Portland Stage Offers Free Digital Content to Healthcare Workers and Families

When Portland Staged halted mid-way through its four-week live run of Native Gardens on March 12 in response to the threat of coronavirus, its four actors, three from New York City, were poised to return home early, but first it mounted one last private performance on March 14, playing to a small audience of staff. The only other difference in this final performance were the two video camera operators, a few repeated scenes for special shots, and the sound recording equipment hidden on stage. Nothing else about the performance was changed. Administration then negotiated the rights to trade the digital production in lieu of pre-purchased tickets as well as to sell tickets to the digital stream on a pay-per-view basis limited to the number of seats the production had originally intended to sell. The production must expire on April 12.

Tickets to the digital stream of Native Gardens can be purchased online at portlandstage.org. To receive free tickets, health care workers are encouraged to email the box office for free comp tickets at boxoffice@portlandstage.org.

Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías dives headfirst into cultural and generational misunderstandings between two neighbors with a brilliant comedy set in the backyards of a densely-populated status-conscious Washington D.C. neighborhood.

In an effort to continue to serve its community during the pandemic, Portland Stage has also brought its popular Saturday morning Education program, Play Me a Story to Facebook Live on Saturday mornings at 10:30 am for free. Education artists are streaming from their homes. Play Me a Story gives children ages 4-10 the experience of theater as professional theater artists perform children's stories and offer acting workshops. It builds literacy, encourages creativity and sparks dramatic dreams. Formerly, Play Me a Story cost $15 for one child and an adult, and $8 per additional person, but currently it is being offered free as it streams online. Five hundred people participated in its first livestream on March 28.

Cast & Artists of Native Gardens

Pablo Del Valle Jose-Maria Aguila*
Tania Del Valle Octavia Chavez-Richmond*
Virginia Butley Laura Houck*
Frank Butley Mitch Tebo*

Director Jade King Carroll***
Scenic Designer Anita Stewart**
Costume Designer Kenisha Kelly
Lighting Designer Cat Wilson**
Sound Designer Seth Asa Sengel
Stage Manager Myles C. Hatch*

* Denotes Member of Actors Equity Association
** Denotes Member of United Scenic Arts
***Denotes Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

QUICK INFO

Dates: Native Gardens will run digitally until April 12 at midnight.
Run Time: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission
Box Office Hours: Noon to 6 pm, Tuesday - Sunday. Staff is working from hom.
Box Office Phone: 207.774.0465
Box Office Email (preferred method of contact): boxoffice@portlandstage.org
Buy Tickets Online: www.PortlandStage.org
Price: Streaming $40 | Discounts for Seniors, Students, Rush35 | There is a limited number of Pay-What-You-Can tickets | For Rush35, Pay-What-You-Can, and Healthcare Worker Comps email boxoffice@portlandstage.org

PLAYNOTES: Created by the Portland Stage Literary and Education departments, these extensive guides present a broad spectrum of information and perspectives on each play in our Mainstage season. PlayNotes appeals to a wide audience of student and adult readers who wish to delve more deeply into the plays on our stage.
Access Native Gardens PlayNotes here: https://www.portlandstage.org/education/playnotes/

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