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From the Director: Chip Miller

How do you measure a year? Director Chip Miller on the timeless and inspiring messages of Rent.

The original DJ Kool Herc party flyer, hand-written on notebook paper in pencil and black ink.

“And You Don’t Stop” — The Enduring Legacy of Hip Hop

If you happened to be in the Bronx on August 11, 1973, and you had a few quarters in your pocket, you may have become a witness to a world-changing event. At a Back to School Jam hosted in the rec room of his apartment complex, DJ Kool Herc, a teenage Jamaican immigrant, singularly invented a new art form that would evolve into a global phenomenon.

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The Hill District

The Hill District is a 1.4-square-mile section of Pittsburgh that has been predominantly African American since the 19th century. This small strip of Pittsburgh is where a majority of the Century Cycle Plays are located. To understand more, read to explore where these plays come from!

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Gem of the Ocean Plot Summary

Spoiler alert! A brief overview of Gem of the Ocean. 

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From the Director: Chip Miller

Director Chip Miller on the significance of memory, history, and ancestral connection in August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean and the other plays of Wilson's Century Cycle.

A man stands in the foreground as water falls on his head; another person stands staring forward in the foreground, a magic aura around them

Behind the Curtain: Spotlight on Aunt Ester

Over the course of approximately 26 years, Wilson wrote one play for each decade in the 20th century. At the center of this tapestry stands Aunt Ester, the character which Wilson himself deemed the most significant in his plays.

Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).

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