Snow Falling On Cedars, Portland Center Stage

Performance: January 21, 2010
Director: Chris Coleman
Adapted for the Stage by Kevin McKeon

Ishmael  .....  Vince Nappo
Hatsue  .....  Olivia Oguma
Nels  .....  Tobias Anderson
Kabou  .....  Bruce Locke
Susan Marie  .....  Amanda Soden
Various Characters were played by:  Alan Ariano, Allan Michael Barlow, Tom Bloom, Scott Coopwood,  Colin Johnson, Casey McFeron, William Peden, Jayne Taini, Mia Tagano
 Theater Link:  Portland Center Stage

sez say: BRAVO! BRAVA! This is a surprising delight. the story was well told, well acted and even more impressive it was exceedingly well staged. They used a minimalist set--done with lights, a couple of plain backdrops (a set of three windows, a boat, an American flag flying over the silhouette of houses), a little smoke now and again, and very few props--and then they relied on strong acting to convey the places or events.  It really worked. The acting was across the board, very strong.  The story is, of course, well constructed and familiar, having been a popular novel and a movie; most people know the story line. This maybe the best production we have ever seen as PCS.

mjc says:  I finally feel as if I know some of the local actors well enough to spot them in a production, in particular, Scott Coopwood and Casey McFeron who each played multiple roles.  They are local but they held their own with the cast members who were brought in for the production.  I had read the book and wondered how they were going to handle all the settings from boats in the Sound to fighting in the Pacific, but it was all very persuasive.  
GRADE A-