Reviews of "The Oregon Trail"
Brash and Funny
"With a script that's brash and funny, a cast of talented actors with great comedic timing, and deft set design, The Oregon Trail is a fun show, particularly for adults of a certain age group. This is definitely not a show for kids, despite the video game tie-in, but for anyone who grew up playing "Oregon Trail" or came of age in the '90s, The Oregon Trail hits all the marks." -EDGEMedia
Crisply Written Dark Comedy
"Brunstetter's dialogue is flooded with wit and warm '90s nostalgia ... it's a heartening sign that geeks will inherit the earth when a nerdy educational video game from middle school gets such a strapping theatrical production at Portland Center Stage." -The Oregonian
You will be Transported
"For the Nostalgia-Factor alone, "The Oregon Trail" stage-play would be worth the price of admission for students of a certain era ... it was the little things that made the play enjoyable, not only the tidbits of nostalgia, or the self-deprecating jabs at my generation, but also things you'd never have thought of had you not been reminded ... If you want to vividly relive a moment in time, see The Oregon Trail." -The Crippled Critic
Smart and Funny
"It’s well-acted, well-directed by PCS associate artistic director Rose Riordan, and beautifully staged. Now Jane’s dialog with the ever-present computer game is brilliant." -Judy Nedry
A Well-Meshed Cast
"I loved the contrasting stories and especially the wry voice of the Narrator as it gave a deeper substance to the inner self of Jane. Riordan has cast it well and kept the story understandable, even when jumping back and forth through centuries." -Dennis Sparks
Hilarious Effect
"Besides the nod the The Oregon Trail, there are multiple nostalgic nods to the 90s peppered through the play, varying from floppy disks to Teen Spirit to more prominently, music that somehow crosses over between Now Jane and Then Jane to hilarious effect. I loved the staging of the entire production ... A turntable is used wonderfully during a ford the river scene, and a tumbleweed doubles down on conveying the environment around the wagon." -Pechluck's Food Adventures
More about The Oregon Trail:
10 Beloved Coming of Age Stories (For Girls)
From The Outsiders to Little Women, Growing Pains and My So-Called Life, Bekah Brunstetter's play The Oregon Trail has us reminiscing about our favorite coming of age tales.
"The Oregon Trail" Cast and Creative Team
Learn about the team battling dysentery in The Oregon Trail.
Perspectives series for "The Oregon Trail"
Join The Armory in partnership with PIGSquad, Rose City Games and the Oregon Games Organization for a series of 30-minute post-show discussions following select Sunday matinee performances of Oregon Trail.
Resource Guide for Educators: The History of the Game
What The Oregon Trail game meant for one pre-teen girl
Current & Upcoming
Art Exhibit: ¡Soy Yo! by Mika Martinez
¡Soy Yo!, is a multi-media project, created by Mika Martinez, that examines and celebrates Latinx identity featuring more than 50 portraits of the Hispanic/Latino community in Portland.
Piano Bar with Courtney Freed and David Saffert
Join us for this monthly event with local songstress Courtney Freed and Portland-based pianist David Saffert as they host a good old-fashioned PIANO BAR.
NASSIM
From Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour (creator of the Off-Broadway smash hit White Rabbit, Red Rabbit) comes an audacious new theatrical experiment, presented in collaboration with Boom Arts. Each night, a new, unrehearsed local performer joins the playwright on stage, while the script waits, unseen, in a sealed box... Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, NASSIM is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us.
Art Exhibit: Garam Garam Chai by Yusra Siddiqui
Portland Center Stage will host Garam Garam Chai, an art exhibit by Portland-based multidisciplinary artist Yusra Siddiqui, featuring a series of hand-sewn teabag printmaking pieces that serve as a contemplation of the communal tea times shared between Desi and British culture.
Coriolanus
Shakespeare’s tragedy about the war hero Coriolanus and the fight between the elite and the deprived masses will be fueled by a dynamic female and non-binary ensemble with a muscular, movement-focused staging.
May First Thursday with Adriana Wagner Quartet
May First Thursday will feature live music by the Adriana Wagner Quartet in the Main Lobby, joined by Garrett Baxter on bass, Matthew Sazima on piano and Ken Mastrogiovanni on drums.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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