Portland Center Stage Announces BUST Community Programs

Actress Lauren Weedman finds herself clinging to the bottom rung of the Hollywood ladder. So, in a quest to escape the vapid demands of "the business," she volunteers in a women's prison. And quickly realizes she's in way over her head. Get ready for Bust, written and performed by former Daily Show "correspondent" Lauren Weedman. Bust is running through June 19, 2011 in the Ellyn Bye Studio. Performance times are Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m., with matinees at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday and some Saturdays, in addition to some Thursday matinees at noon. Tickets start at $25 for full adult prices, with student and under age 30 discounts available. For a full calendar of performances and ticket availability, visit the show page at www.pcs.org/bust

In support of Bust, Portland Center Stage is presenting the following community programs:

Shop Talk
Friday, May 6
12:00-1:00 p.m.
The Armory Cafe
Portland Center Stage and Oregon Humanities present Shop Talk, a brown bag lunch series that gives the public a chance to explore provocative ideas in PCS's spring productions. The programs pair humanities thinkers in conversation with the plays' writers, directors and cast members. No registration is required. Bust creator/star Lauren Weedman will sit down with B. Frayn Masters, local storyteller and comedian, in a conversation about memoir, truth, and fame. This event is free and open-to-the-public, so drop by on your lunch break!

Formative Stages
Sunday, June 12
following the 2:00 p.m. performance of Bust
Ellyn Bye Studio

This series, a collaboration with the Oregon Psychoanalytic Society, puts theater on the couch and the audience in the conversational driver's seat. A lively post-matinee discussion will focus on the issues, themes and lessons gleaned from the plays - revealing that theater is truly a microcosm of life.

P;ear Youth Art Showcase
May and June 2011
Gerding Theater at the Armory Gallery and Ellyn Bye Studio Lobby
Portland Center Stage and p:ear are working in collaboration with curator Marcia Bizon and local artists Gary Houston and Heidi Elise Wirz to offer a series of visual arts workshops inspired by the individualism and self-expression of strong women like Janis Joplin and Lauren Weedman. The youths' art pieces, along with portraits of the youth taken by Charles Gullung, will be on display in our galleries in support of PCS's productions of Bust and One Night with Janis Joplin.

In addition to the public events above, Portland Center Stage is proud to be producing a series of workshops in collaboration with Write Around Portland, an innovative organization that provides high-quality, participant-centered workshops based on experiential learning to social service organizations. WAP will be working with women from Central City Concern's Mentor Recovery Program who have previous experience with incarceration or arrest. During the 5-week series, workshop facilitators will help participants harness their personal stories through "free-writes" and positive, strength-building feedback. Halfway through the program, participants will attend Bust and use Lauren Weedman's memoir piece as a springboard for sharing their own unique stories.

About Bust
Bust is Lauren Weedman's semi-autobiographical work built around her experiences working as a volunteer advocate in a Southern California prison for women. With one foot in Hollywood and the other foot in jail, the comedic actress careens wildly between the two worlds, taking us on a hilarious, poignant, and completely unforgettable ride. "I wanted to do something in my life that was not about career or weight loss," says Lauren in the show. "That would be profound. But I do have to say, if I lose weight while doing this that would be fabulous."

Bust is directed by Allison Narver. Scenic and Lighting Design is by Allen Hahn. Sound Design is by Mark Nichols.

Production Sponsors for Bust are Bank of America, 10th Avenue Athletic Club and RDH Building Sciences, Inc.

Portland Center Stage's 20010/11 season is funded in part by Umpqua Private Bank, the Regional Arts & Culture Council and Work for Art; the Oregon Arts Commission; the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation; and Tim & Mary Boyle.

Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. Established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PCS became an independent theater in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since May 2000. The company presents a blend of classic, contemporary and original productions in a conscious effort to appeal to the eclectic palate of theatergoers in Portland. PCS also offers a variety of education and outreach programs for curious minds from six to 106, including discussions, classes, workshops and partnerships with organizations throughout the Portland metro area.

THE GERDING THEATER AT THE ARMORY houses a 599-seat Main Stage and the 200-seat black box Ellyn Bye Studio. It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006. The capital campaign to fund the renovation of this hub for community artistic activity continues.

 

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