Miracle Insider
Volume 11 Issue 4, February 21, 2012

Critics and audiences praise Boleros for the Disenchanted
Miracle’s current production, Boleros for the Disenchanted, has been playing to raves from both critics and audiences! Here’s what people are saying:

"If you have a choice as to what to see in Portland as we roll into the spring season, please, go see this show. I can’t recommend it enough. I also can’t recommend enough that you bring a tissue or two." — Portland Stage Reviews

"Boleros has a lot to say about hope and optimism, about hard work and its rewards, and about how empty the promises of the land of opportunity often are. But its primary concern is the reality of 'forever' versus the ease with which young couples pledge it at the altar — and under the direction of Antonio Sonera, this is communicated with humor and spirit.” — Portland Mercury

"Unyieldingly beautiful" — The Oregonian

"Though the subject matter is serious, Boleros mixes in quick-witted humor to keep the flow of the plot light and amusing, and the audience giggling throughout. ... Boleros celebrates each stage of a relationship and reminds us that love is wonderful and painful, but ultimately sweet." — Lewis & Clark College Pioneer Log

"The play has some brawling, funny, and even scary moments — it covers some big territory, from the corrosive effects of machismo to the alternately quiet and angry desperation of immigrant life — yet it’s also, almost in a Chekhovian sense, a play of suggestion. It has political undercurrents, surely, or at least a deep awareness of large cultural shifts. But it’s mainly about how those shifts impact the private lives of ordinary people, and how, sometimes, extraordinary ordinary people endure and marginally succeed.... Watching [Luisa] Sermol rise to a passion, or [Ted] Schulz live large from the tiny terrain of his bed, you understand that age is a trickster and a mystery, and that good acting can give us glimpses of its depths." — Oregon Arts Watch

"I saw Boleros on Saturday night, and I'm still turning the story, the exceptional performances, and many of Rivera's wonderful lines over and over in my mind. Such tenderness and emotional power captured on a small stage! I was immersed in the story from beginning to end. I recommend the play wholeheartedly." — Julie Ann Barber

"Boleros struck a raw nerve — rich relationships bring joy and pain and it's in the sharing that we grow to know the truth about self and others. Life and this play have this in common: Not always easy, not always comfortable, but satisfying to the core ... Go see this remarkable drama!" — Sherri Vacarella

“La obra estuvo espectacular ... nos hizo reír y llorar. Nos logro llevar a nuestro Puerto Rico del alma, escuchar la canción de los coquís que nos arrullaban al acostarnos y esos boleros de antaño! ¡La actuación de los actores fue brillante! … Se las recomiendo 100%! — Glenda L. Donato-Cintron

"Last night was one of the most beautiful nights in theatre that I have had for a long time. Boleros for the Disenchanted by José Rivera, sensitively directed by Antonio Sonera, playing at the Miracle Theatre, and featuring deeply powerful performances by the entire cast, this funny, poetic and moving epic strikes right at the heart of all of us flawed human beings who still seek love in spite of all of its challenges and heartbreaks. This kind of production is what makes theatre so vital. Make an effort to get there and you will be glad you did." — Elizabeth Huffman

Read more!

• Comments from fellow audience members on our Facebook event page
• Notes from our dramaturg Ian Goodrich
• Study guide by Chloe Hagerman
• Photos by Russell Young
• Behind-the-scenes blog posts and pics
• Bits and bytes on our Miracle Insider Twitter Feed

Then purchase your tickets by calling 503-236-7253 or visiting our online box office.

The wonderful tropical flavors of Pambiche
On opening night of Boleros for the Disenchanted, the house was packed with people dabbing their eyes with tissues at the end due to the powerhouse performances by a cast that included Luisa Sermol, pictured here with her daughter Isabella. The post-show reception, catered by Pambiche, featured the wonderful tropical Latin flavors of croquetas, empanadas and ensalada, a menu prepared for Milagro by our good friend Roseanne Romaine, co-owner of Pambiche. The wine flowed and the hugs lingered as many people left the theatre with a great feel-good experience about la familia, la cultura y buena comida. ¡Gracias, Pambiche! See more opening night photos online

¡Que vivan las mujeres! - International Women's Day
(For English, please visit our blog.)

El Día Internacional de la Mujer (Marzo 8) es un día de conmemoración mundial que celebra las contribuciones y los logros económicos, políticos y sociales de las mujeres. Como todos los años, el Miracle Theatre Group se enorgullece y complace en celebrar el Día Internacional de las Mujeres con un programa lleno de arte, conversación, y recursos para mujeres y niñas.

Nuestro programa anual, Mundo de las Mujeres, cuyo enfoque en esta ocasión es el bienestar, la salud, prevención y lucha contra la diabetes, se llevará acabo el sábado 3 de marzo de 1 p.m. a 5 p.m. de la tarde en el teatro y zócalo del Centro Milagro (537 SE Stark St., Portland). Mundo de las Mujeres es un programa totalmente gratuito, abierto al público en general y español, que en esta ocasión incluirá una presentación  de la obra de teatro  “Mensaje de Papá,”  dirigida por Gabriela Portuguez y cuyo reparto incluye la participación de los actores Nurys Herrera y Alberto Romero, ambos vistos por última vez en el escenario del Miracle en la producción del Día de los muertos, ¡Viva la Revolución!

Además, tras la presentación teatral abra un cuadro de conversación moderado por una de las directoras artísticas del Miracle Theatre Group, Olga Sanchez. El panel de expertos que se presentará contará con la participación de la doctora Elizabeth Flores M.D. La doctora Flores, originaria de Jalisco, México, tiene una amplia experiencia con pacientes Latinos en la lucha contra la diabetes, es especialista en la geriatría, y provee cuidados con el grupo de Northwest Kaiser Permanente. Nuestro panel de expertos también contara con la participación de Ana Consuelo Matiella de ACMA Social Marketing, con Consuelo Vázquez del Departamento de Salud del Condado en Multnomah (Multnomah County Health Department) y con Antonella Aguilera-Ruiz, del Naturapathy College.

A lo largo de la tarde tendremos la participación de varias organizaciones comunitarias quienes proporcionarán información, productos, sorpresas  y ¡hasta masajes gratuitos!  El público participante tendrá la oportunidad de disfrutar de esta feria de recursos para la salud, gratuita y bilingüe, que se efectuará en el Zócalo del Centro Milagro. Algunas de las organizaciones participantes serán: American Diabetes Association, Latino Network, La Clínica de la Buena Salud, MANA of Portland, Wise Heart PDX, OYE, NW Family Services, ¡y muchas más!

¡No se lo pierda! ¡Será un día lleno de arte, conversación, información, y recursos gratuitos y en español en celebración de la mujer! Participe en los eventos y ¡QUE VIVAN LAS MUJERES!

Mundo de las Mujeres es patrocinado por la Oregon Community Foundation y Multnomah County Cultural Coalition.

Go backstage of Jardín de Sueños and Oedipus el Rey
If you haven’t heard, our very own Olga Sanchez will be back onstage in the role of Jocasta in our upcoming production of Oedipus el Rey. We’ve asked Olga to chime in periodically on our blog about her process on the way toward opening night. Follow along with Olga on our blog.

Likewise, Nelda Reyes is also sharing her experience as director of Jardín de Sueños, reporting most recently on a production meeting where designers got to see a portion of this original, Spanish-language production up on its feet. Read her thoughts in Spanish or English on our blog.

Meet the Candidates
Portland Mayoral candidates Eileen Brady, Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith will be joined by Portland City Council candidates Amanda Fritz, Mary Nolan and Steve Novick for a lively conversation about the arts in Portland, moderated by Portland Monthly Magazine Editor Randy Gragg. Jointly sponsored by Business for Culture & the Arts, Creative Advocacy Network, Portland Art Dealers Association, Portland Arts Alliance, Oregon Arts and Culture Political Action Committee, and Regional Arts & Culture Council, this evening at the Armory will give Portland's passionate and lively arts community the opportunity to get to know these candidates and better understand the impact that they could have on arts, culture and creativity in Portland over the next four years. Don’t miss your best opportunity to meet the candidates who will change the face of Portland’s City Council in 2013. Learn how they may influence arts, culture and creativity and determine who is best suited to lead our City. To RSVP or pose a question for Randy's consideration, just send us an e-mail at rsvp@theartscan.org.

ONLY 7 MORE PERFORMANCES!

BOLEROS FOR THE DISENCHANTED
A story about a lifetime of love
written by José Rivera
(author of the screenplay
“The Motorcycle Diaries”)
Directed by Antonio Sonera
Sponsored by Urban Robotics and Willamette Week
Onstage through March 3, 2012

Passion and humor collide amid the warm, sunny breezes of 1950s Puerto Rico when Eusebio sweeps Flora off her feet and off to America — away from her family and her familiar life. Nearly 40 years later, an angel visits Eusebio with a mysterious message that stirs up old secrets and causes Flora to question the life she has tirelessly built in a foreign land.

Boleros for the Disenchanted plays through March 3, 2012 at the Milagro Theatre (525 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214). Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $17-$29 from http://www.milagro.org or 503-236-7253.

This play, which is performed in English, runs about 2.5 hours including one intermission. We recommend this play for ages 16+

Special offer to see Boleros this Thursday or Sunday!
Bring a friend for free to see Boleros for the Disenchanted this Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m., or Sunday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. Simply use coupon code INSIDER to receive two tickets for the price of one regular adult admission. Purchase by phone weekdays 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. by calling 503-236-7253 or online anytime from http://www.milagro.org

From Miracle, with love
Our audiences love the artists we work with, and they often ask where so-and-so is nowadays, and what they’re working on. So we sent out a quick survey to find out! More than 30 responded not only with links to current projects, but warm and fuzzy — and often very funny — anecdotes about when they last worked at Milagro. So if you’ve ever wanted to catch up with a favorite face, check out our Valentine to Milagro’s artists past and present: part one and part two.

Concurso de Dibujo Infantil / Children's Drawing Contest
La Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, a través del Instituto de los Mexicanos el Exterior, invita a participar a todos los niños del mundo de entre 7 y 11 años de edad en el: XVI CONCURSO DE DIBUJO INFANTIL “Éste es mi México". El tema del 16º Concurso es: “5 de Mayo; 150 Aniversario de la Batalla de Puebla”, en conmemoración de la lucha acontecida en 1862. Dicha hazaña se considera un triunfo nacional muy significativo, memorable para la construcción de la identidad y orgullo mexicano.

El premio consiste en un obsequio en especie a elegir entre una computadora, una cámara digital o un equipo para dibujo y un paquete de materiales escolares/libros, con valor de hasta $1,500.00 dólares. Todos los participantes recibirán un diploma y aunque su dibujo no sea el ganador, puede ser seleccionado para formar parte de una exposición que viajará por diversos países en el mundo o bien, para ser integrado a las imágenes del calendario 2013.

La fecha límite para recibir dibujos en el Consulado de México es el 8 de marzo de 2012 a las 4:00 pm. Los resultados del concurso se publicarán el 20 de abril en las siguientes páginas: www.ime.gob.mx y www.redesmexico.mx o hablando al Consulado de México en Portland al teléfono: (503) 274-1442 ext 15 y 29. Para mayores información acerca del tamaño y características del dibujo, puede consultar las bases en la página: http://tiny.cc/este_es_mi_mexico_2012 O descargue la convocatoria en este link.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME), invites children from all over the world, between 7 and 11 years old to the: 16th Annual Children's Drawing Contest: Este es mi México/This is my Mexico. Children with disabilities are strongly encouraged to participate. The topic for this year's 16th contest is: “5 de Mayo; 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla” in commemoration of the struggle that took place in 1862 when Mexico, as a country under construction, was invaded by French troops, one of the most powerful armies of that time.

The prize is an in-kind gift to choose between a personal computer, a digital camera or a sketching kit and a package of school supplies/books, with a value up to $1,500.00 USD. All participants will receive a Certificate of Recognition. However if the drawing is not the winner, it could still be selected to be part of an exhibit that will travel through various countries in the world and could be included in the 2013 Este es mi México printed Calendar distributed all over the world through the Mexican Embassies and Consulates.

The deadline to receive drawings at the Consulate of Mexico is March 8th, 2012 at 4pm. Contest results will be published on 20 April in the following pages: www.ime.gob.mx and www.redesmexico.mx or call to the Consulate of Mexico in Portland at: (503) 274-1442 ext 15 and 29. For more information, and drawing guidelines, please refer to the following link: http://tiny.cc/este_es_mi_mexico_2012 Or download the full Call for Applications here .