Arts & Media❯Film❯Documentaries

November 4, 2026

Special Concerts

The Philip Glass Ensemble returns to Portland for Powaqqatsi, an artful cinematic experience that speaks to the impact of modernization and industrialization on traditional ways of living. Seen through the lens of communities across the globe, the narrative is amplified by compositions from Philip Glass that feature native, classical, and electronic instruments. Enjoyed alone or as the second in The Qatsi Trilogy, you won’t want to miss this thought-provoking performance from The Philip Glass Ensemble and conductor Michael Riesman.

po.waq.qa.tsi (from the Hopi language, powaq sorcerer + qatsi life) n., an entity, a way of life, that consumes the life forces of other beings in order to further its own life.

• Michael Riesman Conductor
• Members of Portland State University Chamber Choir Ethan Sperry, Conductor
• The Philip Glass Ensemble
• Oregon Symphony

This concert is part of the Special Concerts series, and is eligible for the Choose Your Own Series (Portland only). Concert length is approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. No intermission.

Concert begins promptly at the time listed.

Portland Art Museum invites the community to join a Free First Thursday event, offering free admission to the museum for all, plus a Live Wire event as part of the Literary Arts Portland Book Festival. Visitors can take in the afternoon gallery pop-ups, the evening show, or both!

4:30 – 6 p.m. — Free, pre-show, pop-up performances will take place throughout the Museum’s galleries. Performers are poet and rapper Dessa, bestselling children’s author Mac Barnett, Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ed Park, and Portland comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle.

Free First Thursday tickets can be reserved online one week in advance and are also available at the door.

7 p.m. — Enjoy a fully seated, ticketed Live Wire taping hosted by Luke Burbank with announcer Elena Passarello, featuring a blend of interviews, comedy, and music performed live for the audience, then edited into an episode for broadcast to over 200 public radio stations nationwide. Performers are poet and rapper Dessa, bestselling children’s author Mac Barnett, Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ed Park, and Portland comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle. Doors will open at 6:30pm.

GA Tickets are $15. Preferred Seating is $40. Discounts available to Portland Book Festival passholders.

Dessa is a singer, rapper, and writer who fell in love with language as a toddler—and just never got over it. Now, she works in fields that traffic in words: she’s recorded rap bangers as part of the fiercely independent Doomtree collective, released a live album with the Grammy-winning Minnesota Orchestra; contributed to The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler; delivered a TED Talk on the intersection of romance and neuroscience that’s notched more than 4 million views; hosted 2 seasons of behavioral science podcast Deeply Human (BBC/American Public Media); and published a memoir recounting most of the above called My Own Devices (Penguin Random House).

Mac Barnett, the 2025–2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, is a New York Times bestselling author of stories for children. Mac’s books have won many prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book Awards, three E. B. White Read Aloud Awards and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, as well as several international prizes. He lives in Oakland, California. His latest book, illustrated by X. Fang, is Tom Nancy: The Sheep Who Swapped Brains with a Boy. From two of the most exciting picture book makers today comes a hilarious trickster tale and Freaky Friday switcheroo story: a sneaky, cheeky sheep named Tom Nancy has a brain swap proposal for an innocent farm boy named Felix that will change both of their lives forever. Laugh-out-loud, subversive, and totally unexpected.

Ed Park is the author of the novels Personal Days and Same Bed Different Dreams. He is a founding editor of The Believer, and has worked in newspapers, book publishing, and academia. His writing appears in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Profound, wily, and beautifully wrought, his new book Three Tenses: A Transmission from the Nineties is a meeting of memory and myth, confession and obfuscation, coalescing to offer a singular picture of creativity in action.

The princess of Portland comedy, best known for her breakout performance on the popular Netflix special Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda, Mx. Dahlia Belle has been compared to a Swiss Army knife—different tools to extract sharpness, softness, vulnerability, hope, and wicked wit. She’s been declared one of “11 Trans Comedians… Funnier Than Dave Chappelle” by Out Magazine, repeatedly featured on NPR, and has written for Cosmopolitan Magazine, The Guardian, The Stranger, and Portland Mercury. Her live performances have included NW Black Comedy Festival, Upper Left Comedy Festival, SF Sketchfest, and an awkward conversation with John Waters and Piers Morgan. In the upcoming live taping of her comedy special Affirmed at Polaris Hall on November 22nd, Mx. Dahlia Belle delivers 60 new minutes of stand-up to celebrate and affirm being human in the modern world through a combination of the wholesome and mundane, anecdotes about house cats, liscivious foibles of the LGBT community, and an unapologetic account of her personal journey with gender-affirming care, all delivered with her trademark free form wit.

Free First Thursdays at the Museum and PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater aligns with the revitalization of the long-standing Portland art galleries’ tradition of opening their doors for openings, receptions, and events on the first Thursday of each month. In recent months art and culture organizations have joined to bring back this popular activity, including the Pacific Northwest College of Art and the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education in the North Park Blocks.

Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.

From humble beginnings 50 years ago busking on the streets of Philadelphia, to acclaimed sold–out runs on Broadway and renown as the longest-running and one of the most-beloved resident headline acts in Las Vegas history, magic’s legendary duo — Penn Jillette and Teller — continue to defy labels (and at times physics and good taste), by redefining the genre of magic and inventing their own very distinct niche in comedy.

The current hit series Penn & Teller: Fool Us! for The CW Network, on which up-and-comers and magic veterans try to fool Penn & Teller for a chance to star in the pair’s hit Las Vegas stage show, was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award and has been renewed for an unprecedented 12th season. The show is the longest continual American magic television series in history, introducing the art to new fans and cultivating new generations of innovators within the craft.

Twice named “Magicians of the Year” by the Academy of Magical Arts, the equivalent of the Oscars in magic, they were named the 2024 Masters Fellowship recipients, the highest honor the Academy bestows. The pair live in Las Vegas, where they are engaged in their community, acting as honorary chairmen for AFAN (Aid for AIDS Nevada), raising and donating nearly $2 million and serving as grand marshals for AFAN’s annual Las Vegas AIDS Walk for the past 23 years. Through their involvement with Opportunity Village, which assists in employment placement and lifestyle betterment for those living with intellectual disabilities, they have raised over $1 million. The annual blood drive, Penn & Teller’s 13 Bloody Days of Christmas, has resulted in over 85,000 donors since its inception. In 2023, they took part in the USO’s annual Christmas tour, entertaining thousands of servicemen and servicewomen in bases across Europe.

In 2025, the pair celebrated 50 years as innovators in combining smart, edgy comedy with their unique magical style.

James Spooner joins PAM CUT for a screening of his film Afro-Punk, followed by an author talk for his new book It Starts With Anger. Books will be available for sale on site.

It Starts With Anger is a coming-of-age graphic memoir exploring race, identity, and rebellion through James Spooner’s teenage years in 1990s New York into his young adulthood in the early 2000s. Confronted with systemic racism, microaggressions, and Nazi extremism within punk spaces, Spooner traces how reactionary anger evolved into a creative force and a path to self-determination, along the way following the founding of the Afro-Punk movement, his eventual decision to leave the company, and an ongoing raw examination of the tensions between underground culture and mainstream success.

While not a traditional graphic memoir, It Starts With Anger combines black-and-white, zine-inspired visual elements including photos, illustrations, and cartoon panels with traditional narrative in a unique package that recounts the story behind Afro-Punk. James Spooner has not talked publicly about his reasons for quitting Afro-Punk previously, and the book is a damning indictment of its corporatization. But more importantly, it also offers a look at issues of Black identity, representation, and the lack thereof in a movement that had often prided itself on allyship, while being completely myopic to all the ways it fell short in that regard as a scene that was ironically both liberating and alienating for the Black people drawn to it.

ON SCREEN: Afro-Punk

2003. Directed by James Spooner. Runtime: 1 hour 6 minutes.

This film, which many may assume is a historical punk documentary, is actually an honest and needed treatment of race and identity. Punk and Hardcore music are simply the microcosm in which it is told. First-time director, James Spooner, in telling this story, has opened new dialogues on these crucial subjects both intra- and interracially. Many times funny, sometimes sobering, a wake-up call to America. An examination of the duality of racial identity that DuBois called “double consciousness.” What could have been “The Bad Brains Story” is a story about kids, alienated by two cultures and two communities. Many of these punk and hardcore kids have never questioned their role in the punk scene or the black community until their interviews, and it’s obvious as they struggle on camera to reconcile a fragmented self.

This program is co-presented by Literary Arts as part of the Cover-to-Cover program.

The Fates are spinning… do you dare give in to temptation?

After a deep slumber, EX-SPELLED! A Cabaret Tribute to the Occult finally returns to the Jack London Revue this November. Hosted by the Mad Marquis, this wicked night of magic, mystery, and mayhem summons a spellbinding collection of performers to astonish you in ways that would make even the Devil himself shiver with antici……

Step beyond the veil and surrender yourself to the forbidden, where good old debauchery mingles with the come-hither peculiarities of your wildest dreams. Prepare to explore the limits of your imagination, indulge your darker curiosities, and discover what exactly lies just beyond the bounds of everything you know.

JLR Seating Map Notes: For this show, you may reserve individual tables on the map pictured. Note that some tables have limited sightlines as noted. General Admission ticket holders note that seating and sightlines are limted and may be standing room only. All table reservations include admission.

1. For Table Reservations: Note the relative location of the stage and bar on the map. Then click a table number to see prices, or click "Show All Tickets". Click the + button to add a specific table to your cart.
2. For General Admission tickets: click the "GA Standing" area. Click the + button to add additional tickets.
3. Click "Agree & Checkout"

If poetry had a pop icon, Mary Oliver would be it. Best-selling poet and Pulitzer Prize-winner, lover of dogs and long walks in the woods, queer and out but intensely private—Oliver’s poems inspire liberals and conservatives, atheists and believers, naturalists and urbanites. She was America’s unlikely, contemporary mystic, stalking the ponds and forests of Cape Cod for nearly fifty years in order to open herself—and us, her readers—to the known and unknowable world. Sasha Waters’ beguiling portrait features poems read by Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Buscemi, Stephen Colbert, Lucy Dacus, Jesse Welles, and Oprah Winfrey.

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (2026) Directed by Sasha Waters Freyer. 1hr 31min. Not Rated.

From humble beginnings 50 years ago busking on the streets of Philadelphia, to acclaimed sold–out runs on Broadway and renown as the longest-running and one of the most-beloved resident headline acts in Las Vegas history, magic’s legendary duo — Penn Jillette and Teller — continue to defy labels (and at times physics and good taste), by redefining the genre of magic and inventing their own very distinct niche in comedy.

Their Off-Broadway debut in 1985 electrified New York with a stage show the likes of which had never been seen. Combining magic, comedy, and social commentary in a theatrical event the New York Times said was a “A witheringly funny…Brazen assault on the temple of magic,” the show moved to Broadway in 1987, the first of three eponymously titled Broadway runs. Their efforts in New York have been awarded an Obie and a Lucille Lortel Award. Their most recent return to Broadway, hailed as “Deliciously Demented” by USA Today, was the highest-grossing non-musical for the entirety of its run, even out-grossing Hamilton for one week.

Performing nearly 300 live shows every year from the stages of America’s greatest performing arts venues as well as the Sydney Opera House and London’s Apollo Theatre, their record-breaking Las Vegas show at The Rio Hotel & Casino has an amazing 10 wins, including 2025, as “Las Vegas Magicians of the Year” and was called “The single best show in Vegas,” by the Los Angeles Times.

The current hit series Penn & Teller: Fool Us! for The CW Network, on which up-and-comers and magic veterans try to fool Penn & Teller for a chance to star in the pair’s hit Las Vegas stage show, was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award and has been renewed for an unprecedented 12th season. The show is the longest continual American magic television series in history, introducing the art to new fans and cultivating new generations of innovators within the craft.

Hundreds of outrageous appearances on everything from Fallon to Friends, The Simpsons to Colbert, Modern Family to Big Bang Theory, Dancing With The Stars to The Masked Singer, plus their own specials for NBC, ABC, PBS and Comedy Central have garnered them an Emmy, a Writers Guild Award, and their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The controversial Showtime series, Penn & Teller: BS! was nominated for 13 Emmys and was the longest-running series in the history of the network. The show highlighted the pair’s ardent skepticism by tackling the fakes and frauds behind such topics as alien abduction, psychics, and bottled water.

In recent years they have become acclaimed documentarians with the BAFTA-nominated Sony Pictures Classic release, Tim’s Vermeer, which follows Texas-based inventor Tim Jenison on his quest to discover the methods used by Dutch Master painter Johannes Vermeer. Their other films, the critically-lauded feature The Aristocrats and the Showtime short The Gambler’s Ballad, were met with wide praise.

The Olivier-nominated Magic Goes Wrong, written and created in collaboration with Mischief Theatre (creators of the Tony-nominated The Play That Goes Wrong), played at London’s West End Vaudeville Theatre, setting a box office pre-sale record. The Daily Mail hailed it as a “Spellbinding romp,” while The Sun theater critic raved, “I’ll be laughing into next week.” In 2024, they had two shows running Off-Broadway as creators and producers: the Magic Goes Wrong spin-off The Mind Mangler, which returned to London’s West End in
March, and the technology/magic/thriller Stalker.

As individuals, they are just as prolific. Teller directed versions of Macbeth and The Tempest which toured to raves from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, co-wrote and directed the Off-Broadway thriller Play Dead and has written two books. Penn has written five books, including the New York Times Best Sellers “God No!” and “Presto”. For his role in this year’s critically acclaimed Oscar-nominated film, Marty Supreme, he was nominated for an Actor Award (formerly the SAG Awards), alongside co-stars Timothee Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Twice named “Magicians of the Year” by the Academy of Magical Arts, the equivalent of the Oscars in magic, they were named the 2024 Masters Fellowship recipients, the highest honor the Academy bestows. The pair live in Las Vegas where they are engaged in their community, acting as honorary chairmen for AFAN (Aid for AIDS Nevada), raising and donating nearly $2 million and serving as grand marshals for AFAN’s annual Las Vegas AIDS Walk for the past 23 years. Through their involvement with Opportunity Village, which assists in employment placement and lifestyle betterment for those living with intellectual disabilities, they have raised over $1 million. The annual blood drive, Penn & Teller’s 13 Bloody Days of Christmas, has resulted in over 85,000 donors since its inception. In 2023, they took part in the USO’s annual Christmas tour, entertaining thousands of servicemen and servicewomen in bases across Europe.

In 2025, the pair celebrated 50 years as innovators in combining smart, edgy comedy with their unique magical style.

Warren Miller’s “Days Off” will play at the Kiggins Theater from 7-9 p.m. Nov. 1. Host Katie Burrell will show what the pros do on their days off. Go skijoring in Banff, join Craig McMorris and friends in Whistler, and explore Alaska’s spines with Sam Kuch and Craig Murray. Watch Jess Kimura push snowboarding forward and inspire the next generation in Hokkaido, Japan. Head to Chamonix for an intense high-alpine pivot with Christina “Lusti” Lustenberger. Hit Deer Valley with Ted Ligety, Kaylin Richardson, Pep Fujas and Chuck Mumford. Get tickets ($32) at kigginstheatre.com/movie/warren-millers-day-off.

Three adventurers set out on foot in the Alaskan wilderness to follow the 211-mile length of the proposed Ambler Mining Road. Crossing vast tundra, wild rivers, and pristine forests, the team brings audiences directly into one of the most remote and ecologically intact landscapes in North America.

160 miles north of the Arctic Circle; as the miles accumulate, so do the challenges—injuries, exhaustion, hunger, relentless mosquitoes, and the harsh reality of traveling challenging terrain without roads or trails. But the team also reveals a landscape few people will ever experience firsthand. Encounters with wildlife, experiencing 24-hour sunlight, and the vast Arctic ecosystem offer a glimpse into a remarkable environment that has remained untouched by human development.

Roadless takes viewers on an adventure of endurance, and natural beauty while exploring what could be lost if the Ambler Road is built.

Leapin’ Louie: The Upside Down Ocean. Leapin’ Louie’s new show: An ocean animal circus spectacular. It’s science, but you laugh so hard. Gastropod Cousteau (aka Leapin’ Louie Lichtenstein ) is a nudibranch detective trying to figure out what happened to the missing kelp forests. Whales, sea otters, decorator crabs, giant squid and a peacock mantis shrimp help Gastro solve the mystery. And the story is told with circus and comedy. Featuring giant lasso, glow juggling, a 6 foot unicycle, enormous puppets and a slide-show of amazing ocean animals. You know him from White Album Xmas or the Rose Festival. Leapin’ Louie has performed his solo shows in 35 nations around the world, including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, the UK and a few dozen European tours. He has toured opening for country stars Brooks and Dunn and the rock legend Primus. He makes adults laugh with family-friendly material, and he gets audiences very excited.

Live Wire joins forces with the Portland Art Museum for an afternoon of roving performances ahead of an evening recording of the program. The event coincides with PAM's monthly Free First Thursday and the Portland Book Festival's expanded programming. Performers will include poet and rapper Dessa, bestselling children’s author Mac Barnett, Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ed Park, and Portland comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle.

Free pop-up performances will take place throughout the Museum’s galleries, giving visitors a chance to catch live performances and storytelling while moving through the PAM spaces. Completely free through PAM’s Free First Thursday general admission. Also, enjoy a fully seated, ticketed Live Wire taping hosted by Luke Burbank with announcer Elena Passarello, featuring a blend of interviews, comedy, and music performed live for the audience, then edited into an episode for broadcast to over 200 public radio stations nationwide.

Visitors can take in the afternoon gallery pop-ups, the evening show, or both.

A documentary detailing the storied history of drug-addled teen punks-turned-icons.

Featuring interviews with Fat Mike, Eric Melvin, Aaron ‘El Hefe’ Abeyta, and Erik Sandin.

Doors open at 6:30 PM. Film at 7:00 PM.

• Director: James Buddy Day
• Year: 2026
• Country: United States
• Runtime: 120 minutes

The 4th Annual MOST Pageant

Saturday, November 7th

Doors 6pm, Show 7pm

Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door

The MOST Pageant returns in thanks to our sponsors The Property Weirdos, Outrage Onstage, Demand Drag, Greg Lemix, and more!

9 extraordinary drag and burlesque entertainers will push their artistry to the limits, as they compete for fame and fortune ($500 and bookings and 2 drink tickets!) The contestant who brings the most extreme, bold, extravagant, avant-garde, out of this world, over the top, never before seen, mind blowing package will win the title of The MOST! This year’s contestants were chosen for their exemplification and commitment to mostness in their approaches to fashion, performance and living art. An esteemed panel of judges will be evaluating each contestant on their creativity and presentation to determine who will take the crown. Come ready to cheer and tip your favorite performers!

Who will be The MOST?

Anna Karenema

Baby LeStrange

Boujee Cherry

Harlow Quinzel

HOTTBOXX9000

Max Little

Seven

The Artist Formerly Known As Given

Tomboy

Grab your gear and strap on your tunic, because The Hyrule Ball is here. A niche, nerdy, nightlife celebration of everyone's favorite action-adventure franchise, just in time for the latest release. Featuring Zelda-inspired DJ sets and drag performances, specialty cocktails, local vendors, and consoles and cabinets for playing games with friends.

Come dressed in your cosplay best, grab your wallet of rupees, and get ready to dance until the Sun Song plays.

2026 Cinnamon Bear Cruise Dates:
Saturday, 11/28
Sunday, 11/29
Saturday, 12/5
Sunday, 12/6
Saturday, 12/12
Sunday, 12/13
Saturday, 12/19
Sunday, 12/20
Monday, 12/21
Tuesday, 12/22
Wednesday, 12/23
Thursday, 12/24
Saturday, 12/26
Sunday, 12/27

Boarding: 9:00 am
Cruising: 9:30 am – 11:30 am

• 2-hour cruise on the Willamette River
• Plated hot breakfast (eggs, potatoes, bacon, fruit and pastries) for adults & youth, excludes infants
• Hot cocoa, orange juice, coffee and hot tea
• Souvenir photo with Cinnamon Bear for every child 12 and younger
• Signature Cinnamon Bear treat for youth
• Character storytelling, autograph sessions and magic show
• Reserved table
• Service gratuity

Boarding Location:
Salmon Springs Dock
1010 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland, OR 97204

Return Details: Returns to original departure point.

Tickets start at $72 for adults or $52 for children 12 and younger. Cinnamon Bear has been a holiday tradition for generations and you’re invited to make this season one your child will remember forever.

Reservations available at portlandspirit.com/cinnamonbear or by calling 503-224-3900.

Elite ski mountaineers Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson fell deeply in love while reaching the pinnacle of their sport. Their drive sharpened into a shared dream: to climb and ski the direct North Face of Everest - the most difficult and dangerous climb on the mountain and the most coveted ski line on earth. Thousands have summited the mountain via Nepal's southeast ridge, but only a handful have ever reached the top by this route — and no one has successfully skied down. Already known for their extraordinary feats in the mountains and no strangers to loss, Morrison and Nelson stake everything on this daunting challenge.

“Everest: The Other Side” is directed and produced by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, and produced by Shannon Dill, Anna Barnes, Bob Eisenhardt, Janet Yang. The executive producers are Carolyn Bernstein, Tim Horsburgh, Nina Fialkow, David Fialkow, Andrew Reiner, Elizabeth Reiner, Moudhy Al-Rashid, Sam Frohman, Kenneth A. Howery, Jason Bowden, Will Griffith, Bettina Kadoorie. The film is edited by Bob Eisenhardt, ACE, and Simona Ferrari. The directors of photography are Clair Popkin, Jimmy Chin, Christopher Murphy.

The one-man band without a plan, Mattress started in 2006. To quote a sassy pal (with initials IB): “You are wildly unpopular for that amount of time.” Amen. Who cares? Art for art’s sake. For the first time ever–Mattress is putting together a full band for this show. 5 guitars? 8 keyboards? 12 drummers? Yodelers and a glass harmonica? Probably.

Mattress has made some friends over 20 years and put together this stellar bill (more of a mini-fest), bringing together acts he met 20 years ago and 2 years ago. Check this out:

Black Shelton (solo), a one-man band powerhouse of wit, sleaze and electro boogie. Songs "I'm Back in the Doghouse Again" and “White Lover” will warp your mind.

Dragging an Ox Thru Water fingerpicking melody noise glitch heart string puller.

THRONES Joe Preston is coming out of semi-retirement to do this show. Hopefully this will get some elder goths and heshers out of their LazyBoys and into the show.

Joe Von Appen, the monologue performance semi-comedy satirist who has toured with Mattress for close to 10,000 miles. He will host the show; his dry wit will confuse and entertain most in attendance.

Special guest TBA, probably famous, very name-droppable.

Who is in the Mattress band? Members of Modest Mouse, The Fur Coats, Dommengang, Room, WIBG, Black Shelton and others.

Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian

ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.

Live Wire teams up with the Portland Art Museum during First Thursday and the Portland Book Festival. From 4:30 to 6 p.m., complimentary pop-up performances roam the museum galleries, no ticket needed. At 7 p.m., host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello lead a seated, ticketed taping with poet and rapper Dessa, children’s author Mac Barnett, Pulitzer Prize finalist Ed Park, and Portland comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.. Portland Book Festival passholders get 10% off.

Ornette: Made In America (1985) Directed by Shirley Clarke. 1hr 17min. Not Rated.

Guest programmed by Rob Lewis, PAM CUT @ The Whitsell presents Ornette: Made In America (1985). This freewheeling documentary is a portrait of Ornette Coleman’s life, legacy, and evolution over three decades. Featuring William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Buckminster Fuller, Don Cherry, Yoko Ono, Charlie Haden, Robert Palmer, Jayne Cortez, and John Rockwell, the film features a free-jazz approach and style, using video collage and experimental segments to tell Coleman’s story.

“I’ve always been interested in films about artists. I think because they end up being a conversation not just between filmmaker and subject in a traditional way but also between two uniquely creative people. This film is a really interesting study of that relationship and connection.” – Rob Lewis

Rob Lewis is an artist and art director living and working in Portland, Oregon with his wife Joy Alise Davis, M.A. who serves as the Executive Director of Portland based, Black advocacy organization, Imagine Black.

Co-presented by KMHD.

We do not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, and films exhibited don’t necessarily reflect the views of PAM CUT or the Portland Art Museum. In addition to the synopses, trailers, and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on sites like Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com.

We’re celebrating two fabulous birthdays of Darcelle XV and Brandi Mae! Join us for an evening of love, laughter, and birthday magic, all while giving back to our community.

🎁 Bring an unwrapped toy or donate $10 to join the festivities and help spread a little extra joy! All donations will benefit Camp KC.

📅 November 8
🚪 Doors open at 5 PM | Show starts at 6 PM
🎟️ No reservations required | 21+ event

Come celebrate, give a little, and make someone’s holiday brighter! See you at the door!

Thirty-four days before she’s sent to prison, notorious Silicon Valley founder Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move. What begins as an intimate portrait of an enigmatic felon becomes a mind-bending three-year journey into the abyss. From boundary-pushing directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim comes You Can See Everything.

Pass the gravy and bring on the glamour. Serving up a fabulous helping of bingo, laughs, and Thanksgiving fun at the Hi-Lo Hotel. Join the one and only Poison Waters as your host, with two fabulous queens performing and plenty of sparkle to kick off your holiday season. Gather your friends, bring your chosen family, and get ready to gobble up a good time.

Share the love: Please bring a canned or shelf-stable food item to donate to Esther’s Pantry. A little generosity can make a big difference, and we’ve got plenty to be thankful for.

Come hungry for fun and ready to give back. These queens are serving more than turkey.

PAM gallery pop-ups: 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Doors for Live Wire seated show: 6:30 p.m.
Live Show: 7:00 p.m.

Live Wire Radio, the Portland-based public radio variety show, joins forces with the Portland Art Museum for an afternoon of roving performances ahead of an evening recording of the program. The event coincides with PAM’s monthly Free First Thursday and the Portland Book Festival’s expanded programming.

In the afternoon, free pop-up performances will take place throughout the Museum’s galleries giving visitors a chance to catch short live performances and storytelling while moving through the PAM spaces. Performers will include genre-blending rapper and writer Dessa, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and children’s author Mac Barnett, National Book Award Finalist Ed Park, and Portland comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle among others.

The evening will feature a fully seated, ticketed Live Wire taping hosted by Luke Burbank with announcer Elena Passarello, featuring a blend of interviews, comedy, and music performed live for the audience, then edited into an episode for broadcast to over 200 public radio stations nationwide.

Visitors can take in the afternoon gallery pop-ups, the evening show, or both!

Note: Admission is free to the afternoon gallery pop-ups as part of general admission on Free First Thursday at Portland Art Museum. Tickets available on the museum website.

Ticket Prices:
$40 Preferred Seats
$36 Bookfest Pass Holder Discount – Preferred Seats (10% off)
$15 General Admission Seats
$13.50 Bookfest Pass Holder Discount – General Admission (10% off)

Chai and Roses is going Disco for this edition. From Bollywood to the Classics and everything in between. Feeling free on the dance floor is where we want you to be. Dress up or come as you are. See you on the liberation dance floor.

Doors and DJs at 7 p.m. Drag and performances at 9 p.m., Dancing til 11 p.m.Honoring the QTBIPOC folks who came before — radical ancestors who fought to be seen, heard and free to love. Honor the rich diversity of people within the QTBIPOC community. QTBIPOC folks of all backgrounds and identities, as well as allies, are invited. Come together and contribute to a fun and respectful party. Any form of prejudice or discrimination, such as biphobia, fatphobia, or transphobia, will not be tolerated.

DJs:

• Anjali
• b.d.s.m.

Drag Artists and Performers

• Anna Karenema
• Chiffon Chérie
• D-Day
• Hibiscus Lust
• Willy Wankme

Pop Ups

• ChaiWallahPdx
• Flowers for Palestine
• Jungle Candy Henna

Pop Ups

• ChaiWallahPdx
• Jungle Candy Henna

Co-hosted with Pdx Queer Lotus

Ding ding ding… your room is waiting at the infamous Hitchcock Hotel. Although decades have passed since the Hitchcock family entertained royalty and influential politicians, the hotel's dubious operations continue. The hotel's supernatural allure inhabits its guests (and staff) in this dilapidated relic of the past. The Hitchcocks' latest hire is no exception. The graveyard "maitre d," quickly realizes that there has been a misunderstanding in the hiring process and that he's been mistakenly hired for the precarious “night shift” position, one unfit for pedigree. He is about to experience nothing short of a fortuitous paranormal entanglement unlike any other. An evening featuring death-defying dance, sultry songs, shimmying show girls and hauntingly beautiful new music, you’re sure to delight in this decadence of the damned.

5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (Grounds close at 10 p.m.)

Choirs in the Chapel

Enjoy the amazing sounds of local schools, churches and civic groups as they perform inside the Chapel of Mary, with its cathedral-like acoustics.

Fun for Everyone

Continuous entertainment for all ages is offered in The Grotto’s plaza area, including outdoor caroling, puppet shows, and an assortment of musical guests.

Puppet Show

At the top of each hour in the plaza tent, enjoy our puppet show.

Caroling

The Grotto Carolers perform every hour at the bottom of the hour in the plaza tent. Sing along to your favorite Christmas songs.

Snacks and Drinks

Find snacks and drinks available for purchase inside the Interpretive Center, next to the Chapel.

• Hot Chocolate
• Donuts
• Bottled Water
• Assorted bagged salty snacks

A Few Details

The Festival of Lights is a walk-through event and visitors can expect to walk approximately one-quarter mile.

All entertainment areas are either indoors or tented, but visitors should dress for the weather. Rubber-soled shoes, warm socks, gloves, and ear coverings are recommended, especially on colder nights.

Average festival visitation times are between 60 and 90 minutes. Visitors wishing to hear a specific concert should arrive at least 30 to 45 minutes in advance of the scheduled concert time.

Accessibility

The Festival pathways and grounds are all paved, however there is some slope in a few places. Wheelchairs are available to borrow in The Grotto Gift Shop on a first come-first served basis. There are ADA parking spots in the main parking lot, but on a busy night, they can fill up. Guests are welcome to pull up at the entrance to unload their passengers before finding a spot to park. Please contact [email protected] for additional questions or assistance.

Online Ticket Pricing

General (12+): $17.95

Youth (3-11): $8.95

Ages 2 and under are free.

At The Gate Pricing (No cash)

General (12+): $19.95

Youth (3-11): $9.95

Ages 2 and under are free

Value Nights Online Pricing

(Value nights are Monday, Nov. 30 – Thursday, Dec. 3 and Monday, Dec. 7 – Thursday, Dec. 10.)

General (12+): $15.95

Youth (3-11): $6.95

Ages 2 and under are free.

Value Nights at the Gate (No cash)

General (12+): $17.95

Youth (3-11): $7.95

Ages 2 and under are free.

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (2026) Directed by Sasha Waters Freyer. 1hr 31min. Not Rated.

If poetry had a pop icon, Mary Oliver would be it. Best-selling poet and Pulitzer Prize-winner, lover of dogs and long walks in the woods, queer and out but intensely private—Oliver’s poems inspire liberals and conservatives, atheists and believers, naturalists and urbanites. She was America’s unlikely, contemporary mystic, stalking the ponds and forests of Cape Cod for nearly fifty years in order to open herself—and us, her readers—to the known and unknowable world. Sasha Waters’ beguiling portrait features poems read by Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Buscemi, Stephen Colbert, Lucy Dacus, Jesse Welles, and Oprah Winfrey.

This film is featured as part of Portland Book Festival’s Cover to Cover.

We do not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, and films exhibited don’t necessarily reflect the views of PAM CUT or the Portland Art Museum. In addition to the synopses, trailers, and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on sites like Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com.

Get ready to set sail with Portland’s own Haus of DeVille for a night of Diabolical Drag and Buccaneer Burlesque. Presenting “DeVilles of the Caribbean” At Portland’s own Peacock PDX.

Nautical-themed performances by
Valerie DeVille
Anna Nymph
Theoddra B. MonStar
Xo Skeleton
Prince Peanut Butter
and Princess Jelly!

Featuring Acts inspired by The Goonies, Cutthroat Island, One Piece, Disneyland’s own Pirates of the Caribbean ride and much, much more. Perhaps even a mermaid or two. So stow your weapons and bring your treasure chests for the performers to pillage your tips. Follow the treasure map to the QR code and claim your tickets for $13. Otherwise, it be $15 at the door on the night of the show, mateys. Join the crew, or walk the plank.

21+

Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences around the world for over 30 years with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles. He is a favorite at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he has enjoyed 14 years of sell-out success.

Louis explores the breath-taking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerized. From square bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, fog-filled bubbles, giant bubbles, bubble volcanoes, tornados and trampolines to people inside bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages.

Most shows will also feature multi-instrumentalist Jet Black Pearl accompanying Louis with bubbly music to double your pleasure.

https://amazingbubbleman.com/

“Greatest Bubble Show on Earth.” – San Francisco Chronicle

“It’s a fantastic show. Louis Pearl playfully forms bubbles beyond imagination and engages the audience with his easygoing nonverbal slapstick.”

“Louis Pearl – aka The Amazing Bubble Man – truly deserves his title. Most of the show is accompanied by gasps and awes…and that’s just the adults. Kids can be heard giggling with excitement.”

“This show captivated its young audience, and the adults loved it as well. Highly recommended.” –British Theater Guide.

“The show is one giant, joyous caper” —The Wee Review

“Better Than Cirque du Soleil” – Corbin Doughy, 11 audience member. The eight-year-old seated beside this reviewer summed it up neatly during the show, proclaiming after one nifty maneuver, ‘he sure is the amazing bubble man.’

Clark College welcomes award-winning journalist Abby Martin of the Empire Files for a screening of her documentary film, “Earth’s Greatest Enemy,” 6-9:30 p.m. Nov. 19 in Foster Hall. This free community event is sponsored by the Clark College ASCC Student Life Philosophy Program. This film reveals a truth behind the climate crisis: the role of the U.S. military as the world’s largest institutional polluter, tracing the link between war, empire and ecological destruction. Drawing on powerful testimonies from veterans, scientists and frontline communities, it uncovers how military operations poison ecosystems, accelerate global warming and sacrifice the future for expansion.

Join us for an unforgettable evening November 14, 5:30 pm, Ironlight Event Center
525 3rd St, Lake Oswego, OR 97034. The night will be filled with incredible performances, dinner, and a live auction to benefit our Rising Star and education programs.

CLICK HERE for event info!

CLICK HERE for tickets

CLICK HERE to buy raffle tickets to win $2,000

CLICK HERE to donate an item

Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring live performances, dinner, a spirited auction, and the popular Santa’s Bag of Cash raffle. Our guest emcee will be Steve Dunn, retired KATU news anchor. Bid on exclusive vacations, wine getaways, and unique experiences—all while raising funds for Lakewood Theatre’s Rising Star and education programs. It’s a night to celebrate with friends, support the arts, and even cross a few names off your holiday shopping list. Don’t miss this festive fundraiser that makes a real impact for education and the arts in our community.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR LAKEWOOD’S GALA EVENT!
Lakewood in City Lights Gala, NOV 14, 2026

We would love your volunteer support for Lakewood Center for the Arts fundraising Gala. Lakewood in City Lights will be held at Ironlight, 525 3rd Street, Lake Oswego.

Dress code is black pants or skirt, white shirt. Please CLICK HERE to sign up for available slots. THANK YOU!!!

The night will be filled with incredible performances, dinner, a live auction, the Santa’s Bag of Cash raffle and of course fundraising for our Rising Star and education programs. It’s your chance to be the winning bidder for a fun vacation or wine getaway! This event is a great opportunity to have fun with friends and support education and the arts. Plus, it’s the perfect way to complete your holiday shopping and support Lakewood!

CLICK HERE for event info!

CLICK HERE for tickets

CLICK HERE to buy raffle tickets to win $2,000

CLICK HERE to donate an item

Tickets available at the door Fundraiser for Snowday’s Foundation; raffle ticket included! LIFEFORM broadcasts the exploits of 10 riders on the vangaurd of gritty, urban riding as they seek out spots, stack shots, and travel the globe in order to bring their regimen of style and progression to screens everywhere. Directed by Justin Meyer.

Get ready for a side-splitting showcase of magical mayhem that’s perfect for kids and kids-at-heart! Watch in awe as objects disappear, reappear, and sometimes even do the cha-cha-cha! Stefano promises a laugh-a-minute extravaganza that’ll leave your cheeks sore from smiling.

Bring your little ones, bring your grandparents, and bring that neighbor who insists on being the life of the party – this is an event for everyone! It’s not just a magic show; it’s a whimsical journey into a world where the impossible becomes possible, and laughter is the ultimate potion.
First Sundays November through March.

All ages. Doors at 130pm. $8 (or $25 per family at the door)

Get ready to laugh, get ready to learn, get ready to make some new nerdy friends.

Nerd Nite is a monthly event held in 100+ cities across the globe during which folks give 20-minute fun-yet-informative presentations across all disciplines – while the audience drinks along!

There are often bands, trivia, speed-friending, and other shenanigans as well.

Imagine learning about math feuds, the emu war of Australia, the genealogy of Godzilla, or zombie insects, while having a few drinks.

Tomorrow Theater is teaming up with MUBI for this screening of Eleanor Coppola’s Making Marie Antoinette, a lush, intimate documentary about Sofia Coppola creating Marie Antoinette. The mother-daughter duo began creating this documentary at the beginning of the COVID lockdown, and Sofia finished the film after her mother passed in 2024.

In 2005, Sofia Coppola shot her third feature film, Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman, at the Palace of Versailles, securing unprecedented filming permission that had never before been granted to any production. Her mother, acclaimed documentarian Eleanor Coppola, accompanied her on set, capturing approximately eighty hours of footage chronicling her daughter’s journey throughout the making of the film. This year, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the release of Marie Antoinette and in fulfilment of her mother’s wish, Sofia Coppola reviewed that previously unseen material. Making Marie Antoinette explores the craftsmanship and care that brought the film to life, follows legendary costume designer Milena Canonero at work, and offers a glimpse into what it meant to be a young female director at that time. The result is a fascinating look at the creative process behind a landmark film and, at the same time, a surprisingly intimate family portrait.

Chatter PDX is a performing arts series in Portland inspired by the success of the innovative Chatter series in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which has captivated audiences for over 15 years. Chatter PDX brings a unique blend of music, spoken word, coffee, and reflection to Portland's vibrant cultural landscape. Chatter performances take place weekly and offer audiences the opportunity to hear a wide variety of classical chamber music and spoken word, performed by local artists. Coffee and mingling with the audience and performers before and after the show are an essential part of the Chatter PDX experience.

Each week, join a unique program of music and poetry.

Can Can’s first show in its restored Old Town home is a haunted-hotel cabaret. The Hitchcock Hotel once hosted royalty and politicians, and its dubious operations and supernatural pull still linger. Its newest hire, a graveyard-shift maître d’, learns he’s been mistakenly put on the perilous night shift, and a paranormal entanglement follows. Expect dance, burlesque, sultry songs, and an original score over three acts, with craft cocktails and bites served during the show. Evening performances are 21+ with valid ID.

21+ · <p><strong><em>UMBRAE NOCTIS​ 2026 - WEEKEND PASS</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>onsale Sept 1- Sept 30</em></strong></p><p><em>single day passes will be available Oct 2</em></p><p></p><p><strong><em>FRIDAY NIGHT HEADLINER:</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>*MOSCATO SKY</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>FRIDAY NIGHT FEATURE:</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>*ASTERIA ATOMBOMB</em></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><em>SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINER:</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>*THROB ZOMBIE</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>SATURDAY NIGHT FEATURE:</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>*HALO AS HELL</em></strong></p><p><br>We will gather in the glorious confines of The Coffin Crypt to witness a spectacular showcase of resplendently decadent performance art by creatures from all walks of life.</p><p>You will find gloriously ghoulish drag and burlesque performances that will transfix your senses all weekend, all set to the feelings and sounds of darkwave, post-punk, goth, deathrock and punk. Artists from all walks of life and from all parts of the world will gather to share their beauty with you with performances that will leave you breathless.</p><p></p><p>- Friday and Saturday, November 13 & 14 at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thecoffinclubpdx.com/"><u>The Coffin</u></a> (421 SE Grand Ave) - performances from 8pm-11pm each night (doors at 7), with after party and dancing til 2 AM.<strong><em>​</em></strong></p><p></p><p>- Sunday, November 15 we will hold a Dark Market at THE COFFIN<strong><em>​</em></strong></p><p></p><p>- Saturday & Sunday you will have the opportunity to take <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.umbraenoctisfestival.com/workshops"><u>workshops </u></a>with our special guests, including our headliner Throb Zombie!</p>

A special screening of Jem Cohen’s (Museum Hours) 2015 documentary with a live score by award-winning jazz pianist Todd Marston & Micah Hummel’s Advancing Composers Ensemble.

In fifteen linked chapters shot in locations ranging from Moscow to New York to Istanbul, Counting merges city symphony, diary film, and personal/political essay to create a vivid portrait of contemporary life. Perhaps the most personal of Cohen’s films, Counting measures street life, light and time, noting not only surveillance and over development but resistance and its phantoms as manifested in music, animals and everyday magic

• Director: Jem Cohen
• Year: 2015
• Country: United States
• Runtime: 111 minutes

An uplifting evening designed for women brings together humor, teaching, personal stories, and live music at Warren Community Fellowship. Three featured guests share the stage: author and speaker Barb Roose, comedian Michelle Miller, and singer and worship leader Mia Koehne. Arrive early for a brief 15 minute panel with the speakers. Ticket options include General Admission for $30 and VIP Reserved for $40, with VIP seating and a snack bag. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more by calling 480-812-1100. Prices increase at the door. Tickets are nonrefundable, and transfers can be arranged by contacting the office at 480-812-1100.

Knowing that there is beauty to be found in the shadows of the night, Natasha Riot, the producer of the monthly show Burlynomicon, called the coven together to create a weekend-long festival to celebrate all things dark and decadent and on the fringes...and thus the Umbrae Noctis Festival was born.

Now in its 3rd year, you will find gloriously ghoulish drag and burlesque performances that will transfix your senses all weekend, all set to the feelings and sounds of darkwave, post-punk, goth, deathrock and punk. Artists from all walks of life and from all parts of the world will gather to share their beauty with you, including 2026 Saturday night headliner Throb Zombie with performances that will leave you breathless.

Please see the website for each night's cast.

At the Oregon Convention Center, fans of the strange, the unusual, and the bizarre can explore a curated market of vendors, artists, dealers, and small businesses devoted to oddities. Expect taxidermy, preserved specimens, original art, horror and Halloween-inspired creations, antiques, handmade curiosities, vintage medical oddities, eerie apparel, distinctive jewelry, skulls and bones, funeral-related collectibles, and more. All merchandise is legal to own and responsibly sourced. Beyond the marketplace, the event features sideshow performances on stage and offers the chance to learn the craft of taxidermy with classes held during the expo. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door, and children 12 and under are admitted free without a ticket. Presented with a DIY approach and a focus on oddities vendors and dark artists, the expo aims to provide a welcoming space to discover new creators and connect with a community of like-minded people.