(Portland, OR) - The Friends of the Performing Arts Center and the Portland Center for the Performing Arts are pleased to announce that Antoinette Hatfield Hall is the new permanent name for the Theatre Building that houses the Newmark and Dolores Winningstad Theatres and Brunish Hall.

A lifelong Oregonian, Mrs. Hatfield has been a strong voice for education, children’s services and the arts. Mrs. Hatfield has authored five cookbooks and has enjoyed recognition in the real estate field in both Oregon and Washington, D.C. She opened a Portland art gallery in l993 and renamed it The Antoinette Hatfield Gallery coinciding with the gallery’s move to the Yamhill District in l996. She has served on a number of prestigious arts boards including the boards of Oregon Ballet Theater and The Portland A gift of $l.5 million has been received from several donors who have chosen to recognize the contributions of Mrs. Hatfield by naming the building in her honor. The gift will be used for ongoing capital maintenance and enhancements for all Portland Center for the Performing Arts’ venues, including Keller Auditorium and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

“I applaud the Friends of the Performing Arts Center for choosing to honor Antoinette Hatfield in this way. It is only fitting that her lifelong commitment to the arts in our community is represented in the name of one of Portland’s premier performance attractions,” said Mayor Tom Potter. “Mrs. Hatfield’s passionate support for the arts will be honored every time our citizens or visitors attend a performance at the hall or admire its architecture as they travel past the building.

The Friends of the Performing Arts Center launched a capital campaign in 2000 to address the immediate and long-term maintenance needs of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts’ venues. This naming is part of an ongoing campaign effort. All naming gifts are subject to the approval of the City of Portland, which owns these facilities.

“We are especially grateful to those individuals who stepped forward with this gift to honor Antoinette Hatfield. Mrs. Hatfield is very deserving of this recognition for her extraordinary public service over many decades,” stated Michael Philips, President of the Friends of the Performing Arts Center. “We look forward to adding her name to our cherished list of honorees.”

The Friends of the Performing Arts Center is a non-profit organization established in l994 to support the Portland Center for the Performing Arts through advocacy and capital fundraising.

The Portland Center for the Performing Arts (PCPA) is the region’s premier performing arts venue management organization. PCPA manages the Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and the newly named Antoinette Hatfield Hall housing the Winningstad Theatre, Newmark Theatre and Brunish Hall. PCPA is part of the Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission, a subsidiary of Metro.

Portland theatre technicians become certified theatre riggers
February 1, 2006

(Portland, OR) - Theatre technicians from the Portland Center for the Performing Arts recently were among the first group of 111 entertainment industry technicians to receive a Certified Theatre Riggers designation from the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) Council. The Portland-based rigging graduates are James Burbach, head carpenter for the Keller Auditorium and John Rourke, head flyman for the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The ETCP theatre rigging certifications are designed for highly experienced riggers who must pass rigorous, competency-based examinations. In addition, the graduates have agreed to abide by the Certified Entertainment Technician Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct to advance the integrity, honor and prestige of this profession. “The certification of these individuals demonstrates both their professionalism and the expertise of our staff,” said PCPA Executive Director Robyn Williams. “We are proud of their accomplishment and this important commitment to personal and public safety in their service to our community and the entertainment industry.

The certification program council is managed by the Entertainment Services and Technology Association. Get more information about the ETCP certification program at www.etcp.esta.org. Portland Center for the Performing Arts (www.pcpa.org) is the region’s premier performing arts venue management organization. PCPA manages the Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the New Theatre Building, which houses the Winningstad and Newmark Theatres and Brunish Hall. Portland Center for the Performing Arts operates under the guidance of the Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission, a subsidiary of Metro.

Contacts:
Julie Reed, Public Relations Director
Robyn Williams, Executive Director 503.731.7838 503.274.6565