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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 29, 2015)
J u fl y 2 9 , 20 1 5 P a g e 9 M fi s s fi s s fi p p fi A fl b e r t a N o r t h P o r t fl a n d V a n c o u v e r E a s t C o u n t y B e a v e r t o n The p fla y ‘Vanpo r t ’ t e fl fl s the h fi s t o r y o f flo ca fl A f r fi can Ame r fi can s who came t o Po r t fland t o find wo r k and who fa ced man y ha rd sh fip s , f rom rampan t ra c fi sm t o a flood tha t de - s t ro yed the fi r t own . The p rodu c t fion ge t s an aud fien ce th fi s wee k w fi th pe r fo rman ce s s chedu fled n figh t fl y f rom Thu r sda y , Ju fl y 30 th rough Sa tu rda y , Aug .1 a t the Je f fe r son H figh S choo fl aud fi t o r fium . V o fi c e s V anpo r t f rom P fl ay r e coun t s f am fi fly h fi s to r fi e s , exp e r fi en c e s BY O L IV IA O L IV IA T HE P ORTLAND O BSERVER A n ew s t ag e p rodu c t fion comm emo r a t fing th e h fi s to ry o f V anpo r t , a c fi ty flo c a t ed n ex t doo r to Po r t fl and th a t w a s h e av fi fly popu fl a t ed by A f r fi c an -Am e r fi c an s b e fo r e flood - w a t e r s w fip ed fi t o f f th e m ap , com e s to th e J e f f e r son H figh S choo fl Aud fi to r fium th fi s w e ek . Th e p fl ay , w r fi t t en and d fi r e c t ed by Sh a fl and a S fim s , an O r egon -b a s ed b fl a ck a c t r e s s and p e r fo rm e r , b r fing s tog e th- e r fo flk s f rom P en fin My H and p rodu c t fion s and s tud en t s f rom S e fl f Enh an c em en t , In c . , th e pub fl fi c ch a r t e r s choo fl and f am fi fly suppo r t o r g an fi z a t fion s e rv fing Po r t fl and ’ s b fl a ck commun fi ty . Th e c a s t and c r ew con s fi s t s o f flo c a fl p ro f e s s fion a fl and am- a t eu r adu fl t and you th a r t fi s t s su ch a s n a t fion a fl - r enown S ax - ophon fi s t E fldon T . Jon e s , O r egon ’ s Augu s t W fi fl son Mono - flogu e Comp e t fi t fion fi r s t p fl a c e w finn e r I s a fi ah S fim s , and th e t a fl en t ed J e f f e r son H figh S choo fl a flumn a K r fi s t fin W a r r en . S fim s s ay s th a t sh e w ro t e th e p fl ay w fi th h e r own f am fi fly h fi s to ry fin m find , sh a r fing th a t h e r own g r e a t -g r andmo th e r c am e to O r egon du r fing W o r fld W a r I I to wo rk fin th e Po r t - fl and and V an couv e r a r e a sh fipy a rd s . “ I w an t ed to know wh a t fi t w a s fl fik e to fl fiv e fin V anpo r t , wh a t fi t sm e fl fl ed fl fik e , how p eop fl e f e fl t down fin th e fi r fin- n e rmo s t b e fing , ” S fim s s a fid abou t h e r fin sp fi r a t fion . “Th e an sw e r s c am e f rom my mo th e r , g r andmo th e r , and o th e r n a t fiv e s fl fik e M r s . R eg fin a F flow e r s who g r ew up fin V anpo r t and M s . S t e fl fl who w a s on e o f th e fi r s t wom en wo rk e r s th e r e . ” Th e mo r e flo c a fl sou r c e s sh a r ed , th e mo r e S fim s s ay s sh e und e r s tood abou t V anpo r t and th e mo r e sh e f e fl t th e s to ry mu s t b e to fld . Sh e took on th e t a sk o f w r fi t fing th e p fl ay , and th e fin a fl p rodu c t fion fi s now r e ady fo r Po r t fl and aud fi en c e s . “V anpo r t ” run s a t th e J e f f e r son H figh S choo fl Aud fi to - r fium f rom Thu r sd ay , Ju fly 30 th rough S a tu rd ay , Aug . 1 , w fi th show s b eg finn fing a t 7 :30 p .m . ev e ry n figh t . T fi ck e t s a r e $15 fin adv an c e and $20 a t th e doo r . T o buy t fi ck e t s , v fi s fi t th e J ay ah Ro s e S a flon & Sp a a t 12 N .E . Sh av e r S t . , o r go to b rownp ap e r t fi ck e t s . com / ev en t /1751794 .
