Photo Flash: First Look At UNTIL THE FLOOD At Portland Center Stage

Pulitzer Prize finalist and celebrated performer Dael Orlandersmith returns to Portland Center Stage at The Armory to perform her compassionate, timely play Until The Flood. Originally commissioned by Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Until The Flood explores the social unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, by a police officer. Orlandersmith (Forever, The Gimmick at The Armory) drew from her extensive interviews with residents across the greater St. Louis area to create composite characters that reflect a wide range of perspectives and experiences of race in Missouri. Neel Keller, who directed the world premiere in St. Louis, returns to The Armory to direct.

"I hope it invokes and provokes thought and conversation," Orlandersmith told The Interval in 2018. "I wanted to get a sense of what it felt like, where does race stand here beyond the Michael Brown shooting," Orlandersmith said. "What does it mean in terms of your day to day life? This shooting. How does it become a catalyst for you, racially, in terms of the way these individuals feel about race?"

The Armory will host several free community events surrounding Until The Flood, including a screening of Whose Streets?, a documentary about the Ferguson uprising, and a series of moderated post-show discussions with community leaders that will explore the themes of the play through local perspectives.

Pulitzer Prize finalist and celebrated performer Dael Orlandersmith (Forever) explores the social unrest in Ferguson, Missouri following the shooting of Michael Brown. Pulling from her extensive interviews with residents from neighborhoods across the greater St. Louis area, Orlandersmith crafts a stunning theatrical experience that must be seen. Variety called Until The Flood "both eye-opening and quietly moving," while the Chicago Tribune called it "palpably compassionate," writing that it "achieves a great beauty by bringing us together rather than driving us apart. Since its 2016 premiere in St. Louis, Orlandersmith has performed Until The Flood across the country at Rattlestick Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and ACT Seattle.

Photo by Patrick Weishampel/blankeye.tv/Courtesy of Portland Center Stage at The Armory.