A Symphony for Portland
had it’s first workshop in Vancouver, WA at the Kiggins Theatre, then after a pandemic zoom workshop, continued on to perform a concert at Feinstein’s/54 Below and finally a fully-staged production at the Players Theatre in NYC.
SYNOPSIS
One spring Sunday morning, in the waterfront park of Portland, Oregon, a young homeless man, Jordan, decides to start standing up to a local sex trafficker, Jesse. With him, this day in the park, are his friends, also homeless; Aaron, a college student who wants Jordan more than a degree; Sarah, a college student still working for Jesse; and Breonna, a traumatized young woman who clings to her friends to escape the memories of her traumatized past with Jesse, and with Jesse’s boss, Agan. In the park this day, we also meet Starr, a home-schooled high school senior, whose short-term goal is to get the prom. She’s in the park with her Dad, a widowed, work obsessed, cell-phone addicted man, yet also a protective loving father. And amidst the happy citizens and the homeless, is a man named, Isaiah, showing a photo of the child he has been looking for, not realizing how close he is to finding him.
It truly is a beautiful day in the park until Starr catches the unwanted attention of Jesse. No expected Jordan to take on Jesse, Starr never expected to find someone she would fall in love with and for Jesse, he truly never thought someone could come into his life that could chisel holes into the protective wall he keeps between his victims and his soul. And it all begins with one young homeless man’s courageous decision to make a change in his life, and as any homeless young adult can tell you- a little change can go a long way.
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Music, Lyrics and Book by Christina Hemphill Music Arranged by Cameron Jones Produced by Plated Rose Productions, LLC, Christina Hemphill, Owner
CHRISTINA CLINGERMAN HEMPHILL
Composer, Playwright, Musician
Christina was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She graduated from Scecina Memorial High School, then attended Butler University. While at Butler she was fortunate to be in Bernstein’s MAss as part of their Bernstein Festival with Mr. Lenard Bernstein as guest. She studied pipe organ with S. Caroline Hooge, SP, and then from high school onward, with Dr. Mallory Bransford, from Butler. She later auditioned and was accepted conditionally for the Conservatoire de Musique in Paris, France. Later, after getting her children all started in school, she completed the certification program at Houston Community College in Houston, Texas, becoming a certified EMT-Paramedic. She precepted other EMS students and taught CE to local fire departments. While working as a 911 call taker, she, along with her two associates, were nominated as Dispatchers of the Year for the state of Texas for their handling of the Wedgewood Baptist Church Shooting. As a church musician, she has been successful building parish music ministries from a few singers to full choirs at each service. Several of her compositions were sung by some of these choirs. Two of her poems were published in magazines. Currently living in Utah, she continues to finesse her musical, A Symphony for Portland, as well as two other musicals, planned, not written. She enjoys time with her husband, Mark, and cherishes visits with her children and grandchildren.