by Jessie Drake, Portland Theater blogger
Portland’s theater scene is a small but mighty force, with more than enough to offer every kind of audience. Multi-performance space heavy hitters like Portland Center Stage, Artists Repertory Theatre, and the Portland Center for the Performing Arts offer new works and classic plays with high-production value. The old is made new by the Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon, the Portland Shakespeare Project, and Portland Actors Ensemble’s popular Shakespeare in the Park series. The performance arts of various cultures are faithfully represented by companies like PassinArt (African American theatre), the Jewish Theatre Collaborative, and El Centro Milagro. New work is encouraged and developed by Portland Theatre Works, and the Portland Area Theater Alliance’s annual Fertile Grounds festival. Ensemble and devised work challenges the art form, with standout companies like Third Rail, Theatre Vertigo, and improv at The Brody Theater. Local artists and national talent, equity and non-equity alike, all find their place on the stage in Portland, and the city is the better for it.