Ruben and company follow passion for musical theater

By AMY RUBEN

article created on: 2009-06-11T00:00:00

For some, the desire to stage a show outweighs all other priorities and responsibilities.

Take David Ruben for example. Ruben launched Tin Pan Alley Theatre Company in Portland in 2007 to present musical theater in summer repertory, despite the fact that he was a full-time, out-of-state college student.

Ruben, a Tigard High School alum, graduated this spring with a bachelor of fine arts in music theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University. Ruben comes from a long line of strong Jewish influence in the Portland area. His great uncle Morris Ail served as the cantor for Congregation Neveh Shalom for many years, while his grandfather Alan Ruben served as the head of the Brotherhood at Congregation Beth Israel. On the other side of the family, his grandfather Norman Kaplon, was the first Jewish boy to go through the Medford School System, and his great grandparents, the Benvenistes came directly from the Isle of Rhodes for an arranged marriage here in Portland.

As a sophomore in college, Ruben took entrepreneurship to the next level, when he started his own theater company at the age of 20. “I felt like there was a huge gap in classic musical theater in Portland,” said Ruben.

This summer, he is directing the Portland premiere of the American musical comedy “Wonderful Town,” written by the Jewish team of Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green (“West Side Story,” “On The Town,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Bells Are Ringing” and “Candide,” among others).

Audiences first saw this story about two young women’s migration to New York City in the 1942 film version, which was called “My Sister Eileen” and which garnered an Oscar nomination for Rosalind Russell in the role of Ruth Sherwood.

In 1953, Russell reprised her screen role on Broadway when the play was presented as “Wonderful Town.” Russell performed alongside Edie Adams in a production that won five Tony Awards.

A second film version was made in 1955 featuring Janet Leigh and Jack Lemmon, with Betty Garret in the Russell role.

“This is quite an exciting production and one that I feel will enrich and support the Jewish arts and culture in the Portland community,” said Ruben.

Planning the production has meant lots of late nights for Ruben—far from home while he was also preparing to wrap up his undergraduate education.

At 3 a.m. during a recent exam week, for example, Ruben was preoccupied with a costume crisis five states away back home in Oregon. The costumes for this summer’s production in Portland are coming from the Chicago area.

Ruben was able to enlist the support of local businesses that donated time, resources and material goods for the production.

“I have put in a lot of late hours,” he said, but not without reward.

“It is such a sense of accomplishment to be able to produce and direct shows on a professional level,” said Ruben.

Ruben and Managing Director Natalie Boccumini, who worked together back in college, have faced many challenges in starting a non-profit company in a depressed economy.

“It’s especially hard in a recession to find people who can contribute to the arts,” said Boccumini. “We want our audiences to share our belief that live theater is something you can’t give up, even when money is scarce.”

“I want to reach out to the Portland community for support and to let them know what I am doing,” said Ruben. “I am the only company in Portland dedicated to presenting classic American musicals at affordable prices.”

“Getting our finances underneath us is turning out to be the hardest part,” said Boccumini. “It is a scary truth knowing that we may have to shut our doors this season before a single note is heard.”

Persons who may be able to help Tin Pan Alley Theatre Company can learn more at their Web site, tinpanalleytheatre.org. Contact Ruben by e-mail at davidalanruben@gmail.com or by phone at 503-970-9184.

“Wonderful Town” opens on July 10 and runs through July 26.

A second 2009 production, also a Portland area premiere, the 1997 Broadway chamber musical “Triumph of Love,” based on the classic Marivaux 18th-century comedy runs Aug. 6-22.

Both productions will be presented at Portland Community College’s Sylvania Campus. Both shows feature a company of local favorites, newcomers, an actor off the national tour of Spelling Bee and several guest artists from the Chicago area.

Ruben is undaunted by the fact that Tin Pan Alley Theatre Co. has a lot of competition in the Portland area.

“The following quotation by Oscar Hammerstein best describes why Natalie and my dream are worth not giving up,” said Ruben.” “‘I know the world is filled with troubles and many injustices. But reality is as beautiful as it is ugly.

“I think it is just as important to sing about beautiful mornings as it is to talk about slums. I just couldn’t write anything without hope in it.’ Hopefully this is our chance to instill some hope into the city that we are all proud to call home.”