Miracle Insider
Volume 8 Issue 17: November 11, 2009

Final Review — and Performances — of Canta y no llores
In last week’s special edition of The Insider, we shared with you many of the reviews extolling the charming sentimentality of this year’s celebration of Día de los muertos. But theater critic Alison Hallett of the Portland Mercury takes it one step further, writing “Canta y no llores is the Miracle Theatre's best Day of the Dead show yet”. Who are we to disagree? Here’s more from her review:

“This year's original play examines the immigrant experience during the Great Depression, at a time when men traversed the country in search of work, federal dollars were building Timberline Lodge, and Hollywood offered the illusive promise of a better life. The show focuses on a Mexican couple who moved to Oregon from their California home after that state, due to job shortages, began ‘repatriating’ Mexican Americans — sending them back to Mexico whether, one character wryly observes, they were Mexican or not. Throw in a wide-eyed white girl from back East, who made her way across the country in hopes of becoming a star in Hollywood, only to wind up starving and stranded in the woods of Oregon, and you've got yourself a tiny little melting pot, West Coast style.

“As several cultures and storylines collide, the characters reach out to one another via song. Show tunes, Mexican dance songs, and dust bowl ballads mingle in a soundtrack that's lively, familiar, and touchingly personal. The best productions at the Miracle are never perfect, but a mis-strummed guitar or an out-of-tune voice never detract from the charm of their work. There's a palpable sense of passion, commitment, and investment here—a humor and warmth that more than make up for any weaknesses.”

Stephen Pick’s a Winner!
Not all recent college graduates are as quick to immerse themselves in the world of working adults, not all get the opportunity they are looking for. For Stephen Pick, a recent graduate of George Fox University and newest addition to the Miracle family, the opportunity came while looking for a place in need of a helping hand. Marketing Assistant Angela Bolaños- Osorio interviewed Stephen recently, and here is an excerpt of their conversation …

Angela Bolaños-Osorio: How did you first connect with Miracle Theatre Group?
Stephen Pick: As I was preparing to graduate from George Fox University in May of 2009, my thoughts turned to the immediate future. What now!? I wanted to do something that I enjoyed, so I thought of Milagro because, with my new degrees in Theatre and in Spanish, I figured it would be a natural fit! I had seen a few shows there during my time in college, and I thought I’d check it out and see if they were in need of any help … turns out they were! I met with Olga Sanchez, one of the artistic directors, about the upcoming Canta y no llores project this past August, and I was immediately aware that I was on the right track. She was personable, yet professional and so excited about the show that I couldn’t help but match her enthusiasm. After jumping into the show as the stage manager and getting to know more members of the company a little better, I realized that Olga’s spirit of inclusion was shared by many of the company members I came into contact with. I feel comfortable at Milagro and confident that this experience is not uncommon. As cheesy as it sounds, the company really does feel like a family. And that sure makes a difference in the experience of putting on a production!

AB: Can you also tell us about the show you are currently directing?
SP: The other show I am working on currently is at HART [Hillsboro Actors Repertory Theatre]. I am directing their Christmas show, A Christmas Story, which opens on Dec. 4th and runs through the 20th. While it has been quite tiring working this closely on two shows simultaneously, I am thankful for the support I have received from both theatres concerning the other. My cast and the staff at HART have been so flexible regarding our rehearsal schedules and meetings, and likewise Milagro is generous enough to support A Christmas Story with a several essential furniture items. And they only asked for my first born as payment! It has been wonderful to work with Milagro, and I hope and plan to continue in the future!

A Season of Eco-drama Comes to a Close
This month Teatro Milagro is wrapping up its final touring activities of the bilingual eco-drama El Último and accompanying environmental awareness residency program, “The Art of Science”. This week Teatro Milagro's Artistic Director Dañel Malán and teaching artist Matt Haynes are working at Hosford Middle School in Southeast Portland in Karen Gwaltney’s classes, sharing environmental sustainability lessons through bilingual theatre. The students pictured here are displaying a poster they made illustrating their idea of utopia. On Friday the students will create and perform their own eco-drama skits. Next week the actors wrap up the El Último tour with two performances in California. On Thursday, El Último will perform at UC-Riverside and on Friday, the último El Último will be at Centro Cultural de la Raza, located in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

Posada Milagro: Making a List and Checking it Twice
by Gabriela Portuguez

From Día de los muertos to La navidad, the holiday spirit is in the air around El Centro Milagro. The planning of our annual Christmas celebration has already been so inspiring and heartfelt, buoyed by the incredible support of community volunteers and donations from local markets — and this is only the beginning of the season of giving! It’s still early in the process, but I am happy to confirm exciting performances from professional artists, musicians and actors from Woodburn, Portland, Beaverton and Hillsboro, including both "Los Diablitos" and Rosa Floyd, who is currently performing in Canta y no llores — not to mention a huge piñata filled with yummy sweets to break after our pastorela called Si ayer fuera hoy. We will again collect canned food for the Oregon Food Bank, and the Oregon Parent Training and Information Center will hold a silent piñata auction as way to help their fundraising efforts (for more information about them, visit http://www.orpti.org/diversity.htm). Posada Milagro is made possible by the open hearts of all the professional artists, respected community members, and talented individuals coming together to celebrate Christmas, with support from OnPoint Community Credit Union and El Centinela. It is sure to be a fun event for all, so save the date — Sunday, Dec. 13 — and watch for complete details in the next Insider!

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Desde el Día de los muertos hasta la Navidad, el espíritu festivo está en el aire alrededor del Centro Milagro. Los planes de nuestra celebración anual Navideña están llenos de inspiración y sincera calidez, mantenidos por el apoyo increíble de voluntarios de la comunidad y donaciones de mercados locales — y ¡es sólo el principio de la “temporada de dar”! Todavía es temprano en el proceso, pero me siento feliz de confirmar presentaciones emocionantes de artistas profesionales, músicos y actores de Woodburn, Portland, Beaverton y Hillsboro. Tendremos la participación de “Los Diablitos” junto con el baile folklórico de Rosa Floyd, quien actualmente participa en Canta y no llores — además una piñata inmensa llena de dulces deliciosos la cual romperemos después de nuestra pastorela, llamada Si ayer fuera hoy. Vamos a recolectar latas de comida para el Oregon Food Bank, y el Oregon Parent Training and Information Center tendrá una subasta en silencio de piñatas para ayudarles en sus esfuerzos de recaudación de fondos (para más información sobre ellos, visite: http://www.orpti.org/diversity.htm). Posada Milagro es posible gracias a los corazones generosos de todos los artistas profesionales, miembros respetados de la comunidad, e individuos talentosos que se reúnen para celebrar la Navidad, con el apoyo del OnPoint Community Credit Union y El Centinela. Será un evento divertido para todos, así que pongan la fecha en sus calendarios — el domingo, 13 de diciembre — y para más detalles, lean la próxima edición del Miracle Insider.

Veterans Honored
by Olga Sanchez

In New York City this past Monday night, I attended a reading presented by Theatre of War and St. Vincent’s Hospital Trauma and Wellness Center. Since 2008, Theatre of War presents readings of Sophocles’ Ajax and Philoctetes to military communities across the U.S., which are followed by town-hall style audience discussions.

Sophocles himself was a military general of the Archidamian War, and it has been suggested that ancient Greek drama, in part at least, was a form of ritual reintegration. With its audiences and actors comprised of citizen-soldiers, these dramas helped combat veterans return to civilian life after deployment. This inspired director and translator Bryan Doerries to launch The Philoctetes Project presenting readings of three scenes from two plays. Ajax is the story of a fierce warrior who slips into depression, attempts to murder his commanding officer, and fails. Seeing his pain, his family and friends attempt intervene but are unable to help him before he finally takes his own life. Philoctetes is the story of a veteran marooned by his army after contracting a horrifying and debilitating disease, who only longs to go home.

The readings were strong, but the true power of the evening was found in the wrenching discussion that followed. Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam told the stories of their lives, of the people they had been before combat and how they had been changed forever. They spoke of the damage to their hearts, their minds and their relationships. They spoke of restless nights, loneliness and of the challenges they brought home to their families. They also spoke of their commitment to restore themselves, with gratitude to supportive programs such as St. Vincent's, the 23rd Street VA, and Theatre of War. Their frankness reminded me of the thousands of veterans who walk silently among us, often handling their own pain alone. “I know the Vietnam vets came back to insults but sometimes I’d rather get that than be ignored.” I am grateful to Theatre of War for discovering that a bit of 2500-year-old theatre can be so relevant and healing, and I thank our veterans and their families for their sacrifices.

Memoirs of a Mentee
by Antonio Sonera

Now in month 17 of my two-year grant, I start to think about my future. There are exciting things ahead: directing two shows, a trip to Spain, and Theatre Communications Group’s national conference in Chicago. I am excited about the future but also wonder where it will take me. So, this last part of my time here at Miracle is becoming very reflective. I am trying to sort out the things I have accomplished, contributed, learned and need to learn.

Lately I have been working on strategies behind next year’s festival planning — trying to understand and conceptualize my own sense of aesthetic. This is more challenging than you might think. I have also been asked to work with the board of directors in assisting with the creation of a new strategic plan. I am currently working on the section regarding the “state of the organization”. It is an opportunity for the organization to take a look at itself through the lens of the people they serve.

There are the day-to-day creative questions that bounce around the office between José and me. What to do with our rental spaces? What could they be? How do we engage more of Generation Y to come see theatre? What would a cabaret space look like? Can we have a bike corral on the corner of 6th Avenue?

Questions lead to creativity, which leads to action, which leads to product or art. I like to think of this as “thoughtful consideration” — the process in which we create the world we want to live in. It is about taking time to reflect on the past, ask the questions “Why?” and “What if?”, to remove ego, to lead and to serve.

I will use “thoughtful consideration” as I reflect on my time here at Miracle.

Mentee Out!

Making a Difference: Susan Castillo and Big Brothers Big Sisters
At the recent benefit for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Latino Emerging Program, Susan Castillo expressed her appreciation and shared her personal experience of having a mentor motivate her career from a secretary to her current position as Oregon’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. The unconventional approach she took to receive her undergraduate degree in her late 20s was by the encouragement from her boss who became her mentor. It took one moment, one phrase, one person whose respect Susan had gained while working as a secretary to say to her “I see great potential in you.” As her mentor, Susan’s supervisor focused her time and energy to build Susan’s self-confidence that would help her move forward in life. While Susan went to school and continued to work, she realized having a mentor as her boss, one that would help guide and encourage her full potential, was something she could never repay.

State of Oregon statistics for 2009 show that Latinos in middle school scored an average of 45% on the state exam while the average score for non-Latinos was 76%. There is a need for mentors, especially for Latino children, in the state of Oregon who can share an afternoon, one activity even, to help a child build the positive self-esteem to achieve his or her full potential in life. Susan encourages all to inspire one girl or one boy in their community. Who knows, she says, they could turn out to be leaders of their community, representative of their state, maybe even leaders of our nation! For more information on how you could be a mentor for the next generation, visit our friends at Big Brothers Big Sisters at http://www.bbbsnorthwest.org.

Sponsor Spotlight: Montinore Estate
In each issue of the Insider, we like to introduce to you to some of the companies and organizations that make the Miracle possible. In this occasion, we would like to highlight our friends from Montinore Estate, a family-owned and -operated winery in the northern Willamette Valley that produces Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Müller-Thurgau. Their mission is to create unique wines that are true to their varietal characteristics as well as to this special corner of the Willamette Valley. For more information about Montinore Estate, you can visit its Web site www.montinore.com.

FINAL PERFORMANCES!

Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. (sold out)
Friday, Nov. 13 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 15 at 2:00 p.m. (sold out)
Sunday, Nov. 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20-$22 ($16 for students/seniors) from 503-236-7253, www.milagro.org or the PDX Ticket Network community box office at the Hollywood Theatre 1-9 p.m. daily. The performance is bilingual (English and Spanish) and runs approximately two hours, including intermission.

Milagro makes news
The Oregonian says Canta y no llores “sends audience members home with smiles on their faces and hope in their hearts”

The Portland Mercury review calls the show our "best Day of the Dead show yet"

Willamette Week says "the whole shebang's a lot of fun"

In a preview story, The Oregonian explains how "Miracle Theatre gets collaborative for Día de los muertos"

A reporter from the PSU Daily Vanguard interviews director Olga Sanchez about "The inevitability of death" 

El Hispanic News provides a bilingual look at how "Miracle Theatre goes back to the Great Depression to connect with today"
 
Oregon Public Broadcasting takes a retrospective look at the Miracle on its Oregon ArtBeat program

Univision offers a recap of Miracle’s 26th season on a recent “En comunidad” segment 

El Centinela updates readers on the additional performance of Canta y no llores

See production photos:


Watch a behind-the-scenes video clip:


Visit our production blog:

Join us for our open house fundraiser Saturday, Dec. 5
You’re invited to join your friends from Milagro at our Holiday Fundraising Soirée celebrating a season of giving. Plan to drop by the Dali Maya Café at El Centro Milagro (525 SE Stark) between 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 to enjoy the talents of some of Miracle’s favorite Latino musicians and dancers along with spirited beverages, eggnog, and the opportunity to receive some lovely holiday gifts with your donation to the Miracle. What a fun way to make your year-end, tax-deductible donation to the theatre you love! (And while you’re here, why not pick up a gift subscription or flex pass for your friends and family?)

¡Sí, se puede! — but only with your help
We believe in the transformative power of art to make the world a better place. But we can only do this together with you. We need your support in order to continue to work this miracle through cultural performances, community events and educational experiences unlike any available in the region. Where else but at the Milagro can you find live theatre in Spanish, bilingual arts training for educators, and a Día de los Muertos celebration that truly crosses borders?

We invite you to participate in the marvelous phenomenon that is the Miracle Theatre Group, a community-centered Latino arts mecca inspiring a new generation of art, artists and patrons from around the world.

Please make your tax-deductible donation today and help us keep the Miracle affordable and accessible to all. Click the button to make your donation online right now so that you can enjoy all of the accompanying end-of-year tax advantages. Or, if you prefer, mail a check to Miracle Theatre Group, 425 SE Sixth Ave., Portland, OR 97214

Searching for New Board Members
Would you be interested in getting more involved with the Miracle Theatre? We are currently recruiting board members for the term beginning in 2010. If you are interested in actively participating in our growth and have the skills and community relationships that will help lead us into the future, please join us at El Centro Milagro on Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for food, drink, good conversation and an opportunity to learn more about the Miracle. If you’ve ever thought of serving on the board, we encourage you to come and meet the current board members and learn more about the Miracle and what serving on the board or one of its committees entails. The reception will be held in the theatre café at 525 SE Stark. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Alejandra at 503-236-7253, ext. 114, or alejandra@milagro.org.

Creative Movement Workshop at Milagro Nov. 15-Dec. 5
From Nov. 15 to Dec. 5, actress and educator Nelda Reyes will be offering a Creative Movement Workshop at El Centro Milagro. This workshop is for actors of all levels, multidisciplinary artists and everyone interested in increasing their body consciousness and expressive potential. In this bilingual workshop you will explore your movement capability through exercises derived from methods such as Feldenkrais, Yoga, Contact Improvisation and Dance. This exploration aims to expand your body consciousness, relaxation, organic movement, increase your stage presence and explore the space creatively. The workshop, which meets Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is limited to 12 participants and costs $200. For more information or to register, contact Nelda at 503-730-8111 or neldareyes@yahoo.com.mx.

Del 15 de noviembre al 5 de diciembre, Nelda Reyes, actriz y educadora, ofrecerá un Taller de expresión corporal en el Centro Milagro. Este taller es para actores de todos los niveles, artistas multidisciplinarios y todo aquel que desee aumentar su conciencia corporal y su capacidad expresiva. En este taller bilingüe, explorarás las posibilidades expresivas de tu cuerpo a través de ejercicios de técnicas de movimiento tales como Feldenkrais, Yoga, Improvisación de Contacto y danza que te ayudarán a adquirir conciencia de tu cuerpo, relajarte, moverte con naturalidad, aumentar tu presencia y dominio escénico y explorar el espacio como medio creativo. El taller, que se reúne los domingos de las 10 a.m. hasta las 2 p.m., está limitado a 12 participantes con un costo de $200. Para más información o para inscribirse, comunicarse al 503-730-8111 o neldareyes@yahoo.com.mx.

In the community: Portland Central American Solidarity Committee presentation Nov. 19
Beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, the Portland Central America Solidarity Committee will be presenting “Labor and Democracy Under Siege: Honduran Labor Leader Israel Salinas” at the SEIU Local 503 6401 SE Foster Rd., Portland). For more information, contact PCASC at 503-236-7916 or info@pcasc.net.

In the community: Cuban Film and Discussion Nov. 20
Cuba AyUUda will offer a free screening of the film “Lista de espera” (The Waiting List) beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20 at the First Unitarian Church, Room B102, at SW 12th Ave. and Main St. A discussion follows.

It’s not too late to save money on your theater tickets!
Did you know that you can still save money on tickets when you purchase either a 4-show FlexPass or a 3-show subscription? Visit www.pdxtix.net/milagro to order online, or call us at 503-236-7253 to find out more and receive a full brochure.

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