Performing Arts❯Theater

Step into a slippery world where the line between truth and fiction is all in the packaging. It’s 1936, and a pair of passionate filmmakers has landed their next big project: a sweeping Spanish Civil War film with the potential to change American hearts and minds. It just happens to be bankrolled by the KGB. Spain by Jen Silverman is a seductive and tense thriller about the power of art to change the world — for better and for worse.

by Jen Silverman, directed by Josh Hecht

One of the most ambitious productions in recent Profile history, Spain is a grand cross-disciplinary spectacle featuring multiple partnerships with arts organizations throughout Portland, including live opera developed in partnership with Portland Opera, and both recorded and live music performed by musicians with 45th Parallel.

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.

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.

From the celebrated and award-winning composer Dave Malloy comes Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Young and impulsive, Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. When she falls under the spell of the roguish Anatole, it is up to Pierre, a family friend in the middle of an existential crisis, to pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation. Following a critically exalted premiere at Ars Nova in New York City, a subsequent off-Broadway transfer and an acclaimed run on Broadway, this award-winning musical expands the possibilities for the genre with its daring score and bold storytelling.

Music and Lyrics By Dave Malloy

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.

Each year, Milagro observes Día de Muertos with the premiere of a new production, altar displays, and community events with the Día de Muertos Festival. The Centerpiece event of the 31st Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration is Marigolds y Memorias, an original devised production inspired by the traveling carpa tradition, in which humor, music, and storytelling come together in a vibrant theatrical journey. Guided by an elder, a younger generation learns o build an altart, the heart of Día de Muertos, discovering the meaning behind each of its elements, from candles and marigolds to photographs, ofrendas, and cherished recuerdos. Through song, dance, and short theatrical vignettes, the altar gradually takes shape as an act of remembrance and cultural inheritance, inviting audiences to consider how traditions are taught, how memory is kept alive, and what is carried forward when we share rituals across generations.

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a long-honored tradition with roots in Indigenous Mexican culture. Día de Muertos is observed annually in Mexican and other Latin American cultures on November 1st and 2nd as a remembrance of those who have passed. Individuals and families who honor this day set up ofrendas (altars) with offerings to their departed loved ones. Typical offerings include marigolds, calaveras, photos of the dead, and traditional food like “pan de muerto.”

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is back with a spectacular new production of The Ghosts of Christmas Eve: The Best of TSO and More – featuring the fan-favorite holiday rock opera alongside TSO classics, and rarely performed gems.

Shows:

November 28 at 3:30pm & 8pm

Each year, Milagro observes Día de Muertos with the premiere of a new production, altar displays, and community events with the Día de Muertos Festival.

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a long-honored tradition with roots in Indigenous Mexican culture. Día de Muertos is observed annually in Mexican and other Latin American cultures on November 1st and 2nd as a remembrance of those who have passed. Individuals and families who honor this day set up ofrendas (altars) with offerings to their departed loved ones. Typical offerings include marigolds, calaveras, photos of the dead, and traditional food like “pan de muerto.”

Fred Armisen is a comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He is the co-writer and co-star of IFC’s Emmy-nominated series Portlandia. He is in the hit Netflix series Wednesday as Uncle Fester. He stars in HBO’s Los Espookys, which he co-wrote and executive-produced. He can also be heard in the hit animated movie Super Mario Bros. Armisen stars in, writes, and produces IFC’s hit show Documentary Now. He has also appeared in HBO’s Our Flag Means Death, Judd Apatow’s The Bubble, and Amazon’s series Forever. He voices characters in Big Mouth and The Mitchells vs. The Machines. He is currently starring in the Broadway play All In. Armisen is an 11-season veteran of Saturday Night Live. From 2014-2024, Armisen was the band leader of the 8G Band on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Stephen Mallatratt’s The Woman in Black has been terrifying audiences since its London debut in 1987 and is one of the most successful and terrifying shows in West End history. Based on Susan Hill’s beloved novel, it’s one of the most celebrated ghost stories ever staged: atmospheric, relentless, and the kind of theatrical experience that makes you question every shadow on your way to the car.

Set in a remote English village, it follows a young lawyer unraveling the secrets of a recently deceased client and the vengeful presence that doesn’t want him to. Just two actors portray all the characters, leaning into what B&B’s performers do best.

Chilling, clever, and unforgettable. Halloween is back at Bag&Baggage.

Sat, Oct. 24th – ASL Interpreted Performance
Sun, Oct. 25th – Audio Described Performance

Ghost Show! is the story of a group of people who have found themselves at the lowest point in their lives — making a low-budget ghost hunting show that’s in last place in the local ratings. But an accidental death (is she dead, though?) leads to a boost in engagement…and a whole new set of problems. Filmed both behind the scenes and as in-universe episodes of the show, Ghost Show! is all about failure, found family, and trying to make meaning out of the ghosts of the past — and future.

Join the Tiny Park Productions team at Twilight Theater for the launch party of the pilot reading of Ghost Show! Not only will you see and hear the first official reading of the pilot script, but you’ll also get to enjoy fun, spooky-season-themed activities and treats — think of it as a theatrical carnival.

There will also be a costume contest with Door Prizes, so Halloween costumes are encouraged.

Tickets include a free raffle ticket. Prizes include real ghost-hunting gear.

Choreographer Lai Hung-Chung makes dances of striking beauty and intention. “Birdy,” his captivating signature work for Hung Dance, moves between suspense and explosive energy, between the weight of tradition and the pull toward something new. Hung Dance blends traditional Chinese arts, including tai chi, Peking Opera, and classical Chinese music, with contemporary dance technique and driving electronic music, creating work that is poetic and rhythmic at once. What audiences see on stage is a world in constant transformation, where bodies bend and resist, images linger, and the tension between holding on and letting go becomes the dance itself.

TAIPEI CITY, TAIWAN

Birdy

“…a dreamy sensibility with astonishing athleticism in culturally sensitive modern dance performance.” —Charlie Smith, Pancouver

Sponsored by George & Nancy Thorn. White Bird’s Uncaged Series Sponsor: Ronni Lacroute

The Friday and Saturday performances will have pre-show talks. Come early to hear from the dancers from 6:15–6:45 PM. No ticket needed.

Join us November 3rd for the Hung Dance Lecture Demonstration, FREE with RSVP here .

One of the most beloved operas ever composed, La Traviata combines sweeping emotion with some of the most recognizable music in the operatic repertoire. Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece tells the story of Violetta Valéry, a woman determined to live freely and authentically despite the rigid social expectations that surround her. When she falls deeply in love, she is forced to confront the painful realities of class, reputation, sacrifice, and the cost of pursuing happiness on her own terms.

Adapted from Alexandre Dumas fils’ La Dame aux camélias, the opera broke new ground in its portrayal of a contemporary woman whose emotional life is treated with dignity, complexity, and compassion. Verdi’s luminous score captures both the exhilaration of love and the devastating consequences of societal judgment, moving seamlessly from moments of intimacy and joy to heartbreaking tragedy.

More than a romantic drama, La Traviata remains a powerful reflection on personal freedom, vulnerability, and the tension between public expectation and private truth. Its enduring resonance lies in its humanity: the opera asks what it means to truly live according to one’s own values in a world eager to define worth through convention, status, and appearance.

The Imperfecta Gallery, in collaboration with North Pole Studio, is proud to present The Island of Misfit Toys. This exhibition presents work by Portland-based artist Davis Wohlford. Every year, Davis Wohlford's art practice gives form to an evolving cast of handmade toys. Inspired by the fictional place of The Island of Misfit Toys, its characters occupy the margins of conventional narratives, finding possibility in their differences and agency in their own stories. Hand-sewn, machine-stitched, felted, painted and sculpted from wood and assembled from found objects, Davis's endlessly resourceful approach to materials yields creations that suggest personalities and histories beyond their physical forms. These are not simply objects to be observed; they are created to be played with, loved, and to inspire one's imagination. The toys welcome you to explore an alternate world of their own, an immersive world that Davis builds and shares with his audience. This year, that world expands into performance. Handcrafted puppets take the stage alongside a musical accompaniment, while familiar fairy tales are dismantled, reimagined, and given unexpected trajectories.

Opening Reception: November 5, 5–8 p.m.

Davis Wohlford is a prolific, lifelong artist and the co-founder of North Pole Studio. His work is deeply influenced by characters, stories, and fables that resonate with him and bring narratives to life through diverse media. Davis' works depict a vast array of interconnected characters and fantastical subjects who inhabit North Pole Jr., a self-constructed, multidimensional magical land that Davis has developed over time. His art is a window into this imaginative world, where whimsy and complexity coexist, and every piece is a chapter in an ongoing narrative. Davis is also deeply engaged in re-imagining classic books and movies, exploring playwriting, filmmaking, and animation. This multifaceted creative practice reflects Davis's belief in the power of storytelling as a means of both personal expression and universal connection. Whether through the visual richness of his paintings or the dynamic exploration of narrative in his written and filmed work, Davis Wohlford's art reflects his boundless imagination and his desire to craft worlds that invite others to explore and find meaning in the stories he creates.

Marigolds y Memorias is an original devised production inspired by the traveling carpa tradition, in which humor, music, and storytelling come together in a vibrant theatrical journey. Guided by an elder, a younger generation learns to build an altar, the heart of Día de Muertos, discovering the meaning behind each of its elements, from candles and marigolds to photographs, ofrendas, and cherished recuerdos. Through song, dance, and short theatrical vignettes, the altar gradually takes shape as an act of remembrance and cultural inheritance, inviting audiences to consider how traditions are taught, how memory is kept alive, and what is carried forward when we share rituals across generations.

Age Recommendation: All Ages
Estimated Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, including one intermission

Ticket Availability:

• Season Packages: Tickets may be secured now when you purchase a Milagro Season Package, offering savings of 12.5% – 20%, depending on the package specified.
  To see package options, please CLICK HERE.
• Group Sales: Groups of 10+ may book now to order.
  Please CLICK HERE to send us an email with your desired performance date/time, the number of tickets you are seeking.
  Your order will not be processed until after we have confirmed with you. Someone will respond to your email within approximately 72 hours.
• Single Tickets: On sale beginning Friday, August 21, 2026

Single Tickets:
Adults – $32
Seniors 50+ – $28
Students – $24

SHOW TIMES:

Ever wonder what happens when exes meet for dinner? Douglas Lyons’s Table 17 dives into just that, bringing you Jada and Dallas, two people revisiting their past relationship. What begins as a simple catch-up quickly unravels, moving between humor and honesty. You’ll discover their spark, the eventual unraveling, and the lingering question: what if?

Directed by Charles Grant, this play invites you into a single night holding years of love, mischief, and unspoken words. It’s set in Bianca’s Restaurant, where your seat is part of the world. Choose a floor table, a riser, or a traditional theatre seat. You’re in the story. Go see it!

Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian

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

In this live Dungeons and Dragons show, comedians and performers take to the stage to play some theater games, share some jokes, and play some D&D.

This season of Magic Tea Party, you will join Dungeon Master Juliet Mylan, who will lead:

• Cosmo Reynolds (as Joey, just some guy with a ukulele that frequents Portland open mics)
• Jenna Britann (as Holbrook, a 165,786,084 yr old dilophosaurus),
• Riley McCarthy (as Enoch "Nucky" Fallstar, an apostle of the doomsday cult Threshold of Paradise with some unorthodox powers)

Audience members will take part in controlling the players' fate as they navigate an AU magical Portland in a series of side quests to gather magical artifacts for MOMSI (that's Magical OMSI for the layperson). The show can include strong adult themes and language, so if you bring your 8-year-old, just know they may learn something you were hoping to discuss with them after they hit puberty. Recommended for ages 16+ and parental guidance for those younger.

Small concessions booth with snacks, sodas, seltzers, beer, and wine available at the show. A coffee shop is located in front of the theater, and beverages are welcome in the theater. Tickets are GAYAF (Give As You’re Able Friend) with a suggested donation of $20 to compensate the performers and keep this independent LGBTQ theater running.

Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp. is a collection of four short, surreal plays by acclaimed English playwright Caryl Churchill. Premiering at London's Royal Court Theatre in 2019, these darkly imaginative works weave together myth, fairy tale, and contemporary horror. Moving between collective voices and intimate encounters, Churchill explores violence, power, desire, and the stories we tell to make sense of a fractured world. By turns funny, haunting, and unsettling, the plays invite audiences into a landscape where the familiar becomes strange, and ancient myths reveal modern anxieties without explanation or comfort.

A girl made of glass. Gods and murders. A serial killer's friends. And a secret in a bottle.

Four short plays by Caryl Churchill

Directed by Samantha Van Der Merwe

Anthony Hudson reads from his new collection of performance works Lamp Black: Plays and Other Grievances at Portland Art Museum in the American Art gallery (Level 2, Room 211), paired with Moses Soyer, Girl with a Cigarette.

Followed by book signing at The Shop at PAM.

A major collection of performance works by artist and agitator Anthony Hudson.

Lamp Back: Plays and Other Grievances collects nearly a decade of work by Anthony Hudson, a queer Indigenous artist and agitator also known as Portland, Oregon’s premier drag clown, Carla Rossi. Whether fumbling with a lamp in a satirical takedown of land acknowledgments or confronting the history of redface in pop culture, Hudson alternates between Rossi’s cackling “ghost of white privilege” and more earnest, vulnerable confessionals as himself—all with a deep commitment to bitter humor and brutal honesty. In these performance works, a mixed-race Native boy plays a pilgrim in his kindergarten Thanksgiving pageant. A young artist recounts the racism in their favorite musical and the larger American theater system. A drag queen storytime goes disastrously wrong and calls for an exorcism with a plunger. Kate Bredeson’s unflinching introduction speaks to Hudson’s work through a cultural and historical lens and illuminates the importance of his project to filet the American Empire.

Join Portland Opera for an hour of story and song from their latest production, La Traviata.

Puppet show presented by Venezuelan Americans, Melissa and Carlos Bertran. A bilingual (Spanish/English) story from Venezuela. In this story, the tiny heroine thinks herself much too fine to accept the proposal of a common mouse. Instead, she sets her sights on 'worthier' matches, such as the sun, the wind, and the mountain. Yet, her search for the perfect suitor brings her right back to the romantic little mouse who first proposed. This show was developed with the guidance of Venezuelan Americans and features Venezuelan music. A truly bilingual experience!

Espectáculo de títeres presentado por los venezolano-estadounidenses Melissa y Carlos Bertran. Una historia bilingüe (español/inglés) de Venezuela. En esta historia, la pequeña heroína se cree demasiado fina para aceptar la propuesta de matrimonio de un ratón común. En cambio, fija su atención en pretendientes "más dignos", como el sol, el viento y la montaña. Sin embargo, su búsqueda del pretendiente ideal termina llevándola de vuelta al pequeño ratón romántico que fue el primero en pedirle que se casara con él. Este espectáculo fue desarrollado con la guía de venezolano-estadounidenses y tiene música venezolana. ¡Una verdadera experiencia bilingüe!

Beacock Music will celebrate its 50th year in the music business with “76, Trombones: The Beginning,” a musical show with a live band in the recital hall at 1420 S.E. 163rd Ave., Vancouver. Walk down memory lane with songs and stories from Beacock Music’s founding year, 1976. Ticket sales will benefit the Daryle Rustvold MusicForLife Scholarship, which provides music lessons and instruments to those in need. Performances are 7 p.m. Nov. 6, 7, 13 and 14. Matinee shows are 2 p.m. Nov. 8 and 15. Tickets are $25, available at beacockmusic.com.

A one-clown kaleidoscope of beauty, tradition, and tyranny — where a pansori diva, a K-beauty fanatic, and a self-proclaimed dictator collide in a hilarious search for identity and power.
In Take Me to Your Leader: The Seoul of a Clown, beauty, ritual, and absurdity collide in a one-clown fever dream. From the haunting rhythms of pansori to the fluorescent glow of a K-beauty altar, Monel Chang (aka Moldy Melon) shape shifts through characters both divine and deranged: a folk diva, a skincare-obsessed disciple, and a dictator throwing themself a birthday party.

Part satire, part spiritual exorcism, and entirely clown, this genre-defying solo performance unpacks the obsessions that bind — from perfection and purity to power and control. With live sound, ritual gesture, and a face full of toner, The Seoul of a Clown invites audiences into a surreal search for identity, laughter, and liberation.

One of the most beloved operas ever written, La Traviata pairs soaring melodies with a deeply personal story of love and sacrifice. At its center is Violetta, an independent woman navigating desire, societal expectation, and the fragile possibility of happiness on her own terms. As romance and reality collide, Verdi’s luminous score reveals the emotional complexity of living authentically in a world determined to impose its rules. Tender, tragic, and timeless, the opera continues to resonate for its compassionate portrayal of Violetta’s vulnerability, resilience, courage as she chooses personal truth in the face of public judgment.

Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right!

Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots). Featuring the now classic songs “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Santa Fe.”

Fri, Nov 6 from 7-9:30pm

Sat, Nov 7 from 1-3:30pm & 6-8:30pm

Fri, Nov 13 from 7-9:30pm

Sat, Nov 14 from 1-3:30pm & 6-8:30pm

Adult (ages 19 and up) – $22
Youth (ages 2-18) – $20
Senior (ages 62+) – $20
Groups of 15+ –

At Fort Vancouver High School

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.

Speed Dating Tonight!
Music & Libretto by Michael Ching
Based on a concept by Dean Anthony

Portland State University’s Opera program kicks off its 50th anniversary season with Michael Ching’s “Speed Dating Tonight!” (2013). Set over the course of a single evening at a local bar, this clever, heartwarming opera follows a revolving cast of singles searching for that elusive spark. There's the dreamer, the hopeless romantic, the bashful, the over-sharer, the chronically distracted, and everyone in between, each getting their moment in the spotlight through music that is equal parts tender, heartbreaking, and hilarious.

Written with duets and ensembles for up to 45 voices, “Speed Dating Tonight!” has a flexible modular structure that can be customized to fit any cast size, voice type, or gender identity. PSU Opera’s version of “Speed Dating Tonight!” features 35 song selections and arrangements specifically chosen to reflect the unique assortment of voices in the 12-member cast.

At its heart, this is a show about the universal human longing to be seen and cherished by another person. Woven through the interactions is another question: can a genuine connection actually happen in five minutes or less? With Michael Ching’s delightful opera, the answer is decidedly yes.

Visit the Speed Dating Tonight! web page to learn more about this production, including additional dates, cast and crew information, photos, and more as we get closer to opening night.

Learn more about the Opera program at Portland State University's School of Music & Theater.

Wizard of Floyd is a dark reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, where the familiar journey through Oz is told through the lyrics of 21 iconic Pink Floyd songs, with a live Pink Floyd cover band creating an immersive soundtrack that drives the characters’ journey from Kansas to the far reaches of Oz.

Part theater, part rock concert, and part psychedelic fever dream, Wizard of Floyd is a dance and musically spectacular journey into a world where nothing is quite what it seems.

Lelooska Cultural Center, 165 Merwin Village Road, Ariel, will offer living history performances from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Nov. 28. See Northwest Coast masks brought to life through traditional stories, songs, and dances in the cedar ceremonial house. The grounds and museum open at 5 p.m. and the performance begins at 6 p.m. The cost is $18 adults or $16 for seniors and children. Learn more at lelooska.org.

Monday Mic Night is an open mic event. Bring whatever you’d like to share—music, poetry, a soliloquy, a painting, even a magic trick. All ages and talent levels are welcome. Non-performing audience members are welcome too.

This event is free, all ages, and open to the public.

Date: Monday, November 9
Time: 7-9pm (Signups start at 6:30pm)
Location: Sherwood Center for the Arts, Maera Boughey Theatre
22689 SW Pine Street, Sherwood OR 97140

More information at our website: Monday Mic Night | Sherwood Center for the Arts

For more than 20 years, Portland Opera to Go (nicknamed POGO) has shared opera experiences with communities around the region. The Crown Maker is a world-premiere opera inspired by the life and legacy of Eva Castellanos, a Mexican American healer, artist, educator, and tireless advocate for immigrant rights. Rooted in Oregon history and shaped by the traditions of community storytelling, the work explores how creativity, compassion, and cultural knowledge can transform lives across generations.

Told as a traditional corrido, The Crown Maker blends poetry, history, and music to explore how one woman’s vision empowered generations through art, healing traditions, and fearless community leadership. Through an evocative score and intimate storytelling, The Crown Maker honors Castellanoz’ lifelong dedication to uplifting others through art, healing practices, and grassroots activism. Her work created spaces where identity, heritage, and belonging could thrive, even in the face of social and political barriers. The opera examines the lasting influence of those who build community not through power or prestige, but through care, vision, and persistence.

Created especially for Portland Opera to Go audiences, The Crown Maker blends poetry, history, and music to explore how one woman’s vision empowered generations through art, healing traditions, and fearless community leadership. This production brings a uniquely Oregonian story to life, while speaking to universal themes of resilience, memory, and self-determination. The Crown Maker celebrates the power of cultural inheritance and the people who preserve it, inviting audiences of all ages to reflect on how stories, traditions, and acts of courage continue to shape communities today.

Nov. 14 — Two performances at Walters Cultural Arts Center in Hillsboro at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Dec. 4-5 — Three performances at the World Trade Center Theatre.

Jan. 10 — Watch at the historic Clatskanie Cultural Center at 2 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Join the Happy Valley Library at 2 p.m.

An empty space. Enter the Poet. He has a story to tell—one he’s been telling for thousands of years, drifting through countless taverns and across countless stages. He invokes the Muses and fills the empty space with a tale at once grandly mythical and strikingly familiar.

Is this a story of antiquity or a story of today?

Told entirely by two performers, a poet and a musician, Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare’s An Iliad remixes Homer’s tale, bridging the ancient with the contemporary. In turns humorous and tender, violent and harrowing, An Iliad is a vital examination of the human compulsion towards war, a passionate interrogation of the toll war has on our humanity, and a testament to the power and potential of storytelling.

“An Iliad is pure theater: shocking, glorious, primal and deeply satisfying.”—Time Out New York

SPATCHCOCK!

DEBUT SKETCH SHOW: AMUSE-BOUCHE

Portland’s most exciting new sketch troupe, SPATCHCOCK!, is proud to present their debut show, “Amuse-Bouche,” a delectable first course of strange comedy that’s fast, zany and a little fucked up.

It is a delectable first course of strange comedy from Portland sketch fanatics Carly Leinheiser, Hannah Bodily, Klaus Brenner, Sean O’Neil, and Walker Faison.

Inspired by Mitchell & Webb, Kids in the Hall, The State, the endless absurdities of human existence, dark whispers from the void, and Key and Peele, SPATCHCOCK! is fast, zany and a little fucked up.

Get ready for roughly 45-minutes worth of cuck chairs, fratboy birdwatchers, supervillain contractors, pissed-off aliens, and finding out what those billionaires really need all that money for.

SPATCHCOCK!: Amuse-Bouche will be at 21ten Theater on Friday Nov. 13 and Saturday Nov. 14 at 9:30 PM. Tickets will be $12 presale, $15 at the door, available at TICKET LINK TBD.

Who: Written by and starring Klaus Brenner, Hannah Bodily, Walker Faison, Carly Leinheiser, and Sean O’Neil

Where: 21ten Theater

2110 SE 10th Ave,

Portland, OR 97214

When: Friday 11/13/2026 and Saturday 11/14/2026
9:30 Show

Cost: $12 presale, $15 at the door

Contact: [email protected]

Columbia Theatre presents the tribute show “George Michael Reborn” from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 27. Tickets are $45.

A concise program of staged readings explores what it means to be lost. The lineup includes Words, Words, Words, which turns the classic idea of monkeys at typewriters into a lively exchange among the primates themselves. Sure Thing follows two people in a café as an offstage bell resets their missteps, clearing the path toward a genuine connection. The Items Forgotten centers on spouses Kira and Travis, locked out yet again on a freezing night, whose search for a spare key prompts doubts about memory and marriage. Alfred and Lily and Their Marvelous Tank in the Forest follows two pond dwellers moved to a strange tank by unseen caretakers. Lily embraces the change, while Alfred notices the water receding and neighbors vanishing, raising unsettling questions. Written by David Ives and Tara Meddaugh and directed by Dylan Sladky, this PG-13 program runs about 30 minutes. The venue is open to the public, and donations are welcome but optional. Presented as part of a First Friday performance series.

Centerpiece event of Milagro’s 31st Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration.

Marigolds y Memorias is an original devised production inspired by the traveling carpa tradition, in which humor, music, and storytelling come together in a vibrant theatrical journey. Guided by their ancestors, a younger generation rediscovers the heart of Día de Muertos, the meaning behind each of its elements, from candles and marigolds to ofrendas and cherished recuerdos. Through song, dance, and short theatrical vignettes, an altar gradually takes shape as an act of remembrance and cultural inheritance, inviting audiences to consider how traditions are taught, how memory is kept alive, and what is carried forward when we share rituals across generations.

An Ensemble-Devised Piece
Directed by Juliana Morales Carreño

Age recommendation: All ages
Running time: About 1 hour 30 minutes, including one intermission
Tickets: Adults $32, seniors (50+) $28, and students $24; groups of 10 or more $18 each

Polynesian dance and narration from Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, and New Zealand with authentic costuming and music. Troupe of 10 to 18 dances for 50 minutes. Interactive dance with the audience—the show is exciting and colorful for all ages.

The Imperfecta Gallery, in collaboration with North Pole Studio, is proud to present a Puppet Show by Davis Wohlford. Join a delightful, wondrous afternoon, filled with fantastical puppets, toys and imagination.

Davis Wohlford is a prolific, lifelong artist and the co-founder of North Pole Studio. His work is deeply influenced by characters, stories, and fables that resonate with him and bring narratives to life through diverse media. Davis' works depict a vast array of interconnected characters and fantastical subjects who inhabit North Pole Jr., a self-constructed, multidimensional magical land that Davis has developed over time. His art is a window into this imaginative world, where whimsy and complexity coexist, and every piece is a chapter in an ongoing narrative. Davis is also deeply engaged in re-imagining classic books and movies, exploring playwriting, filmmaking, and animation. This multifaceted creative practice reflects Davis's belief in the power of storytelling as a means of both personal expression and universal connection. Whether through the visual richness of his paintings or the dynamic exploration of narrative in his written and filmed work, Davis Wohlford's art reflects his boundless imagination and his desire to craft worlds that invite others to explore and find meaning in the stories he creates.

Love Street Playhouse presents the holiday musical “Winter Wonderettes,” playing Nov. 27-Dec. 20 at Love Street Playhouse, 126 Loves Ave., Woodland. When Santa goes missing, the Wonderettes put their talent and ingenuity to work to save the holiday party with ’60s renditions of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Run, Run, Rudolph” and “Winter Wonderland.” Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27, 28, Dec. 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 and 19. Matinees are 2 p.m. Nov. 29, Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13 and 20. Tickets are $36 at www.lovestreetplayhouse.com or call 800-966-8865.

At The Old Spaghetti Factory in Portland, an interactive murder mystery unfolds over a three-course dinner as guests sift through clues, mingle with suspicious characters, and work to identify the culprit before the final reveal. The meal includes a selection of entree options, with substitutions for dietary needs available for an additional charge. One soft drink is included with the meal with no refills, and a bar is available for additional beverages by cash or card.

Come join New Century Players’ Annual Christmas Reader’s Theater!

What:
New Century Players presents old-time radio plays for the winter holidays. We’re looking for six actors who can bring Christmas spirit, energy and enthusiasm from the page to the audience.
Actors will play multiple roles. One actor will be performing as a Foley artist in addition to some roles.
Sides will be available at auditions. Directed by Sara McNaughton.

When:
Saturday, November 7 from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
(Actors need not attend the whole session.)

Where:
Samaritan Odd Fellows Lodge
10282 SE Main St
Milwaukie, OR 97222

All auditioners are considered for all characters without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender assigned at birth, or the presence of a medical condition or handicaps.

If you are unable to attend auditions, please email [email protected] for instructions on how to submit virtually.

Rehearsals will be at the Odd Fellows Lodge beginning on Sunday, November 29 through Thursday, December 3 from 6 to 8:30 PM.

Performances:
December 4, at 7:30 PM
December 5 & 6 at 2 PM

See you at the theater!

New Century Players Community Theatre
http://www.newcenturyplayers.org/
Message phone: 503-367-2620

Union High School will present “Elf, Jr., the Musical,” showing Nov. 12-14 at 6201 N.W. Friberg-Strunk St., Camas. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Nov. 12 and 13, noon and 4 p.m. Nov. 14. The musical, based on the 2003 film, follows Buddy, a human who was raised as one of Santa’s elves. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for students age 2-18 and free for children age 2 and under. Learn more at uniontheatreplayers.com.