Portland theater takes center stage

By Misha Berson

PORTLAND — The opening of a major new playhouse is a festive occasion in any sizeable city. And the opening of Portland Center Stage's handsome new Gerding Theater at the Armory last weekend was accompanied by plenty of hoopla — and some audible sighs of relief.

A city that's growing fast but determined to retain its unique urban character, Portland has long lagged behind its more populated cousin to the north in erecting new performing facilities. It has also never developed the critical mass of professional theaters, and theater patrons, to gain Seattle's national credibility as a "theater town."

The completion of the new Armory complex is a big step toward that goal.

In the heart of the fashionable and trendy Pearl District, this refurbished 19th-century military facility has retained such original features as its 100-foot-long old-growth Douglas fir bow trusses and crenelated parapets.

But enter, and you'll find a pair of handsome, modern, well-equipped theaters (one seating 599 people, the other a 200-seat "black box" studio), and spacious lobby, meeting and office areas decorated in the invitingly hip, modern-funk style for which Portland is known.

One might assume, from the happy crush of dignitaries, media folk and other revelers at the opening of the theater's first show, "West Side Story," that Portland's movers-and-shakers had rallied behind the project from day one.

But nobody knows better than Portland Center Stage's determined artistic director Chris Coleman what it took to secure financing for the $36.1 million project, and convince influential skeptics it was just what Portland needs.

"West Side Story" Through Nov. 5 at the Portland Center Stage's Gerding Theatre, 128 N.W. 11th Ave., Portland. Tickets and other information: www.pcs.org or 503-445-3700.
Chatting before the opening gala, a deceptively calm, low-key Coleman noted that when he migrated from Atlanta to Portland in 2000 to run Portland Center Stage (PCS), he faced the same daunting challenge former directors had.

Namely: How do you get Portlanders excited about theater if you're presenting it in an inflexible, shared barn of a downtown auditorium within the Portland Center for the Performing Arts?

"There were huge issues with (our old)space, in terms of the quality and variety of productions you could have," said Coleman. "The sightlines are difficult. You can't do intimate plays.

"And we really needed to be in a space where we could reinvent and expand our relationship with the community. We needed a place that said, 'This is Portland.' "

Once Coleman and the PCS board agreed a major makeover of the Armory was the right move, they had to devise a creative financing plan for buying, gutting and remaking the historic structure (then owned by the Portland development company, Gerding Edlen). It meant cobbling together municipal and federal tax credits and urban-renewal loans, private gifts and foundation grants.

A public flap ensued over one critical source of funding: federal tax credits aimed at economically depressed urban districts. The Armory project qualified because the Pearl District has a fair number of low-income housing units.

But critics protested the use of federal dollars in an area now more noted for pricey condo complexes and the upscale eateries, shops and Whole Foods Market that came with them.

The plan survived, however, gaining esteem also for the eco-friendly design by Portland's GBD architectural firm. The building will use rainwater to flush toilets, passive heating and cooling, and other features to be roughly 30 percent more energy-efficient than standard structures of the same size.

The Armory now proudly displays a plaque certifying that it has won a rare platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Coleman says PCS still must find about $8 million to pay off building costs. But he's optimistic about that.

The main thing now is introducing Portlanders to the Armory complex (which is near a light-rail line, cafes and easy parking). And proving the new venue will be an artistic boon to PCS and the wider community.

On both scores, opening with "West Side Story" was an inspired choice.

Sure, it's a classic Broadway musical with instant title recognition. But the ambitious Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim score and high dramatic and choreographic demands aren't easy to ace.

Coleman's staging in the Armory's intimate yet substantial mainstage theater got off to a tentative start in the opening "Jets vs. Sharks" number. And the orchestra fumbled through the complex score at times.

But overall this is a vibrantly performed and designed production, with good chemistry among its four leads (Carey Brown's sweet Maria, Tony Clarno's acrobatic Riff, Anderson Davis' sincere Tony and Ivette Sosa's exciting Anita), and it honors the show's blend of vitality and tragedy.

The opening-night crowd roared its approval at the final curtain. But Coleman knew he was home free before the show even started. When he came before the audience to make some brief welcoming remarks, they gave him a well-deserved standing ovation.