Oregon Children's Theatre to Present MAYA RUIZ RISES

Oregon Children's Theatre announced a new, educational play, Maya Ruiz Rises, available for on-demand streaming for educators. Written by Francisco Garcia and produced thanks to the support of Portland General Electric, this play addresses the reality of climate change & educates children on the positive impact they can have on their environment.

Maya Ruiz Rises tells the story of 12-year-old Maya, as she goes on a quest to protect our planet, while learning the importance of environmental conservation and how to combat climate change. In this original musical, students will learn the importance of environmental conservation and the role we can all play in protecting our planet, while reducing our carbon footprint.

The show was funded and supported by Portland General Electric, as part of their Project Zero initiative focused on educating youth about climate science and creating a cleaner, smarter energy future for Oregon.

"Students are telling us they want to learn more about climate science and to be part of the solution," said Kregg Arntson, Community Impact Director at PGE. "By partnering with Oregon Children's Theatre, we're using the power of storytelling to help youth think critically about how climate change is impacting them and their communities."

The script was written by local artist and actor Francisco Garcia, who was inspired by his daughter's passion about environmental conservation and her Latinx and Indigenous culture.

"Now more than ever we need plays and musicals that address the importance of climate change awareness and what we can do to help make a difference and reduce our carbon footprint," Garcia said. "Theatre has the power to illicit change and that's what excites me most about this production."

The production was also under consultation of Bobby Brunoe, General Manager of Natural Resources and a Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

The production will be available to all schools and educators in Oregon and can be accessed by signing up on OCT's website. Additionally, educators have the option to download an Educator's Resource Guide, which includes lessons, discussion topics, and worksheets to extend learning from the production into the classroom. Finally, educators located in the PGE service area will also have access to a free, interactive virtual workshop with OCT's Teaching Artists to further explore the materials and facilitate the lessons with students.

To access the streaming performance, educators should visit OCT's website and complete the booking form, where they can also opt into the free workshop and download the Maya Ruiz Rises Resource Guide, as well as additional climate education resources provided by PGE. While the production is only available to stream online currently, OCT and PGE plan to bring Maya Ruiz Rises into classrooms as a live performance once it is safe to do so. "While it's a digital performance for now, we look forward to the time when we can take Maya's story on the road and share it with schools live and in-person," said Marcella Crowson, Artistic Director at OCT.

Maya Ruiz Rises is the second collaboration between PGE and OCT; following the success of Pedro's Path to Power, an in-school assembly, which focused on how electricity is made, electrical safety, and the inherent power in making good choices.

"While Pedro has a great message and is still relevant, the reality and immediacy of climate change prompted us to move forward on this new partnership," Crowson explained. "We are so happy to continue our long collaboration with PGE with this brand-new play on such an important subject. We hope tagging along with Maya on her journey will inspire students and teachers to embark on their own paths to conservation, clean energy, and a deeper understanding of climate change."

"Without a doubt, theatre has the power to change the world, "said Kimberly Howard, Project Zero Director at PGE. "Our partnership with Oregon Children's Theatre is a great example of how we are committed to providing students with hands-on learning experiences that can expand their knowledge of climate science, environmental stewardship and clean energy solutions so they can change the world."

Founded in 1988, Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT) has served well over two million children, teachers, and families. Its mission is to create exceptional theater experiences that transform lives. OCT is Oregon's largest non-profit professional theater for young audiences and a resident company of Portland'5 Centers for the Arts. Performances are held weekdays for school audiences and on weekends for family audiences. OCT offers numerous school services including study guides, teacher professional development opportunities, in-school workshops, and an extensive outreach program. OCT's year-round Acting Academy offers theater classes for children ages 3-18 and the Young Professionals Company, a year-round mentoring program for teens that includes professional level training, education, and public performances.

Funding for Oregon Children's Theatre's 2021-2022 season is provided in part by the National Endowment of the Arts, Shubert Foundation, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation, and the Oregon Arts Commission.

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across the state. The company serves approximately 900,000 customers with a service area population of 2 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE owns 16 generation plants across Oregon and other Northwestern states and maintains and operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For over 130 years, PGE has delivered safe, affordable and reliable energy to Oregonians. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE and its 3,000 employees are working with customers to build a clean energy future. In 2020, PGE, employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $5.6 million and volunteered 18,200 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon. Project Zero is our commitment to engaging diverse communities in learning about climate change science, exploring clean energy and other solutions, and making a positive impact on the planet through volunteerism and internship programs. For more information visit portlandgeneral.com/news. PROJECT ZERO is a registered trademark of International Designs Corporation, LLC (https://projectzerofootprint.com/).

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