Tonight and tomorrow at Hipbone Studios (1847 E Burnside), Portland State University students will be performing 5 one-acts by winners of the Northwest Universities Playwriting Competition.

The shows are self-produced by PSU students hoping to bridge the gap between Portland’s burgeoning creative class, and its perception of the stuffiness and modern irrelevance of live theater.

It is very, very difficult to convince people to go to the theater. Ticket prices have a bit to do with this, and are frequently invoked as a reason why people, particularly young people, don’t go—but in reality, most companies offer sliding scale and pay-what-you-will nights. There are even inexpensive options at the high end of the spectrum—PCS sells cheap rush tickets when shows aren’t sold out. In my experience, people like the idea of theater—they’re unwilling to condemn the medium as a whole, but they’re equally unwilling to actually attend a production. People will take a chance on a band they’ve never heard of or a movie that’s gotten middling reviews, but theater just doesn’t seem to be a viable entertainment option for many. (I’d be curious to hear from commenters on that one—do you go to the theater, and if not, why not? What was the last show you attended?) So anyway, it’s nice to see young folks trying to reach out to new audiences. Bridge that gap, kids.

Full press release after the jump

Me, Me, Me & Ewe Performs Prize-Winning Plays by New Portland Playwrights

Five exciting one-acts by winners of the Northwest Universities Playwriting Competition, will be performed in Hipbone Studios at 1847 E. Burnside, Thursday June 12th, and Friday June 13th at 7:30. $5.
The shows are self-produced by PSU students hoping to bridge the gap between Portland's burgeoning creative class, and its perception of the stuffiness and modern irrelevance of live theater. Death of a Salesmen doesn't mean much to the Donnie Darko generation. But featuring themes like an acid-induced vision quest to seek forgiveness from a dead friend, a professional baseball player's growing disgust with the idiocy of his job while people are starving around the world, and cat-lovers on the run from the law, Me, Me, Me and Ewe is a show Portlanders can really relate to.