Playwright Conor McPherson’s work has been all over Portland in the last few years, and for good reason. He has been hailed as “quite possibly the best playwright of his generation,” by Ben Brantley of The New York Times, which is a title he very much deserves.
Most people, even without reading the novel, know the story of the famous knight Don Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho Panza. Miguel de Cervantes’ 17th century novel has been beloved of readers for generations in spite of its incredible length, and it has been inspiration to artists of the visual and written spectrum since its publication.
When it comes to new productions, there are three kinds of shows: those that rock on their first staging, those that are so-so and those that flop. Gracie and the Atom, the new musical at the Artists Repertory Theatre, is so-so.
Third Rail’s production of The Gray Sisters, written by Craig Wright and directed by Slayden Scott Yarbrough, is all about girls and the endless drama they have with their fathers. Four women, all sisters, deal with abuse, disappointment, death and family secrets in four monologues that span the 90-minute show.
What has happened to the art of oral storytelling? Portland Story Theater has the answer. In its upcoming solo performance festival, Singlehandedly, performers have their stories in their heads and most of them are never written out.
What musical combines plot-relevant songs, clever lyrics, a perfectly loveable anti-hero and Neil Patrick Harris? If you guessed the online cultural phenomenon Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, you would be absolutely correct
“These and those are the words of the living God.” These words are spoken in the opening monologue of Portland Center Stage’s production of Aaron Posner’s The Chosen, directed by Chris Coleman.