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Portland Monthly

Performing Arts

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Feb 11–14

Bill Maher hits the Schnitz, Grace Potter plays the Roseland, and the symphony does a live-score Star Trek. Plus: vice-riddled tales of Portland and the Contemporary Northwest Art Awards. It's the weekend—seize it.

02/11/2016 By Ramona DeNies, Rebecca Jacobson, and Alex Keith

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Feb 4–7

David Cross and Karen Russell, Sabertooth Microfest, and awesome openings at PAM and Portland Playhouse. Plus! Check out those nighttime winter lights overhead at OMSI.

02/04/2016 By Ramona DeNies, Jack Rushall, and Sylvia Randall-Muñoz

THEATER

Portland-Raised Playwright Tanya Barfield Talks Race and Writing

The award-winning playwright is in town to open a season of her work at Profile Theatre. She told us what it's like to see her work staged in Portland for the first time, and why she's both sad and glad we're ready to talk about race.

02/04/2016 By Fiona McCann

2016 ELECTION

Promises, Promises: Five City Government Candidates on the Arts

Is the arts an election issue? Portland's mayoral and City Council candidates showed their cards on culture at a packed debate on Tuesday.

01/28/2016 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Jan 28–31

Unknown Mortal Orchestra brings home the Multi-Love, the hilarious Hari Kondabolu calls us names, Mavis Staples hits the screen, and mochi gets made at PSU. Go crazy, Portland.

01/28/2016 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Jan 21–24

Epic charisma alert! On stage this weekend: Josh Ritter, Nathaniel Rateliff, Nathan Brannon, and Bri Pruett. Plus Book of Mormon packs up.

01/21/2016 By Ramona DeNies and Sylvia Randall-Muñoz

THEATER FESTIVAL

Five Picks for the Fertile Ground Festival

Dozens of new, homegrown works of theater and performance will hit stages over the next 11 days. Here are the five shows we’re most looking forward to.

01/20/2016 By Ramona DeNies and Fiona McCann

MUSICAL THEATER

Five Things You Should Know about The Book of Mormon Before You See the Show

Broadway smash-hit The Book of Mormon is back in Portland and set to delight and offend, probably in equal measure. For a quick primer—and our takeaway from Wednesday’s opening night—read on.

01/14/2016 By Sylvia Randall-Muñoz, Ramona DeNies, and Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Jan 14–17

Lily Tomlin live! Plus Andy Kindler, Gregory Alan Isakov, the heavy-hitting Nareh Arghamanyan, NW Film's Reel Music, Broadway's Book of Mormon, and openings at Milagro and CoHo.

01/14/2016 By Ramona DeNies and Sylvia Randall-Muñoz

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Jan 7–10

Baron Vaughn at the Doug Fir, Miz Kitty in her Parlour, Federale gets spaghetti (western), and First Thursday brings memories of war and Warhol.

01/07/2016 By Ramona DeNies and Sylvia Randall-Muñoz

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POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 31–Jan 3

Kick out the old, ring in the new—there are plenty of ways to celebrate the dawning of 2016 this weekend. Calexico, comedy king Greg Fitzsimmons, and conga-dancing polar bears—go crazy, PDX!

12/30/2015 By Fiona McCann

DANCE

What Does It Take to Dance The Nutcracker? This Oregon Writer Can Tell You

Author Lauren Kessler reflects on a year of the ballet in her latest book about dance, dreams, and sheer determination. She tells Portland Monthly what it's like to have your childhood dream come true (after 40 years).

12/22/2015 By Emma Mannheimer

A NEW SPIN

Portland Dance Companies Mix Things Up

From game-show formats to clueless choreographers, local dance companies are finding new paths to creativity—and new audiences in the process.

12/21/2015 By Heather Wisner

Dance

Portland’s White Bird Dance Is Hosting a Prestigious Showcase in NYC

Founders Paul King and Walter Jaffe break down why this is such a big deal.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 17–20

Rumi's in the house, y'all! Whirling dervishes, an apocalyptic library, Typhoon turns 10, plus Fernando, Death Cab for Cutie, and one hell of a light show at Disjecta.

12/17/2015 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 10–13

It's warm and dry inside, Portland—and we've got just the ticket! This weekend, it's George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, the Mystery Box Show's sexy storytelling, ZooZoo, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, and the English Beat.

12/10/2015 By Ramona DeNies

THEATER

Meet ZooZoo's Hilarious Cast of Animal Characters

Imago's beloved production ZooZoo is ending its successful run with a last Portland hurrah before setting off for a final tour. Here's our sneak peek at its awesome, anthropomorphic cast.

12/07/2015 By Fiona McCann With Images Courtesy Imago Theater

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

7 Local Gifts for the Arts Aficionado

Books, tickets, records, and art! We've got all you need for the culture buff in your life.

12/03/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 3–6

Viva's eye-popping opera (and more fine holiday shows), Modest Mouse and the Portland Cello Project, Live Wire with John Hodgman, and a comic book full of BEER! Our stocking—er, weekend—is officially stuffed.

12/03/2015 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 25–29

Storm Large's Holiday Ordeal, Bag&Baggage's 1940s "radio massacre," Blitzen Trapper and Ian Karmel, plus Dirty Revival at the Doug Fir while drones take over the Clinton.

11/25/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley

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