Oregon150

July 1, 2009: Pink Martini, the 234th Army Band—Oregon National Guard and Oregon 150 to present Oregon! Oregon! 2009 : A sesquicentennial fable in IV acts

-Tickets Start at $12; on Sale Statewide!-

Hold on to your myrtlewood as Pink Martini and the 234th Army Band—Oregon National Guard and Oregon 150 present Oregon! Oregon! 2009: A sesquicentennial fable in IV acts, which will debut August 28, 2009 at the Oregon State Fair and then tour the state – the icing on the cake of the state’s 150th birthday party. Tickets are on now on sale statewide.

In 1959 – to celebrate Oregon’s centennial – the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company commissioned the Grammy Award-winning radio personality Stan Freberg to write a 21-minute-long musical comedy about the Beaver State. What resulted was a hilarious tale of two explorers in 1859 named Harry and David, their encounter with a witch, and the subsequent birth of a state which must go back into the bottle after 100 years … that is, if the citizens of 1959 can’t break the spell.

Fifty years later a team of Oregonians – including Chariots of Fire conductor Harry Rabinowitz (age 92), Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini, PICA Flash Choir’s Sarah Dougher & Pat Janowski and the writers of Livewire! – have teamed up to write a new Act IV … complete with brand new songs and rollicking plot! Unlike the 1959 Oregon! Oregon! the show is being performed live, with Pink Martini and the 234th Army Band—Oregon National Guard joined by a surprise cast of Oregonians.

“We are so proud to have Oregon’s own, internationally-renowned Pink Martini and our amazing 234th Army Band performing Oregon! Oregon! 2009 across our state,” said First Lady Mary Oberst, chair of Oregon 150. “This will be a fantastic, memorable and hilarious birthday present for Oregon, and the Governor and I invite everyone to join us for the performances and blow out the candles on our official sesquicentennial celebration.”

Lauderdale, a member of the board of directors of Oregon 150, the non-profit organization appointed by Governor Ted Kulongoski to plan this year’s sesquicentennial celebration, is a collector of Oregon kitsch and was entranced by the 1959 soundtrack. The 2009 update is made possible through generous support of The Kinsman Foundation, The Wessinger Foundation, Stoel Rives LLP, PICA, and the Hotel DeLuxe and Hotel Lucia in Portland.

With sets by Portland-artist Scrappers and an all-star Oregonian cast backed by the 234th Army Band—Oregon National Guard and Pink Martini, Oregon! Oregon! 2009 will debut on the opening night of the Oregon State Fair, followed by performances in Bend and Jacksonville. The final performance – in Portland – will be presented in the bowl of the historic Memorial Coliseum (built in 1959) for one night only – Saturday, September 5! Each performance will be followed by a full set by Pink Martini.

Oregon! Oregon! 2009 Performances and Tickets
Schedule

8/28: Salem, Oregon State Fair,
8/29: Bend, Les Schwab Amphitheater
8/30: Jacksonville, The Britt Festival (reserved seats sold out! General admission tickets still available)
9/5: Portland, Oregon Zoo (concert moved from Memorial Coliseum)

Tickets - start at $12.00

Salem (State Fair)
(1-800-992-8499 or www.Ticketswest.com) and all participating Safeway TicketsWest outlets in Oregon, and at the Oregon State Fair office (2330 17th Street NE Salem, OR; 8:00 AM-5:00 PM on weekdays).

Bend

Jacksonville

Portland

More information is available at www.oregon150.org or by calling Oregon 150 toll free (877) 355-6905.