{photo by Olivia Bucks. For the staged readings in Portland Center Stage’s JAW festival, actors have scripts in hand. Yet vividly written plays such as Will Eno’s cerebral and hilarious “Middletown” and instinctively sharp performances by the likes of (from left) Zoe Chao, Sharonlee McLean, Darius Pierce, Michael Fisher Welsh and Laura Faye Smith make for thrilling theater.}

Oregonian Writer Marty Hughley spent JAW week with us, peeking under the hood of the playwrights and the process that make our “summer camp for playwrights” such a valuable experience for artists and audiences.

Check out his thoughtful recap of the project here.

There’s a great addendum (with huge kudos from the playwrights for our local actors) that is running as an online only feature. Read it right here.

More About JAW || Follow the JAW Blog || 2009 Big Weekend Events

Was there a person at Portland Center Stage who did not develop a raging artistic crush on playwright Fin Kennedy while he was here to visit in support of the American Premiere of his play How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found? I suspect that everyone he came in contact with while in Portland was just as smitten. Smart, funny, a bit self deprecating, and so young to be so talented! If you hadn’t already had a crush on him from seeing How to Disappear, you definitely would have if you met him in person.

So how delightful to discover that the crush was requited!?! Fin just posted a detailed blog about his trip to Portland (his first-ever trip to America, evidently) and has a lot to say about America, about Portland, about our production of Apollo and about how Portland Center Stage’s production of How to Disappear compares and contrasts with the London and Sheffield productions, all with the kind of wit and self deprecating humor that makes him so utterly…charming.

We hope that this is just the first of many successful trips to America to see his plays produced. Meanwhile, here’s a sample of what he talks about in his post:

I was in Portland, Oregon – which lots of people told me was a great place to start as it’s one of the most cultured and liberal corners of the US. The whole city has such a relaxed atmosphere, lots of artists’ collectives and galleries with late night openings and play festivals and microbreweries and local organic food and a bookshop which took up a whole block. Everyone was so proud of their city, and not in an annoying small-minded way, but genuinely because it was such a brilliant place with such an exciting DIY can-do ethos, much like the people themselves.

Read the rest of the post here.

More Posts about How to Disappear || Get the Details about the Show || Buy Tickets

GreenHouse School of Theater at Portland Center Stage is gearing up for its Spring term of classes. If you have not had a chance to check us out yet, GreenHouse is a unique new school offering theater training and related studies for people at all degrees of involvement with the living stage. Our courses are taught by exceptional teachers drawn from Portland’s diverse community of talented professionals, many of whom are familiar to you from PCS’s productions and programs.

Already this year we have offered 3 acting classes, 4 playwriting classes, 2 voice over classes, a dramaturgy course and 2 dance courses, among others. Spring term is looking to be exceptional with our first ever Beginning Directing course, an Audition Class, a selection from our popular Art of Business courses, and a Theater Criticism course taught by Portland’s very own theater critic, Bob Hicks.

The class schedule is currently being solidified, so keep an eye out on our webpage at pcs.org/greenhouse and be the first to secure a space. Or call Kelsey at 503-445-3793 to ensure your involvement in any course before marketing materials are posted.

More to come . . .

(photos by Christine Siltanen)

{photo: A moment from the workshop production of parts one and two of Apollo at the Center Theatre Group in L.A.}

The L.A. Times and L.A. Weekly both got to experience Apollo when it was still in its workshop production stage. And boy are they excited about the world premiere.

Check out the LA Times post here.

And the LA Weekly post here.

More Posts about Apollo || Get the Details about the Show || Buy Tickets

You’ve seen The Thugs, you’re going to see The Receptionist. You know Adam Bock is a wick cool playwright. I’ll see you all that this month’s reading of The Drunken City.

Portland Center Stage’s

NOW HEAR THIS

invites you to a concert reading of

The Drunken City

By Adam Bock

*

November 3, 2008

4pm-6pm

@ Portland Center Stage

128 NW Eleventh Avenue (between Couch & Davis)

in the Rehearsal Room

Admission is free, but space is limited

Please email Megan Ward at meganw@pcs.org

to reserve your seat

—————————–

Marnie’s getting married! The girls are out on the town to celebrate her last night of being single, when they run into Frank and Eddie. Sparks fly and Marnie is left questioning why she’s getting married. In The Drunken City, everyone is trying to sober up and find some balance—especially the bride-to-be.

*
Adam Bock’s plays include The Thugs (OBIE Award) Swimming in the Shallows (3 BATCC Awards, Clauder Award) Five Flights (Glickman Award) The Typographer’s Dream, The Shaker Chair and Three Guys and a Brenda (Heideman Award). He is the resident playwright at Encore Theater, a Shotgun Players artistic associate, and a New Dramatist member playwright. He is currently writing a screenplay for Scott Rudin/Miramax.

Our outstanding cast includes:

Brittany Burch, Paul Glazier, Chris Harder, Julie Jeske Murray, Chris Murray, & Laura Faye Smith

Now Hear This and Portland Center Stage gratefully acknowledge the support of the Oregon Cultural Trust.