Oh, Tennenbaum!
The acquisition and decoration of the family Christmas tree ranks among the most iconic American cultural traditions. But getting a tree gussied up for the holidays has a long and storied history. Spruce up your knowledge with these fast facts about fashionable firs.
- Bringing evergreen branches into the home to celebrate the winter solstice is a tradition found in many ancient cultures, including those of the Egyptians, Celts, Romans, and Scandinavians.
- The modern tradition of decorating Christmas trees is often attributed to 16th-century Germans. Martin Luther, the architect of Protestant reform, is credited as the first to adorn boughs with lighted candles and decorations, which he allegedly did as a gift to his wife honoring the glory of God’s creation in the dead of winter.
- Christmas trees in the home became a new-fangled fad in Great Britain around the turn of the 19th century. While many traditionalists initially shook their heads at the idea, by 1846 the practice had become commonplace enough that even Queen Victoria had a family portrait sketched around a Christmas tree.
- In the United States, Pennsylvania Germans had incorporated the tradition as early as the mid-1700s; however, many Christian Americans still considered it blasphemous. That is, until Queen Victoria’s indulgence made the trees socially desirable. By the 1890s, the American Christmas tree as we know it had been firmly planted in the cultural consciousness, giving rise to the intersection of sacred and secular Christmas traditions in the modern era.
Fa-La-La-Lamarck!
In this Pride and Prejudice fanfic sequel, Mary Bennet bonds with Arthur de Bourgh over an interest in the work of radical French biologist and naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829). They share a fascination with his landmark book, Zoological Philosophy (1809), which outlined his theories of the evolution of animal species. Lamarck postulated that animals evolve over time in direct relation to the environment around them, changing behaviors and bodily structures accordingly. Fifty years later, Charles Darwin would publish his On the Origin of Species. Darwin credited Lamarck as an important forerunner, but his work debunked some of Lamarck’s claims; among them, Lamarck’s rejection of a single evolutionary ancestor shared by all animals and his belief in a bodily fluid akin to a divine life force.
The Bennet sisters lived in a transitional period of innovation. Over the course of their lives, they would have experienced sweeping changes to the world, as advancements in technology, science, and scholarship irrevocably altered the way human beings lived and thought about their existence.
More about Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley:
Bridging Past and Present Through Sound
Phil Johnson, sound designer for Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, discusses the challenge of curating a period-appropriate soundtrack for a play set in 1815, while infusing it with contemporary qualities and capturing the holiday spirit.
Reviews of Miss Bennet
"Lauren Modica and Joshua J. Weinstein were a PURE DELIGHT to watch. I had all the feels. Great chemistry!"" - Audience Comment
The Armory Bar Takes on English History
The Armory Bar manager Melissa Larrabee explores what might have been served at Pemberley during a Christmas celebration, creating four new cocktails and two family-friendly mocktails to warm your hearts this festive season!
The p:ear Giving Tree
Support p:ear, a fantastic non-profit whose mission is to provide mentoring services to Portland’s homeless and parent-less young people for over 15 years.
Miss Bennet Character Breakdown
Get to know the characters of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley with this helpful guide by our literary manager, Benjamin Fainstein.
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley Cast & Creative Team
Meet the cast and creative team for Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley Plot Synopsis
Spoiler alert! Here's a plot summary for Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.
Current & Upcoming
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Donate to the p:ear Giving Tree
Every winter, youth at p:ear are looking for basic needs such as socks, backpacks, bus tickets, gift cards, art supplies, and other items. The Giving Tree helps p:ear fuel their mission to provide mentoring services to Portland’s homeless and parent-less young people.
Winter Teen Academy: Scene Work
Calling all teens! Are you looking to expand your acting skills and be the best scene partner you can be for your fellow actors? In this class, we will dig deep into scene study, character motivation, and active listening, while learning the necessary questions to ask in every rehearsal situation. You'll develop fuller characters and deeper relationships on stage by partnering in scene work — and have lots of fun too!
Acting Shakespeare: Monologues
Dive into the world of the Bard and explore the excitement of performing Shakespeare!
An Evening with Storm Large
Join us for a very special Portland Center Stage benefit concert, featuring the legendary Storm Large.
Foundations of Improvisation
Looking to expand your knowledge and skills of improvisation? Whether you did theater in high school and want to jump back in, are looking to find creative connections with others, or are a theater professional looking to deepen your training, this course is perfect for you!
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
Season Superstars
Season Supporting Sponsors
