Many Hats Presents FIND ME BESIDE YOU, 8/4-14

Innovative director/choreographer Jessica Wallenfels re-imagines of one of rock's most critically acclaimed albums through the lens of her aggressively graceful rock meets ballet aesthetic in Find Me Beside You, playing August 4th through the 14th at Theatre! Theater! in Portland.

This world premiere performance event uses a live band and 10 singer-actors to tell, entirely through movement and song, the story of a "found family" of teenagers struggling to find themselves amidst the turmoil of 1968 Belfast. Find Me Beside You previews on Wednesday, August 4th, opens on Thursday, August 5th and runs Tuesday to Saturday at 8:00 pm through August 14th. Tickets start at $20 and can be ordered by phone at 503.897.0425 or online at http://www.manyhatscollaboration.org.

"Opening this show will mark the culmination of over two years of dedicated work on this piece," said Wallenfels. "We've done two rounds of workshops in two years, and gone from conceiving it as a ballet-based work all the way to creating a rock musical. Now that we've honed the idea in, I'm so lucky to have gathered a dream team of actors and designers."

Though young Aeden is a dreamer, his best friend Bridget and her younger sister Meagan follow him to Dublin in search of freedom after a brush with the random violence of "The Troubles". But Aeden finds he may not be ready to come of age when the pressure of providing in a new city falls to him. For Aeden, dreams turn to delusion as he and Meagan's weaknesses collude on a path to self destruction. Catalyzed by a cross-dressing medium, Aeden's unstoppable drive for redemption brings the three toward regeneration.

Drawing on the Romanticism of nineteenth century story ballet as told through the emotional athleticism of singer-actors, Find Me Beside You tracks an astral pilgrimage toward the koan of love.

The story of Find Me Beside You was developed by Lava Alapai, Elizabeth Klinger, Eric Nordin and Jessica Wallenfels. The piece is directed by Jessica Wallenfels, with choreography in collaboration with Erin Shannon and the cast.

Cast members include Dave Cole as Aeden (Songs for a New World, Miracle Theatre) Elizabeth Klinger (Truth and Beauty, Many Hats) as Bridget, Emilee Yaakola as Meagan, Shea Mackinnon as Young Aeden, Roxanne Stathos as Young Bridget, Caitlin Upshaw as Kathleen, Tracy Turner as Aeden Sr., Rebecca Teran as Colleen, Norman Wilson as Madame George and Jeremy Sloan as Brendan.

Eric Nordin (One, Insight Out) is the composer/arranger/musical director and leads a 4 piece band, playing keyboard and percussion. The band features Sam Densmore on Guitar, Sarah O'Mara on Violin and Tyson Bickle on Bass. The design team includes Scenic Designer Chris Rousseau, Lighting Designer Don Crossley, Sound Designer Annalise Albright, and Costume and Prop Designer kollodi.

Jessica Wallenfels is a two time Drammy Award-winning director and choreographer (Original Choreography, Artists Rep's Gracie and the Atom in 2010 and Portland Center Stage's Sometimes a Great Notion in 2008) who choreographs for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Romeo and Juliet in 2007 and Dead Man's Cell Phone in 2009) and generates multi-disciplinary work through Many Hats Collaborations. Jessica has been awarded grants from the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the Puffin Foundation to create Find Me Beside You, and has received generous support from the Heathman Hotel, The Oregonian, Hand2mouth Theatre and individual donors.

Many Hats Collaboration, and Oregon nonprofit, is a theatrical Production Company founded in 2004 by core members Lava Alapai, Jessica Wallenfels, and Annalise Albright. Company works have included Truth and Beauty in the 2010 Fertile Ground Festival, Mutt by Lava Alapai at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center with support from the Regional Arts and Culture Council, as well as 365 Days/365 Plays, Rest Room, and Stages for the JAW Festival at Portland Center Stage. The physical theatre piece Break, Then Open was produced at Tribe Theater in April 2005. Many Hats Collaboration creates visually stunning performances, attracts an adventurous audience, and invites ongoing participation between its core members and an open circle of artists.

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