Exit Interview

[October 24th, 2007]

“A dilettante at heart.” That’s Jeffrey Gillespie. It’s an apt descriptor for Portland Center Stage’s “concierge.” He grew up in South Africa before moving to the U.S., where he has holed up in a Buddhist retreat in the Rockies, worked as an art curator in Bel-Air and as an art-gallery owner in both Santa Fe, N.M., and Northwest Portland.

In just a week, though, he wraps up his job with PCS. He’s returning to his roots to become the new gallery director for Old Town’s Shaffer Fine Art.

As PCS’s new show, Steve Martin’s The Underpants, opens and Gillespie bows out, we nabbed the concierge to explain exactly what he the hell he does—or did

What does a concierge do?
I act as personal assistant to about 30 onsite folks, help coordinate arrivals of various people for meetings, schedule docents, tours...arrange dinner reservations and other miscellaneous things for our biggest donors...take overflow phone calls for the whole building, and other random tasks. For example, last week one of our actors was running late and couldn’t get into the theater because the lobby was packed with patrons, and she was having an asthma attack. I had to carry her to her dressing room five minutes before curtain-up.

You grew up in South Africa, during apartheid. How does it differ from Oregon?
I grew up as a rich white prep-school kid, so it was incredibly luxurious and very pampered. I was driven to school every morning in a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow and had ambassadors’ sons in my class with their own security details hovering in the hallway. I really had no clue as to the skewed economy or what was really going on until I got to the States in my 20s. The kind of robust “nationalism” we see nowadays in America, even in much of Oregon, is not dissimilar to the sort of entitlement I grew up with over there.

Does it remind you of the show that’s currently at the Gerding, Cabaret?
Yes, it does. It’s about that sense of nationalistic entitlement and blindness to external influence, and how dangerous that can ultimately be without a moderate voice or two. Our moderate voice in South Africa was an Afrikaner named F.W. de Klerk, who ended up holding the joint presidency with Nelson Mandela during the transition to power of the ANC [African National Congress]. Thank God he came along, because his predecessor was not quite Hitler, but he could have gone there.

What was it like being a Buddhist in the Rockies?
It was ironic because it was a five-star Buddhists retreat, and we catered to people who were totally loaded. So it was like, “I’m here to stare into the void and embrace nothingness, but if my egg-white omelet is wrong I’m going to f***ing kill you.”

What should people wear to the theater?
I would love to be egalitarian with this question, but frankly, I believe that people should dress up to the nines for theater. That means black tie for the boys, and full evening dress for the girls, including gloves and real jewelry. At Santa Fe Opera the West Texas crowd would send their jewels ahead with staff before they came in for the season. I don’t think we’re there yet, but we will be. And from a more cynical standpoint, if we look more like money we will end up having more given to us in the long run.

In light of the show that just opened, can you answer this question: boxers or briefs?
Boxers, of course.

WEDNESDAY OCT. 24

[FASHION] FASHION WEEK ENDS
Catch the tail end of Portland Fashion Week’s eco-geared spectacle with tonight’s closing show. Tickets include entry to the exclusive Grand Finale After-Party with PFW designers, models and “execs” (whatever that means). Cascade General Shipyard, 5555 N Channel Ave., $20 and up. Doors at 6 pm. Tickets at portlandfashionweek.net.

FRIDAY OCT. 26

[MUSIC] KING KESTER EMENEYA
Congolese Afro-Beat sensation King Kester Emeneya is used to playing massive European festivals, so tonight’s show at the City Night Club is a rare opportunity to catch a wildly kinetic performance in a nontraditional venue. They don’t call him the King for nothing—we hope you like dancing! City Night Club. 9 pm. $20 advance, $25 day of show. 21+.

[FILM] BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT
Ridley Scott’s dystopian Philip K. Dick adaptation has seen more cuts than a Brooklyn mohel. But Scott swears this is the last one. Really. He means it. Also, Harrison Ford is totally a replicant. And hot. Cinema 21. Friday-Thursday, Oct. 26-Nov. 8. $4-$8.

[FOOD!] CHOWDER CHALLENGE
If you think you’ve got the scoop on what makes a New England-style clam stew the best in town, head out for the second annual Chowder Challenge. The Fifth Quadrant, 3901-B N Williams Ave., 288-2996. noon-7 pm Friday, Oct. 27. $10.

SATURDAY OCT. 27

[MANILA THRILLA] THRILL THE WORLD
Jacko’s epic “Thriller” video, with its herky-jerky zombie choreography, is a classic that’s oft-imitated but has never been duplicated. Until now. Holocene is hosting Thrill the World, part of an international dance of the dead in which groups across the globe will perform the “Thriller” dance simultaneously. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 239-7639, thrilltheworld.com. 11 am practice and costuming, 3 pm dance. $3.

SUNDAY OCT. 28

[COMICS] WONDER WOMAN DAY
Mayor Potter has declared Sunday to be official “Wonder Woman Day,” so who are we to disagree? Excalibur Comics, 2444 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 2-6 pm, Free.

[MUSIC] LAURA GIBSON
Portland singer-songwriter Laura Gibson debuts her collaboration with Per Se and Musee Mecanique—a one-two punch that will likely break most hearts in attendance. Holocene. 9 pm. $6. 21+.

TUESDAY OCT. 30

[LIT] SCARY STORIES
Local authors Natalie Serber, Chelsey Johnson, Jay Ponteri and more come to the Kennedy School to spook you out with creepy tales of all things ooky booky. McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave., 249-3983. 7 pm. Free.