Artists Repertory Theatre Announces its 2022/23 Season

Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) Interim Artistic Director Luan Schooler and Executive Director J.S. May announced the long-running company's 40th season. The line-up of plays includes provocative work, new to the Portland stages as well as a co-production with Portland Center Stage @ The Armory (PCS). This season, produced in the Ellyn Bye Studio at PCS, will mark the last season ART is "on tour," as ART plans to move into their newly renovated space in the fall of 2023. This season offers patrons a vibrant mix of poetic and exhilarating stories that will surely delight frequent theatre goers and new ones alike.

Since its establishment in 1982, ART has been Portland's preeminent producer of new plays. This season is no different; ART is thrilled to offer the Portland premiere of Tony Meneses' play, The Hombres, a hilarious, fresh, nuanced look at the complexity of male friendships through the lens of machismo culture; Christina Anderson's the ripple, the wave that carried me home (a co-production with Portland Center Stage @ The Armory), drawing on history, this deeply moving story explores the joys and challenges of forgiveness, justice, and family legacy, as a young woman reconciles a childhood she has tried to forget; an ART commission and rolling world premiere of American Fast by Kareem Fahmy, depicts a top-ranked basketball standout, Khady Salama, as she is faced with winning at all costs while grappling with her faith and relationships; and finally, ART caps the season with Mellon Playwright-In-Residence, E.M. Lewis' play, True Story, which draws from the classic film noir, it's a propulsive examination of how facts, biases, and perceptions are manipulated - and asks if discovering the truth is worth the ultimate price?

Of the upcoming season, Interim Artistic Director Luan Schooler says, "For our 22/23 season, we're digging into plays that explore family, friends, truth and lies." Schooler continues, "the pandemic showed us all how much we need our friends and family, as well as how tricky it can be to be fully truthful with each other." ART's plan to produce plays that are appealing to a wider audience is deliberate. Schooler goes on to say, "we're excited to share these warm, provocative, funny, plays with our audiences. The families and friends in these plays may not be exactly like our own, but anyone who has ever lied to their mother, hidden something from friends, or thought they knew the truth, can see themselves in these plays."

The importance of audience engagement extends beyond the onstage productions. It also helps propel ART into our newly renovated building at 1515 Morrison. Executive Director, J.S. May continues to lead RISE: The Campaign for Artists Repertory Theatre. To date, $24.32 million has been raised on the $30 million goal. "The final phase of construction will begin in the fall of 2022 and we intend to open our 41st Season in the fall of 2023 in a state-of-the-art building. We just need a little help from our community of supporters to get us over the top to this goal," states May.

While ART continues to produce provocative new works and programs that sustainably amplify the the work of writers of color, women, trans, and gender nonconforming playwrights, it's also creating accessible theatre for our patrons. Starting with the 2022/23 season, all single tickets are available on a sliding scale six weeks before a show opens; you get to choose the price point that matches what you can give. Your support is not only a direct investment to local artists and groundbreaking work, but also funds ART's commitment to pricing accessibility.

Artists Rep is offering our patrons the ART-ADVANCE ticket packages. Like a subscription, ART-ADVANCE allows you to pick your show dates for all of our on stage performances (with the exception of the co-production) and you will get priority seating. With the purchase of the ART-ADVANCE ticket package, you will receive the promo code to the co-production at the ART-ADVANCE ticket package price. ART-ADVANCE ticket packages are on sale now and can be arranged by visiting our website at artistsrep.org or calling the Artists Rep box office at 503.241.1278. Single tickets will go on sale six weeks before each show, starting at $10 for previews and $20 for the regular run. Artists Rep also participates in Arts for All, a program that entitles members $5 tickets at participating arts organizations.