In addition to ongoing regular programming, Oregon Humanities occasionally offers public lectures, panels, and reading and discussion series in communities around the state. We also work in partnership with other organizations to offer this type of programming.
New Brown Bag Lunch Series Begins in February
Oregon Humanities and Portland Center Stage have collaborated on Shop Talk, a brown-bag lunch series that pairs thespians with humanities thinkers to explore provocative ideas in PCS’s current season. All discussions are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Programs will be held from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the cafe at the Gerding Theater at the Armory, 128 NW 11th Ave., Portland. Participants can bring their own lunch or preorder box lunches from the cafe (see information below).
- Wednesday, February 2: Join Futura playwright Jordan Harrison and Aaron Schmidt, digital initiatives librarian for the District of Columbia Public Library, in a conversation about the future of the book.
- Friday, March 4: Rose Riordan, director of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Jan Haaken, Portland State University psychology professor and documentary filmmaker, will discuss mental illness on stage and in society.
- Wednesday, April 20: Opus cast member Matthew Boston and writer, artist, and jazz drummer Tim DuRoche will discuss music, creativity, and chemistry.
- Friday, May 6: Join Bust playwright and actress Lauren Weedman & Back Fence PDX coproducer B. Frayn Masters in a conversation about memoir, truth, and fame.
The following box lunches can be preordered from the cafe. E-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by 9:00 a.m. of the day of the event. Write “Preorder” in the subject line, and be sure to include your first name. Payment will be collected at pick-up.
- Turkey sandwich, with our house-made aioli, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese: $8
- Egg salad sandwich served on Franz Old Fashioned® White Bread: $7
Both of the above will be served with either a house salad or chips (choice of balsamic vinaigrette or ranch dressing).
- Large Garden Salad, with organic mixed greens, diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, fresh avocado, sliced bell peppers, grated Parmesan cheese, sunflower seeds.Your choice of ranch or balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Served with a slice of Grand Central Baking Como Bread and butter: $8
Use the following codes for a $5 discount on tickets for the respective production (not valid with any other offer, student tickets, or previously purchased tickets. Seating subject to availability):
Futura = “LIBRARY”
Cuckoos = “RATCHED”
Opus = “STRINGS”
Bust = “WEEDMAN”
06 January 2011 | Permalink | Comments? (3 so far)
Commentary
The upcoming Shop Talk series looks fascinating. Since I live 350 miles away, across the mountain pass, I won’t be able to attend. Will they be recorded and available on the INternet?
Toni Bailie | Paisley, Oregon | 07 Jan at 03:39 PM
Toni - great idea. Our Director of Programs says we will try, but that it may be tough to get good enough sound quality in the cafe where the series will take place.
Eric Gold | Portland | 19 Jan at 11:42 AM
I attended the “Cuckoo’s Nest” event this past Friday, and while I found it informative and fascinating, I admit to being surprised by the format—essentially, a moderated talk-show-style interview of the two announced presenters, with limited opportunity for audience questions at the end.
As I’d read the event description, I’d anticipated a much more interactive, less formally staged event—something much more like one of the Conversation Project sessions I attended some months ago. The above descriptions emphasize the word “discussion” and refer to members of the attending public as “participants”, rather than listeners or audience members. Along with these descriptive cues, the choice of a decidedly informal venue—the theatre’s lobby cafe, not a conference room or auditorium—also implied, at least to me, a less formal presentation than what was actually offered.
Please don’t misunderstand: I enjoyed the March 4 event and may attend subsequent presentations as my schedule permits. However, I would strongly suggest rewording the above publicity material to better and more accurately reflect the intended format of the presentations; as it stands, it seems to me that what’s currently given is misleading and inappropriate. As an organization devoted to clear and accurately framed communications, Oregon Humanities can and should do better.
John C. Bunnell | Portland | 05 Mar at 11:53 PM
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