Experimental NASSIM Brings a New Performer To Portland Center Stage Every Night

From March through May, Boom Arts and Portland Center Stage present Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour and his audacious new theatrical experiment.

Each night, a different performer joins the playwright on stage, while the script waits unseen in a sealed box Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, NASSIM is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us. See local actors, artists, and celebrities perform the script for the very first time, right along with the audience, March 30 - May 12, 2024. NASSIM is a Bush Theatre (UK) and Nassim Soleimanpour production. Tickets are on sale now, including sliding scale tickets for BIPOC Affinity Night, a.k.a. The People's Party, on Saturday, May 4, at 2:00 p.m. 

NASSIM graces the Ellyn Bye Studio stage with an exciting roster of Portland artists, community members, and celebrities taking part in this unique theatrical event, including Zia McCabe (The Dandy Warhols), Larry Owens (Abbot Elementary), Joaquin Lopez (Portland's Creative Laureate), Kevin Cook (aka Poison Waters), Maddie Tran (HAIR), and so many more. NASSIM is performed all over the world, and has been universally praised by theater critics. “The most unconventional theater experience you will ever encounter … It is a play for innovators, dreamers and people who aim to break boundaries. It's a breeze, it's a delight, and it is a must watch,” said Ishita Mathur, Pelican Magazine. 

“The play is reflective of the spirit of the playwright himself: warm, inviting and humorous,” says Tracy Cameron Francis, Artistic Director of Boom Arts. “It's a perfect encapsulation of Boom Arts' mission, to use performance to build empathy and understanding between different cultures.”

“After our wonderful partnership on Kristina Wong's Sweatshop Overlord last season, NASSIM felt like a perfect project to partner on with Boom Arts,” adds Chip Miller, Associate Artistic Director at Portland Center Stage. “In addition to being able to collaborate with a singular artist like Nassim, the opportunity to showcase so many of Portland's great talents across mediums and industries is a delightful gift to share with our community.”

NASSIM was originally commissioned and produced by the Bush Theatre and received its World Premiere at the Bush Theatre, London, on July 25, 2017. NASSIM won the Fringe First Award at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was subsequently performed in 20 countries within 200 days. In 2019, NASSIM landed in New York City for its American premiere and an Off-Broadway run, where it won the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Unique Theatrical Experience. The five-month New York City Center run boasted over 150 renowned actors, writers, and creators, including Michael Shannon, Tracy Letts, Kate Arrington, Carrie Coon, Lisa Emery, Cory Michael Smith, Kathy Najimy, Michael Urie, Phillipa Soo, and many other stars of theater, television, and film.

For more information on the show, please visit https://www.pcs.org/nassim. 

ABOUT THE SHOW

From Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour (creator of the Off-Broadway smash hit White Rabbit, Red Rabbit) comes an audacious new theatrical experiment. Each night, a new, unrehearsed local performer joins the playwright on stage, while the script waits, unseen, in a sealed box... Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, NASSIM is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us.

THE CAST

Find out more about each new performer for every night of NASSIM by visiting the Portland Center Stage website, here: https://www.pcs.org/nassim 

THE CREATIVE TEAM

NASSIM is brought to life by Nassim Soleimanpour, Stage Manager Dana Petersen, and Production Assistant Taz Coffey. The original creative team include Director Omar Elerian, Designer Rhys Jarman, Sound Designer James Swadlo, Lighting Designer Rajiv Pattani, Production Manager Michael Ager, Script Editors Carolina Ortega and Stewart Pringle, and General Manager Shirin Ghaffari. Casting for the Portland production by Chip Miller and Tracy Cameron Francis.

TICKET AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Prices range from $25 to $93, and tickets may be purchased at 503-445-3700 or in-person from the box office. Prices vary by date and time and are subject to change.

Ticket Specials: Visit pcs.org/deals to view ticket specials, including Rush Tickets, Pay What You Will, Arts for All, Active Duty, Military Veteran, Student, Under 30, The Armory Card, Groups of 10+, and more. 

Please Note: This production contains strong language.

Accessibility: Learn about accessibility options at pcs.org/access.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Art Exhibit: Meet Me At The Center by Maria TD Inocencio

Through March 31, 2024 • Mezzanine • FREE

Meet Me At The Center celebrates Portland's diversity and the dynamic energy generated by an exchange of ideas and a shared experience.  This two-part installation of mixed media collage uses images from nature to represent our city's residents and the ways that their lives intersect.  Symbolizing our uniqueness as individuals along with our common humanity, this piece hopes to show that we can respect the beauty within each other while discovering the greater magnitude of beauty possible when we join in community.

Piano Bar with Courtney Freed and David Saffert

Tue, March 12, 2024 • 6-9 p.m. • FREE   

Join us for this monthly event with local songstress Courtney Freed and Portland-based pianist David Saffert as they host a good old-fashioned PIANO BAR.

Art Exhibit: ¡Soy Yo! by Mika Martinez

March 6 - April 7, 2024 • FREE

¡Soy Yo! is a multimedia project, created by Mika Martinez, that examines and celebrates Latinx identity, featuring more than 50 portraits of the Hispanic/Latino community in Portland.

March First Thursday featuring Seffarine

Thu, Mar 7, 5 p.m.  •  FREE

Celebrate March First Thursday with a vibrant performance by Seffarine and their unique combination of Southern Spain and Morocco-influenced songs. There will also be art exhibits by Mika Martinez and Ronin Roc, partner tables by Pueblo Unido PDX and Portland Refugee Support Group, and complimentary select beer provided by Deschutes Brewery.

VOICES: BIPOC Adoptee Author Reading Series 

Thu, Mar 14, 6:30 p.m.  •  FREE 

Join us for VOICES, a BIPOC Adoptee Reading Series. Five BIPOC adoptee authors,including Shannon Gibney, Susan Ito, Sam Roxas-Chua, Alice Stephens, and Angela Tucker, will share their unique perspectives through prose and poetry.

BIPOC Affinity Night w/ DJ Set by Perreo Princess

Friday, March 15, 2024 6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. PDT FREE

As part of BIPOC Affinity Night for our production of Quixote Nuevo, join us for a pre-show DJ set by Perreo Princess, who will be playing a fun mix of music that spans genres and geography including cumbia, pop, house music and perreo.

Enjoy complimentary beverages from Multnomah Whiskey Library and Deschutes Brewery. There will also be a PCS season-themed photo booth and PCS posters and merchandise available.

Chingona Happy Hour and DJ Panel Discussion

Saturday, March 23, 2024 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. • FREE

The Chingona Happy Hour will provide a QT/BIPOC space where women can come together to connect, support each other, and honor BIPOC creatives, community builders, and inspiring women who gift us with their talents. 

The theme of the event is “Still Blooming”— despite our struggles. This event will include an all-women DJ lineup as well as the panel.

Live Pre-Show Music: Palmas Del Sol 

Thu, Mar 28, 6:30 p.m.  •  FREE

Enjoy a pre-show music performance by Portland-based quintet Palmas Del Sol, who intertwine a cross-generational mix of Cumbia, Salsa, Tropical, and Latin Pop elements into their upbeat live shows.

Sweet Honey in the Rock, with Resonance Ensemble 

Sat, Apr 6, 7:30 p.m.  •  $69-$79 

Known as one of the most versatile performing collectives in music today with their deep catalog of socially conscious music rooted in African-American history and culture, Sweet Honey In The Rock performs with The award-winning vocal group Resonance Ensemble to present a concert of community singing.

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE

Portland Center Stage's mission is to create transcendent theatrical experiences and community programs that break down the barriers separating people. We support our community in celebrating the full scope of humanity, appreciating difference, and fostering belonging. PCS was established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and became independent in 1994. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Marissa Wolf and Managing Director Liam Kaas-Lentz, the company produces a mix of classic, contemporary, and world-premiere productions, along with a variety of high-quality education and community programs. As part of its dedication to new play development, the company has produced 29 world premieres, many of which were developed at its JAW New Play Festival. PCS's home is The Armory, a historic building originally constructed in 1891. After a major renovation, The Armory opened in 2006 as the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, the first performing arts venue in the country, and the first building in Portland to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.

Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). Learn more at pcs.org/idea. 

BOOM ARTS

Working at the intersection of arts and activism, Boom Arts' mission is to imagine new social and political possibilities through performances. Since 2012, Boom Arts has introduced Portland audiences to artists from around the world who make bold, relevant performances, allowing for exposure and exchange between communities and cultures. www.boomarts.org

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