A CO-PRODUCTION WITH PROFILE THEATRE IN ASSOCIATION WITH PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Indecent
February 19 - March 9, 2020
Portland State University: Lincoln Hall
A Co-production with Profile Theatre in association with Portland State University
written by Paula Vogel
directed by Josh Hecht
Sholem Asch’s play The God of Vengeance made a splash on Broadway in 1923, when it was shut down after six weeks of running, and all of the actors were arrested on charges of obscenity. Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Paula Vogel weaves scenes of Asch’s play with the imagined conversations of the risk-taking company that brought the script to the stage. Indecent is a riveting backstage drama filled with music, the history of Jewish theatre, and stage magic.
Awards for Paula Vogel
2013 Inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame
1999 PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theatre Award
1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (How I Learned to Drive)
1997 Obie Award for Playwriting (How I Learned to Drive)
1992 Obie Award for Best New American Play (The Baltimore Waltz)
“beautiful stage pictures give way to quiet, devastating moments of realism”
– Dan Jakes, Chicago
Press
Dennis Sparks Reviews: All Things Performing Arts
Bennett Campbell Ferguson: “Indecent” Journeys Behind the Scenes of a Notorious Jewish Play
Resources
Prep for Indecent with this book and movie list from the Multnomah County Library.
Take a deeper dive into the play with our ART MAGAZINE and STUDY GUIDE.
Accessibility
Open Captioned Matinee
March 7th
TICKETS
Wheelchair seating
Call the box office at 503.241.1278 to reserve.
Digital FM hearing systems are available
Preview Week
Feb 19: Tech Talk Wednesday
Feb 20: Immediately following the performance stay for a talkback with civil rights advocate Emily Simon and Reed College Religion Professor Steve Wasserstrom who will discuss the play’s historical context. PLUS Vortex Music Magazine presents a Musical storytelling performance by Christina Crowder in the lobby following the talkback.
Special Events
Feb 17 Hollywood Theatre: STAGE meets SCREEN YENTL.
Monday, February 17 at 7:30pm
Artists Repertory Theatre’s Stage Meets Screen series, in conjunction with Indecent by Paula Vogel, presents Barbra Streisand’s romantic musical drama YENTL!
Feb. 29: The God of Vengeance Reading at Beth Israel Beth Israel, the Q Center, and the Jewish Theatre Collaborative will team up to hold a reading of THE GOD OF VENGEANCE. Emily Simon will conduct a talkback/lecture following reading. 7pm
Mar 1: The God of Vengeance Reading at Q Center Beth Israel, the Q Center, and the Jewish Theatre Collaborative will team up to hold a reading of THE GOD OF VENGEANCE. Emily Simon will conduct a talkback/lecture following reading. 7pm
Post-Matinee Talkbacks: Discussion led by civil rights advocate, Emily Simon and special guests TBD.
Feb 23 “From Purification to Prostitution”
Mar 1 “Whose America Is It?”
Mar 5 Moderated by Michael Mendelson
Mar 8 Oregon Psychoanalytic Center Post-Matinee Talkback
