Portland Center Stage

Portland center stage is deeply invested in providing opportunities for fresh, diverse, and power theatrical voices and in developing and producing new works that enrich the contemporary theater repertoire. The principal component of our new play development program is our annual jaw ("just add water") new play festival, held each july, which brings together playwrights and other theater artists from around the country to develop new works in a curated, artist-focused process that also invites audiences along for the creative journey. The 2023 festival featured three new plays: "best available" by jonathan spector; "in the basement" by bailey williams, and "safe ride" by dorcas sowunmi. Public readings of the works-in-progress were presented at the armory during jaw's closing weekend of free events.

More than 6,000 young people were served by pcs's youth education programs, which included stage door youth matinees, workshops, and tours; teen playwrights in-school residencies; the pcs teen council; and pcs teen academy.

Pcs offered a wide array of free and nominal-cost community programs aimed at expanding access, increasing engagement, elevating local artists and organizations, and sparking conversations about our region's history, current issues, and aspirations. During 2022-23, we partnered with more than 70 artists, cultural organizations, and community groups, engaging more than 6,500 people; 66% of our organizational partners were culturally specific, as were 84% of individual artists.with a few of the year's community program highlights included: 1) monthly "first thursday" events with performances by musical artists, as well as visual art exhibits; b) "press play" performances at the 2023 jaw festival that featured the wwjp street dance showcase, vocalists lo steele and kimo camat, musician luvjonez, portland pole + dance, and dj perreo princess; c) panel discussions on how to make a living as a musician and eliminating racism in aquatic sports; d) our "piano bar," a free, montly open-mic event for area singers; and e) community quiltmaking workshops in conjunction with our production of "kristina wong: sweatshop overlord."we also provided free or reduced-cost performance, rehearsal, meeting, and event space to a variety of community partners, including artists repertory theater, literary arts, steps pdx, anonymous theater, chamber music northwest, theater diaspora, and more.