Pink Martini To Kickoff Inaugural Season At Reser Center

BEAVERTON, OR — The band Pink Martini is set to launch the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts' inaugural season in September with three nights of concerts featuring China Forbes and Storm Large, the center announced last week. While the center had its ribbon-cutting and opening ceremony in March, the inaugural season will last through May 20 when Heart of Afghanistan, an Afghani quartet, performs.

Pink Martini, the Portland-based band that refers to itself as "the house band for the United Nations," will perform Sept. 16, 17 and 18 in the center's 550-seat Mainstage Theater. The theater is the centerpiece of the new 43,000-square-foot center, which organizers said aims to be not just a cultural center for Beaverton and Washington County but for the entire metro area.

Patricia Reser, who donated about $13 million to the center, said when it opened that while she doesn't want to take anything away from Portland, there's something about the center that says, "we want to live in Beaverton, we want to work in Beaverton, we want to be entertained in Beaverton."

As for the upcoming inaugural season, Patricia Reser Center for the Arts executive director Chris Ayzoukian said that the center's goal is to provide "a place where audiences can discover new favorites, build community, and leave inspired.

"It has been exciting to watch thousands of our community members awestruck by the quality of this new gathering place and its programming. We see people connecting around joyous arts and culture experiences, all right here in Central Beaverton."

Tickets go on sale for all shows on July 7. For more information, go to the center's website.