowed at $16 per class. Student rate of $12 with valid college ID.