2015-16 Annual Report

ANITA STEWART, EXECUTIVE AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Share the story of how you became involved with Portland Stage.
I first came to Portland Stage in December 1989 to work on Fugard’s Sizwe Bansi and the Island. What I remember most was
the incredible talent and skill of the staff. Portland Stage worked miracles with budgets half the size of other theaters I was
designing at. I also remember the “can do” energy of the intern company and the really smart questions that the audience
asked. It was an impressive place.
Can you share a story where you saw first-hand the power of a program at Portland Stage impacting someone's life?
From watching working men wipe tears out of their eyes at the end of Papermaker, to seeing a woman in a hijab engage
with Veils, to hearing a child speak for a first time in front of his class during a PLAY program, to participating in an intense
discussion about art and religion following Asher Lev, to watching a girl who would cling to her mother suddenly take center
stage, part of what makes me want to come to work every day is knowing just how powerful theater can be for members of
our community. Participating in and witnessing transformation is really my compensation.
Can you describe a production or program that transformed how you thought or felt?
As Artistic Director, every play and every program is a moment for transformation and growth. Each show is an opportunity
to take all that I have learned and apply it to make a piece of art that is more meaningful, more complete, more right. What I
love about theater is that it is never finished. There is always more to discover and new ways to engage with both artists and
audiences.
What do you wish more people knew about Portland Stage?
Just how much we are doing with incredibly limited resources and how dedicated Portland Stage staff and artists are.
What would you tell someone who is thinking about becoming involved with Portland Stage – attending a shows or event,
subscribing, donating or volunteering? Theater is a way of engaging in the world we live in. We tackle hard topics in safe
spaces, we imagine worlds that help inform ourselves and our community. When you let go and engage it is intoxicating.
Give us three words to describe Portland Stage!
Vibrant, nourishing, provocative!
What do you do when you aren't at Portland Stage?
Work in my vegetable garden and spend time with my children and husband.