Bag&Baggage To Present Two New Works At Portland's Fertile Ground Festival

Portland's new work festival is returning with performances all across the metropolitan area including two offerings at Bag&Baggage Productions (B&B). First up is Beauregard at Manassas written by B&B Founding Artistic Director Scott Palmer. This is Palmer's second piece presented in the Fertile Ground festival having penned an adaptation of Comedy of Errors which debuted during the inaugural festival in 2010.

"I am so grateful to Nik and to Bag&Baggage for hosting my first ever full-length original play,” Scott said in a statement. “It just feels right to have The Vault be the location of these readings and to have Hillsboro audiences as the first people to hear this story. It is even more special to play a part in the continued success of the festival."

Beauregard at Manassas follows Caroline who receives her estranged father's most prized possession in the mail following his death; an important, and potentially valuable, painting of a Civil War-era battle called "Beauregard at Manassas." Palmer was inspired to work on the piece after attending the funeral for his husband's grandmother in Georgia and is thrilled to bring the words to life after many reviews with artistic leaders across the country.

"The play asks questions about our relationship to history, and about how our personal legacies are created and defined,” says Palmer. “For me, as the founder of a theatre company and as someone who is still trying to figure out what role I can, or should, play in the theatre community, this is all deeply personal."

B&B will also be partnering with Advance Gender Equity in the Arts (AGE) to produce a workshop and reading of empty spaces by Renee' Flemings. Producing Artistic Director Nik Whitcomb will facilitate a weeklong workshop process and the play will be presented as a one-night-only reading event.

“AGE is thrilled to bring an inaugural AGE Legacy Playwright recipient Renee' Flemings to B&B as part of Fertile Ground,” says AGE Program Director Andrea Morales. “This opportunity allows Renee to be introduced to the Portland theatre community and foster relationships with theatrical institutions capable of nurturing her work and advancing her professional career.”

“I cannot wait to get in the room and dive into this timely and provocative play,” added Whitcomb. “Extremely honored to partner with AGE on this project and ecstatic to work alongside Renee' and bring a new life to this story that needs to be told.”

empty spaces follows a Black family that is thrown into crisis after their teenage daughter goes missing. The play is unapologetic in its storytelling and addresses the systemic issues and barriers that disenfranchised communities come up against as they navigate their daily lives.

“I am looking forward to, and excited about being included in the festival,” said playwright Renee' Flemings. “I am thrilled at the prospect of collaboration with Bag&Baggage and very appreciative of AGE's continued support. I've never been to Oregon and feel this is analogous to a new journey for empty spaces.”

Tickets

Beauregard at Manassas will run April 12th, 13th, 19th, and 20th at 7PM and April 14th and 21st at 2PM. Tickets are $15.

empty spaces will have a one-night-only reading on Thursday, April 18th @ 7PM. This event is free to the public with a suggested donation of $10. All proceeds will be split evenly between B&B and AGE.

Bag&Baggage will also host a community mixer on April 19th at 5:30PM ahead of the performance of Beauregard at Manassas! This event will feature light snacks, beverages, and mingling with the B&B Fertile Ground artistic team. Tickets are $5.

All events will take place at The Vault Theater in Hillsboro, OR (350 E Main St). Visit www.bagnbaggage.org to get your tickets and contact boxoffice@bagnbaggage.org with any questions.

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