Variety Show SEX WE CAN Premieres as Part of Fertile Ground Festival

Sex is in the news a lot lately, and most of the news ain't good...sexual assault, abuse, misconduct- sex as a source of trauma, a weapon of power. What if that's not really sex? What if we redefine sex to mean a source of connection, a means of communication? Sex as medicine?

"Sexually awakened women, affirmed and recognized as such, would mean the complete collapse of the authoritarian ideology". - Wilhelm Reich

Dance Naked Productions is proud to present Sex We Can! An Erotic Uprising, which opens January 25th at the Clinton Street Theater in Portland, Oregon, premiering as part of the Fertile Ground Festival of New Works. Directed by four-time Fertile Ground alum Eleanor O'Brien (whose past hits include Inviting Desire, Lust & Marriage, What is Erotic? and Revelations), Sex We Can! seeks to unite and incite a sex-positive revolution. Never one to shy away from controversy, O'Brien invites all comers to co-create a cultural shift:

"I believe pleasure is a basic human right. I make theater to envision a potential path out of the morass we find ourselves in. I invite others to do the same. As artists, we seek not only to address The Shadows in our culture, but to envision a new paradigm. A time when #metoo refers to org*sms, not a history of abuse, and sexuality is celebrated regardless of race, gender, size, aging, sexual or political orientation. Learning to set boundaries, teaching respect and creating a culture of consent is the change we seek, where communication is the lubricant of choice. Together we have created a multi-faceted performance that offers a map of inspiration from numerous sexual perspectives, and hope for a more compassionate, interconnected world."

Sex We Can! will run from January 25th through February 14th at the Clinton Street Theater in Portland, Oregon (2516 SE Clinton St). Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased through Box Office Tickets. (See date details at the bottom of the page). Fertile Ground passes are available for $50 (and can be used to make reservations for the first weekend). There will be no previews.

TICKET LINK: Box Office Tickets

Sex We Can! Includes 18 unique performances that range from monologues, spoken word poetry, song and dance, and opportunities for community involvement (if you've been to a Dance Naked Production, you may remember the head massages). Performers come from across the gender spectrum and represent the alphabet of sexual orientations and preferences. Collectively we change the narrative around sex from shame to celebration, from fear to empowerment, and from hiding to showing up and sharing. From slut-shaming to slut-claiming, Sex We Can says "HELL YES" to asking for what you want, and refusing to be used, abused, shamed, or shut down. Together, we shall (over) cum!

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Eleanor O'Brien is the artistic director of Dance Naked Productions, a theater company dedicated to creating sex-positive theater. She has toured and performed her two solo shows GGG: Dominatrix for Dummies and Lust & Marriage to international acclaim, and is the creator of the the Inviting Desire series, ensemble productions that include A Theatrical Aphrodisiac, Lubricate Your Libido, Pleasure, Permission, Possibility...and The Dawn of Sex. She has produced the community cabarets What Is Erotic? and Revelations and is the founder of the sex-positive theater festival Come Inside. More information of her creativity workshops can be found at uncoveryoursexstory.com. She holds an MFA from The University of San Diego/Old Globe and is a trained story healer. Currently she can be seen live on facebook on her show Under the Covers with Eleanor (the first and third Wednesdays at 11:11pm).

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:

VENUE: Clinton Street Theater in Portland, Oregon (2516 SE Clinton St)

TICKETS: $15-30

DATES: Jan. 25th - Feb 14th

Thursday January 25th, 8 pm (Fertile Ground Festival)
Friday January 26th, 8 pm (Fertile Ground Festival)
Saturday January 27th, 8 pm (Fertile Ground Festival)
Thursday, February 1st, 8 pm (*Post-show speed dating for all sexual orientations)
Friday, February 2nd, 9:30 pm (late night show!)
Friday, February 9th, 8 pm
Saturday, February 10th, 8 pm
Wednesday, February 14th, 8:30 pm (VALENTINE'S DAY SHOW)

*Thursday Feb 1st - POST SHOW EVENT: Humans of all sexual orientations who are single or in an open relationship of some kind are invited to stay after the show and meet other humans for the purposes of co-created intimacy (physical, emotional or spiritual - you decide!). FREE!

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Revival of a Musical - Top 3

1. Ragtime

37.9% of votes

2. CATS: The Jellicle Ball

23% of votes

3. Chess

21.2% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats