Portland observer., February 08, 2017, Page Page 15, Image 15

February 8, 2017
BLACK
HISTORY
MONTH
Page 15
Arts &
ENTERTAINMENT
‘Swimming While Drowning,” a world premiere play about two
homeless teens who find inspiration to live life on their own terms,
opens Thursday, Feb.9 and runs through Feb. 25 at Milagro, 525
S.E. Stark St.
Life on Their Own Terms
Milagro, Portland premier Lati-
no arts and culture center at 525
S.E. Stark St., presents the world
premiere of “Swimming While
Drowning,”
When teenager Angelo Mendez
decides to leave his home out of
fear of further disappointing his
homophobic father, he encounters
a world he was not prepared for at
an LGBT homeless shelter in Los
Angeles. Spoken word poetry and
teen romance collide in this com-
ing of age story as two homeless
teens find inspiration to live life
on their own terms.
“This play is going to be unlike
anything that is currently playing
right now in Portland and it’s excit-
ing to help bring it to life with the
world premiere,” said playwright
Emilio Rodriguez. “We’re not see-
ing teenage characters that identify
as LGBTQ and the real struggles
that they go through, so being able
to give a voice to those types of
characters, that’s important.
“Swimming While Drowning,”
opens Thursday, Feb. 9 and runs
through Feb. 25.
Bigger Plans for
‘Hidden’ Star
(AP) - Octavia Spencer is up
for her second Academy Award
this year, but the star of “Hidden
Figures” said Monday that she
has even bigger plans.
“The role I’m destined to play
is to be one of the biggest produc-
ers in Hollywood,” Spencer said
at the 3rd annual Makers Confer-
ence, a women’s empowerment
event sponsored by Verizon.
The actress shared her aspira-
tions during a conversation with
Gloria Steinem that kicked off the
two-day conference in California.
Spencer received a supporting
actress Oscar nod for playing Dor-
othy Vaughn, a black mathemati-
cian who worked at NASA, in the
crowd-pleasing best picture nomi-
nee “Hidden Figures.”
Spencer told the Makers crowd
Monday night that she wants to
continue to tell stories “that hav-
en’t really been told.”
Octavia Spencer
“I want the movies that I pro-
duce to show a broader spectrum
of people in the world,” she said.
Spencer said she is working
on a project about the Jonestown
Massacre for HBO and develop-
ing a story about pioneering black
entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker.
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