Performing Arts

We think that under the right lights, an elk can look a lot like a reindeer. And those lights are Christmas lights. Grab your ugly sweater, fasten your red nose, and come help us kick off the holiday season as early as we were allowed to at the Elks Temple Holiday Brewfest. Is it too early? No! This event will feature holiday ales and ciders from around the Northwest, live music, reindeer games and other festive libations as we dive into the holiday season in style. Don't miss your chance to get into the holiday spirit and holiday spirits at Elks Temple.

Brewfest fun
20 taps of beer & cider
Wine, spirits & holiday punch
Photo booth
Photos with Santa * 4-6pm

Live music
Dancer & Prancer * 2-4:30pm
Kristen Marlo & James Coates* 5:30-8pm

This fall, Portland welcomes an extraordinary celebration of classical ballet as PRIMA Ballet Gala brings together artists of the Grand Kyiv Ballet and international guest performers for one unforgettable night.

More than a performance, PRIMA Ballet Gala is a night of elevated artistry – where timeless classics meet contemporary expression, and the stage becomes a space of beauty, power, and emotion.

The program features iconic highlights from world-renowned ballets including Don Quixote, Spartacus, and The Dying Swan, alongside vibrant national dance such as the thrilling Hopak, set to music by legendary composers including Tchaikovsky.

Begin your evening on the red carpet, then step inside for a celebration of artistic excellence and international cultural connection.
Guests are warmly encouraged to attend in the evening attire, helping create an atmosphere of elegance worthy of this special occasion.

Join us for a rare opportunity to experience world-class dancers, timeless choreography, and a night filled with beauty and inspiration.

Seats are limited. Be part of PRIMA Ballet Gala — where ballet speaks from the heart.

Meet the Tokyo Kanpai Boys, Japan's funniest stand-up comedians bringing brand-new material and a wildly entertaining look at life & comedy through Japanese eyes.

Featuring Kansei Yasuda, Daniel Wilson, Shota Saimu and Daisuke Muramoto.

Whether they're explaining Japanese dating culture, exposing everyday misunderstandings between East and West, or simply proving that awkwardness is universal in every language, Tokyo Kanpai Boys delivers a show that's packed with laughs.

Don’t miss this unforgettable night of international comedy that bridges cultures through laughter. Cheers ("Kanpai!") to that. 🍻

Featuring:

Kansei Yasuda

Originally from Tokyo and now based in Toronto, Kansei is one of the fastest-rising international comics working today. A Golden Ticket winner on Kill Tony, he has toured throughout North America and Asia, earning acclaim for his energetic storytelling, sharp cultural observations, and brilliantly unpredictable style.

Daniel Wilson

A Japanese-American comedian based in Tokyo, Daniel has built a massive global following through his viral "Let Me Teach You Some Japanese" videos, earning over200,000 Instagram followers and 5.5 million TikTok likes. Trained at Japan's prestigious Watanabe Comedy School, he combines Japanese and American comedy traditions into a style that's both insightful and endlessly relatable.

Shota Saimu

Known for his deceptively quiet stage presence and devastating punchlines, Shota has become a favorite among audiences in both Japan and the United States. Performing in both English and Japanese, his dry delivery, understated confidence, and viral online clips have made him one of Japan's most exciting emerging comedic voices.

Daisuke Muramoto

One of Japan's most recognizable comedians, Muramoto first rose to fame as half of the legendary manzai duo Woman Rush Hour, appearing on hundreds of television programs before reinventing himself as one of Japan's boldest stand-up voices. His acclaimed documentary I Am a Comedian chronicles his journey from mainstream celebrity to internationally touring performer whose fearless comedy tackles politics, culture, and identity.

Management reserves the right to prevent customers from entering the facility who they deem disruptive or dangerous to other patrons.

The Saloon Ensemble‘s epic all-ages production of The Nitemare B4 Xmas is back. Featuring Kylee Wegner as Jack, Patrica Charms as Sally, Jason Wells as The Mayor, Noah Veil as Oogie Boogie, Dan Stauffer as Dr. F, Phil Sano as Sandy Claws, Richard Cawley, Iris Asher, and Stacey Ludlow as Lock, Shock, and Barrel, Julia Andalora as Zero, plus Jon Vancura on sax, Mike Danner on accordion, Jeremy Baron on mandolin, and Joe Hagel on drums.

Portland's legendary performance troupe, The Saloon Ensemble, will once again bring to the stage a live performance of the brilliant score complete with interactive sing-along, a costume contest, everyone's favorite screaming contest and many other 'horrible' surprises.

Celebrate the Halloween season with the annual production that's been packing houses and delivering joyous fun for all spirits, young and old.

On Sunday, November 1st, Oregon Koto-Kai, the Japanese Koto Music Society of Oregon, will present its 15th Annual Fall Concert. This year’s concert will feature traditional and modern koto ensemble pieces selected to honor the koto mastery and memory of the late Kazue Sawai. The music will be complemented by beautiful art on stage created by local artist Satoko Motouji.

Kazue Sawai cofounded the Sawai Koto Institute based in Tokyo, Japan with her husband, koto master and composer Tadao Sawai. Not only was she the instructor and mentor to our Artistic Director, Mitsuki Dazai, but her passion and innovative playing style was an inspiration to our entire group and koto players worldwide. Our program honors that legacy with traditional pieces signature to her repertoire and boundary-pushing compositions from the Sawai catalog.

Ekklesia Theatre launches its “Love Your Neighbor” season with Will Eno’s funny, haunting “Middletown,” Oct. 23-Nov. 1 at Magenta Theater, in partnership with NAMI Southwest Washington. The play follows an unlikely friendship between longtime Middletown resident John Dodge and newcomer Mary Swanson. Around them, a librarian, a mechanic, a police officer, tourists and other townspeople try to make sense of their lives — and one another. Their paths cross in surprising ways, taking audiences everywhere from a library to outer space. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 23-31 and 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1 at 1108 Main St., Vancouver. NAMI Southwest Washington will be at the theater after performances on Oct. 25 and 30 to discuss loneliness and mental health. Plays are recommended for viewers age 13 and older. Tickets are $15 at ekklesiatheatre.com/tickets.

London-born singer and songwriter SIENNA SPIRO announces the “My House” tour, including an extensive North American fall run followed by dates in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, UK and Europe.

Just last week, SIENNA released the official music video for her enthralling single “The Visitor.” Written and produced by SIENNA with Omer Fedi (SZA, Lil Nas X) and Michael Pollack (Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus), the song draws its power from a spellbinding vocal recorded in one take, lyrics that cut to the bone, and a 20-piece string orchestra led and arranged by Academy Award-winner Peter Rotter (Oppenheimer, The Last Repair Shop). While SIENNA’s poetry and the video nod to matters of the heart, by the song’s end, we sense that she’s singing about something more: a strong awareness of impermanence — of things ending and people leaving — that can quickly turn into paralyzing fear. That sentiment is the driving force behind the concept that powers Visitor, the album.

Of course, SIENNA is very much here to stay. Her music has amassed over 1.2 billion global streams so far and, in late March, she had a trio of singles climbing the Hot 100 all at once: “The Visitor” (which so far peaked at #43), heartwrenching UK Platinum smash “Die On This Hill” (#19), and the enduring “You Stole The Show” (#55). All three are set to appear on Visitor, which was executive produced by Fedi with additional production from an elite crew including Blake Slatkin, Yakob, and Pollack, plus composers like Larry Gold (Al Green, Silk Sonic) and Rotter. SIENNA and her hand-picked collaborators brought her vision to life in an array of legendary spaces like Electric Lady Studios in New York, Abbey Road Studios in London, and Valentine Recording Studios in Los Angeles.

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.

It took Cam all of 3 weeks to drop out of college at FAMU to pursue comedy full time at the age of 19. Cam recently appeared on Season 16 of ‘America’s Got Talent’ receiving a “Yes” from all 4 celebrity judges, Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sophia Vergara, and Howie Mandel. In 2019, Cam Bertrand became the youngest comic to win the 'Florida's Funniest' competition, beating out over 300 comics, previous winners include Daniel Tosh, Bert Kreischer, Preacher Lawson and JB Ball. In that same year, Cam also became the youngest comedian to record his own half hour comedy special with DryBar comedy, his special 'Sophisticated Ignorance' which has garnered over 140 million total views since its release. Cam has built up a social media following of nearly 1 Million Followers on TikTok, 176k on Instagram, 270k on Facebook, and 47k on Youtube. He has also worked with some of the biggest names in comedy today including: Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz, Matt Rife, Bert Kreischer, Pete Davidson, Hannibal Buress, Michael Che, Josh Blue, and Mike Epps. Couple's Package includes: - 2 premium seats - $90 food & beverage credit ($45 per person)- Gratuity - Ticket Protection Management reserves the right to prevent customers from entering the facility who they deem disruptive or dangerous to other patrons.

Join an evening of conversation, laughter, and stories of the human spirit featuring The Omnibus Project with John Roderick and a special guest. Presented by Papertrees Creative in partnership with the 2026 Portland Book Festival and Literary Arts. This event will be recorded. The Omnibus Project is a podcast founded in 2017 by Ken Jennings and John Roderick as a repository for the lesser-known stories of our collected human experience that, in the event of a cataclysm, may not survive to be retold. It is an effort to save our own Library of Alexandria to disk, a project to preserve not just what made us great but what made us human.

The show has diligently researched and compiled the knowledge around the knowledge, building a compendium not of obvious and commonly cited data—the Roman Empire and World War II are widely reported elsewhere—but of the esoteric and sublime wonders that might otherwise be lost.

John Roderick is a Seattle-based musician, writer, and podcaster celebrated for his sharp wit and distinctive voice. Beyond co-creating The Omnibus Project, he also co-hosts Roderick on the Line. His essays have appeared in Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Seattle Weekly, and he has published a book of short prose, Electric Aphorisms. Best known as the frontman of The Long Winters, Roderick will return with a highly anticipated new album soon.