Beth Thompson

At the end of 2023, Many Hats Collaboration, which creates theatre performances that reimagine music and movement onstage, wrapped up its 5 in 5 Initiative.

Do you remember what it was like to be 17? Excited, angsty, passionate, confused, and hopeful all at once. And maybe you fell in love for the first time with someone who was oh-so-wrong but also perhaps oh-so-right. If any of that sounds familiar, and especially if you happened to be a teenager in the 90s, Jessica Wallenfels’ GREAT WIDE OPEN should be on your radar.

From immersive experiences to theatrical collage to a zombie musical, this year's Fertile Ground Festival promises to be exciting.

The Theatre Company presents its inaugural production, The Moors by Jen Silverman, March 18-April 11. Founded with the intention of transforming found spaces with bold, theatrical endeavors, The Theatre Company has chosen Copeland Commons at Taborspace in the heart of SE Portland's Mt. Tabor neighborhood as their non-traditional performance venue. While Copeland Commons has hosted small scale concerts and other arts events in the past, TTC's production of The Moors marks the first time a professional theatre company has staged a multi-week residency in the space. Co-Artistic Directors Jen Rowe and Brandon Woolley chose the venue specifically for its connection to the community and the story being told.

Local theater company Many Hats Collaboration will remount its latest physical theater work, a?oeThe Undertaking,a?? portraying end of life care of an elder with live music by Northwest Piano Trio. Having debuted the work at the 2019 Fertile Ground Festival, the work will be presented for a limited engagement in partnership with Bag & Baggage Productions on February 7th and 8th at 7:30pm. a?oeThe Undertakinga?? features movement and storytelling enacted by actors and scored by live musicians to deliver an interdisciplinary performance using the music of Dmitri Shostakovich Piano Trio #2 as its spine, paired with original text by Emily Gregory. a?oeThe Undertakinga?? is conceived and directed by Many Hats artistic director Jessica Wallenfels. 

THE UNDERTAKING and ART OF AGING PROJECT, two new pieces now in performance together as part of the 10th Anniversary Fertile Ground Festival, seek to spark a new conversation around aging and death, as well as provide space for seniors' voices.

Lisa Kron's IN THE WAKE draws parallels between the personal and the political to suggest that even the most unimaginable outcomes aren't really that out there -- it's just that we're really bad at seeing past the end of our own nose.

SHE KILLS MONSTERS may not make your top ten list for most heartfelt play of the year, but it will definitely make you laugh. And we all need to laugh more.

SALT is a collection of installations (including performance pieces) about civil disobedience inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's Salt March speech. It's one of those unique events that makes the Portland theatre scene so dynamic.

This season, Synergy Resources Group, is sponsoring the CoHo Theater production This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, put on by theater producer Beth Thompson. It's part of an annual mission of President & Founder Debra Dunn to provide for a cause that supports women in their careers and/or their passion pursuits.

This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing is an expressive, cyclical fable fit for all ages, especially for the brave, curious ones who follow their hearts to find home. Engaging both adults who are regular theatre-goers and young people who may be encountering theatre for the first time, This Girl offers the opportunity for intergenrational audiences to share the joys and perils of journeying through life.

Shaking the Tree's production of MISS JULIE delves into the human psyche to explore why our society is so polarized right now.

CoHo Productions has announced #CoHoSeason22, featuring four artist-led co-productions of contemporary plays in the main subscription season for 2017-2018.

The truth will not always set you free. Shaking the Tree's excellent production of SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER explores what happens when a dangerous truth is revealed.

Shaking the Tree Theatre opens our first show at our new warehouse space at 823 SE Grant St.

Director/choreographer Jessica Wallenfels does a brilliant job of telling us what the story is, showing us where to look, and taking us into the minds of the characters with just a simple change of lighting.

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 60 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2014 New Jersey winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

It's your last week to vote for the 2014 BroadwayWorld New Jersey Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 26th. Voting closes at the end of the year, in under one week!