THE AMERICAN STORY LIVE to Premiere at The Reser in Beaverton

On Friday, October 30, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., The Immigrant Story, co-presented with the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts and in collaboration with Portland Opera, will present The American Story Live: 250 Years of Becoming at The Reser in Beaverton.

THREE STORIES OF AN AMERICA IN THE MAKING

At the heart of this performance are three personal stories spanning generations, communities, and experiences—tales of migration, displacement, resilience, and belonging. They range from the Great Migration of Black Americans from the South and the building of Vanport, to the forced removal, incarceration, and resilience of Japanese Americans, and the Mexican migration that transformed communities across the Willamette Valley.

'America has never been a finished story,' said Sankar Raman, founder and president of The Immigrant Story. 'It is a story continually shaped by people who arrived here, people who were born here, people who struggled to find their place, and people who worked to make this country live up to its ideals. For our 250th anniversary, we wanted to create a space where those stories could meet through music and the power of the human voice.'

MUSIC AS ANOTHER WAY OF TELLING THE AMERICAN STORY

These stories unfold through a rich musical journey reflecting the extraordinary breadth of American culture—from African American spirituals and Southern gospel to hip-hop, Taiko, and mariachi. Rather than simply accompanying the stories, the music becomes another way of connecting generations, communities, histories, and traditions.

Alfrelynn Roberts, Artistic Director of Portland Opera, directs the musical arc, drawing on her deep roots in Southern gospel traditions and bringing together artists including 3rd Twin, enTaiko, and Gemanereida Barragán-Cruz. Together, the music and storytelling create a dynamic artistic conversation that weaves cultures and generations together.

Part concert, part storytelling, and part reflection, The American Story Live offers a vibrant and intimate look at an America both familiar and newly discovered.

WHY THESE STORIES, WHY NOW?

Founded in Portland in 2017, The Immigrant Story has spent nearly a decade sharing stories of immigrants and refugees and exploring the experiences that connect us across cultures and generations. For the organization, America's 250th anniversary is an opportunity to look at the American story in its fullest sense—and to recognize that the experiences of people who arrived here, people whose families have lived here for generations, and communities that have endured profound injustice are all part of the same evolving national narrative.

The American Story Live brings these experiences together in one artistic conversation, asking not only where America has come from, but how its people have shaped what it has become—and what it might yet become.

'The American story is not just about where we came from,' Raman said. 'It is about how we became who we are, and who we are still becoming.'

AN EVENING OF STORIES, MUSIC, AND COMMUNITY

The lobby opens at 6:00 p.m. for a pre-event gathering where audiences can meet The Immigrant Story team and storytellers, visit The Reser and connect with community organizations. The auditorium opens at 7:00 p.m., with the performance beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The performance is Pay What You Like, with tickets from $25, making the evening accessible to a broad audience. General admission seating is available.

The American Story Live: 250 Years of Becoming takes place Friday, October 30, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, 12625 SW Crescent St., Beaverton, Oregon.

ABOUT THE IMMIGRANT STORY

Founded in Portland in 2017, The Immigrant Story uses personal storytelling, live performance, film, podcasts, visual art and educational programs to create opportunities for people to listen to one another and discover the shared humanity within individual stories. The organization believes that when we listen to the experiences of others, we develop a deeper understanding of the people and communities around us. https://theimmigrantstory.org/

ABOUT PORTLAND OPERA