BroadArts Theatre has received a $7,000 grant from the McKenzie River Gathering Foundation for pre-production of WonderBroader, a new musical about women making history now. Read more about it on our Sponsors Page or visit the MRG website.

In other news, audio samples from WonderBroads have been uploaded to the site and are now available on the Goodies Page- give them a listen!

BroadArts Theatre has received a terrific gift from the Foundation of Mercy to partially support artists’ salaries for the Peace Arts Camp. In the award letter, we were delighted to read “The Foundation of Mercy is grateful to present a $5,000 grant to “On the Road to Peace” Art Camps through the BroadArts Theatre. Thank you for making a difference in our world, especially with our children!”

BroadArts says Thank YOU!

BroadArts’ interactive cabaret, IF I WERE THE QUEEN OF THIS FOREST! was a big part of the City of Portland’s visionPDX 30 year strategic future plan. Last fall, the City Council, led by Mayor Tom Potter, adopted the 30 year strategic plan. Melinda Pittman, Artistic Director of BroadArts Theatre, has now been appointed to the Vision Into Action Coalition, to help implement the hopes and dreams of all of our citizens. Please join us for the kick-off of Vision Into Action Thursday, March 13 at City Hall!

I listened to an amazing interview on NPR with Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai as she spoke of the Green Belt Movement she started in Kenya- please listen! 

As you know, Maathai is one of the women our new production WONDERBROADER, will feature. Check our Upcoming page for information on volunteer opportunities and upcoming auditions!

The whole NPR interview is available for free- and the music what a fantastic fusion of worldbeat, Kenyan folk songs and Catholic hymns! Don’t miss it! The link is below.

Melinda

Click here: Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett: religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas [from American Public Media]

This is exciting! On Friday April 25th, at 6:30, BroadArts artists, board and volunteers we’re holding  our first “Conversations With Extraordinary Women” Salon. We’ve created this series of Salons, featuring local ‘wonderbroads’  to create a conversation, to talk with you and hear how you think we can make our world more equal, peaceful, compassionate, sustainable and just.

Our first Salon focusses on community peacemaking and peacemakers. Our special guest April 25th is Joy Ellison, of Vancouver, Washington, who is currently serving her second year as a Christian Peacemaker Team member in the south Hebron hills of At-Tuwani. CPT in At-Tuwani. CPT accompanies Palestinian shepherds, farmers and school children in the area around Israel’s Ma’on settlement and its outposts. 
 

Of course no BroadArts event would be complete without music!  

BroadArts Theatre’s BroadBand will add to the evening, singing satirical and serious social justice songs

And we want you to sing along!

The first “Conversations With Extraordinary Women” Salon will be held at the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Center, 1131 SE Oak at SE 12th and Pine Street, (in between Burnside and Stark Streets) in the Che’ Room.

We’re going to try a potluck- so please bring something to share that doesn’t need to be heated nor kept cold. Recyclable plates and flatware, and locally produced juice will be provided.

There is a wheelchair ramp into the building and an accessible parking space in the church parking lot. Street parking is also available: St Francis is also accessible by bus.

The Salon is free: Donations will be gladly accepted and shared between CPT and BroadArts Theatre.As we continue to research stories for  WONDERBROADER,  BroadArts plans other “Conversations With Extraordinary Women” Salons in May and June in various quadrants of the city.

Please join us, meet this remarkable young woman and join in a conversation as to how Joy and others are participating in creating a more peaceful world. Plus it will be fun!

BroadArts kicks off ” ‘SWAN Day’ Showcase of Female Creatives ” Saturday March 29 at 2pm with a kick-butt live comedy-music mayhem performance by our touring musical magicians, the BroadArts BroadBand!

Come out and see/ hear/ smell the lovely Mollie Hart, the lovely Susan LeMaster, the lovely Sarah Adams, the lovely Dan Linn, the lovely Stacy Davis, the lovely Aaron Linn, and Portland’s ‘bad girl’ of comedy herself, Melinda E. Pittman, that would be me!

It’s free! It’s fun! You can sing-along! You can Support Women Artists Now (SWAN)! You can buy a CD to impress your aging aunt Matilda in Toledo!

Here’s the scoop:

The Energy Trust Better Living Show
Connector Room, Between C and D Hall
Portland Expo Center, 2060 North Marine Drive
All Ages ~Free admission
Event Hours: 11:00 am 9:00 pm

BroadArts’interactive cabaret, IF I WERE THE QUEEN OF THIS FOREST! was a big part of the City of Portland’s visionPDX 30 year strategic future plan. Last fall, the City Council, led by Mayor Tom Potter, adopted the 30 year strategic plan.

Melinda Pittman, Artistic Director of BroadArts Theatre, has now been appointed to the Vision Into Action Coalition, to help implement the hopes and dreams of all of our citizens. Please join us for the kick-off of Vision Into Action Thursday, March 13 at City Hall!

BroadArts Theatre celebrates SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now) with a gala fundraising presentation and performance at the home of Gila Lane, BroadArts Board member, Saturday night, March 29th at 7 p.m.

Our special guest that night is Vicky Trabosh, founder of Itafari, a partnership with Rwanda women leaders to build schools in Rwanda that girls are allowed to attend. Food, beverages, fun and news of our upcoming musical, WONDERBROADER. You can be involved! Register to attend the evening gala at the SWAN day website!

Be a Co-creator of BroadArts’ next comedy musical production! During the first phase of creating WONDERBROADER, (March- May 2008), BroadArts invites enthusiastic, creative, imaginative and curious volunteer researchers to poll our communities and uncover the stories of global s/heroes changing the world right now. Sound like fun? Go to the BroadArts Volunteer and Internship Page to sign up!

Who else should BroadArts know about for WONDERBROADER ?

Who are your women heroes changing the world right now? They don’t have to have won the Nobel Prize. If you know of women from any country who are making the world more equal, peaceful, compassionate, sustainable and just, please let BroadArts know! Tell us a bit about your personal s/hero.

BROADARTS THEATRE, Portland’s progressive, original touring theatre company, announces the creation of WONDERBROADER™ ©, our newest comedy-musical-theatre production about global women changing the world, while you read this announcement!

WONDERBROADER is the sequel to our award-winning hit, WONDERBROADS, the show about 20th century American women: the “Babes and Broads who Broke the Rules!” Starting right now, BroadArts Theatre artists, interns, designers, researchers, volunteers, musicians, actors and dancers are preparing for our new production.

Read more to find out how you can be a part of it!

-Melinda