The Real Americans
September 6 — November 6
In the Ellyn Bye Studio
Written and performed by Dan Hoyle
Developed with and directed by Charlie Varon
“A fast-paced, imaginatively crafted show…Hoyle is unquestionably a man of many talents.” —The Oregonian
Frequently described as an actor/journalist, Dan Hoyle has focused his form of “theater journalism” in this new piece on a months-long road trip to some of the not-on-the-coasts parts of the U.S. The idea, he says, was to get outside the “latte liberal bubble,” find out what people in rural America are thinking and savor some small-town café pie.
Beneath the masterful humor that Hoyle brings to the piece—as he takes on the personas of the many people he encountered—a rich texture of human connections asserts itself. It surfaces in stories of unemployment and in the frenetic form of a Dominican from New York he meets on the road; it gathers heart-wrenching impact in a Vietnam vet’s reflections on the kids coming back from Iraq and one of his San Francisco friends’ concern for her sister in Tennessee.
The San Francisco Chronicle wrote that The Real Americans should be seen in and outside every liberal bubble in this country, and that Hoyle “displays a gift for mime and vocal mimicry that recalls solo artists John Leguizamo, Sarah Jones or Lily Tomlin.”
Performance times:
Tuesday - Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
Thursday matinees at noon
A full list of performances and dates will appear when you enter the Buy Tickets section of the website.
The Real Americans runs approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes with no intermission.
Watch an interview with Dan Hoyle on Charlie Rose
View the Cast and Creative Team Bios
Click here for Accessibility options at PCS.
Reviews and Comment
Richard Wattenberg | The Oregonian [Review 26 Sep 2011]
We are a divided country, and the chasm separating small-town experience from big-city life, heartland from coasts, red states from blue seems to be widening. To try to understand the sources and meaning of this polarization Dan Hoyle traveled from the safety of his liberal San Francisco enclave into the center of the nation. A journalist, playwright, and an actor, Hoyle presents his findings in “The Real Americans,” a fast-paced, imaginatively crafted one-man show.
read moreJessie Drake | The Portland Mercury [Review 23 Sep 2011]
Dan Hoyle had one socially conscious brunch too many in San Francisco with his intellectually cynical, privilege-sensitive friends. So, armed with a tape recorder and curiosity, he set off in a van to find “the real America.” The Main Street, blue-collar, American flag-waving, gun-firing, beer-drinking America of political campaigns, Norman Rockwell paintings, and Fox News. With director Charlie Varon, he turned his travels into a one-man show, and brought it back to the liberal meccas to serve up a slice of enlightened American pie.
read more
Production blog
Beyond the Bubble: Reflecting on an Incredible Journey
01 November 2011 & Posted by JessicaStuhr
Join Dan Hoyle in recounting his journey across rural America in this final “Beyond the Bubble” article and get ready to bid farewell to The Real Americans.
MoreDan Hoyle Talks About Research and Process
26 October 2011 & Posted by JessicaStuhr
PCS asks Dan Hoyle about the research and creative process that went into his brilliant memoir play, The Real Americans.
MoreBeyond the Bubble: Dan’s Fourth of July, Texas Style
18 October 2011 & Posted by JessicaStuhr
This week we travel with Dan Hoyle “Beyond the Bubble” to Graham, Texas to celebrate the Fourth of July.
More- 14 Oct 2011
- Beyond the Bubble: Dan Explores Navajo Nation
- 13 Oct 2011
- Dan Hoyle on Portland
- 12 Oct 2011
- Dan Hoyle and Portland
Ticketing
The Real Americans
For ticket information, contact the box office at 503-445-3700 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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