Bits & Pieces: Chinese happenings

The Oregon Historical Society, 1200 S.W. Park Ave., is hosting an exhibit, “Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion,” through June 1, focused on the struggle over citizenship, freedom and trade that defined the relationship between the United States and China. It’s on loan from the New York Historical Society.

Also, OHS helps kick off the Chinese New Year with a Dragon Dance and Parade, beginning at 11 a.m. at Northwest Fourth Avenue and Davis Street, and continuing through Chinatown, down Third Avenue and up Southwest Jefferson. The celebration continues at OHS with tea, sweet treats and special performances by local lion dance teams.

Then, from Feb. 29-June 21, the exhibit “Beyond the Gate: A Tale of Portland’s Historic Chinatowns” will include Chinese opera costumes, theatrical sets, bilingual text, audiovisual media and interactive visitor stations, telling the story of a sprawling transnational story of contact between China and the West, focusing on Portland’s Old (1850-1905) and New Chinatown (1905-1950). For more: www.ohs.org.

Still going

“The Bachelor” visited Mexico City in the fifth episode that aired Monday, and Lauren B (Lauren Bushnell, West Linn) and Ben Higgins showed more affection for each other, which pointed to her surviving another week on the reality show.

Polar Plunge

The Oregon Law Enforcement Polar Plunge, the biggest fundraiser for Special Olympics Oregon, will take place at 11 a.m. Feb. 27 at Northeast Portland’s Broughton Beach on the Columbia River.

There’ll be five Oregon cities taking part in the Polar Plunge, from Feb. 13-27; individuals must raise a minimum of $50 for the privilege of plunging. This year, participants can challenge co-workers, competitors and friends to join them in plunging by issuing them a “BearChallenge” using social media photo tools (www.TakeTheBearChallenge.com).

To register for the Polar Plunge and/or the 5K Fun Run/Walk, go to www.PlungeOregon.com.

‘Elephantastic’

The Oregon Zoo’s annual celebration for pachyderms, “Elephantastic,” takes place Feb. 13-15, and visitors will be allowed to see the ambitious Elephant Lands habitat that opened Dec. 16.

It’s four times larger than the zoo’s old elephant area, extending around most of the zoo’s eastern end.

“This new habitat lets elephants be elephants, making their own decisions about how they spend their days and nights,” says Bob Lee, the zoo’s elephant curator.

“Elephantastic,” free with zoo admission, gives guests the opportunity to take a self-guided, behind-the-scenes tour.

For more: www.oregonzoo.org/ElephantLands.

‘Great Expectations’

Joseph Gallivan, Business Tribune writer and arts aficionado, recently saw “Great Expectations,” adapted from the Charles Dickens’ play, at Portland Center Stage. His take:

Charles Dickens’ coming-of-age novel, “Great Expectations,” tells how Victorian orphan Pip goes from rags to riches, but keeps his soul. In Lucinda Stroud’s adaptation, most of the dialogue comes from the book, but sometimes the actors narrate nondialogue lines to move the story along at a clip. Director Jane Jones makes good use of her cast by doubling, in particular, the wonderfully craggy-faced John Hutton, who plays the ex-con Magwitch and the honest, but cynical lawyer Jaggers. Stephen Stocking gets through Pip, the early years, with some good physical comedy and matures into a London bro with great confidence. Some of the British accents are a bit wayward, but the whole cast is energetic and in control of everything else. The set is another ingenious triumph from Portland Center Stage’s designers. Spoiler alert: Actress Dana Green is marvelous as both Mrs. Joe (Pip’s rough sister) and Miss Havisham, the cobwebby spinster. It’s the best mainstage show of the season.

“Great Expectations” continues through Feb. 14 (www.pcs.org).