A Life
- Previews Sep. 29–Oct. 4 | Opening night Oct. 5
- By Adam Bock
- Directed by Rose Riordan
JUMP TO: Dates, Run Time, Playbill, & More
“★★★★★ Exquisite in detail.” —Time Out New York
A wickedly irreverent play about the meaning of life. Nate Martin is hopelessly single. When his most recent breakup casts him into a funk, he turns to the only source of wisdom he trusts: the stars. Poring over astrological charts, he obsessively questions his past and his place in the cosmos. The answer he gets is shockingly obvious — and totally unpredictable.
Commissioned by Portland Center Stage at The Armory | West Coast Premiere!
Who's Who:
View the Cast and Creative Team
Playbill:
Explore the Playbill
Run Time:
Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Note:
Recommended for ages 15 and up. Contains adult situations and language. Children under 6 are not permitted at any production at The Armory.
Resource Guide:
Download resource guide (PDF)
More About This Production
Reviews of "A Life"
One of Portland Center Stage's favorite playwrights delivers a small, surprising, perspective-shifting play. This is a guy you know – maybe even a friend. And his worries of not being able to find anyone to love are real and raw. After seeing A Life and getting a glimpse of Nate’s life, you might see the world a little differently, or have a newfound appreciation for your own life." - Oregon ArtsWatch
An Interview with Adam Bock
A Life author Adam Bock on everything from intuition, astrology and Canada.
"A Life" Cast and Creative Team
Meet the exciting cast and creative team for our opening show in the Ellyn Bye Studio.
Current & Upcoming
JAW Street Dance Showcase
Join us as we kick things off for JAW weekend with this wildly popular yearly showcase, presented by DJ NorthernDraw and featuring street, club, and urban dance styles, performed by artists from a variety of local Portland area dance crews and institutions.
JAW Play Reading: The Sugar Hole
By Virginia Baeta and Amy Driesler
A rent increase for a legendary lesbian bar threatens its existence, and Darcy has a plan to save it. Is the 90's-themed Lesbian Pageant she dreams up as a fundraiser the answer? Or do the lesbians around her have different ideas about what needs to be saved? The Sugar Hole skips through time and space—real and imagined—exploring what it means to be a lesbian in a lesbian community, the importance of spaces for queer people, and what makes someone feel they belong. Part zany comedy, part pageant, and fully heart-filled, The Sugar Hole speaks directly to what makes a community, a community.
JAW Community Artist Lab: Using Images to Catalyze New Work with Dr. Taylor Barfield
Playwrights from August Wilson to Stephen Sondheim have found inspiration for their dramatic works on the canvas of a visual artist. In this workshop, we'll use images and music as a way to launch the playwriting process, craft language, and listen for character.
JAW PRESS PLAY: Bridging Voices choir
Bridging Voices is a youth chorus for LGBTQ+ and allied youth, ages 13-21. We strive to be a safe, accessible place for youth to experience empowerment and unity through music. Bridging Voices is Portland’s first LGBTQ+ and Allied Youth Chorus and is one of the largest choruses of its kind in the nation.
JAW Play Reading: Teen Playwrights Showcase
Celebrate the newest generation of theater artists in this high-energy showcase of 8-10 minute plays written by local teens. These young writers are selected from PCS’s year-round education programs and the PCS Teen Council. The playwrights are commissioned to create bold new works that reflect their voices and experiences.
JAW PRESS PLAY: The Latino Network's Ballet Folklórico dancers
A performance by the Latino Network’s Ballet Folklórico students, a program that honors and promotes Mexican culture, heritage, and identity through traditional dance classes and performances for youth and the community.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
Production Sponsors
2018-2019 Season Superstars
2018-2019 Season Supporting Sponsors
