Wild and Reckless: A New Concert Event with Blitzen Trapper
A World Premiere!
Blitzen Trapper mined their lyrical storytelling and Oregonian roots to create a story for the stage that fuses the energy of a rock concert with the imaginative possibility of the theater. Wild and Reckless traces the unforgettable tale of two kids on the run, in a futuristic vision of Portland’s past. Evoking a bygone era of Portland, this sci-fi love story features a rock-and-roll score that pairs unreleased songs with favorites from the band’s catalog, including “Black River Killer” and “Astronaut.” Portland Center Stage at The Armory commissioned Wild and Reckless as the second world premiere in its new “Northwest Stories” series, dedicated to developing and producing stories about, or by artists from, the northwest region.
PLEASE NOTE:
This show runs in repertory with Lauren Weedman Doesn't Live Here Anymore on the U.S. Bank Main Stage. Click here to view a calendar showing both shows' performances.
Who’s Who:
View the cast and creative team bios.
Playbill:
Explore the playbill.
Run Time:
Approximately 85 minutes; no intermission.
Note:
Recommended for ages 17 and up. Contains theatrical haze, strobe-like lighting effects, mature content, explicit language and adult situations. Children under 6 are not permitted at any production.
Resource Guide:
Download resource guide (PDF)
Reviews for "Wild and Reckless"
"Blitzen Trapper’s folky rock songs carried the audience to a different place in time"
Resource Guide for Wild & Reckless: The World of the Play
A conversation in play development with Blitzen Trapper and a look into the world of the play
Behind the Scenes of "Wild and Reckless"
Get a sneak peek look into the making of Blitzen Trapper's world premiere new musical Wild and Reckless.
Songs from "Wild and Reckless"
In Wild and Reckless, Blitzen Trapper weaves together new music with favorites from the band's catalog. Here's a preview of some of the tunes that will be featured in the production.
"Wild and Reckless" in Development
Before rehearsals began for Wild and Reckless, we checked in with Blitzen Trapper about their foray into the world of theater.
"Wild and Reckless" Cast and Creative Team
Learn about the members of Blitzen Trapper and the fabulous cast and creative team we've assembled for the world premiere of Wild and Reckless.
Portland Before Portlandia
As our city moves further away from its working class roots, guest blogger Nicole Hunt explores Blitzen Trapper's futuristic look at Portland's past in Wild & Reckless by reminiscing about things lifelong Portlanders miss about Portland before Portlandia.
Taste of Oregon at The Armory
Join us for Taste of Oregon, a series of complimentary wine, beer and cider tastings prior to select performances of Wild & Reckless, Blitzen Trapper's new piece in our Northwest Stories series.
In Photos: Spring Musicals Kick Off
Rehearsals are underway for two(!) rocking world premieres this spring – Blitzen Trapper's Wild and Reckless and Lauren Weedman Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Earlier this week, the entire Portland Center Stage crew gathered in our rehearsal hall for a Meet & Greet.
In Photos: "Wild and Reckless" Early Development
Check out photos from Blitzen Trapper's early development of Wild and Reckless during JAW: A Playwrights Festival July 2016.
Current & Upcoming
The Great Leap
From the acclaimed playwright of Cambodian Rock Band! San Francisco. 1989. Basketball standout Manford Lum is a fast-talking, dominating teenager on the street courts of Chinatown. But when he elbows his way onto a college team traveling to Beijing for a “friendship” game, the outcome isn’t what anyone expects. Lauren Yee uses her father’s basketball heroics and the student-led demonstrations that rocked the world as a springboard for this moving story that keeps the tension rising right up until the final buzzer. A co-production with Artists Repertory Theatre.
Photography Exhibit: Like the Brightest Star by Tom Lupton
Tom Lupton's Like the Brightest Star is a photography exhibit for "the misfits and the losers and the rock and rollers." Based on the final song from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the exhibit celebrates the struggle, victory, and transcendence of duality.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Brilliantly innovative, moving, and wickedly funny, this genre-bending, fourth-wall-smashing musical sensation tells the story of one of the most unique characters to ever hit the stage. Hedwig, a German emigrant, is out to set the record straight about her life, her loves, and the operation that left her with that “angry inch.” Part rock concert, part cabaret, part stand-up comedy routine, this one-of-a-kind musical proves time and again that an indomitable spirit can’t ever be tied down.
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, this once-a-month improv class will set you on the path to success! (One of four sessions.)
Gallery Exhibit: Works by Arvie Smith
Explore this incredible collection of narrative storytelling work and portrait work that expresses "deep sympathy for the dispossessed and marginalized members of society in an unrelenting search for beauty, meaning, and equality." It will be on display through April 4, in support of our production of Gem of the Ocean.
Autobiographic Devising for Solo Performance with Katherine Murphy Lewis
This multi-session workshop for women (including trans women of course!) and femme-identified people uses physical exploration, research, writing, construction, and editing to develop new solo material and the tools to support the creation of future artistic visions. Ideal for theater makers and performers who want to reclaim agency over their creative lives — and anyone else who has a story to tell!
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
Show Sponsors
2016–2017 Supporting Sponsors
