Oregon Children's Theatre Presents JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS

Adventure. Adversity. Action Figures. Oregon Children's Theatre presents a quirky and hilarious retelling of the Greek classic Jason and the Argonauts this spring at the Winningstad Theatre. This performance marks another first for the performing arts company: an international collaboration with Visible Fictions, based in Scotland.

"Visible Fictions toured their production of Jason and the Argonauts internationally for many years," Director Marcella Crowson explains, "but this is the first time they are allowing another organization to produce their show." During early conversations about the origins of the script, Crowson and Visible Fictions' Artistic Director Douglas Irvine discovered a shared affection for the films of Ray Harryhausen. The 1963 film Jason and the Argonauts, featuring Harryhausen's distinctive stop-motion visual effects, was the inspiration for the Visible Fictions adaptation in 2007.

"We were drawn to this script and the production because of its imaginative approach to storytelling," Crowson continues. The script, written by Robert Forrest, features a two-actor cast playing over 15 different characters and creatures. The two main characters, Josh and Andy (played by Heath Koerschgen and James Sharinghousen) embark on a whirlwind retelling of the classic tale using action figures, paper boats, and other household items. The result is an imagination-packed adventure.

Crowson and Irvine will co-direct the production. The collaborative creative process began last summer with cross-continental casting. While auditions took place in Portland, photos, videos, and resumes were shared with Irvine in Glasgow. The collaboration continues beyond direction: the original set from Visible Fictions' production is being transported to the Winningstad, and original designs for costumes were used to create the looks for each character. "It is very important to us to honor their production as we bring it to life on our stage," Crowson added, "and we hope that this opens the door for possible future collaborations."

The creative team includes: Oregon Children's Theatre Associate Artistic Director Marcella Crowson (Director), Sam Dinkowitz (Fight Coordinator), Amanda Vander Hyde (Stage Manager), Emily Horton (Costume Coordinator & Wardrobe Manager), James Mapes (Lighting Designer), Alan Cline (Sound Engineer), and Jason Winslow (Production Electrician).

Box Office: 503-228-9571 or www.octc.org

NOTABLE PERFORMANCE EVENTS

• Before Every Performance: Come up to an hour early for a pre-show activity!
• Following Every Performance: Meet the cast, take photos, and get your playbill autographed!
• Saturday, April 27, 2:00 pm: Interpreted performance in American Sign Language.

Photo Credit: Owen Carey