JAW Play Reading: God Save the Queen
by Phillip Christian Smith
Gregory, a Black Gay Costume Designer with early onset Alzheimer’s is being taken care of by his lifelong friend and no-nonsense dramaturg, Morgan. Gregory only comes alive when he is put into copies of the dresses, he has made in his own size, of the leading ladies that he has designed throughout his career: to go to parties, to go to the club, to cruise the boys, to stun the children. Morgan has been having problems keeping a nurse’s aide until Inga, a single mother whose home life doesn’t exist at work, comes into their lives.
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!
Phillip Christian Smith is a resident member of New Dramatists 2023-2030, this year’s winner of the Kleban Prize for most promising librettist, holder of a Sloan Commission, Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow, a Roe Green Commission with Cleveland Playhouse, a Fire This Time Festival Playwright, Fresh Ground Pepper PGPG, a Tennessee Williams Scholar at Sewanee and staff, Playwrights Realm and Lambda Literary Fellow, Winter Playwrights Retreater, The Outrage: A Queer Writers Residency. Florida Rep PlayLab, Valdez Conference. O’Neill, PlayPenn, Trustus, and BAPF Finalist. Phillip is a founding member and 1/5th of The Omnivores. He teaches playwriting at Medgar Evers College, acting at Pace University and Hunter College where he has also taught playwriting. MFA Yale School of Drama acting, MFA Hunter College playwriting, BFA UNM.
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!
Pre-Show Event: Pups Make it Home for Storm's Birthday!
Want to pet some pups? Want to celebrate Storm Large's Birthday? Want to do both at the same time?? Stop by PCS on June 25th at 5:30PM and hang out with Storm and our friends from One Tail At A Time! Hey, maybe some of our pals might even make it home with a new family :)
See ya then!
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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