A nation premised on an idea—not on an alleged shared bloodline or eons of history on common land—must periodically question exactly who and what it is - Jelani Cobb.

I think any solution will first have to start with the real story. We need to sit down around the same table and agree on the diagnostic - Raoul Peck.  

Exactly who and what is American? Over half of the US population believes we will see another civil war; it’s even more if you ask young people. We have the most diverse federal political representation, while voter suppression increases. There was an insurrection in the US capitol. And we have been labeled a “backsliding democracy” by International IDEA. 

In The Americans, PETE meets an American idea in movement, stand-up and jazz forms. Working site specifically in the Historic Alberta House, PETE dances with American realness in high contrast image, sound and video. We join the Historic Alberta House in their on-going work curating place and attention for cultural experiences and community conversations.

We look back to the silent generation, and the counterculture of 1959, in order to better understand our present moment. Anchored by the photographs of Robert Frank in his seminal work, “The Americans”, PETE engages a diverse team of artists to steal from the past, drag it out and dust it off, in order to see ourselves anew.

Production History:

January 19 - February 4

At the Historic Alberta House, 5131 NE 23rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211

The Americans

Created by PETE

A Co-Production with the Historic Alberta House

Co-Directed by Cristi Miles & Olivia Mathews

Text by Christopher Gonzalez

Performers:

Rebecca Lingafelter

Gerrin Delane Mitchell

Rose Proctor

Ezri Reyes

Damaris Webb

Andrew Welsh

Set: Peter Ksander

Light: Miranda k Hardy

Costume: Jenny Ampersand

Sound: Mark Valadez

Video: Trevor Sargent

Dramaturgy: Pancho Savery

Stage Management: Kristina Mast

Production Management/Technical Direction: Molly Gardner

Assistant Production Management/Lead Electrician: Abby Jacquin

Photography: Owen Carey

Documentation: Tucker Uriarte

The Americans is made possible with support from Ronni LaCroute, Pancho Savery, Charlotte Rubin, Ellen Walkley, Brian Myers, The Oregon Cultural Trust, the Regional Arts and Culture Council, The Oregon Arts Commission, The Gretchen Icenogle Fund, The Kinsman Foundation and The Mental Insight Foundation.