Portland Center Stage is offering a Groundhog's Day ticket deal: For one day only, tickets to any performance of any remaining show in their season are $30. (Adult tickets typically run upwards of $50.)

The final few days of the dystopian, laugh-out-loud dramedy The North Plan, described by Portland Monthly as “nothing short of uproarious!”

Chris Coleman’s world premiere adaption of the fantastical Shakespeare’s Amazing Cymbeline, opening this week.

Red, the Tony Award-winning bio-drama of the renowned modern artist (and Portland-raised) Mark Rothko.

A world premiere adaptation of Anna Karenina, Tolstoy’s classic story of love and marriage in Imperial Russia. This tragic love story has been called by some the greatest novel ever written.

Black Pearl Sings!, a powerful story about being a woman in a man’s world, being black in a white world, and fighting for one’s soul in a world where anyone can be a commodity. This production in the Ellyn Bye Studio will feature beautiful a cappella renditions of little-known American folk songs.

It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues, a stirring retrospective of blues classics that summons the soul of American music. The New York Times described it as “a potent blend of visual eloquence and historical sweep that engages the eye and touches the heart.”

Click over here for details.

A Live Dress by Martha Jane Kaufman had its first staged reading last night at the jam packed Brody Theatre as part of the Fertile Ground Festival. Director Avital Schoenberg prefaced the evening by reminding the audience that a staged reading is a process, not a product- in fact the ending of the play had been rewritten only the night before. Note taken, and I agree that this play, like a special dress, still needs to be taken in here and let out there, but with a little more tailoring, A Live Dress will be an important and intricate work of theatre.

The story of A Live Dress revolves around the 1923 production of Sholom Asch's G-d of Vengeance in NYC, a Yiddish play that was shut down by the police for obscenity for portraying the first on stage lesbian relationship. Young Jewish actress, Sabina (Kayla Lian) and her grandmother (Michele M. Mariana) get pulled in to the mysterious conflict of the condemned play as they deal with their own conflicts as Jewish immigrant women who must make room for their old ghosts in a new home.

With this play, Kaufman continues the rich tradition of Yiddish Theatre, but twists and tangles the traditionally male-dominated form by writing from a strong female and queer perspective. It's not smack-in-the-face feminist queer theory on stage; it's just that the women speak and interact like women (how extraordinary!) and gay romances may or may not be brewing under the surface of the story. Kaufman handles under-represented voices with a light touch that integrates them honestly and seamlessly into the story.

They'll be doing this show every weekend until mid-February or when they get bored, so you should check it out at some point if not tonight! (Voodoo's Tres Shannon is on tap for tomorrow night's show.)

DEETS:

"Late Night Action! with Alex Falcone"
January 27th-February 18th
Fridays and Saturdays
7:30 doors/8pm show
$7
(cards or cash accepted at the door, reservations recommended)
For reservations call 503-308-8679 or email us at actionadventuretheater@gmail.com

If Rocky Horror Picture Show, Moulin Rouge, and Twilight had an orgy, Bite Me A Little: A Vampire Musical would be their love child. Book, music, and lyrics are all by local musician Arlie Conner, who says, “It began with the music, I really just wanted to write some gypsy jazz-style songs. Then out popped [musical number] "Taste of Blood" and I realized I had crossed the line into musical theater. Always a bad sign if you want to have a normal life.” Somehow I doubt Conner had a normal life in the first place, because this new musical is lots of freaky fun with serious potential.

A film-noir detective is investigating a series of murders (all young girls with their throats ripped out) and his search leads him to Dr. Hurt’s Palace of Fun. Meanwhile, Joe, a wide-eyed boy in a sweater vest, is convinced by Dr. Hurt’s transvestite minion to host his high school reunion at the Palace of Fun. Joe falls for the star of the kinky cabaret, Raven Hurt, played by Sydney Weir (who looks exactly like Jessica Rabbit come to life).

It’s a very sweet boy-meets-vampire girl love story with lots of camp, sex and spanking thrown in for good measure. Don’t take camp to mean cheap in this case—the musical score was both catchy and sophisticated, with a New Orleans Jazz groove and spooky cabaret pulse throughout.

I could see a full production of this musical catching like wildfire among cult-fans, especially those in the S&M scene. You can imagine with, songs like “That’s the Way She Likes It,” “Take Me To the Dark Side,” “Relax Babe,” and “I’m in Charge.” The reading was a bit rough, but everyone enjoyed themselves, if you know what I mean. Get to Mississippi Studios tonight to catch the last Fertile Ground showing, and keep an eye out for this one in future festivals.

There are a lot of really promising shows opening this weekend, and a backdoor way to get into a few of 'em for cheap with a Fertile Ground festival pass—the ten-day festival of new work doesn't officially kick off until next weekend, but once it does a pass will get you into any participating show, including big ones from PCS and Artists Rep. (If you're not familiar with Fertile Ground, here's a boostery article I wrote a few years ago explaining it in some detail. Nutshell: It's an uncurated festival that promotes the development of new theatrical work; it features a lot of unknown or first-time artists, but there are enough established companies participating this year to make the purchase of a $50 festival pass a great deal even if all you see are shows from Portland Center Stage, Artists Rep, and Portland Playhouse. There are also some very promising smaller shows, which I'll break down in a later post.)

Anyway, here's what you can look forward to this weekend:

Collapse—Third Rail Repertory presents Collapse, a comedy of loss and recovery, about becoming a drug mule as a valid secondary job choice.
Winningstad Theatre, PCPA, 1111 SW Broadway, Thurs-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm, through Jan 28, $14.50-34.25

(I Am Still) The Duchess of Malfi—Artists Rep premieres a re-imagining of John Webster's classic tale of murder, sex, and betrayal. This one promises is a heavy hand with sex, gore, and splatter. Part of Fertile Ground 2012.
Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison, $25-40, see website for dates and showtimes, through Feb 12

North Plan—Portland Center Stage presents the story of a government bureaucrat being hunted into the Ozarks, where his only allies are alcoholic recidivists who believe Lynyrd Skynyrd should be on American currency. Part of Fertile Ground 2012.
Gerding Theater at the Armory, 128 NW 11th, various dates and showtimes through Feb 4

Near to the Wild Heart—The first show from the new Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble—made up of former members of Fever Theatre—is described in the press release as a "dance monologue" inspired by the work of female artists. Sounds sketchy, except that I really loved the last dance-y show these three did together, Smiling in the Dark/Alone Together (that was produced under the Fever Theater banner, but developed by the three artists—Kate Sanderson Holly, Jacob Coleman, and Amber Whitehall—who now comprise PETE).
Conduit Dance Ballroom, 918 SW Yamhill, Thurs-Sun 8 pm, through Jan 22, $15

B'aktun 13—The Miracle's new show introduces three Latinos who are deported in an ICE raid, and then transforms them into deities as prophecies and visions become realities. Part of Fertile Ground 2012.
Miracle Theatre, 525 SE Stark, opens tonight, runs Thurs 7:30 pm, Fri-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, through Jan 24, $12-24

Also on Saturday, Action/Adventure Theatre—best known for the long-running serial Fall of the House—are hosting a party to show off their new venue. My conflicts-of-interest here are legion, but the party promises music from the outstandingly fun DJ Cooky Parker + free beer, which are things enjoyed by most right-minded humans. That's at 1050 SE Clinton, 7:30 pm, $10-$20 suggested donation

Last month I blogged about three new Portland theater companies; time to add a fourth theatrical upstart to the list. Newcomers Surprise Party Theatre just announced details of their inaugural event: A "Shakespeare party" that invites attendees to pick up a script (Measure for Measure, this time around) and participate in a group reading:

The Shakespeare Party is Surprise Party Theatre’s flagship project. Think of it like Shakespeare karaoke—audience members are assigned parts at the door, provided scripts, and then we just get on our feet and straight up perform a Shakespeare play. No stage, no auditions, no experience required. And no audience but ourselves. All in a comfortable and inviting bar where you can relax and have a drink with your friends (at least while you’re not busy busting out iambic pentameter). Show up early to claim your part. Shakespeare Parties are hosted by Surprise Party Theatre’s resident Shakespeare dork, Jonathan Owicki, who will provide color commentary, choose appropriate dance music, lead the drinking games, and let you in on today’s Secret Word.

Now, the premise of Surprise Party's inaugural event prompted a round of heckling from my cretinous co-workers during our editorial meeting this morning, but I'm acquainted with company founder Jonathan Owicki, and I've heard good things about the Shakespeare parties he's been hosting out of his apartment for a while now. Plus, as always, it's nice to see theater made by and for people under the age of 40.

Who: Surprise Party Theatre
What: Shakespeare Party: Measure for Measure
When: Wednesday, January 18th, 7:30 PM
Where: The Waypost (3120 N Williams Ave, Portland, OR 97212)
Admission: Free! ($5 suggested donation at door for a script, which is required to participate.)

(Disclaimer: This is a post about coupon clipping.)

On my Angels in America review, a commenter said she wanted to see the show but lamented ticket prices—I emailed Portland Playhouse's Michael Weaver to ask if there were any cheap ticket options, and he reminded me that not only do we sell two-for-one tickets through MercPerks (to Portland Playhouse as well as PCS and the Miracle), but there are also a ton of theater coupons in the 2012 Chinook book, now available at hippie grocery stores citywide.

I asked for a Chinook Book for my birthday last month, because I am a 60-year-old woman and keeping my cat in fancy kibble gets expensive. It's got a ton of entertainment coupons: Two for one tickets to Portland Center Stage, the Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Artists Repertory Theater; a few general two-for-one coupons that can be used at Portland Playhouse, the CoHo, the Miracle, Profile, and others; plus deals on tickets to the Oregon Children's Theater, Tears of Joy, the Portland Art Museum, Live Wire!, and plenty more (all of which are duplicated on the great, arguably more useful $10 mobile app, btw). I'd buy it as a gift if were buying presents for anyone but immediate family this Christmas, which I'm not, because, like seemingly all of my friends—who would no doubt actually really appreciate a book of coupons right now—I am shockingly broke this year.

All of this speaks to the larger point that while theater can seem crazy expensive, between deals like these, preview nights, pay-what-you-will nights, rush tickets, OBT's new pay-your-age program, and Art for All's discounts for Oregon Trail Card holders, there are definitely ways to cram in theater on a budget.

(Tangential: I really wish people would stop telling me that "theater is the building, theatre is the art form." I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE. #theatercriticproblems)

The Method Gun, by Austin-based theater company Rude Mechs, was one of my favorite shows at this year's TBA festival. I saw it twice. It was true love. This trailer makes it look kinda goofy:

Which it was, but in a funny, smart, on-purpose way. On the Boards TV recorded the one of the TBA shows and has just released a high-quality recording that's available to stream for $5 or download for $15. (That only seems expensive today because the new Louie C.K. album is only $5...) Get it here.

In descending order of legitimacy (based on what I know about 'em):

PETE—Three Fever Theater alums teamed up with Portland Playhouse's Cristi Miles and Rebecca Lingafelter of NYC's Performance Lab 115 to form the Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble. I always looked forward to Fever's shows (apparently they called it quits a few months ago); I loved their last show, Smiling in the Dark/Alone Together, which just so happens to have been created by the three ensemble members (Amber Whitehall, Kate Sanderson Holly, and Jacob Coleman) who are joining forces on this new project. They're holding a fundraising event tonight, which promises a silent auction, a "ghost story booth," a tarot reader, and a preview of their first show, Summerland; that's from 6:30-9:30 pm on the roof of the Indigo West building. Details here.

Monkey with a Hat On—This company has produced six shows since May, only one of which I saw: The plays in their recent Portland Ten Minute Play Festival were, pretty much across the board, earnest but markedly inexperienced. But if a whole buncha hipsters wanna get earnest about theater, I'm not gonna be mad. Their new show The Moon in the Triangle opens on Sunday:

The production will feature digital light projections, ballet, film, and a live band playing the underscore and sound effects. We are mixing all available medias into one theatrical experience to provide something that people have never seen before—a multimedia Kung-Fu play. And we think it's going to be dope.

Epiphany Theatre Company—A new geek-oriented company (heads up, Browncoats) formed "to engage, challenge and captivate our community by producing innovative adaptations of works of speculative and fantastical fiction—both obscure and well-known." Their season is scheduled to kick off in March with Spider Baby, the Musical.

SANDWICHY AMBIENCE—Portland's electronic music scene has never been stronger, and tonight's lineup is an excellent sampler of what's out there. Dry your rain-wet clothes with the super chill, videogame stylings of Copy and the sophisticated ambient house of Onuinu. WE
Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water, 10 pm, $3

ELVES GONE WILD—For those who prefer their holiday fare on the salty side, Portland Center Stage reprises The Santaland Diaries, a one-man show based on David Sedaris' experiences working as an elf in a Macy's holiday display. This year, out-of-town actor Jim Lichtscheidl dons cap and tights as the surly, irreverent Crumpet the Elf. AH
Gerding Theater at the Armory , 128 NW 11th, Tues-Sun 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun 2 pm, through Dec 31, $31-51 (student and rush tickets available), pcs.org

Remember Phil Busse? (Now do you remember? How about now?)

Our erstwwhile news editor debuts a new project tonight: a staged reading of The Match.com Monologues, based on his online dating experiences.

It is a multi-media stage production about the thrills, chills and history of on-line dating—and, one man's fool-hearted attempt to find love there.

Funny? Well, we think so. Offensive? Probably. (A-hem, adults only.) Entertaining? Most definitively.

The show is directed by Megan Ward (99 Ways to Fuck a Swan, My Name is Rachel Corrie) and performed by Tom Watson and Amanda Jensen; it runs tonight at theSomeday Lounge (125 NW 5th), 8 pm, free.

I am pretty down on Christmas theater. I am not alone in this. I fully understand the seasonal cash grab and I don't begrudge companies any amount of pandering to the what-do-I-do-while-my-family's-in-town crowd; that being said, I really have no interest in sitting through any of it. (Bah humbug, my heart is two sizes two small, etc.) Fortunately, there are some really, really solid non-holiday offerings buried amid the Christmas glut.

Surfacing, Holcombe Waller

A show about art and activism from one of the best vocalists in town. I've got a reasonably in-depth interview with Waller about his new show of "sung storytelling" right over here. (Related: I can't stop listening to this song, and the video prompted my question about Waller's use of humor in his work.) It's a one-weekend-only kinda deal. Tickets!

My Mind Is Like An Open Meadow, Erin Leddy/Hand2Mouth

Erin Leddy's solo show, based on the recorded memoirs of her grandmother. I called it one of the high points of last year's Fertile Ground festival; it went on to win five Drammy awards, including best production. It's no doubt changed as the company toured the show over the past year. I'm looking forward to seeing it again. Tickets!

The Shame Company, The 3rd Floor

For laughing! The newest show from Portland's longest-running sketch comedy troupe. Mercury calendar dude Bobby "Fatboy" Roberts is in it; at various points he (1) wears a unitard and (2) impersonates a kitty. There is also a recurring bit called "What If Jordy Had Snakes For Arms?" It is the greatest. Tickets!

The #1 complaint about the otherwise-beloved annual productions of Trek in the Park is that the show is just too popular for Woodlawn Park: When people have to get to your show three hours in advance to secure a decent seat, maybe it's time to find a new venue. And so they have: Atomic Arts has just announced that their next show, Trek in the Park: Journey to Babel, will be held at Cathedral Park:

Due to filling our beloved Woodlawn Park to over-capacity over the course of the last 3 years, we began a search for a new location to continue our 5-year mission.

But it had to be the right park. It had to feel right for the show, something that would inspire and energize us as we prepare the awesome Enterprise potboiler, Journey to Babel.

Within minutes of walking the stage and grounds, we knew we found the perfect place at Cathedral Park. It’s amphitheater on the corner of N Crawford and N Pittsburgh has plenty of room for families and groups to set up a comfortable space on the grass for themselves and enjoy the show, and the incredibly well designed park under the St. Johns bridge makes for a beautiful scenic day during our summer weekends.

That's gonna run Saturdays and Sundays, August 4-26, and we can all finally quit our whining about how they need a new space.

Holiday theater season starts NOW. My pick for "least annoying holiday production" (it's all relative, buddies) is Artist Rep's Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol, which opens tonight:

Literature’s favorite quirky inquisitor is infused with the spirit of a crotchety Ebenezer Scrooge in an unusual holiday show crafted by Seattle veteran playwright John Longenbaugh. After failed attempts by Dr. Watson to cheer Holmes into celebrating the holiday season, the unrepentant, ill-tempered detective is forced to deduce the facts and solve the most important mystery of his life — past, present and future.

As I hope to never again see a production of A Christmas Carol, I appreciate the twist—plus, one of my favorite local actors, Todd Van Voris, is playing Watson. Yesterday on Fresh Air, director Alexander Payne characterized a good actor as someone with the ability to make even terrible writing sound good—Van Voris is that kind of actor.

Also opening in the next few weeks: OBT's obligatory production of The Nutcracker; PCS' reprisals of A Christmas Story and The Santaland Diaries (delicate yawn); probably someone somewhere is producing A Tuna Christmas. Oh, and Imago has a show called Cats!, which is about... cats! (I think the exclamation point is a crucial part of that title.) It'll be like this, but all kitties:

Theater listings are over here, if you want more.

• IBTimes, from the best photo set ever

Tonight, Artists Rep joins regional theaters nationwide to present Standing on Ceremony, a selection of nine 10-minute plays about gay and lesbian relationships. (Here's the full lineup.) Permission to produce the plays is contingent on the producing organization donating a portion of proceeds to a local marriage-equality organization—in our case, Basic Rights Oregon, who are soon to announce if they'll be putting gay marriage on the 2012 ballot.

Portland's got a solid lineup of talent on deck tonight: actors Courtenay Hameister, Michael Mendelson, Vana O’Brien, Vin Shambry, and John Steinkamp, under the direction of Jon Kretzu and Stephanie Mulligan. Tickets are $50 and include wedding cake and "free champagne"; buy 'em here.

I love Theater Fight!s.

Every year, Portland Center Stage opens their season with a musical. This year, it's Oklahoma—and PCS Artistic Director Chris Coleman's decision to cast the show with all black actors is getting folks all sorts of riled up.

Continue reading »

Arts nonprofit Oregon Arts Watch recently announced the details of a satisfyingly geeky upcoming theater event:

Rose Riordan, associate artistic director of Portland Center Stage, Brian Weaver, artistic director of Portland Playhouse, and Jerry Mouawad, co-artistic director of Imago Theatre, will each direct the same scene with two professional actors. B

This lineup provides some nice contrasts: Imago typically produces surreal, movement-based shows; Riordan is a very smart director who wrangles a lot of the "edgier" material at Portland Center Stage (she directed The Pillowman and The Receptionist); and Brian Weaver and his cohorts have been impressively successful with accessible, community-oriented shows at Portland Playhouse. These are pretty broad-stokes assessments, obviously—I'm really looking forward to seeing what differences show up when three directing styles are stacked against each other.

Details:

The performance will take place Saturday, October 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Ellyn Bye Theatre. Following the performance, there will be a short talk back. Tickets are $10.

Theater is expensive, which is why you never go (for the sake of argument). The annual Free Night of Theater aims to lure in new audiences with a free ticket giveaway—you can enter to win up to five pairs of tickets right over here.

I just made a fake account to see what shows are available—great options include black Oklahoma at Portland Center Stage; Animals and Plants at the Coho (a collaboration between actors from Artists Rep, Third Rail, and Portland Playhouse), and No Man's Land at Artists Rep—our annual visit from William Hurt. Alas, no Bye Bye Greasy.