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Kamilah Bush Artist
Kamilah is a dramaturg, playwright, and educator originally from North Carolina. She holds a B.F.A. in Theater Education from UNC-Greensboro. Most recently, she served as the artistic assistant at Two ...
PCS Welcomes New Literary Manager Kamilah Bush
PCS has hired Kamilah Bush as our new literary manager, following a nationwide search.
Behind the Curtain: Spotlight on Jamie & Troy
Literary Manager Kamilah Bush sat down with actor Jamie Sanders and autism consultant — and actor in his own right — Troy Sawyer.
An Interview with Chris Grace
PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush talked to Chris Grace, writer and performer of Chris Grace As Scarlett Johansson, about being a comedian and a creative chimera, why representation matters, noodles, and board games!
Behind the Curtain: It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush talks to Phil Johnson and Matt Rowning, the sound design and composition team, about bringing this unique experience to life.
Behind the Curtain: Spotlight on Lauren Yee
Literary Manager Kamilah Bush spoke to playwright Lauren Yee about her inspirations and the personal connections that led her to write The Great Leap.
Behind the Curtain: Spotlight on Design
Britton Mauk and Dominique Fawn Hill, the scenic and costume designers of Hedwig, respectively, chat with Kamilah Bush, PCS’s literary manager, about their approaches to design and this bold take on Hedwig.
An Interview with Sweeney Todd Director Chip Miller
PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush talked to Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street director Chip Miller about their deep connection to Sondheim and why "rage in the world" makes the show so relevant today.
Spotlight on Liberace & Liza Music Director Bo Ayars
PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush talked to Bo Ayars, the musical director, conductor, and keyboardist of Liberace & Liza Holiday at the Mansion (A Tribute), about his storied career and his time as the real Liberace's musical director!
Behind the Curtain: Larson & Sondheim
When theater's cherished composer Stephen Sondheim met Jonathan Larson, he took the young tick, tick ... BOOM! creator under his wing. PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush explores their relationship and Sondheim's candid thoughts from a New York Times interview written just months after Larson's death.
A Conversation with Mrs. Harrison Playwright R. Eric Thomas
PCS Literary Manager and Mrs. Harrison Dramaturg Kamilah Bush talked to the show's writer, R. Eric Thomas, about the "universe of possibility" inherent in storytelling, and turning generational trauma into generational hope.
Albee's Absurdity
PCS Literary Manager and Dramaturg Kamilah Bush touches on the Absurdist movement of the mid-twentieth century, and how its "confrontation of self" informs the existential reckonings in Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Chicago Fire: The Music that Shaped the Chi
Brush up on a little Chicago Hip Hop history to help round out the setting of Loy A. Webb's The Light, courtesy of PCS Literary Manager and Dramaturg Kamilah Bush.
Behind the Curtain: The 12 Days of Christmas
What does Twelfth Night have to do with Christmas? Elizabethans celebrated Christmastime over 12 days with traditions and events that dated back centuries, such as the Feast of the Epiphany. Might Shakespeare have produced one of his most famous plays as part of these festivities for Queen Elizabeth I and her court? Read on and find out...
100 Years of Radio Drama
Although we are used to seeing plays on a stage, some early theatrical performances took place over radio. Learn more about the origins of radio plays and their relevance to this day.
Diving Deep: How Pool Segregation Sprung a Movement
Since the first public pool was opened in Boston in 1868, there have been strict regulations on who can and cannot share the water.
Kansas: A Background of the Play's Setting
Learn more about the development of the state of Kansas and the origin of Beacon, Kansas.
A Brief History of Police Violence
Police violence in America can be traced all the way back to the 1700s. Read more to learn about the progression and changes between the early 1700s and now.
A Synopsis of Coriolanus
Beware spoilers! Primarily based on Plutarch's account of a legendary Roman general, Shakespeare's Coriolanus is a dramatic tale of war, politics, and betrayal.
Origins & Inspirations for It’s a Wonderful Life
Learn about the works that had an influence on the creation of It's a Wonderful Life.
A Brief History of Christmas
Though Christmas, in some form, has been celebrated since about AD 336, what many modern people consider a "traditional" Christmas began in the Victorian era. Learn more about how the traditions of Christmas have changed over time.
Dracula & Vampirism: A History
How to stop a vampire — and other useful background on Dracula and the history of vampirism. A must-read for all aspiring vampire hunters!
It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play Plot Summary
Spoiler alert! A brief overview of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.
World of the Play: 19th Century English Society
A brief overview of the history, culture, and society of the Victorian era in Great Britain provides context for Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really.
136 Years of Holmes & Watson
With his groundbreaking fictional crime-fighting duo, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created what many consider to be the first modern “fandom.” Holmes and Watson are the most adapted characters in British literature — with thousands of pastiches across all manner of media.
The Songs That Held Us Up
The music in Choir Boy, which could be categorized as Negro spirituals and folk songs, marries enduring legacies and living history, passed through the oral tradition of Africans in America. The power of this legacy cannot be overstated.
Intimate Partner & Family Violence
In What the Constitution Means to Me, the main character, Heidi, describes several instances of domestic violence and violence towards women. The following information was provided to the creative team at our first rehearsal.
Women’s Rights Movements
At the core of What the Constitution Means to Me is the lack of explicit inclusion of women's rights in the U.S. Constitution. Often called the Feminist Movement, the pursuit of women’s rights has taken several “waves” as the needs of women have evolved over time.
The Supreme Court
As background for What the Constitution Means to Me, read about the origins, role, powers, and current makeup of the United States Supreme Court.
Queerness & Christianity
There are several key Bible scriptures that have been interpreted as anti-gay and are used as the basis for the rhetoric that homosexuality is a sin. It should be noted that all of these interpretations are also resting on translation from the original languages that the Bible was written in. This features takes a deeper look into the history between Queerness & Christianity.
A Most Lamentable Comedy: The Play-Within-a-Play
Although he may not have invented it, Shakespeare famously employed the "play-within-a-play" in several of his works. See how the Bard used this metatheatrical device in A Midsummer Night's Dream to both reference and parody a classical Ovidian myth.
The United States Constitution
A brief history and description of America's founding document, to help you prepare for What the Constitution Means to Me.
“Of Every Age, Sex and Condition:” Women and the Constitution
From the beginning of this country, there have been discussions of gender and race as it pertains to lawmaking. For more than 100 years, a proposed amendment to the Constitution has been awaiting ratification to solidify equal rights for women.
Debates
What the Constitution Means to Me features a live debate. Debate is an ancient form of competitive discourse that can take many forms.
Rodney King, the L.A. Riots, and the Aftermath
Learn about who Rodney King is and the impact this incident sparked in 1991.
AIDS, Arts, & Activism
Learn about the history of the AIDS epidemic, including the cultural responses that exist to this day.
Behind the Curtain: Spotlight on Aunt Ester
Over the course of approximately 26 years, Wilson wrote one play for each decade in the 20th century. At the center of this tapestry stands Aunt Ester, the character which Wilson himself deemed the most significant in his plays.
Get your head in the game!
Learn a little about basketball and some of the lingo you'll encounter as you watch The Great Leap.
“And You Don’t Stop” — The Enduring Legacy of Hip Hop
If you happened to be in the Bronx on August 11, 1973, and you had a few quarters in your pocket, you may have become a witness to a world-changing event. At a Back to School Jam hosted in the rec room of his apartment complex, DJ Kool Herc, a teenage Jamaican immigrant, singularly invented a new art form that would evolve into a global phenomenon.
The Century Cycle
Beginning in 1904 with Gem of the Ocean and ending in 1997 with Radio Golf, August Wilson's 10-play American Century Cycle charts the lived experience of African Americans throughout the 20th century. Learn more about each of these plays and their connection to one another.
La Bohéme to Rent: Legacies
Rent is loosely based on the opera La Bohème, composed by Giacomo Puccini. Learn more about the story of La Bohéme and its connection to Rent.
Alphabet City
Alphabet City is a neighborhood in the East Village of Manhattan. Learn more about the history of this area and the many arts and activist movements that took place there.
Thank You, Jonathan Larson: 25 Years of Rent
More than 25 years after Jonathan Larson's death and the original cast's first preview performance of Rent, both of which occurred on January 25, 1996, the world still has Jonathan to thank for his contributions to the living canon of musical theater.
Hair: A History
A quick look at the original creative team, early productions and the musical's lasting legacy.
Ogun’s Brother is Missing: The Impact of Mass Incarceration
Mass incarceration affects millions of Americans and their families, and it's no secret that the majority of those incarcerated are Black and Brown and serve longer and harsher sentences than their white counterparts. This is particularly true in Louisiana, where The Brothers Size is set. Playwright Tarrell Alvin McCraney cites his own experience of having a brother who had experienced incarceration and the impact it had on their family.
A Timeline of Sweeney Todd
From penny dreadful to Johnny Depp; a timeline of Sweeney Todd in popular culture.
Stephen Sondheim
Sondheim is considered one of the most important American composers — contributing to the sound and story of the American musical theatre. Read a brief biography and chronology of this celebrated, award-winning artist.
1968: The Year that Changed the World
1968 saw the peak of political unrest in all corners of the world. In America, resistance became a way of existence for many citizens, and new musicals of the era like HAIR brought the explicit and present politics of the moment roaring on stage.
The Hill District
The Hill District is a 1.4-square-mile section of Pittsburgh that has been predominantly African American since the 19th century. This small strip of Pittsburgh is where a majority of the Century Cycle Plays are located. To understand more, read to explore where these plays come from!
Shakespeare’s Collaborators: Sean San Jose & Rosa Joshi
Meet the theater artists whose collaborative creativity in adapting Shakespeare's words brought this unique production of Coriolanus to life.
The World of the Play: Coriolanus' Rome
Situated on the Tiber River in central Italy, Rome grew from a city to an empire over the course of centuries. Sort out myth from fact with this primer on the historical setting of Shakespeare's Coriolanus.
Shakespeare's England
With booming trade, increasing incomes, and a swelling population facing plagues and uncertain food supplies, England during the time of Shakespeare was an era of both prosperity and mortality.
The Importance of Being Earnest
A world-premiere adaptation! Set in a version of 1919 that nods knowingly at today, this Earnest unfolds in a world not unlike D.C. in our current moment—where wealth, identity, and reputation remain a currency of survival. Bush reimagines Wilde’s dandies as queer-coded, class-hopping schemers: Jack is the “femme fastidious one,” Algernon, the “masc party boy.” The result is a joyful farce with teeth—delivering Wilde’s infamous wit while interrogating who gets to shape the rules of decorum, desire, and decency. Come for the farce, stay for the romance!
the ripple, the wave that carried me home Plot Summary
Spoiler alert! A brief overview of the ripple, the wave that carried me home.
A Conversation with Playwright Lauren Yee & Director Desdemona Chiang
PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush sat down with long-time collaborators playwright Lauren Yee and director Desdemona Chiang for a conversation about their relationship, developing new work, and bringing the world premiere of Young Americans to life.
An Interview with Playwright Kate Hamill
PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush talked to Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really writer Kate Hamill about "monster" stories, the fun of horror, and reclaiming classic stories as a feminist playwright.
Production History & Trivia for Coriolanus
Written between 1605-1608, Coriolanus is based on Plutarch's account of a Roman general and may have been inspired by a period of civil unrest in Shakespeare's era. In more recent times, actors from Morgan Freeman to Ian McKellen to Tom Hiddleston have played the title role in notable productions.
The Bells That Still Can Ring
A devised film offering to lead us from darkness to light! This piece is part of PCS Remix: Original Works.
An Interview with Jillian Snow and David Saffert
PCS Literary Manager Kamilah Bush spoke to the creators and performers of Liberace & Liza Holiday at the Mansion (A Tribute) about their collaboration, their creative backgrounds, and their obsessions with the larger-than-real-life celebrities who inspired their stage personas.
Summerfield Estates
Imagine waking up in a strange place with no memory of how you got there or who you are. Step into the shoes of Mouser, a special agent of dubious background, who wakes up on the bathroom floor of a retirement community and must rely entirely on the decisions made by the audience to figure out what she's doing there and how to get out! Help craft the story in this techno/select-your-own-adventure/sci-farce created by Ashley Song Mellinger. Streamed live and changing in real-time, Summerfield Estates invites you on a thrilling, hilarious journey that you’ll want to take again and again.
The Music Man Staged Reading
Only two chances to catch this exploration of the classic musical!
Con man Harold Hill means to make a quick buck and be on his way, but when he brings music to a small, conservative town, it bursts open the imaginations and hearts of everyone in it — including Harold himself! This staged reading will investigate the surprising central love story between Harold Hill and Marian Paroo, whose worlds are turned upside down when they find connection in the midst of a glorious upheaval.
PROTOCOL: Episode 1
When an unexpected tragedy befalls the crew aboard space cruiser Elegua IV, they are thrust into a thrilling mystery which threatens their mission to preserve humanity. Conceived by Portland artist Phil Johnson, this science fiction audio experience explores how the systems we trust may not always be on our side.
The Theater Lover's Bash Apr 11
Revel in a night full of entertainment as we celebrate where theater comes from, and where it’s going! Enjoy delicious bites from local caterers, a one-night-only production, cash bar, dessert, celebratory dancing, wine wall, paddle raises and bid frenzy activities. All to support PCS!
Reviews of Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Play
"[Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really is] a lively and entertaining horror production that feels unexpectedly perfect for the dark days of our holiday season." —Portland Mercury
"Dracula is full of insights about power—how to use it, and how to fight it. It’s not typical holiday ...
The Light
Today should be the happiest day of Rashad and Genesis’ lives — he’s planned it all out — the perfect proposal before the perfect concert from the couple’s favorite artist. Things, however, almost never go as planned and when old secrets put their relationship at risk, they are forced to confront their commitment to each other and to justice. This intimate and moving play set amid the Kavanaugh hearings makes the political quite personal, in a real time rollercoaster ride of romance and reckoning.
Young Americans
With Bowie blaring from a mixtape, two road trips veer back and forth in time, as an upbeat father and his jaded daughter take a journey that mirrors the father’s life-changing road trip 20 years earlier.
Reviews of Young Americans
"We saw this author’s King of the Yees and loved it. Came into this show with good expectations and really enjoyed it. The watching experience was full of what brings you to live theatre. The man who plays the husband/father inhabited the writing with a life and ...
Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B
A bold, feminist take on the iconic crime-fighting duo! This wonderfully farcical comedy packs non-stop laughs and crime-fighting hijinks galore.
Mrs. Harrison
At their 10-year college reunion, Aisha and Holly meet by chance. Aisha is a Black, successful playwright; Holly is a white, struggling stand-up comedian. Aisha’s most successful play bears a striking resemblance to a tragic event in Holly’s life. Is it a coincidence or is it theft? They both have a story they’ve been telling themselves about what happened years ago and they’re both willing to fight for their truth in the present.
It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
This heartwarming journey of community triumph is reimagined for the stage as a live radio broadcast complete with a stellar cast, gorgeous music, lavish costumes, and — of course — George Bailey!
The Brothers Size
From Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight, Choir Boy) comes a story of freedom and family. Steadfast and responsible, Ogun Size fights to connect with Oshoosi, his aimless younger brother, who has recently been released from prison. Weaving together the mundane and the mystic, this play invites us into the Louisiana Bayou, showing us a world of poetry, stories from the Yoruban cosmology, and music. A fresh and contemporary tale of belonging, brotherhood and the ties that bind.
Reviews of Where We Belong
"I learned so much about indigenous people and their struggles, and to be honest, I thought I was already well-informed. [Jessica Ranville] was amazing. I didn't know what to expect, but I'd frame the show as a history lesson everyone needs to hear."
"Very powerful ...
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
One of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies! This beguiling odyssey in an enchanted forest on a very magical midsummer night reminds us that “the course of true love never did run smooth” — so watch your step!
the ripple, the wave that carried me home
Drawing on history, this deeply moving story explores the joys and challenges of forgiveness, justice, and family legacy, as a young woman reconciles a childhood she has tried to forget.
Twelfth Night, Or What You Will
When Viola washes ashore, her twin brother Sebastian is lost at sea. Disguises, mistaken identities and unrequited love show them that shipwrecks may be the least of their problems. In one of Shakespeare’s most enduring comedies, everything — love, mischief, music and libations — exists in exciting excess!
What the Constitution Means to Me
Filled with humor and history, this Pulitzer Prize finalist asks what the Constitution truly means. Heidi Schreck defended the Constitution as a teen in debates, but now she’s investigating its impact on four generations of women in her family.
tick, tick … BOOM!
The hilarious, feel-good origin story of Rent! Jonathan Larson cracks open the ticking-time-bomb world of creating theater to celebrate the power of finding your voice and holding on to a dream.
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