October 23, 2019 Page 7 Arts & ENTERTAINMENT Finding a Way to Love Hip hop infused drama about history, identity and DNA A young black woman’s relationship with her white boyfriend is thrown into turmoil when her uncle’s exploration of their family’s lineage reveals that her ancestors were enslaved by her boyfriend’s ancestors. “Redwood,” a new play performed and written by Brittany K. Allen, an ac- complished New York-based actor and playwright, makes its world premiere at Portland Center Stage at the Armory. Preview shows begin on Saturday, Oct. 26, opening night is Friday, Nov. 1 and the show plays through Nov. 17. Guided by a hip-hop dance class chorus, the vibrant and humor-filled, theater production is about finding a way to live and love in a present that’s overpopulated with ghosts. “How much of our identity is something we choose? And how much of it is tied to our genealogy – the traumas and joys of our ances- tors being passed along to us through generations?” said Chip Miller, the play’s associate producer. “That Brit- tany is able to ask these challenging questions while maintaining a true sense of joy, surprise, and theatri- cality, continues to astound me Plus, there’s dancing!” Tickets are $25 to $87. Visit pcs.org, call 503-445-3700 or the box office at 128 N.W. 11th Ave. Brittany K. Allen stars in the world premiere of her play ‘Redwood’ at Portland Center Stage at the Armory. Fall Gardening Workshops You’re invited to learn the art of Japanese pruning with Masa Mizuno, a highly respected master of Japanese garden cultivation in one of a series of gardening workshops by the Horticulture Department at Clackamas Community College. The Horticulture Department at Clackamas Community College invites the community to enroll in series of gardening workshops this fall. The session topics are Pesticide Laws and Safety, Foundations of Irrigation Design, Jap- anese Style Pruning; Creating Hypertufa Con- tainers, and Pesticide Core Training. Some of the workshops run several days and fees range from $35 to $181. All of the sessions meet in Clairmont Hall on the Oregon City campus, 19600 Molalla Ave. For information on how to register for classes, contact Loretta Mills at 503-594- 3292 or lorettam@clackamas.edu.