In last month’s email I mentioned an upcoming Spring Break to Minnesota. We went! And it was super fun. 

Highlights were seeing the reigning champion women’s pro hockey team Minnesota Frost in action, spending time with close family friends, visiting the Minnesota Institute for the Arts (which reminded me of the great Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond), and our hotel, The Celeste, which used to be a convent. 

The Celeste was conveniently located a few blocks from the state capital, so last Saturday we marched on over the big No Kings rally for almost three hours of speeches and music. Seeing Tim Waltz introduce Bruce Springsteen to play the song he wrote for Minneapolis was awesome, as were the speeches from the lieutenant governor and attorney general. And seeing our kids listen for that long and chant and engage was super special.

What’s going on this month!? Well… 

Storytelling!

Portland friends, I’ll be hosting The Moth this coming Monday, April 6th. The theme is “sus.” Which is yes, a super weird theme. Sus is short for suspicious and was slang my teens stopped using about 5 years ago. So yes, I’ll be having some fun with that on stage.

I’m also going to be hosting the Moth June 1st and again October 5th. 

As for friends outside of Portland (but Portland friends too) … you can (and should) always tune in Wednesday mornings at 7:15am at XRAY.fm or anytime on your favorite podcast platform to hear BACKFENCE Unhinged.

It’s the half hour podcast where Frayn Masters and I bring a storyteller on to tell a story the dig deep by asking questions and telling short stories of our own. Recent guests include NY Times best selling author and my good friend Chelsea Cain! And just this morning our episode with Jason Sauls dropped - whom Oregonians will know from his many years as a newscaster for OPB.

AC Dickson: Life Coach

We’re editing away on AC Dickson: Life Coach - the web series where I play an artist who becomes a life coach to make a show about being a life coach. And it’s turning out really, really good! So good we’re not just going to release it on YouTube. We’re going to shop it around. 

We’ve got a great team of editors. Ben Mercer and Mike Ward. And both have their own film out in the world. 

Ben’s film Karaoke from Hell is a documentary about well, beloved Portland live experience Karaoke from Hell. But it’s ultimately about “Old Portland” and how it manifests in different ways today. It’s playing at the Hollywood as part of the Panorama Film Festival April at 9:30pm.

Mike recently directed Skweezy Jibs Makes a Movie, which is yet another the title that tells you exactly what the movie is about movie. If you don’t know Skweezy Jibs, ask a 17 year old. (They will be more excited to talk about him than what “sus” means). Mr. Jibs will be touring the country with the film this summer and fall. 

One of my fellow outstanding actors also has a film. About 15 years ago Vin Shambry came to The Moth and told a story about the joys of going to Outdoor School for a week as his family was experiencing houselessness.

Not surprisingly The Moth invited him to tell the story all over the country, put it on their podcast and into one of their books of their very best stories. Outdoor School is now a movie! The Panorama Film Festival showing is sold out, but they are hosting a follow up show at the Hollywood on April 22nd. 

Oh, and Vin absolutely slays in AC Dickson: Life Coach as an astronaut who comes to see my AC because he needs to go to Mars. Emphasis on needs.

PICA + GMS = Party

If you’re looking to support the visual and performing arts and want to PARTY in Portland, Oregon I have two awesome opportunities. 

May 9th - PICA’s annual party slash gala. This year’s party is at the recently renovated Oaks Park Pavilion and is Funhouse themed. Dynasty Handbag and the Drama Tops in the house. It’s going to be so much fun! 

May 28th - Gather: Make: Shelter’s annual party slash gala. This year’s party is at Castaway and will be a lovely evening to support the incredible workshops, fashion shows and gallery exhibitions GMS facilities for artists experiencing houselessness.

If you’re happen to be in the Seattle Tacoma area I’ll also be up in Federal Way May 2nd. I’m also hosting events for Buckman Elementary, the Parkrose School District and the Central Eastside Rotary club. 

Dark Winds

If you aren’t hip to Dark Winds and need a great show with a several season backlog - get on it! It’s based on the Tony Hillerman books about tribal police on the Navajo Nation. The acting and writing are both great, and a good mix of suspense, drama and incredible 1970s art direction. . 

Okay, that’s it for this month. Thanks for getting all the way down here!

Andrew 

Artist, advertiser and auctioneer.