Portland, OR. Music, dance, artistic freedom, censorship, and a 1920’s lesbian love story, collide with the looming threat of the Holocaust in an award-winning play now being staged by Artists Repertory Theatre. Indecent by Paula Vogel, is part of Artists Repertory Theatre on Tour (ART) season, which is taking place as the company’s theater is undergoing renovation. The play features Michael Mendelson (picture above) and is being produced with Profile Theatre; the production takes place at Portland State University. Indecent is described as a backstage drama filled with music and the history of Jewish theatre. (Photo credit, Kathleen Kelly)
Miriam Schwartz and Jamie M Rea
“Our need to tell our own stories is one of the most ancient needs we have,” says Artistic Director of Profile Theatre and director of the play, Josh Hecht. “It’s not just the telling that is important. It’s the witnessing. It’s the confirmation that comes from speaking our truths and having someone else say, “Yes, that’s me, too. Yes, I recognize that. We may be different, but in this way we are the same.”
“This original production of Vogel’s acclaimed, moving, and ultimately joyous play is a collaboration between Profile Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre (ART), and Portland State University (PSU),” says Dámaso Rodríguez, Artistic Director of Artists Repertory Theatre. “This ambitiousness and scale of this project, which affords opportunities for PSU students to interact with and learn from some of our city’s most accomplished theatre artists, might have been out of reach for all of our companies had we not combined our resources to make it possible.”
Here’s a video about the production:
Indecent runs through March 8th, at Lincoln Hall, Portland State University, 1620 SW Park Ave. ART descriptions include the following: A boldly touching portrayal of the original theatrical company that presented Sholem Asch’s The God of Vengeance. The creator, Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Paula Vogel based scenes off of Asch’s play portraying the risk-taking group that brought the script to the stage.
Tickets are $60 regular price; $30 preview/student/under 35; $15 PSU student with ID. Special Discounts include Sliding Scale Sunday (tickets start at $10): applies to Sunday evening performances, 20for20: 20 tickets available at every performance for $20, Artists Rep participates in Arts for All and the Multnomah County Library’s Discovery Pass Program. Tickets at 503.241.1278 or www.artistsrep.org
Here’s a video about Artist Repertory Theatre:
More about Artists Repertory Theatre:
ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATRE’S mission is to produce intimate, provocative theatre and provide a home for a diverse community artists and audiences to take creative risks. Artists Rep gratefully acknowledges our theatre rests on the traditional lands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. Artists Rep is Portland’s premiere mid-size regional theatre company and is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director J.S. May. Founded in 1982, Artists Repertory Theatre is the longest-running professional theatre company in Portland. ART became the 72nd member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) in 2016 and is an Associate Member of the National New Play Network (NNPN). Artists Rep’s 2019/20 season can be found here.
Artists Rep has become a significant presence in American regional theatre with a legacy of world, national, and regional premieres of provocative new work with the highest standards of stagecraft. The organization is committed to local artists and features a company of Resident Artists and professionals of varied theatre disciplines, who are a driving force behind Artists Rep’s creative output and identity.
Portland, July 26, 2013. Creative fires are burning brightly at the busy Artists Repertory Theatre facility. Recent arrivals to the building are Profile Theatre, Polaris Dance Theatre, The Red Door Project and Traveling Lantern Theatre Company. Artists Repertory Theatre is continuing its relationship with Portland Shakespeare Project, Portland Revels and Portland Area Theatre Alliance. The big red building at the corner of SW 15th and Morrison has become a bustling arts campus, housing a diverse group of eight complementary arts organizations that now make their home within Artists Rep’s red walls.
Artists Repertory Theatre at the corner of SW 15th and Morrison.
Over the past two years the goal of turning Artist Rep’s building into an important hub for both emerging and long-established arts organizations and artists has come to fruition. Relationships and activities that began informally, from long-term administrative residencies to rotating art installations featured in the Morrison Stage Lobby, to hosting a wide variety of performances by guest producing entities in its two spaces, has resulted in nearly non-stop activity and opportunity for artists and audiences alike. The development of the facility as a shared home for the arts has been embraced as a core value by the organization’s board of directors and staff.
“It’s thrilling to see this facility become a true community resource for the arts,” said Sarah Horton, Managing Director, “and I know we’ll all be stronger organizations for it.”
Recently appointed Artistic Director Dámaso Rodriguez continues, “These residencies yield not only practical benefits and creative opportunities for our resident companies, but for Artists Rep. The leadership of each of these carefully chosen organizations values an emphasis on partnership, synergy and collaboration. Over time, I expect we’ll discover countless ways for our organizations to share resources and further our individual missions.”Recent arrivals to the building are Profile Theatre, Polaris Dance Theatre, The Red Door Project and Traveling Lantern Theatre Company. We are continuing our relationship with Portland Shakespeare Project, Portland Revels and Portland Area Theatre Alliance.
Performing at Artists Rep:
Portland Shakespeare Project celebrates its third summer season performing two plays in repertory at Artists Rep.
Profile Theatre has newly relocated administrative offices in the building and will begin its 16th season profiling the work of Sam Shepard on Artist Rep’s stages in January.
Traveling Lantern Theatre Company will begin weekly Saturday morning performances of interactive theatre for children in the Alder Lobby on August 17.
Administrative offices at Artists Rep:
Polaris Dance Theatre has recently moved its offices to Artists Rep, but will continue to perform right up the street at Polaris Contemporary Dance Center at SW 15th & Taylor.
Portland Revels, longtime tenant on the East side of the building, will remain and continue to produce at the Scottish Rite building across the street.
The Red Door Project is a recent office space addition to the facility’s growing community.
Artists Rep’s 80,000 square foot building takes up a city block nestled between downtown and Jeld-Wen field in the emerging Goose Hollow district.
About Artists Repertory Theatre
Founded in 1982, Artists Repertory Theatre is the longest-running professional theatre company in Portland. Artists Rep is committed to world-class acting, directing, design and stagecraft that support new playwriting and aspires to embody great literature, moving audiences to truly feel— to experience —storytelling in a way that only the best live theatre can.
Portland’s premiere mid-size regional theatre company is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodriguez and Managing Director Sarah Horton. For the 2013/14 season Artists Rep will offer nine bold and entertaining new plays written by internationally acclaimed playwrights, and guided by esteemed directors. Artists Rep productions will feature the work of a core group of accomplished Resident Artists, each with a shared history and a shorthand for collaboration, working alongside guest artists from Portland and beyond.
Resident Artists include: Kristeen Crosser (scenic & lighting designer), Michael Mendelson (actor/director & artistic associate), Vana O’Brien (actor & co-founder), Rodolfo Ortega (sound designer & composer), Allen Nause (actor/director & former artistic director), Jeff Seats (scenic designer) and Todd Van Voris (actor & artistic associate).
Portland, March 2, 2013. Artists Rep and Profile Theatre announced that Profile will make Artists Repertory Theatre their new home. Profile will produce and rehearse their next season at Artists Rep, beginning in January with their 2014 Sam Shepard Season. This June, Profile will move their business office from their current location at the Theater! Theatre! Building in SE Portland, to offices on the east side of the Artists Rep campus.
This partnership offers a phenomenal opportunity for collaboration between these two longstanding Portland theatre companies. This agreement quickly fell into place shortly after Profile learned, less than a month ago, that their lease at Theater! Theatre! would not be renewed in June. Talks began immediately between management at both theatre companies.
With Profile’s urgent need to find a home and both organizations embracing a time of transition with new artistic leadership, administrators believe that despite the unexpected circumstances, the timing and organizational evolution is nearly perfect for both companies.
“Profile’s residency at Artists Rep is a major step toward meeting two of our long-standing company goals: turning our phenomenal facility into a constantly buzzing hive of production and performance, and serving a supportive role in Portland’s artistic community,” said Dámaso Rodriguez, incoming Artistic Director at Artists Rep. “Profile has an undeniably distinct mission and excellent reputation within the Portland theatre community, which I believe both contrasts and complements the work we do. I expect this residency will inspire collaboration that will greatly benefit each of our companies and will yield artistic rewards for our audiences.”
“I am so thrilled for Profile, and for our artists and audience, that we have found a new artistic home at Artists Rep,” said Adriana Baer, Artistic Director at Profile Theatre. “While our missions are very different, Artists Rep and Profile share a deep commitment to creating thought-provoking productions, diverse educational outreach and to fostering a strong arts community in Portland.” She continues, “As another new Artistic Director in town, I am especially excited to be coming to Artists Rep at the beginning of Dámaso’s tenure. I know this move will broaden Profile’s programming opportunities and prove energizing for all involved.”
Profile Theatre
Profile Theatre’s mission is to celebrate the playwright’s contribution to theater by focusing on the work of a single writer per season. Profile believes that text is the generating seed for all creativity in the theater and that by focusing on the body of work of a single writer each year, we provide our audiences a unique opportunity to explore, in-depth, that writer’s vision, talent, artistic oeuvre, and influence on theater and the world at large.
Profile Theatre celebrates its 16th season with Adriana Baer as the new Artistic Director. Baer’s appointment followed the retirement of founding Artist Director Jane Unger in 2012.
Profile’s 2012/13 Season featuring the works of Athol Fugard is supported in part by The Collins Foundation, The Kinsman Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, The Fred W. Fields Fund of Oregon Community Foundation, Regional Arts Culture Council, and Work for Art. Profile’s unique mission is supported by a strong education program that includes adult and student programming and Inside Out: Profile’s Community and School Tour.
Artists Repertory Theatre
Now celebrating its 30th season, Artists Repertory Theatre is the longest-running professional theatre company in Portland. Artists Rep strives to challenge artists and audiences with plays of depth and vibrancy in an intimate setting. Artists Rep explores the strengths, frailties, and diversity of the human condition primarily through regional premieres, commissioned works and selected classics appropriate to contemporary issues.
Artists Rep’s Artistic Director is Allen Nause, who is retiring at the end of the 2012/13 season after 25 years as Artistic Director. The Incoming Artistic Director is Dámaso Rodriguez.
The 2012/13 Artists Repertory Theatre season is presented by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Premiere season sponsors are Ronni Lacroute/WillaKenzie Estate and The Oregonian. Season hotel sponsors are Mark Spencer Hotel and Hotel deLuxe. The 2012/13 radio sponsor is KINK.FM. Other support comes from Regional Arts Culture Council, Work for Art, Oregon Arts Commission, Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, All Classical, Maletis Beverage and Poster Garden.
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