Portland, September 16th. Like kids in a candy shop, theatre lovers snapped up bargains at a costume sale benefiting Oregon Children’s Theatre.
Oregon Children's Theater
Fans lined up outside the Galleria on SW 10th in downtown Portland for a chance to sift through the colorful merchandise. (Photo credit, David Kinder) Oregon Children’s Theatre offered up costume items from their stage productions including accouterments for: witches, critters, princesses, pirates, and more. The popular sale marks the kick-off of the 2011-2012 season. It raised over $20,600.
OCT Board Member Mark Friel
Costume sale
The Oregon Children’s Theatre mission is to advance growth, development and creativity through exceptional theater experiences. The non-profit does this by presenting professional live theater for youth at a price affordable to schools and families. By introducing young people to the wonders of live theater, OCT hopes to enrich lives today while helping children develop a lifetime appreciation for the arts.
Doug Whyte, Executive Director of Hollywood Theatre, Gus Van Sant, James Franco, Justen Harn, Director of Programs and Community Engagement, Hollywood Theatre
Portland, September 25th. The historic Hollywood Theatre on Northeast Sandy Boulevard was buoyed by a special screening and artist talk from a couple of Hollywood heavyweights. Doug Whyte, Executive Director of Hollywood Theatre, James Franco, Gus Van Sant, and Justen Harn, Director of Programs and Community Engagement helped create the fundraiser. (Photo credit, John Keel) Van Sant and Franco were on hand for two sold-out screenings of My own Private River–a film Franco made from outtakes of Van Sant’s landmark film, My Own Private Idaho.
Portland's Historic Hollywood Theatre
According the the non-profit organization, after casting Franco in the award-winning film, “Milk” (2008), Van Sant showed him the dailies and other footage that he had shot years earlier for My Own Private Idaho, featuring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves as street hustlers in Portland, Oregon. Franco described being mesmerized by Phoenix’s “uninhibited acting” in this unreleased footage. “I humbly asked Gus if I could…cut something together, and if he didn’t like it, I would never show anybody.”
James Franco and Gus Van Sant in Portland
“I thought it would be interesting because it took us six months to cut the film together, and James was going to do it in a month,” explained Van Sant, who makes his home in Portland. My Own Private River consists largely of shots of Phoenix’s character, Mike, woven into a portrait; Franco’s edit captures the gifted actor at his most emotionally expressive and physically dynamic. Phoenix died of a drug overdose in 1993.
An acclaimed actor, Franco is also actively engaged in performance art, painting, video, and installation art. He has exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Clocktower Gallery, New York, and Peres Projects, Berlin. The Hollywood Theatre is a non-profit organization whose mission is to entertain, inspire, educate and connect the community through the art of film while preserving a historic Portland landmark.
Portland, September 24th. The Portland Opera’s 47th season started on a high note with a star-studded first: the concert was simulcast live on a 20 x 40 foot screen hung on the Keller Auditorium. Outside, merrymakers celebrated free world-class entertainment under the stars. (Photo credit, Portland Opera/Cory Weaver)
Ira Keller Fountain glowing as opera music flows
Nicholas Nelson, Caitlin Mathes, Roger Honeywell, Maria Kanyova, George Manahan (Conductor), Andre Chiang, Lindsay Ohse, and Brendan Tuohy with the Portland Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Inside, Portland Opera fans reveled in the classical favorites. “We’re pulling out all the stops for an evening of unabashed Opera celebration,” said Portland Opera General Director Christopher Mattaliano. The evening featured a mix of favorite opera arias, duets, choruses and orchestral pieces. All proceeds from the benefit concert were earmarked for the Portland Opera’s education programs which, Christopher Mattaliano explains, “are among the best in the nation and a great source of pride for us and our community.”
Portland Mayor, Sam Adams and Portland Opera General Director, Christopher Mattaliano.
The Portland Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Portland Opera's Big Night
Now that the Portland Opera is off to a running start, musicians are looking forward to a season featuring a wide variety of composers. The beloved organization promises to provide exciting entertainment for all musical tastes.
Scheduled performances include:
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
November 4, 6m, 10, 12, 2011
MADAME BUTTERFLY
Giacomo Puccini
February 3, 5m, 9, 11, 2012
Portland Opera Production
GALILEO GALILEI
Philip Glass
March 30, April 1m, 3, 5, 7, 2012
Newmark Theatre All-new Production
West Coast and Portland Opera Premiere
CANDIDE
Leonard Bernstein
May 1 1, 13m, 17, 1 9, 2012
The Portland Opera website is: www.portlandopera.org
A Wine & Land event at Montgomery Park was a hit with Columbia Land Trust supporters. The Board President of the conservation group, Jennifer Sims, was all smiles with Drew Carney from KGW.
Phil Trask, Lynn Palenksy, and Columbia Land Trust Executive Director, Glenn Lamb
On September 9th, Columbia Land Trust held its annual event to thank supporters and celebrate land conservation in the Columbia River region. (Photo credit, Rosemary Ragusa Photography.) Wine & Land 2011 featured locally sourced Pacific Northwest cuisine from Food in Bloom, tastings from local wineries including Sokol Blosser and Elk Cove, a chance to bid on unique outdoor experiences, and live music from Freak Mountain Ramblers.
Columbia Land Trust Council of Trustees member Peter McCoy and his wife Naomi arrive by bike
Columbia Land Trust board member Steve Cook and his wife Dr. Marianne Parshley
Columbia Land Trust works to permanently conserve the natural resources of the Columbia River region. It restores and manages signature landscapes, vital habitats, and working farms and forests in Oregon and Washington from east of the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. By working positively with landowners and local communities Columbia Land Trust aims to sustain the unique qualities of the Pacific Northwest for future generations.
Portland, September 21st. Supporters of the Portland Parks Foundation gathered to raise a glass in celebration of ten years of community enrichment. Many enjoyed the outdoor event in Simon and Helen Director Park; the park is named in honor of Jordan Schnitzer’s maternal grandparents.
Simon and Helen Director Park
Kelly Cress, Aaron Fitzgerald, Ned McCall and Lora McCall
Dick Davis, John Trachenberg, Barbara Trachtenberg, Tamara Crocker
Thomas Balmer, Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court and Founding Board Member, Mary Louis McClintock from the Oregon Community Foundation and Gary Withers VP of Concordia University
Harriet Cormack, Mary Ruble and Barbara Walker
Sherry Manning, Development Director and Nick Hardigg the Executive Director of the Parks Foundation
Foundation leaders and volunteers explain that they, “Work to protect and grow Portland’s legacy of world-class parks by ensuring that private support for parks continues to flourish, and that its citizens are empowered to contribute toward that excellence.” At the anniversary party they honored founders, paid tribute to those behind the Parks 2020 Vision plan which gave rise to Portland Parks Foundation and, “Set a new course for the next decade of keeping Portland at the forefront of great American cities.”
Portland, September 22nd. Africa Bridge is launching a new program called, This is My Village. Susan Welch and Sister Sabina Kabuga were among the many on hand to support this new a way to connect donors and African villages. In celebration of the new philanthropic venture the organization hosted a party featuring live music, fusion food, and an auction.
Lisa Perrin, Kathleen Lane and Jen Ochsner
The auction was held at The Mercy Corps Action Center in downtown Portland
Christine Cicerone and Jeff Walter
Jennifer Baldwin, Development Director and Aubrey Baldwin
Sponsors included, Stoel Rives, LLP and Carpenter Smith Consulting. To learn more about sponsoring a village visit the website at www.africabridge.org.
Emily Pollard, Alex Chester, Abby Britton and Morgan Enfield
Laurie Kehoe, Blue Heron Chapter, Beth Swanson, Lake Oswego Chapter, Katie Erzen, Oregon Rose Chapter
Alaina Lester and her mother, Linda Lester
Lisa Crupi and her daughter Michaela Mueller
Food in Bloom, provided Champagne and special sparkling drinks for the girls.
Karen Holce, Portland NCL Chapter President and Nancy Truskowski, from the event committee
The private shopping event was a mixer for all five area Chapters of the National Charity League, Inc. The non-profit has over 160 chapters, nationwide. Annually, NCL members volunteer approximately one million hands-on hours in local communities and as many, or more, supporting their own non-profit Chapter corporation.
Denise and Megan Gooding
Downtown Portland Nordstrom
Sarah and Shelly Bigley at the make-up counter
All of the proceeds from the Nordstroms event are earmarked to support the local Susan G. Komen Foundation, specifically for screening and early detection of the under-served and underinsured as well as Patient Assistance Programs.
The Willamette Valley Development Officers hosted a special summer event in the Lan Su Chinese Garden (Photo Credit Andie Petkus). The July social mixer was aimed at building connections between business and non-profits. Several hundred people came to the festive party to make connections. It’s slogan: 3 Degrees, 2 Unite, 1 Community.
Ron Bertolucci, Senior Vice President & Nonprofit Niche Manager First Independent and Agnes Zach, Executive Director, WVDO
Sponsors included; The Spirit Mountian Community Fund, The Portland Business Journal, Capital Pacific Bank.
Portland's lovely Lan Su Garden
Members of the Leve’ Board enjoy an evening of networking
Gisel Hillner, Vice-President, Oregon Region, Washington Trust bank chats with Cynthia Thompson, Director of Development & Marketing at the Macdonald Center
Based on the popularity of the July 14th event, The WVDO may make the social mixer between business leaders and non-profits an annual event.
OBT Artistic Director, Christopher Stowell (far left) and his dancers
Portland, September 11th. An outdoor arts showcase whet the appetite for outstanding fall cultural fare. Oregon Ballet Theatre and other members of the Portland arts community celebrated the beginning of the Fall Arts Season with a day of performance, demonstration, community outreach and 9/11 remembrances. The free outdoor event at Director Park was made possible by sponsorship from The Boeing Company.
Children enjoy a dance class in Director Park
Ye Li and Julia Rowe from OBT
Brett Bauer and Alison Roper from OBT
Portland Opera's Robert Ainsley, Hannah Penn, and Nicholas Nelson
Portland Baroque Orchestra gets ready to play
BodyVox 2 presented a whimsical dance number
Many of the arts organizations are participating in a cross-promotional event called the “Portland Arts Dance Card.” The program helps arts lovers earn gift certificates for dinner and other cultural opportunities.
Portland, August 21st. “Do it for the puppies,” was the slogan for a special summer party at the Romtom Lounge.
The White Party was held at the stylish indoor/outdoor space on East Burnside
White Party hosts were: Josh Friedman, Nitin Khanna, Julie Ma, Paul Wagner, and Scott Kveton. (Photo credit,
Michelle Pearl Gee.) The benefit for the Oregon Humane Society drew over 200 guests in their finest all-white
attire.
Oregon Humane Society Guests
Oregon Humane Society volunteers were on hand to help out
The event raised over $11,500 for OHS; enough money to provide food for all the animals for an entire month. “Choosing the Oregon Humane Society as our beneficiary was easy as the organization is very near and dear
to all of our hearts,” said Paul Wagner, one of the hosts of White Party. “They do so much to help the local animal community, so we wanted to celebrate their efforts and raise overall awareness toward their program.”
White Party Guests
For over 142 years, the OHS has been sheltering abandoned animals, fighting cruelty and neglect, and working to build a caring and compassionate community in Oregon. The association has thousands of members and 1,500 volunteers, but is not affiliated with any local or national organization and receives no tax dollars. Its work is made possible through donations of time, money, goods and services.
Organizers of The White Party are hoping to make it an annual event and plan to select a different non-profit to highlight each year.
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