SPRING ARTS

Your Guide to the 2016 Spring Arts Season

From thrash metal to Thornton Wilder, acrobat lumberjacks to Leon Bridges, we present our picks for the season’s sweetest tickets.

03/01/2016 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Feb 25–28

Lewis Black puts on his angry face, New Orleans funk comes to the Crystal, and Romeo and Juliet do some pirouettes. Send February out with a bang.

02/25/2016 By Ramona DeNies and Rebecca Jacobson

THEATER

Oregon-Born Playwright Aaron Posner Gives Chekhov the Bird

In Stupid Fucking Bird, playing through March 27 at Portland Center Stage, the Eugene-raised Posner serves up an irreverent riff on The Seagull.

02/24/2016 By Rebecca Jacobson

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Feb 18–21

The PDX Jazz Fest pays tribute to the legacy of John Coltrane, films from all over the globe hit screens all over Portland, and a "slow tech" devotee takes on the digital age. Happy weekend, everybody.

02/18/2016 By Rebecca Jacobson and Ramona DeNies

THEATER

Oregon Shakespeare Fest Opens with Country-Western Tunes and Hollywood Glam

And also some Dickens.

02/16/2016 By Rebecca Jacobson

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

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

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

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

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

'TIS THE SEASON

9 Shows and Stage Spectaculars to Make the Holidays Last All Month Long

Behold, our roundup of festive events to carry you through the jolly season.

11/23/2015 By Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 19–22

SNL's Tim Meadows, Melissa Etheridge, AND the very jazzy Hugh Masakela! Plus, we go "wild" at an art auction, step up for Riverdance, and get handsy at a puppet slam.

11/19/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley

ART ALL OVER

Broaden Your Horizons: Art Offerings Outside the City Limits

City saturated? These six arts organizations and venues outside the Portland area will have you thinking twice about staying put all winter.

11/19/2015 By Brandon Staley

MUSICAL THEATER

Cuba Libre: Two Critics Weigh In on One Sizzling Show

A Portland production of Broadway scale, with a budget of $600,000 and 21 performers: Cuba Libre has all the ingredients. Does this Artists Rep show pull it off?

10/27/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Fiona McCann

THEATER

Moby Dick in the Dark With Hammocks? Sign Us Up!

Fancy going to see a play you can’t actually, well, see? We've got the skinny on PETE’s “sightless play” All Well.

10/21/2015 By Megan Haverman

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do in Portland This Weekend: Oct 1–4

Anchorman's David Koechner stands up, Elizabeth Gilbert brings big magic, musical Cuba Libre sets fire to Stumptown, and Miz Kitty unveils a vaudeville spectacular. Me-wow!

09/30/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Sept 24–27

Blackalicious and Beth Hart, the Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi meets the Forbeses at LiveWire!'s season opener, and fall theater starts up with a passion.

09/24/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley