Theatre performances and screenings

These last few days have been busy! We just got home from a free movie screening and panel discussion of "Pig Roast & Tank of Fish." The panel discussion consisted of the director of the movie as well as several professors and some city planners. The movie is a documentary about Portland's Chinatown and how Chinatown was essential in developing Portland into the city it is today. Today, the Portland Chinatown is severely dilapidated and depressed. All of the traditional small businesses and longtime residents have been driven out of the area. Poor urban planning by the city placed several homeless shelters in close proximity, leading to a microcosm of poverty that effectively quenched any hopes of attracting new residents and/or businesses. The movie discusses how these factors contributed to the collapse of Chinatown and the current and future plans to revitalize the area. It was a really moving documentary and really makes you appreciate the history and culture behind Chinatown. Here is the trailer for the movie:


"Pig Roast & Tank of Fish" trailer from Ivy Lin on Vimeo.

Yesterday, we went to Keller Auditorium (only 1 block away from our apartment!) to see Divine Performing Arts. It was a colorful blend of Chinese classical dance, music, and singing. The dances were beautiful, the costumes were amazing, and the singing was phenomenal. It was a great way to begin celebrating Chinese New Year (which is on Monday, January 26).

On Monday, we went to see Movin' Out at Keller Auditorium (we're absolutely loving that this theatre has some great performances and is close to home!). Movin' Out is a musical based purely on Billy Joel songs. It was definitely a little different than what you usually expect with musicals like Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. This musical is separated into two groups: the musicians and the actors. There's a band and 2 singers who perform all the Billy Joel songs and then there's a group of about 30 actors who perform out the scenes. Personally, I like traditional musicals better because I appreciate the talent involved in being able to sing and act at the same time. But it was definitely worth seeing once.