Debbie Lamedman

Honor Roll! the 1,700-member organization founded to support women+ playwrights over 40, has announced the recipients of the second annual HONOR ROLL! HONORS.

Cabaret Artists Chad M. Ryan and Brooke M. Haney's first collaborative endeavor, Brooke and Chad Are… Just as Gay as You. (A Queer Cabaret of Chaos and Clarity), premieres this year during Pride Week on Tuesday, June 20th at 6:30 pm at the Duplex. Created by Haney and Ryan from their combined personal "GAY" experiences, the show explores the themes of queerness and identity and the unlikely friendship between a Gay man and a Queer woman, all under their shared love of music and storytelling. Filled with chaotic  humour, truth telling vulnerability and occasional crisp clarity, the evening is sure to be a 'gay ol time.'  The duo has also partnered with Shining Hope for Communities to raise money and build awareness for Margaret's Safe Place, a project of Shining Hope. To that end, a portion of the proceeds from every ticket will go to support Shining Hope.

Playwrights West, a professional theatre company composed of nine acclaimed local playwrights, at Portland State University, proudly presents a World Premiere reading of Last Broadcast, written by Playwrights West and directed by Lava Alapai.

Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT) has announced the winner and finalists of their third Young Playwrights for Change playwriting contest. The winning scripts will be performed in a staged reading on April 25th at 7:30pm at the Winningstad Theatre in downtown Portland. The event is free and open to the public, but general seating can be reserved by calling the OCT Box Office at 503-228-9571.

Playwrights West in association with CoHo Productions presents The Sweatermakers, a world premiere drama by Andrew Wardenaar. The Sweatermakers marks the third year in Playwrights West's ten-year mission to present quality, professional productions of its members' works.

Playwrights West in association with CoHo Productions presents The Sweatermakers, a world premiere drama by Andrew Wardenaar. The Sweatermakers marks the third year in Playwrights West's ten-year mission to present quality, professional productions of its members' works.

As part of Oregon Children's Theatre's 2nd annual Bully Project competition, middle school students (6-8th grade) from Oregon and Washington were invited to write original, 10-minute plays about bullying. Six finalists were selected by a panel of classroom teachers, members of the OCT Young Professionals Company, and OCT staff. Each finalist was mentored by professional playwrights Matthew B. Zrebski or Debbie Lamedman of Playwrights West to refine and revise their scripts. The final scripts will be featured at a public staged reading at the Winningstad Theatre (1111 SW Broadway, Portland) on May 11th at 5pm where members of OCT's Young Professionals program will direct and perform the six plays.

Last year Oregon Children's Theatre's held the first annual 'Bully Project,' an anti-bullying playwriting competition. We are holding the competition for the 2nd year in a row.

FLASH READS is a new program at Artists Rep born of the desire to open the theatre and provide a platform for playwrights, companies and artists closely associated with Artists Rep to informally share new scripts with the public. FLASH READS are scheduled on relatively short notice and are presented simply, with just a few hours of rehearsal. The readings provide an opportunity to hear a new work, with the entire focus on the actor and the text. A post-play discussion, moderated by a dramaturg, will follow each and every Flash Reading.

Prime Stage Theatre proudly presents the Highmark sponsored Teen Dating Awareness Program. The multi-faceted platform raises awareness, encourages, and provides the tools and resources for teens, parents and educators through the arts.

Prime Stage Theatre proudly presents the Highmark sponsored Teen Dating Awareness Program. The multi-faceted platform raises awareness, encourages, and provides the tools and resources for teens, parents and educators through the arts.

Prime Stage Theatre is proud to announce the partnership with the YWCA of Pittsburgh and CCAC of Monroeville during the Week Without Violence. PST will present their Highmark sponsored Teen Dating Awareness Program that educates against teen dating violence. The multi-faceted platform raises awareness, encourages, and provides the tools and resources for teens, parents and educators through the arts.

When I arrived in Portland two and a half years ago, the name I heard repeatedly throughout the Portland theatre community was Matthew B. Zrebski. In the time I have lived here, I have had the opportunity to not only work with Matt in several capacities, but to also call this gracious and humble man my friend. His original and haunting a capella musical thriller Ablaze is about to have its World Premiere, opening at the Brunish Theatre at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts on April 12th. Matt is one of the busiest and hardest working theatre arts in Portland, but I had the chance to sit down with him to discuss this exciting new work.

CoHo Productions announces the winners of its 2012 New By Northwest (NEWXNW) Playwriting Competition - Exit 27 by Aleks Merilo and The Candlestick Maker by Emily Golden, its inaugural student-playwright selection.

At BroadwayWorld we pride ourselves in showcasing theater content from all corners of the globe. Our regional contributors do an amazing job each day of bringing you the latest theater news in their cities and countries and to acknowledge this, we are launching a new weekly column called 'Around BWW: Regional Highlights of the Week'. Read on for this week's edition of BWW's regional highlights!

Patrick Wohlmut is a member of Portland's notable playwrighting group Playwrights West. Wohlmut's play, CONTINUUM is about to open next week at the CoHo Theater, and Patrick took the time to talk with me about this play and its journey from inception to world premiere.

Theater in Portland is booming. There is exciting theater happening all over the city, and in the midst of it all is the burgeoning Portland Playhouse. Artistic Director, Brian Weaver, talks to us about the past, present and future of the highly regarded company.

I had the opportunity to chat with Aaron Kirk Douglas, one of three creators of the new musical SPACED OUT!: THE BEST ALIEN ABDUCTION MUSICAL IN THE UNIVERSE. The show is still a work-in-progress, but the notable creative team is busy getting the show ready for a Portland reading within the year.

Last spring, Portland audiences were delighted by actress, playwright and comedian Lauren Weedman, when she performed her outstanding solo show "Bust" at Portland Center Stage. Apparently, Lauren was delighted by Portland as well, because she's coming back with a new show commissioned specifically for PCS entitled "The People's Republic of Portland." Portland theater-goers will be privy to a sneak-peek of this new work when the show will have a staged reading at this summer's JAW Festival in July prior to its premiere in the spring of 2013.