Storm Large - Explore The Pearl Magazine

Storm Large is on the cover of the Sep / Oct 2007 issue of Explore The Pearl Magazine. Click the image for larger version.





Storm Large brings her rock-star edge and a love of storytelling to the Gerding Theater's Main Stage.

STORMING THE ARMORY

Portland's Storm Large Stars in "Cabaret"

Story by Emily Puro
Photos by John M. Vincent

One's a sex farce penned by comedian Steve Martin, another question who really wrote Shakespeare's plays. And the opener? Let's just say that Portland Center Stage plans to take the local arts community by Storm when it launches its 20th anniversary season this fall at the Gerding Theater at the Armory.

Storm Large, best known for her turn on the reality-TV show "Rock Star: Supernova," will take a break from touring with The Balls to star as Sally Bowles in the classic Broadway musical "Cabaret." She'll share the stage with Wade McCollum, who has dazzled Portland theatergoers with standout performances in "Hedwig," "Batboy" and "I Am My Own Wife."

"I'm a very theatrical performer," Large says. "It's a natural move for me, and a challenging one, to actually do theater."

While the choice might surprise theater regulars and Storm Large fans alike, PCS artistic director Chris Coleman believes the casting is inspired. "Not only is she gorgeous and vulnerable and rough around the edges," Coleman writes in his blog, "but this girl can sing and tear up a stage."

Large says she was attracted to the role because "Sally is a beautiful mess," and because of the chance to work with McCollum. "I saw him in ‘Bat Boy' and fell madly in love. I'm so excited to learn from such a deep and wild professional."

PCS's Main Stage lineup won't back down after "Cabaret" closes. There's a world premier of an adaptation of Ken Kesey's "Sometimes a Great Notion" and the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Doubt, A Parable." Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" will run in repertory with Amy Freed's "The Bead of Avon," which questions who really wrote Shakespeare's plays. And of course, "A Christmas Carol" returns for the holidays.



In the studio, smaller-scale productions prevail. "It's going to be a little sexier and a little saucy down there," says Coleman, adding that the contrast is a PCS tradition. "We've called our taste ‘wildly eclectic,' he says. "It's about juxtaposing things that seem to be very different to give you a pretty exciting journey through the course of a season."

In the studio, PCS will introduce "A Feminine Ending," a new play by Sarah Treem that explores feminism and the choices of a new generation of women. Another studio highlight will be "The Underpants," adapted by Steve Martin. "He's a surprisingly smart playwright," Coleman says. "It's like a chocolate mousse, this play. It's just so delicious and so tasty and so light. It's like a feather."

PCS will continue to make theater accessible to all audiences with events such as Fade to Black parties for the under-40 crowd ($20 includes performance and party), Girls Night Out (about $45 for performance and dinner), and no-host opening-night parties. At Prologues, held prior to select weeknight performances, audiences can learn more about each play from the artists themselves. As always, tickets remaining at showtime are sold for $10 in the box-office "rush line."

As if the chance to see Storm Large on stage isn't reason enough to head for the Armory. "I have never done anything like this before, and I am terrified," Large admits, "but I love music. I love storytelling. I love acting and writing. If I can do it and it sounds fun, crazy, challenging or all of the above, I'm into it."