JAW Play Reading: ark (of cypress wood)
By a.k. payne
Noa’s Ark is a diner in Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma where folks come to remake the world. A queer Black woman named Noa stands at the helm and in May of 1921, no one else can see what’s coming to threaten the streets of Greenwood. Against the backdrop of one of the largest race riots in American history, pairs of lovers try to imagine a world where they can breathe.
JAW New Play Festival FREE! July 24-26, 2026
A week-long assembling of artists and audiences to create new plays! Artistic teams, including playwrights, directors and actors, come together to rehearse — and a lot of times rewrite! — a play. The final piece of the process happens during the weekend, when we share “music stands readings” with audiences so the playwrights can hear their work, often for the very first time!
a.k. payne wrights plays. They make art & theatre, freedom dream and theorize from the hills & valleys of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—where her people have carved home since the early 20th century. Her plays love on Black pasts, presents and futures. They hold a B.A. in English and African-American Studies from Yale College & an MFA in Playwriting under Tarell Alvin McCraney from fka Yale School of Drama. Named one of Variety Magazine's Top Ten Storytellers to Watch, her work has been a 3x finalist and 2025 winner of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the oldest and largest international prize honoring women+ playwrights. Their work has been developed and workshopped broadly including: at the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, The New Harmony Project and Breaking The Binary Theatre Festival. Her work has been produced in theaters across the country in NYC (Off-Broadway), Atlanta, Los Angeles, DC and beyond. They are currently the inaugural Artist in Residence at Pittsburgh’s City Theatre and part of National Black Theatre’s I AM SOUL Playwright Residency.
Current & Upcoming
Storm Large Makes it Home
Portland Center Stage presents Storm Large Makes It Home, a gripping new memoir-on-stage from acclaimed singer, actor, and songwriter Storm Large. Featuring new original music written and performed live by Storm, this intimate one-woman show explores family, identity, belonging, and the search for a place to call home.
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Liberace & Liza: A Tribute
Liberace & Liza Minnelli never performed together, but should have! David Saffert & Jillian Snow have created a wildly successful mashup of two over-the-top icons, which is now headed to London’s West End after a sell-out UK tour. Saffert’s dizzying piano skills and Snow’s powerhouse belt team up in songs such as Cabaret, New York, New York, Over the Rainbow and even in surprise covers of Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. There are as many laughs as sequins when Liberace & Liza take hilarious turns vying for the spotlight. No matter what, they both come out winning and audiences are left in awe after a night they won’t soon forget. We hope to see you at The Armory and if you’re feeling frisky, come on over and join us in London!
July First Thursday: Game Night (Heated Rivalry Edition)
Happy Pride, Portland! Join us for our Heated Rivalry themed game night at First Thursday where our main event will be an Air Hockey Tournament hosted by Portland United Hockey League. The RSVP link attached is specifically to enter our Air Hockey Tournament. There are only 48 slots for that event, but the rest of the evening and the games involved have no cap! Enjoy complimentary beer from Deschutes Brewery, free Aura Readings from Your Cosmic Crown (6PM-8PM) & free games like: Connect 4, Jenga, UNO & Dunk Bros (from Mario Party 6). There will also be several prizes for the air hockey champ, including a Heated Rivalry: Season One Collector's Edition on 4K & Blu-ray!
Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer
⭐ Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Portland. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Hans Zimmer at The Armory - Portland under the gentle glow of candlelight.
JAW Play Reading: Cessair: The Birth of Ireland
A new musical with music and lyrics by Holly Harmon, and book and lyrics by Lolly Ward.
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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