“…[O]ne of the many things I love about my community is the way we have historically taken our pain and transformed it into beauty,” Rusty Newton Tennant, Fuse Theatre Ensemble’s artistic director, recently wrote on social media before the opening this month of Fuse’s production of the Stephen Sondheim musical Assassins. “Shoot at us. Kill us. Try to destroy us. We will turn it all into glitter, bumping beats, sex, drugs, and unabashed, unashamed Queer Joy. If I want you to walk away from this show with anything, it is a sense of that Queer Joy.”

These remarks, which I’m quoting here with Tennant’s permission, remind me of how miraculous it is when we can tell our stories, whether it’s to people who share our experience or to those whose lives are very different, but whose hearts sometimes expand as they listen.

Last week I had the pleasure of talking to Damaris Webb about how she came to create her solo show Precipice: re-membering, forgetting, and claiming home, which is part of the Vanport Mosaic festival and Third Rail Repertory Theatre’s final production of the season. She told me that as a child, when her mixed-race family travelled in Oregon, they stayed close to the I-5 corridor because it was commonly understood it could be unsafe to venture too far into rural Oregon.

I grew up in a mostly white suburb of Portland. My family, with its limited budget for vacations, packed our blue tent and our Coleman stove and camped every summer: Cove Palisades, Timothy Lake, Perry South. I loved every minute of those trips, but it wasn’t until I heard Webb’s story that I fully understood that they were a privilege.  

I recently had surgery, which has also made me think about what a gift consciousness is. Sure, sleeping through surgery is great, but as a rule, I prefer to be awake and aware of the myriad stories around me, with an occasional dip into an escapist fantasy.

As the threat of a possible closure for Portland Center Stage, which is facing a major financial deficit, looms over the Oregon theater world, now might be a good time to exercise our privilege of being able to go out and see our local artists, who faithfully entertain and enlighten us with their stories, often on fragile budgets that are built out of popsicle sticks and twine.

For the rest of May, a wide variety of shows is on offer, including Ten Fifteen Theater’s Again! The Art of Perfection, the journey of growing up closeted and Catholic; Experience Theatre Project’s Boeing Boeing; and Broadway in Portland’s cheeky touring production of The Book of Mormon.  

And that’s just this month. In early June, Cygnet Productions will feature Nostalgia Is So Yesterday, the stories of two giants, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer David Hume Kennerly and prolific author Charles Jennings, at The Old Church; Portland Center Stage is bringing us an adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest; Profile Theatre is staging Lauren Yee’s Mother Russia; triangle productions! has a return of Darcelle: That’s No Lady on tap; and a new company, Tour de Force Productions, is producing Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love.

As Damaris Webb told me last week, “We all have a slightly different story. And isn’t that wonderful to share them and hear them and reflect on them? That only makes us stronger.”

Opening

You Can’t Be Serious at Bag&Baggage, May 22-25.

After Andrea Parson’s sister died of cancer in 2020, Parson turned her personal tragedy into art. Over the next few years she worked closely with From the Ground UP’s artistic director, Katherine Murphy Lewis. In November 2023 the world premiere of You Can’t Be Serious, which is written and performed by Parson and directed by Lewis, had sold-out shows at BodyVox Dance Center in Portland and has travelled from the Oregon Fringe in Ashland and Hollywood Fringe (L.A.) to United Solo in New York. Back in Oregon this month, the 90-minute show will run for four performances at The Vault in Hillsboro.

Curious Savage at Twilight Theater, May 23-June 8 (preview May 22).
John Patrick (not to be confused with John Patrick Shanley) wrote this warm and whimsical comedy about Ethel Savage, a wealthy widow whose greedy stepchildren commit her to a sanitarium, where she befriends the other guests. The show opened on Broadway in 1950, starring Lillian Gish, and I’m looking forward to seeing Twilight’s version, which is directed by Shannon Cluphf and stars Kathleen Worley as Ethel Savage.

The touring production of The Book of Mormon at Keller Auditorium, May 27-June 1.

Winner of nine Tony awards, this hit musical comedy follows two missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who try to preach their faith at a remote Ugandan village, not understanding that the people there are preoccupied by other issues, including AIDS and famine.

Light Opera of Portland (LOoP) presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience at the Portland’5 Brunish Theatre, May 30–June 15.

This comedic opera, which was first performed in 1881, critiques the aesthetic art movement, fads, fashions, and superfans, and the nature of romantic love. Set in a fictional English village, the story follows the antics of the poet Bunthorne, the milkmaid Patience, and a lot of lovesick maidens. Under the direction of Artistic Director Laurence Cox, with musical direction by Josh Pounders, and embracing the whimsical spirit of Gilbert and Sullivan’s original work, the show will be onstage at the Brunish Theater in the Antionette Hatfield Hall.

Hand2Mouth presents BANNED at Shaking the Tree Theatre, May 24-June 7.

This new devised work is inspired by recent stories of books that have been restricted and banned across the United States.

According to a Hand2Mouth press release, PEN America recorded 10,046 instances of book bans across the United States in 2023-24. In 2023, both the Canby and West Linn-Wilsonville school districts in Oregon were in the headlines for controversial book challenges and bans. With BANNED, the company hopes to start a conversation about today’s censorship, “not only in ‘far off’ conservative states like Florida and Texas but also in our own backyard.”

BANNED is the culmination of Hand2Mouth’s 2024/25 Season about censorship and banned books and draws from community interviews, personal stories, and research, using an irreverent, “let’s laugh to keep from crying” approach. “There’s something to offend everyone in the library, and people are just taking that offense and wanting to make a blanket statement by getting rid of the things that offend just them, without thinking that there’s all these other people out there that may need that information,” one librarian the company interviewed said.

The show was created and is performed by company members Pedro Dominguez, Emily Hogan and Jenni GreenMiller, with guest artists Claire Aldridge and Dylan Hankins. Directed by Michael Cavazos. See it at Shaking the Tree, 823 S.E. Grant St., Portland.  

Salt & Sage presents Tears and Glitter, May 29-June 21.

This world premiere by Mikki Gillette is set against a backdrop of anti-trans legislation and hostility as it follows Tara and Dita, trans women exes; Quinn, an activist turned recluse; Collier, a nonbinary person whose politics begin moving toward violence; and Murph, a young trans person who pines for Dita. The play, which is directed by Asae Dean and stars Billie Jane Dawson, Juliet Mylan, Thorn Hartspring, Jody Read, and Marina Benedetti, will be onstage at The Backdoor Theater,  behind Common Grounds Coffeehouse at 4321 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. in Portland.

Salt & Sage’s Mimetic Desire, May 30-June 21.

Described as a “tart, queer comedy,” this other world premiere by Mikki Gillette features trans man Alec, who woos the partners of his friends, trans woman Mia, and trans man Dann. As a result, their college friend group is upended in a swirl of  betrayal, envy and heartbreak.

Directed by Asae Dean, it stars Hazel O’Brien, Maryellen Wood, Tea Johnson, Lennox Blodgett, Cosmo Reynolds, and Ethan Feider. Like Tears and Glitter, the show will be onstage at The Backdoor Theater,  behind Common Grounds Coffeehouse at 4321 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. in Portland.

AGAIN! The Act of Perfection at Ten Fifteen Theater in Astoria, May 30-June 14.

Marco Davis’s autobiographical one-act tells the story of growing up as a closeted Catholic boy in a small, rural town. The show features original music composed by Skyler Butenshon, a three-piece live band, and a Greek chorus of dancers. A community discussion will follow the June 8 performance.

Nostalgia Is So Yesterday at The Old Church, June 1 at 7 p.m. only.

Part poetry, photos, music and short tales, this show was created by Pulitzer Prize-winner David Hume Kennerly and prolific author Charles Jennings.

As described in its press, “In Act I of Nostalgia, actors Bruce Burkhartsmeier, David Meyers, Vana O’Brien and Kathleen Worley bring Jennings’ quirky poems to life, as Kennerly’s whimsically matched photos are projected behind them. In Act II, Kennerly will show photographs from his life-long excellent adventure and tell you why he’s lucky to be alive to talk about it. His story could have been a short one, ending badly in the jungles of Vietnam or on the battlefields of Bangladesh. But Kennerly escaped unscathed, only to become President Gerald R. Ford’s White House photographer, about which he said, ‘At times covering Ford was more dangerous than being in combat, especially on the golf course.’ Kennerly and Jennings will also (unless someone stops them) tell stories which speak to their battered optimism for America, despite everything.”

Louanne Moldovan directs this Cygnet production, and special limited editions of Kennerly prints and copies of the Nostalgia Is So Yesterday book will be signed and sold after the performance.

The Importance of Being Earnest at Portland Center Stage, June 6-29, previews begin June 1.

This queer-coded world premiere of Kamilah Bush’s adaptation of the classic wit-fest by Oscar Wilde is directed by Josiah Daves and features an out-of-this-world cast, including Tyler Andrew Jones and Lo N. Steele.

Continuing Shows

Basement Stair Collective’s final performance of Songs for the End of the World, May 24.

Using music to explore all the facets of grief – including humor and courage – this post-apocalyptic, one-person concert/play is performed by Kora Link, directed by R.L. Routh, and written by Ken Yoshikawa (a recent Oregon Book Award finalist) and Kora Link. The show is Basement Stair Collective’s first performance outside of a festival, and according to its press, the local theater group aims to “create immersive new works through a collaborative, design-forward process, delving into the dark corners of the human experience to shed light on the spaces between grief and joy, the flesh and the soul, and the personal and the political.”

See the show on May 24 at 7:30 at Now Serving (330 SE 6th Ave Portland). 

The Other Place at 21ten Theatre, through May 25.

ArtsWatch reviewed this superbly acted drama, which stars Diane Kondrat, Ashley Song, and Todd Hermanson, here.

Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka at Gallery Theater in McMinnville, through May 25.

Based on the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, this musical follows Charlie Bucket’s visit to a mysterious chocolate factory. Adapted for the stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy Allen McDonald, the show features songs from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder, plus new songs by Bricusse and Anthony Newley. Best for ages 8+.

Boeing Boeing at Experience Theatre Project, through May 25.

Aloha’s immersive theater company lands in a Paris apartment for its production of Boeing Boeing, a 1960 farce written by Marc Camoletti. Here, the playboy architect Bernard lives with three fiancées, flight attendants whose work keeps them from home at different times … until one day it doesn’t. Paul Order directs this production, which was translated by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans.

Happyness (The Wrecking Ball) at Imago Theatre, through May 31.

Described as a tragicomedy for our times and a futuristic farce with music, Carol Triffle’s new satire centers on two women trying to survive in a world of Dune, Beckett, and … sock puppetry. Returning for the production will be longtime collaborators Kyle Delamarter, Laura Loy, and Anne Sorce. Recommended for 16+. ArtsWatch talked to writer/director Triffle about the show here.

The Glass Menagerie at Pentacle Theatre in Salem, through May 31.

Jeff Sanders directs the show that catapulted Tennessee Williams to fame when it premiered on Broadway in 1945. This memory play features characters based on Williams, his mother, and his mentally fragile sister. 

Third Rail’s Precipice: re-membering, forgetting, and claiming home at CoHo Theater, through June 1.

Damaris Webb, who co-wrote this intriguing magical-realist solo show with Chris Gonzales, tells the story of her experience as a third-generation Black Portlander and Oregonian who went on a series of camping trips to move beyond her family history and inherited possessions. Along the way, she also explored her relationship to the land and found a place of personal transformation. Olivia Mathews directs the play, which is part of this year’s Vanport Mosaic festival. For more background on the show, listen to Dmae Lo Roberts’ Stage & Studio podcast about the Vanport Mosaic Festival and read a conversation with Webb here.  

The Norwegians at Coaster Theatre in Cannon Beach, through June 7.

This madcap comedy by C. Denby Swanson involves two women who have been dumped and the nice gangsters – Norwegian hit men – they hire to take out their ex-boyfriends.

Directed by Deanna Duplechain, the show stars Cyndi Fisher, John Hoff, Ryan Hull and Sara Spangler. Onstage at Coaster Theatre Playhouse, 108 N. Hemlock St. in Cannon Beach.

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at Portland Playhouse, through June 8.

Set in a 1911 Pittsburgh boarding house, August Wilson’s masterpiece gets its title from a blues song. In a story about the African American post-slavery experience, the script follows Herald Loomis, who is searching for identity and belonging after being captured by a bounty hunter and serving seven years of forced labor. The show stars La’ Tevin Alexander, Lester Purry, and Bobby Bermea and is directed by Lou Bellamy. Read Darleen Ortega’s review here.

Fuse Theatre Ensemble stages Assassins as part of its 2025 OUTwright Festival, through June 15.

Fuse Theatre Ensemble 2025’s OUTwright Festival will feature new works by LGBTQIA+ creators as well as the company’s feature presentation of Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins.

Rusty Newton Tennant directs the dark comedy, which includes music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by John Weidman about nine people who set out to assassinate American presidents.

OUTwright 2025 will also include productions of Scot Zellers’ solo hit H@PPY F@GGOT and Lijoi to the World: a celebration of the work of Ernie Lijoi, the Portland multi-skilled theatermaker who died in February, plus the festival’s reading series, which Tennant calls “the foundation of OUTwright.” This year’s titles for the series include: Merry Xmas and a Happy New Queer by Meg Shenk (Portland), Dreams of a Celestial Night by Ajai Tripathi (Portland), Filthy Lucre by Mikki Gillette (Portland), Small Domestic Acts by Joan Lipkin (St. Louis), and My White Husband by Leviticus Jelks (Atlanta).

All OUTwright shows will be performed at Reed College’s Black Box Theatre. Find tickets and schedules here.

Chris Grace: As Scarlett Johansson at Portland Center Stage, through June 22. 

The casting of Scarlett Johansson as Major in the 2017 film Ghost in the Shell continues to generate controversy today. The movie was based on the Japanese manga series of the same name, in which “Major” was Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the film’s choice for a lead actor inspired the Chinese American comedian and actor Chris Grace to create a 65-minute comedy about representation and race in which he plays, with the help of wigs, himself, Johansson and Johansson playing him. Grace told PCS literary manager Kamilah Bush, “The first time you see yourself more accurately reflected on screen, it’s like the training wheels have come off and often there’s a burst of emotion and connectedness that comes with it.” Eric Michaud directs Portland Center Stage’s production.

Theater news

An update on Fertile Ground 2024’s Freedom (aka The Untold Story of Moses). 

Chari Smith’s new musical, Freedom (aka The Untold Story of Moses), which was a part of the 2024 Fertile Ground Festival of New Works, recently won a competition to be part of the New Works Cabaret at Theatre Arlington in Texas. Smith was one of eight featured musical theater writers, and enjoyed two sold-out performances. Freedom is a rock-infused musical telling a universal story inspired by the tale of Moses, a young man torn between royal privilege and stark injustice. Smith is workshopping the full show, with plans for a staged reading in the future. A 10-minute video featuring four songs from Freedom is here. You can also read more about the show on Smith’s website.

Applications for Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble’s Institute for Contemporary Performance are open for the 2025-26 cohort, with an in-person information session held on May 22.

PETE is accepting applications for its 2025-26 cohort for its ICP and will hold an information session 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22, where potential applicants can meet faculty and alumni, and tour PETE’s studio at 2259 N.W. Raleigh St. Applications are due June 1, 2025 and can be downloaded here. For more information or to RSVP for the info session, email Jacob Coleman at jacob@petensemble.org.

Kickstand Comedy in the Park returns for its fifth season of free outdoor performances.

For the fifth year, Kickstand Comedy will bring back its Kickstand Comedy in the Park series to Laurelhurst Park. The series includes free, diverse stand-up comedy shows, featuring local and national comedians. Julia Corral and Rachelle Cochran return as co-hosts for the events, which are for all ages but may contain some mature content. Comedy in the Park will take place most Fridays beginning June 6 and conclude on Sept. 5 with the Best of the Fest, featuring returning comedic favorites and surprise guests. Check here for more information about the shows or to learn how to support Kickstand Comedy’s performers and mission-based programming, including scholarships, BIPOC classes, pay-what-you-will admission and ASL interpretation.