Arts + Events in the Pearl – Fall 2019

Pearl District Business Awards

The Pearl District Business Association (PDBA) has opened nominations for the fifth annual Pearl District Business Awards, which recognize individuals and businesses that are making a difference within Portland’s flourishing Pearl District. The nomination period ends on September 13, so submit your favorites soon! Visit explorethepearl.com for details.

This year’s award winners—in categories that include Business of the Year, Women in Business Champion of the Year, Community Ambassador Award, Family-Owned Business of the Year, Minority-Owned Business of the Year, and many others—will be honored at a luncheon on Wednesday, November 6 (11:30–1:30), at The Eleanor event space on NW Everett.

Portland Center Stage

Where: Gerding Theater at the Armory, 128 NW 11th Ave, 503-445-3700, pcs.org

When: In the Heights, Aug 31–Oct 13; Macbeth, Sept 28–Nov 24; Redwood, Oct 26–Nov 17; Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Nov 30–Dec 29.

The city’s stellar PCS kicks off its 2019–2020 season with In the Heights, an exuberant salsa- and merengue-filled musical from Tony Award-winning sensation Lin-Manuel Miranda. Next up, a fresh contemporary take on Shakespeare’s infamous classic, Macbeth, followed by a humorous and provocative world premiere, Redwood, and the Jane Austen–inspired Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.

Upcoming at Upfor

Where: Upfor Gallery, 929 NW Flanders St, 503-227-5111, upforgallery.com

In October, this exceptional gallery is presenting a solo exhibition of works by Chilean-born artist Rodrigo Valenzuela (above right), whose “work in photography, video, and installation is rooted in contradictory traditions of documentary and fiction, often involving narratives around immigration and the working class.”

Then in November and December, the installations, sculptures, and works on paper by Brenda Mallory—who hails from Oklahoma—will fill the main gallery. “Drawing inspiration from natural forms and textures, including microscopic images culled from scientific texts, Mallory’s works are often composite in nature.”