Fancy Fútbol was FANTASTIC!

This past Saturday two players from the Portland Thorns F.C. came to Milagro and led a futbol clinic focused on ball control and technique. In a packed Zocalo, goalkeeper Adelaide Gayand defender Emilee O’Neil played games and shared tips with 17 kids ages 4-15 (as well as some young-at-heart soccer fans)! We learned different ways to evade a defender, change directions with a ball, and use all parts of the body to control where a ball goes.  Full of games like “steal and shoot” (think “steal the bacon” with a soccer ball) and even a juggling competition, the afternoon was high energy! 

Adelaide and Emily also shared stories from their experience: the hours of practicing to juggle a ball in the front yard (sounds a lot like our favorite futbolista Guapa!), and learning to take charge of the ball, or else it would take charge of you. The afternoon ended with photos and autographs as we “Spread the Love” for the Portland Thorns F.C. and Milagro!

Do you want to enjoy all the photos of this event? just click here!

 Special thanks to the Portland Thornsf.C,  Adelaide Gay and Emiller O'Neil for help us to make  this event possible!

*****

El pasado sábado dos jugadores de las Portland Thorns F.C visitaron  Milagro y dirigieron una clínica de fútbol centrada en el control y la técnica de manejo del balón. En  el Zócalo lleno de gente, la portera y la defensa Adelaide Gay  y Emilee O'Neil jugaron y compartieron sus consejos  con 17 niños de edades entre los 4-15 años (así como con algunos jóvenes de corazón los aficionados al fútbol). Aprendimos diferentes maneras de eludir a un defensa del equipo contrario, cambiar de dirección con la pelota, y usar todas las partes del cuerpo para controlar  la dirección del balón. Entre juegos de como "robar y disparar" (piensa en "robar el tocino" con un balón de fútbol) e incluso un concurso de malabares, la tarde estuvo llena de gran energía!

Adelaide y Emily también compartieron historias y experiencias: las horas de práctica  haciendo malabares con una pelota en el patio de enfrente de sus casas cuando pequeñas  para aprender a dominar  la pelota, la cual de lo contrario se haría cargo de ellas —se parecen mucho a de nuestra  futbolista favorita: !Guapa!—. La tarde terminó con fotos y autógrafos como "Spread the Love" para las espinas Portland FC y para Milagro!

¿Quiere disfrutar de todas las fotos de este evento? Sólo haga clic aquí

Especiales gracias a las jugadoras profesionales de Potland Thornes F.C  Adelaide Gay and Emiller O'Neil  por ayudarnos a hacer este evento posible

Supporting Milagro's arts education

(left to right) Dañel Malan and Jade Freeman
from Umpqua Bank

Today Jade Freeman from Umpqua Bank, came to deliver a check for $3000 to support Teatro Milagro’s bilingual arts education work in the community! Just as work on a residency in Hillsboro High School was wrapping up, funding from Umpqua Bank was approved to cover the expense of two teaching artists working with English language learners for two days, followed by a performance of FRIDA, un retablo.

For information on how to bring our bilingual arts and education programs to your school or community  contact Dañel Malan at malan@milagro.org

Photo of the Day: December 11, 2012

December 10, 2012, a photo by Miracle Theatre Group on Flickr.

Caught mid-toast at last night's special fundraising event at Cha Taquería for "Frida, un retablo" and its accompanying art installation "The Blue House" were sponsor Lina García Seabold (left) and actors Danny Moreno (as Diego Rivera) and Tricia Castañeda-Gonzáles (as Frida Kahlo).

Sponsor Spotlight: Lina García Seabold

Lina García Seabold

From 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, at Cha Taquería, Milagro is hosting My Portraits, My Paintings, Myself: An Evening with Frida. We couldn’t be more excited! Not only will this be a fun night out with great food and drink, but it is also a one-of-a-kind opportunity to support Milagro’s 2012 national touring production of Frida, un retablo — and tickets are only $25! Furthermore, the event supports a very special installation of The Blue House right here in El Centro Milagro’s Zócalo during the show's January debut in Portland! The installation will be curated by Susana Espino, and will be a great way to explore Frida’s world before and after you see the show.

The fundraiser, installation and touring production is sponsored by our longtime supporter, patron and friend, Lina García Seabold of García Seabold Investments, LLC. Recently, Emily sat down for a café with Lina and had a great conversation about everything from watercolor painting to the power of trusting your intuition. Read on to learn about one of Milagro’s donors and dearest friends, who vibrantly reflects her love for Latino theatre and art through her consistent generosity.

What is your hometown?
Harlingen, Texas.

Do you miss your home town?
No, I am such an Oregonian now. I have been in Portland since 1968!

How long have you been coming to Milagro events and productions? 
Years and years. I’d say probably 15 years.

What first attracted you to Milagro?
I remember thinking, “Wow, there’s a bilingual play! I’m going to that.” Though I grew up in Texas and then Oregon, my family is Mexican and I grew up speaking Spanish with them. It’s always been a part of my culture and who I am.

Which Milagro production has been your favorite throughout the years?
I’d probably say How the García Girls Lost their Accents. I was heading up an organization at PCC at the time called MANA, a Latina women’s organization, and I brought them to the show. It was definitely a meaningful experience.

What do you wish other people knew about Milagro?
Theatre and art can help you understand humanity on a higher level. Milagro, being a theatre focused on Latino arts and culture, is in a unique position with a significant impact.

What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am a watercolor artist and I am consistently working at it. It brings a lot of calm and peace to my life, and, that couldn’t be more important to me.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to work in airplanes in some capacity. At a young age, that was the most glamorous job to me. Growing up in a little town in Texas, only taking road trips when I traveled, I wanted to see the world.

What other organizations to you support in Portland?
I have supported a lot of organizations over the years, but currently I support the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, RACC, where I am the Chair of the Board, and MANA de Portland.

How did you get introduced to theatre as an art form?
It was a gradual thing that started when I would go see my school plays in high school. I remember seeing West Side Story, and Christmas plays.

Do you have any fun rituals before or after seeing a Milagro production—dinner, drinks, dessert, salsa dancing?
I like to go to dinner beforehand at a Mexican Restaurant. My favorite is Autentica. I went there before the last show. But I also love La Calaca Comelona and Cha Taqueria, where we will be having our Evening with Frida fundraiser next Monday, Dec. 10!

What besides Latino art and culture are you passionate about?
My watercolor painting, definitely. And, my amorcito, my grandson, Cameron. I also love to read. On my bedside table is The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, which discusses a variety of art in real philosophical terms. Before that, I read Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago. It was a great book, historical fiction, about the settling of Puerto Rico. I couldn’t put it down!

How does your philanthropy reflect your values?
At this stage in my life I’m really secure in who I am, I am more stable than ever, and that helps me in my decisions to donate. I value equality and diversity, and I want people to have equal access to theatre and art. I am definitely an advocate for art.

What production would you most like to see performed at Milagro?
I would love it if Like Water for Chocolate were adapted for the stage!  We could even tie it into food somehow and connect with some of the great restaurants in the area.

What is one of your biggest inspirations and why?
Frida Kahlo. She was independent, and secure in who she was. She faced her fears with reality and conveyed them with her art—she was way ahead of her time. I have found that it is so easy to be confused by all the distractions out there, and Frida inspires me to listen to myself and trust my intuition. In a difficult situation, I sometimes ask myself, “What would Frida do?” and it helps me make that independent decision!

If you could give one piece of advice what would it be?
Listen to yourself and trust your inner judgment. Nine of out ten times it will be the right decision. And if not, it will be yours and you will learn.

If you had a personal mission statement or slogan, what would it say?
“¡Si se puede!”

Sponsor Spotlight: El Hispanic News

Marketing assistant Stefanus is back from his trip to Colombia and shares with us his new favorite reading material ...

As the cold Oregon climate forces us to bundle up into some little nook to keep warm, I comfortably found my favorite coffee shop, and with a hot cup of joe at hand I started to read El Hispanic News to practice and maintain my Spanish—I am a student at PSU studying Spanish, and I was thoroughly impressed at El Hispanic News' coverage of current local and international news.  Even more, when I scanned through El Hispanic News' website, I found a calendar section that  provided Intercambio de idiomas, Language Exchange, for English speakers wanting to practice Spanish, and vice versa.  Suffice to say, El Hispanic News strives to be the primary source of Hispanic and world information to the SW Washington and Oregon’s Latino communities.  Its goal is to educate, connect and serve the rural and urban Hispanic communities, while continuing to grow and produce an award-winning bilingual newspaper in Oregon and SW Washington.  ¡Somos la revolución de la información!

Please support our sponsors because they support Milagro!

Save the Date: PQ Monthly Press Party at Milagro Aug. 16

Go behind the scenes of Milagro Theatre with friends and family at PQ Monthly’s August press party to be held right here at El Centro Milagro!

Grab a PQ signature drink — a watermelon thirst-quencher we're calling Sandía Sangría — and sample some savory and sweet nibbles while you browse the newest issue of PQ Monthly. Then make your way to the Milagro photobooth filled with wild wigs, crazy costumes and the perfect props to show off you inner diva, or go on a secret backstage tour of the theatre and underground production shops. Throughout the party, you’ll have opportunities to enter to win one of many gift certificates to Miracle’s 29th season — or take advantage of an exclusive PQ Monthly special offer to purchase a 3-show pass for only $50 (a discount of almost 50%).

And you’re welcome to bring the kids, because this party is all ages!

Thursday August 16, 5-7 p.m.
El Centro Milagro, 537 SE Stark St. (corner of SE Stark and SE Sixth Ave.)
Admission (and fresh copies of PQ Monthly) is free; food and drink available for purchase

PQ Monthly, and its sister publication El Hispanic News, are season-long media sponsors of Miracle Theatre Group. ¡Gracias!

Photo of the Day April 5, 2012

April 5, 2012, a photo by Miracle Theatre Group on Flickr.

Executive Director José E. González representing MIracle Theatre Group among a group of recipients of awards from the Portland Timbers as part of the halftime ceremony at JELD-WEN Field on March 31, 2012. (Ethan Erickson/Portland Timbers)

Portland Timbers team up with Milagro

Miracle Theatre Group is pleased to announce an award of $5,000 from the Portland Timbers Community Fund in support of children’s arts initiatives, which include a Spanish and bilingual K-8 program – Teatro Milagro Art Camp, a multi-disciplinary bilingual arts program, and Teatro Milagro’s children’s theatre production, Adventuras de Don Quixote. Miracle was one of nine youth-focused nonprofit organizations in the greater-Portland area to receive a grant through the Portland Timbers Community Fund, which is supported by founding partners JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, Alaska Airlines, Adidas, PGE and Burgerville.

The PTCF, an advised fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, supports charitable, non-profit organizations that are registered as a 501(c)(3), with tax-exempt status from the IRS and are located within one of the four surrounding counties of the Portland metro area: Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, and Clark County in Southwest Washington. Grant-seeking organizations must fall under one of the following areas of focus: youth education; youth sports; youth health and fitness; environmental awareness and activism with youth and families. Through the club’s community outreach platform, Stand Together, the Timbers’ community mission is to harness the power of sport to improve the lives of children and families in the region through targeted programs, deep partnerships and philanthropic giving. For more on the Timbers community outreach programs and partners, visit www.portlandtimbers.com/stand-together.

Javier Hurtado – Restaurateur and Visionary

We are grateful to Javier Hurtado and his restaurant Cha Taquería for sponsoring the reception this Friday following the sold-out opening night of Jardín de Sueños. Dañel visited with Javier recently to find out a little more of his background ...

Javier Hurtado grew up on a farm, helping his parents to raise cattle and pigs.  His father was a butcher and owned a slaughterhouse.  His mother owned a little restaurant that purchased its meat from the slaughterhouse, and that is how his parents met and continued to grow their family business together, making their own cheeses and sausages, too.

Then young Javier went to college and earned a degree in finance.  He moved away from the family business to become a stockbroker and was very successful.  He missed the active life he had working on the farm and helping in the family restaurant, and his job lacked the passion he felt about food. So he quit his job and put all of his savings into a restaurant by Portland State University.

Like all of his endeavors, his first enterprise was very successful, but six years later light rail construction forced him to close and he had to start over again.  In 2006 he launched is first Cha Taqueria and currently has six restaurants, working with the same chef since the chain’s inception.

Part of his success is strong fiscal management, due to his background in finance, but the real secret to the restaurants success is fresh, locally sourced food.  They have their own cattle ranch in Estacada and are hoping to expand the ranch and also raise their own produce.  They also have their own private label wine in partnership with Eola Amity Vineyards.  From the farm to the table, you always know that your meal at Cha is as fresh as it can be, and the prices are great, too.  Javier believes in a quality meal at an affordable price, even at his very beautiful restaurant in NW Portland. So head out on your next night out to Cha Taqueria for amazing fresh meals that you will really enjoy.

Joaquín spills the beans

When Teatro Milagro's production of B'aktun 13 opened a couple weeks ago, audiences were treated to an incredible reception catered by the show's restaurant sponsor La Bonita. Dañel chatted briefly with Joaquín López about the menu and more ...

Dañel: So tell me about the vegan Mayan stew – people seemed to really like it and the fact that La Bonita food is always pretty healthy and sometimes vegan, unlike other Mexican restaurants.

Joaquín: The Eggplant Stew came to me one day when I was in the mood to create a vegan tostada option. I pretty much just went down the produce aisle and thought about the colors and tastes I thought would work well. I was lucky cause this dish not only looks beautiful and rich, it is also full of warm and savory flavors. The stew is made by first caramelizing onion, tomato and Brussels sprouts then stewed with eggplant, red cabbage and celery. To add spice, I add chipotle chile and cinnamon at the end. Unfortunately, I was channeling my inner Mexican chef; it is not a Mayan dish!

Dañel: The flan was fantastic – what is your “secret recipe”?

Joaquín: I like to call our flan a bi-cultural dessert: it's a cross between the American cheesecake and Mexican flan. The secret? a stick of Philadelphia cream cheese! This creates a different texture similar to cheesecake yet holds that familiar flavor that we know flan to be. And, with caramelized sugar on top who can resist?

Dañel: Tell us a little about the new location – I’m not sure if we have mentioned that since the last time we did a story on La Bonita.

Joaquín: Yes! Our new location is on the corner of North Killingsworth and Greeley next to the North Station food carts and Blend Coffee. Not only do we offer the same menu, we also serve cerveza; our new favorite friend! We are very fortunate to be there. We have wonderful neighbors. Many familiar faces from our Alberta store come in and express how happy they are that we are closer to their side of town. We are coming up to our one year anniversary February 18th!

Dañel: And not only are you a restaurateur, but you are also a musician and songwriter! When is the next time we might see Joaquín at the Jade or somewhere else around town?

Joaquín: Every first Sunday of the month at the Jade Lounge (2348 SE Ankeny) I hold Corazon Acustico: An evening celebrating the acoustic soul of the Americas. My hope it to create a night where folk musicians can play their hearts and soul in an intimate inclusive setting with an attentive audience. The audience is so diverse and so far response has been great. Soon, I will be creating Noche Bohemia, a late night event at La Bonita North where we can get a little louder and let our hair loose!

Visit La Bonita at its original location at 2839 NE Alberta St., or its newest restaurant at the corner of NE Killingsworth and Greeley.

Program Partner: Hawthorne Auto Clinic

This week, as part of our series on Program Partners, we are proud to feature Hawthorne Auto Clinic. A longtime program advertiser and supporter of the arts here in Portland, Hawthorne Auto Clinic also administers vehicle donation for Portland Metro Arts. The always attentive staff also provides their customers with the information they need to make informed decisions when it comes to their vehicles — including hybrids and most other vehicles. Their goal is to provide customer service for maximum miles and mileage. Committed to finding ways of making your vehicle and its maintenance as environmentally friendly as possible, Hawthorne Auto Clinic is a contributing member of our arts community and a proud program partner of Miracle Theatre Group.

Sponsor Spotlight: PosterGarden

Here at Miracle, we love PosterGarden! A proud sponsor of the arts, PosterGarden’s portable and innovative displays and retractable banners are constantly on the go with our touring Teatro Milagro when not brightening up our lobby and Zócalo space. PosterGarden offers uniquely simple and reliable portable display products many of which are exclusive. Their ability to both design products and work closely with manufactures to refine designs and features ensures the best possible products for their clients. Here at the Miracle we can attest to that! Not only do their designs and printing services result in bold, colorful displays, but we are also delighted to work with project managers that follow our projects from start to finish. Their commitment to finding products and processes that are green, sustainable and environmentally friendly only makes us love working with PosterGarden more every time. It is sponsors like PosterGarden that help make our upcoming 28th season a success. ¡Gracias, PosterGarden!

Sponsor Spotlight: Grand Avenue Florist

Been to the theatre lately? Then you might have noticed the beautiful flower arrangements provided by Grand Avenue Florists. A local, family owned and operated business, Grand Avenue Florists has been serving the Portland/Vancouver metro area with their floral design experience since 1985. Established by life partners Sharon and Jim, and at times staffed by their entire family especially during holidays, Grand Avenue Florist arranges to please! Offering gorgeous traditional and contemporary arrangements for all occasions with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Miracle is proud to have Grand Avenue Florist as a sponsor. ¡Gracias!

Sponsor Spotlight: A to Z Wineworks

The success of this year’s La Luna Nueva Festival and Miracle’s 28th season would not be possible without sponsors like A to Z Wineworks who have been offering Oregon based Aristocratic wines at democratic prices since 2002. Blending experience, creativity, technical expertise and quality whether producing 120,000 cases or the original 2,500, it is not surprising to note that Food and Wine Magazine awarded them best American Pinot Noir under $20 and that they are in Wine Spectator’s top 100 wines of 2010. As one of Oregon’s fastest growing wineries, A to Z wines blend the Essence of Oregon using lots from many vineyards to craft high quality wines. A to Z makes and sells Oregon’s best valued wines while continuously fostering the creative development of their employees and investing in leaving a better and much greener world. Visit A to Z Wineworks to find out more about their wines, or try a taste yourself at one of our opening night receptions.