Join us at our free pre-show event on November 29th for hands on presentations from Portland Carnivorous Plants & Rose City Astronomers! Learn about solar eclipses, extra terrestrial life, hungry plants..and heck..have a donut while you do it! And of course, make sure to catch our 2PM matinee of Little Shop of Horrors.
Join scholars Dr. Lindsey Mantoan, author of It's All Happening: How Musical Theater Does High School (Oxford, 2026), and Dr. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, author of Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist (Simon & Schuster, 2025) for a free conversation about high school on the musical theater stage. This evening will feature performances by PSU students from some favorite high school musicals--come to sing, chat, and cheer along!
Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Learn more about theTheater Arts program at PSU's School of Music & Theater.
Music & Libretto by Michael Ching
Based on a concept by Dean Anthony
Portland State Universityâs Opera program kicks off its 50th anniversary season with Michael Chingâs âSpeed Dating Tonight!â (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, âSpeed Dating Tonight!â has a flexible modular structure that can be customized to fit any cast size, voice type, or gender identity. PSU Operaâs version of âSpeed Dating Tonight!â 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 Chingâs 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.