S e p t em b e r 30 , 20 1 5 M fi n o r fi t y & Sm a l l B u s fi n e s s W e e k P a g e 2 1 M fi s s fi s s fi p p fi A l b e r t a N o r t h P o r t l 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 PHOTO COURTESY O WEN W ALZ I th fi ca T e l l ( f rom le f t ) , A sh le y N fi co le W fi l l fiam s , Joe G fib son and Ch fip She rman s ta r fin ‘How W e Go t On , ’ a s t o r y abou t h fip hop fin fi t s go lden age , p re sen t ed b y Po r t land P la y - hou se , a lo ca l g roup tha t se r ve s a d fi ve r se aud fien ce a t 602 N .E . P re s co t t S t . fin t o a commun fi t y thea t e r . H fip -hop ’ s go ld en ag e on P l ayhou s e s t ag e Po r t l and P l ayhou s e l aun ch e s fi t s e figh th s e a son th fi s w e ek w fi th Id r fi s Goodw fin ’ s ‘How W e Go t On , ’ a s to ry o f h fip -hop ’ s l a t e -1980 ’ s go ld en ag e . Goodw fin fi s a b l a ck p l ayw r figh t , r ap- p e r and e s s ay fi s t , on e o f th e s fix p l ay- w r figh t s f e a tu r ed fin “H and s Up , ” an an tho logy comm fi s s fion ed by Th e N ew B l a ck F e s t th e a t e r mov em en t fin N ew Y o rk . “How W e Go t On , ” t e l l s th e s to ry o f th r e e M fidw e s t e rn t e en s who l fiv e th e fi r b e a t s , rhym e s and d r e am s o f s t a rdom . B a t t l fing subu rb an b fi a s e s , e a c h o th e r ’ s H ow W e G o t O n ego s and th e fi r own s e l f -doub t , th ey l e a rn abou t fid en t fi ty , fin sp fi r a t fion and c r e a t fing th e c r e a t fiv e l fi f e . “H fi p - h o p fi s fi n h e r e n t l y t h e a t r fi c a l a n d I am a l o v e r o f s p e c t a c l e , ” s a fi d t h e s h ow ’ s d fi r e c t o r , J e n R ow e . “ I d r fi s G o o dw fi n fi s s u c h a s k fi l l e d w r fi t e r . H e m o v e s q u fi c k l y , u s e s s h a r p h um o r , l o v e s h fi s c h a r a c t e r s ; e n d ow s t h em w fi t h b o t h r e s fi l fi e n c y a n d v u l n e r a b fi l fi t y— b u t m o s t fim p o r t a n t l y b r fi n g s u s a f r e s h p e r s p e c t fi v e . ” Mu s fi c d fi r e c t fion fi s by r app e r and po e t M fi c C r en sh aw who sh fin e s on Good- w fin ’ s m a s t e ry o f rhy thm and wo rdp l ay . An a l l -Po r t l and c a s t b r fing s th fi s com- fing -o f - ag e t a l e to l fi f e w fi th s en s fi t fiv fi ty and e a rn e s tn e s s , po r t r ay fing ou r t e en ag e h e ro e s a s th ey t ry to find a w ay to b r e ak fin to th e u rb an s c en e and g e t s fign ed to a m a jo r l ab e l , pu sh fing th rough th e n eg - a t fiv fi ty and l e a rn fing to b r e a th e fin joy . Po r t l and P l ayhou s e h a s a m fi s s fion to s e rv e d fiv e r s e aud fi en c e s fin Po r t l and and p rov fid e a sp a c e to b r fing p eop l e to - g e th e r to c e l eb r a t e th e comp l ex fi ty o f ou r sh a r ed hum an cond fi t fion . Op en fing N figh t fo r “How W e Go t On , ” fi s S a tu rd ay , O c t . 3 w fi th p e r fo r- m an c e s con t finu fing th rough O c t . 25 . Fo r t fi ck e t s and mo r e fin fo rm a t fion , c a l l th e box o ffi c e a t 503 -488 -5822 o r v fi s fi t po r t l andp l ayhou s e .o r g .