The premiere of a fresh Kabuki adaptation of a 1685 Japanese puppet play is Laurence Kominz’ swan song. Plus “Afropolitical Movement,” openings, closings.
Endurance, warmth and strength in Amy Herzog’s play; clawing the walls at Shaking the Tree; the casting controversy; is “who wrote Shakespeare” the wrong question?
Premieres from E.M. Lewis and Carol Triffle top the theater week. Plus: Trying to break down the breakdown at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
At Profile, a gathering of contemporary voices. Plus: Clowning around at Milagro, Corrib’s gritty solo show, last days for “Come From Away,” Portland Playhouse’s new season and more.
A busy stage week also brings a pair of promising kids’ shows, the opening of “The Judy,” a Shakespeare parody, and the Broadway opening of the born-in-Portland “Thanksgiving Play.”
The venerable Ashland festival’s effort to save the 2023 season follows years of wildfires, pandemic shutdowns, and staff turnover. Plus, openings, closings, and this weekend’s shows.
Matthew Lopez’ two-part drama reimagines “Howards End” as a gay New York saga. Plus openings, closings, a big theater bash, and a new leader for Oregon Children’s Theatre.
With a fine production of John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt” at Lakewood Theatre, director Antonio Sonera says he’s calling it a career. Plus: Last chance for a few good shows.
Shaking the Tree adds a bright new expansion, Le Salon Rouge takes a bow, cheerleader werewolves land on Earth, “Hairspray” hits town, and more.
PassinArt dives into the musicality of the great American playwright. Also: Black & blue, Borges & Neruda, Bill Wadhams’ musical memoir, Red Door’s “Evolve.”
The devil gets his due in Conor McPherson’s gripping play “The Seafarer.” Plus: openings, closings, Center Stage’s new season.
A busy theater week also features a Hand2Mouth devised show, Milagro’s “Ardiente Paciencia,” and a few more performances of “My Fair Lady.”
Fuse’s “Ronald Reagan Murdered My Mentors” explores the loss of a gay generation; Corrib’s “Trade” tells a sensitive personal queer tale; Henry Higgins hits the road.
Lauren Yee’s “Young Americans” at Center Stage takes on the issues of immigration and belonging. Plus: Corrib’s Irish “Trade,” openings and closings.
The Portland new-works festival is at a crossroads, seeking to ensure its future. Plus: a new/old face at Center Stage, hip-hop from Profile, “Mad” teens and more.
PETE’s “The Americans” is as contradictory as the nation itself. Plus Pearl Cleage, the Temptations, Tammy Wynette, giant beavers, Ronald Reagan and AIDS, Lava Alapai and more.
Generations and cultures clash on court and off at Artists Rep, plus Broadway Rose’s Steven Schwartz hybrid revue/musical and The Theatre Company’s video theater stream
Kate Hamill’s updated detective tale opens at Center Stage; plus “The Americans,” an all-too-pertinent “Cabaret,” and taco-loving dragons.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, beset by pandemic and environmental troubles, slashes leadership and other jobs – and Artistic Director Nataki Garrett adds more duties.
Artists Rep’s premiere of Kareem Fahmy’s “American Fast” does a fast break on sport, faith, and culture. Plus: Sondheim for a new generation.
From 3 Leg Torso to Anonymous Theatre to Portland Revels and a Dickens of a lineup, it’s a holiday sort of season onstage.
Imago’s magical menagerie of costumed critters returns to the stage. Plus Dickens and C.S. Lewis and even Neil Simon.
Suddenly it’s time for theatrical good cheer, from Tiny Tim to a Wonderful Life to a PDX musical – plus Corrib’s foray into an intense virtual future.
Kristina Wong’s “Sweatshop Overlord” is a sharp and heartwarming look behind the politics of Covid. Plus: The Shakespeare Festival’s big gift.
Profile’s “King of the Yees” takes an imaginative trip through split cultural identities. Plus “Jagged Little Pill,” openings, closings.
“King of the Yees” and “Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord” headline a week that also includes black comedy, a “Blink,” and a “Zooman.”
In a season of shows about Black life in America, the captivating “the ripple, the wave” carries the conversation home.
Shades of time and meaning in the Broadway “Mockingbird” tour; Dav Pilkey’s musical dogs; Milagro’s Day of the Dead dance; Chad Deity’s smashing slamdown and more.
Scott Palmer returns to Bag & Baggage with the “Hamlet” riff “The Last White Man”; ripples & waves from Artists Rep and Center Stage; Richard Thomas in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
In a busy theater week, Artists Rep’s “Hombres” nears the end of a sparkling run and promising productions pop up all over town.
Portland Playhouse opens a comedy set at a funeral in a Black church. But does the play move beyond sitcom platitudes?
When lead actor Richie Stone in Broadway Rose’s musical “The Evolution of Mann” is sidelined by Covid, director Isaac Lamb takes the stage for opening night.
CoHo Clown Festival gets down with some feisty physical comedy; “The Hombres” land at Artists Rep; “tick, tick” heads for its final boom; the enduring wit of Louise Brooks.
PICA’s experimental extravaganza hits the boards again. Plus openings, from sci-fi to farce to ghosts, pajamas, book clubs, stony hearts, midsummer dreams and a mushroom hunt.
“When theater becomes just about plays, only fans of plays come. We’re going to bring a variety-show mentality and challenge forms. And we’re going to be trying to incubate new forms.”
Celebrating the Oregon Children’s Theatre leader’s life; “tick, tick … BOOM!” blows the lid off the season at Portland Center Stage; Ashland openings; more.
A revival of a sharp and probing solo drama shows another side from “The Princess Bride.” Also: comedy improv, Hammerstein vs. Hart, more.
Small-theater stars CoHo, PETE, and Third Rail join forces to beat the real estate game. Plus: Last chance to see Imago’s “Voiceover”; openings & closings.
Jerry Mouawad and Drew Pisarra’s new “Voiceover” dips into dance and sound with an existential twist. Plus the JAW new plays festival, a Stan Foote tribute, openings and closings.
The late Claymation master’s musical-theater adaptation of “The Frog Prince” debuts at Lakewood, Twilight opens the Portland premiere of an E.M. Lewis play, “Hadestown” hits Puddletown.
Portland Shakespeare Project gives a “Play On” twist to a tale of jealousy and redemption. Plus openings, closings, and a farewell to Peter Brook.
PETE’s “Cherry Orchard” is an energizing jolt of the sweetly unexpected. Plus the opening of “Desperate Measures” and last chance for “Bad World” and “The Music Man.”
PETE’s radically slimmed-down “Cherry Orchard” streamlines a classic. Plus Risk/Reward, last chance for “Mr. Madam,” and more.
Isaac Lamb stages his “dream show,” a gathering for Tim Stapleton, a pair of Shakespeare festivals, singing cats, openings, closings & more.
The versatile actor moves into the top seat at The Actors Conservatory. Plus: Wade McCollum’s return, openings, closings.
Imago’s “Julia’s Place” starts with Ionesco’s “Rhinoceros” and then stampedes off to an Italian restaurant. Plus openings, closings, and a little improv “Weekend at Bernie’s.”
The dark and twisted Yukio Mishima could be funny, too – and in his kabuki play “Sardine seller,” is. Plus a fresh look at the AIDS era’s “Rent,” the OUTwright Festival and more.
Say hello to Bella, “City Without Altar,” Hand2Mouth, a thin place and a floating bordello. Short runs for “Zandezi,” Shakespeare jokes, and “Shrek Jr.” Last chance for the excellent “The Children.”
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ “Appropriate” spins the word through all of its many meanings, cultural, racial, and personal. Plus openings and closings.
Corrib Theatre’s play about a guy in a bar is being played by a guy in a bar. Oregon Children’s Theatre takes on Shakespeare and a bus trip with Grandma. Freud and C.S. Lewis get down to it.
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