Portland State’s acclaimed Opera program presents a tale straight out of the Old West, tracing the true story of Charley Parkhurst, a stagecoach driver in the California Gold Rush who was assigned female at birth and lived life as a man. Created by composer Keith Allegretti and librettist Cecelia Raker, “Good Country” is one of the first contemporary operas with a lead role crafted specifically for a trans singer. 

Good Country characters conversing at a saloon

Artistic Director: Harry Baechtel
Music Director: Chuck Dillard
Stage Director: Rebecca Herman


Dates & Times
Saturday, November 26, 7:30 PM
Sunday, November 27, 3:00 PM
Saturday, December 3, 7:30 PM
Sunday, December 4, 3:00 PM

Actor in costume pretending to shoot a gun

Location
Lincoln Hall Studio Theater (LH 115)
1620 SW Park Ave
Portland, OR 97201

Cost: $10 - $35

Parking Information: www.pdx.edu/transportation/hourly-visitor-parking

Questions: music@pdx.edu; (503) 725-3011

Photos by Chad Lanning.

CAST

CHARLEY PARKHURST - Oliver Schulenberg
BARMAID - Saori Debruyn
LADY - Sarah DeYoung
HUSBAND - John Gladen
DOCTOR - Andrew Walton

 

ARTISTIC STAFF

Artistic Director - Harry Baechtel
Music Director - Chuck Dillard
Staging Director - Rebecca Herman
Intimacy/Fight Coordinator - Jace Meyer-Crosby
Costume Designer - Maia Denzler
Stage Manager - Kallin Leenhouts
Technical Producer - Kayla Scrivner
Composer - Keith Allegretti
Librettist - Cecelia Raker
Hair & Makeup - Megan Garcia
Movement, Violence, & Intimacy Director - J.C. Meyer-Crosby
Supertitles Coordinator - March Steiger

INSTRUMENTALISTS

Piano - Rosana Hurtado Klaus
Violin 1 - Shion Yamakawa
Violin 2 - Jing Kappes
Viola - Keelly McMurray
Cello - Jonah Thomas
Clarinet - Cristal Lopez

PSU Opera students in performance

The PSU Opera Program

The nationally renowned PSU Opera mounts fully staged productions with a history of positive critical reviews and sell-out crowds.

Queer Opera title card

Queer Opera

Queer Opera is dedicated to providing a safe stage for LGBTQIA singers and allies to tell queer stories through the traditional genre of opera. Using unconventional casting methods, roles are matched with individuals based on how they identify, rather than the gender of the role or their voice type.