About

ABOUT ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATRE

ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATRE’S mission is to produce intimate, provocative theatre and provide a home for a diverse community artists and audiences to take creative risks. Artists Rep gratefully acknowledges our theatre rests on the traditional lands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River.

Artists Rep is Portland’s premiere mid-size regional theatre company and is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director J.S. May. Founded in 1982, Artists Repertory Theatre is the longest-running professional theatre company in Portland. ART became the 72^nd member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) in 2016 and is an Associate Member of the National New Play Network (NNPN). Artists Rep’s 2019/20 season can be found here.

Artists Rep has become a significant presence in American regional theatre with a legacy of world, national, and regional premieres of provocative new work with the highest standards of stagecraft. The organization is committed to local artists and features a company of Resident Artists and professionals of varied theatre disciplines, who are a driving force behind Artists Rep’s creative output and identity. 

TABLE|ROOM|STAGE (T|R|S) was established in 2015 and is Artists Rep’s new play program whose mission is to develop and produce new work that vividly expresses Artists Rep’s aesthetic values. We focus on work by writers of color, women, LGBTQIA+ and gender nonconforming writers, and offer an environment where these playwrights can create provocative, intimate new theatre pieces that challenge, illuminate, and inspire. 

T|R|S has produced the following commissions: The Talented Ones by Yussef El Guindi (April 2017), The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota) (April 2018), the NNPN Rolling World Premiere Wolf Play by Hansol Jung (March 2019), and Looking for Tiger Lily by Anthony Hudson (May 2020). 

Current playwright commissions include: Linda Alper, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Rathje, and Andrea Stolowitz. In addition, ART and Oregon Shakespeare Festival are co-commissioning playwright E.M. Lewis’s The Great Divide. New projects are also being developed with Susannah Mars, Sue Mach, and Bill Wadhams.

T|R|S At the Apex has a hand in shaping World Premieres and vital second productions by some of the nation’s most exciting emerging playwrights. At the Apex productions are: La Ruta by Isaac Gomez (November 2019), Teenage Dick by Mike Lew (January 2019), Magellanica by E.M. Lewis (January 2018), and Cuba Libre by Carlos Lacámara (Book) and Jorge Gómez (Music & Lyrics). To learn more about all the projects, playwrights, and programs of T|R|S visit here.

RESIDENT ARTISTS have an ongoing history of working on stage and behind-the-scenes of Artists Rep’s main stage productions. They collaborate with administrative staff on education, community engagement, new play development, and fundraising efforts. The Resident Artist title is offered by the Artistic Director in appreciation of each artist’s achievements with ART and in the spirit of continued collaboration. These multidisciplinary theatre makers are deeply committed to ART’s success, share organizational values, and participate in decision-making processes that impact the theatre’s mission and its future. Through the Resident Artists program, we ensure that a diverse community of Portland-based artists are at the center of the day-to-day life of the theatre and play a vital part in creating the culture at ART.

EDUCATION is dedicated to developing theatre artists, students, business and arts professionals, and life- long learners at every ability, interest, and level of expertise. Education opportunities focus on engaging and elevating our community by offering professional-level classes, coaching, and workshops with our teaching artists. Programs like these serve artists and others seeking professional development, students seeking to engage in the transformative power of the arts, and life-long learners who can take classes in subjects such as dramaturgy, script-writing, communication for non-actors, and more. With the Student Ambassador Program, students learn about the inner-workings of a major nonprofit professional theatre, meet once per month, see shows for free, and participate in discussions with leading theatre artists and professionals. Access and enrichment are available for educators who enjoy ticket discounts, school programming, and workshops. Enhanced viewing experiences include post-show discussions with the cast, panel discussions with experts, and a dedicated conversation with production designers.

ARTSHUB is Artists Rep’s resource sharing and community-building initiative supporting Portland theatre makers, arts and education nonprofits, and community groups. The mission of the ArtsHub is to create a cultural center by supporting Portland’s rich artistic ecosystem. Programs and services include below market rates for rehearsal, performance, and meeting space; shared administrative work space for individuals and organizations; and production services such as set construction, scenic painting, and professional technical support from design through performance. We prioritize artists and organizations that support ART’s values of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and seek to provide a home for artists and audiences to take creative risks. 

While the program’s origin six years ago was in response to an opportunity to share underutilized performance space, we have found that the most vital and lasting impact of the ArtsHub is the bustling community that has been formed, and the myriad ways it has led to the empowerment of local artists and the accelerated growth of participating organizations. In the 2018/19 Season, over 1,500 events were held in our building by 42 local nonprofits, including 11 resident companies — 380 ArtsHub public events, 462 rehearsals, 422 classes and 306 ART events. Our new facility is being designed so that the ArtsHub can include even more organizations than it currently serves.

RISE: The Campaign for Artists Repertory Theatre is the capital funding drive that will make possible the reinvention of ART’s building at 1515 SW Morrison. Originally an Elks Lodge health club, the Artists Rep building has reached the end of its useful life. A major gift in 2018 paid off the outstanding mortgage on the entire downtown block catalyzing the 2019 sale of the north half of the building. ART received $9 million in the sale, which is now the lead investment for the reimagining of the remaining building. The roof and two massive wood beams will rise to create a modern multiuse performing arts center with two theatres, four rehearsal halls, and collaborative spaces that will give space to the many new stories waiting to be shared. 

Artists Repertory Theatre receives generous support from our community of patrons, including significant leadership gifts from: The Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation; Ronni Lacroute; Regional Arts & Culture Council; The Shubert Foundation; David & Christine Vernier; Colliers International; and Wood Partners. Additional Corporate and Foundation support comes from: Dark Horse Wine; Lagunitas Brewing Company; Nossa Familia Coffee; the Kinsman Foundation; Rafati’s Catering; Howard S. Wright/Balfour Beatty; and US Bank.