PCS Holds SUNSET BOULEVARD Drag Night, 10/8

Bust out your best Norma Desmond drag (or shop for some new glittering Hollywood vintage) at this just announced series of pre-show events for Sunset Boulevard and you could win a pair of season tickets to the 2010/2011 PCS season. Drag Night will be October 8th, with a special $5 off offer using the code word "DRAG" and a complimentary drink ticket for each patron who arrives dressed as Norma (as well as a chance to win season tickets!) Patrons on the hunt for glittering Hollywood finds to add some glamour to their fall wardrobe should join us for our pre-show vintage fashion shows on September 29th, October 6th, and October 13th at 7:05 pm. 
 
It's no secret that Sunset Boulevard's Norma Desmond ranks high on the list of style icons beloved by drag queens everywhere- her passion, her star power, her tragic elegance are all rich fodder for anyone in search of a more glamorous life. On October 8th at 7:00 pm Portland Center Stage invites anyone who's ever been inspired by Norma to throw on a turban and some fabulous jewels and relive the glory of The Greatest Star of All.
 
All patrons attending can receive $5 off tickets to the performance by using the code word "DRAG" when ordering tickets by phone or online at www.pcs.org. Patrons who attend the performance dressed as Norma will automatically receive a complimentary drink ticket they can use before the show or at intermission. At 7:00 pm in the lobby we will host a Norma pageant- the best Norma will win a pair of season tickets to the 2010/2011 season. The pageant will be judged by a panel of local celebrities from the drag community.
 
On Wednesday, September 29th, October 5th and October 13th at 7:05 pm the Armory Lobby Grand Staircase will be transformed into a fashion runway as two of Portland's premiere vintage stores, Ray's Ragtime and Bombshell Vintage collaborate with stylist Critter Pierce for a series of vintage fashion shows inspired by the look of Sunset Boulevard. The pre-show fashion events are free to the public, and patrons are invited to stay for the evening's performance (reminder: $20 rush tickets are available starting 10 minutes prior to curtain for every performance).

Sunset Boulevard runs Tuesday through Sunday until October 17th on the Portland Center Stage Main Stage. Tickets start at $43, with student and under 30 discounts available. Rush tickets are $20. Show times are 7:30 pm Tuesday through Saturday, with a 2:00 pm Sunday matinee and alternating Saturday 2:00 pm and Sunday 7:30 pm performances. See the show calendar http://www.pcs.org/sunset/ for the complete performance schedule. Tickets are available by calling 503.445.3700 or online at http://www.pcs.org.
 
Billy Wilder once said of Sunset Boulevard, the blockbuster movie classic that launched William Holden's career and re-launched Gloria Swanson's,
 
"It should be an opera. After all, what is Norma if not a dethroned queen?"
 
In the hands of Andrew Lloyd Webber, that's exactly what you get- a big, bold, pop opera bursting with memorable songs and luscious Hollywood production numbers. It may be the pictures that got small, but in the musical adaptation of Sunset Boulevard, Norma is still BIG BIG BIG.
 
The music for Sunset Boulevard was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The musical is based on the 1950 Billy Wilder film Sunset Boulevard, which singlehandedly revived Gloria Swanson's career and solidified the creepy/fascinating mythos of the Hollywood has-been.
Sunset Boulevard will be directed by Artistic Director Chris Coleman and will feature Linda Mugleston as Norma Desmond, Kevin Reed as Joe Gillis, Sarah Stevens as Betty Schaefer and Larry Daggett as Max von Meyerling. The rest of the denizens of Golden Age Hollywood will be fleshed out by local ensemble members Leif Norby and Courtney Freed, as well as Michael Brian Dunn, Jessica Lisa Elovsson, Tony Falcon, Lisa Karlin, Robert Andrew Koutras, Emily Leonard, Paul Louis Lessard, Lindsay Luppino, Jeffrey Pew, Kurt Raimer, Robert Stoeckle and Tracy J. Wholf.
 
Additional support for this production has been provided by Umpqua Private Bank, Perkins Coie, NW Natural, the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation and Helen & Jerry Stern. Media support has been provided by Kink.fm.

Portland Center Stage's 2009/10 season is funded in part by Umpqua Private Bank, the Regional Arts & Culture Council and Work for Art; the Oregon Arts Commission; the Paul G.Allen Family Foundation; and Tim & Mary Boyle.
 
Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways.  Established in 1988 as an off shoot of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PCS became an independent theater in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since May 2000.  The company presents a blend of classic, contemporary and original productions in a conscious effort to appeal to the eclectic palate of theatergoers in Portland.  PCS also offers a variety of education and outreach programs for curious minds from six to 106, including discussions, classes, workshops and partnerships with organizations throughout the Portland metro area.
 
THE GERDING THEATER AT THE ARMORY houses a 599-seat Main Stage and the 200-seat black box Ellyn Bye Studio.  It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006.  The capital campaign to fund the renovation of this hub for community artistic activity continues.

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