Portland Center Stage Sets 2023-2024 Season Featuring HAIR, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME & More
The season will also feature David Saffert and Jillian Snow’s Liberace & Liza Holiday at the Mansion (A Tribute) and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Mar. 08, 2023
Portland Center Stage has revealed its 2023-2024 Season. The eight-play lineup kicks off in September with a mix of spectacular, fierce, and engaging plays offering a thrilling balance of beloved classics, iconic music, and vibrant stories that all investigate our current moment.
"I'm thrilled to launch a season brimming with powerful, heavy-hitting shows that range from high camp to spectacular musicals to new plays inspired by beloved novels. There's something for everyone as we center a wide range of gorgeous voices on stage," said Artistic Director Marissa Wolf.
The revolutionary rock musical HAIR will kick off the season, followed by local stalwarts David Saffert and Jillian Snow's Liberace & Liza Holiday at the Mansion (A Tribute); Kate Hamill's thrilling Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really; Heidi Schreck's Pulitzer Prize finalist What the Constitution Means to Me; Octavio Solis' magical retelling of Cervantes' classic, Quixote Nuevo; Sean San José's new translation of Shakespeare's Coriolanus, Lynn Nottage's Broadway hit Clyde's, and one mystery title that will be announced at a later date. The People's Party: BIPOC Affinity Performances will be offered for each show in the season.
Beyond the stage, PCS's Community Programs will light up the building each month with incredible art exhibits, dance, music, and talks by local artists and community leaders. PCS's Education Programs will continue to serve students and teachers throughout the region with accessible matinees, artist workshops, educational resource guides, in-depth classes, and robust in-school programs.
Season tickets are on sale now. Group tickets of 10+ are also available for early reservation. Single tickets will go on sale on August 15, 2023. A wide array of pricing will continue to make the productions and events affordable for all, including two Pay What You Will performances for each production, discounted rush tickets available 90 minutes before each performance, and more. The 2023-2024 Season will be mask optional, with masks encouraged but no longer required. Learn more at pcs.org/shows/2023-2024-season.
PCS'S 2023-2024 SEASON
HAIR
Book & Lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado|
Music by Galt MacDermot
Directed by Isaac Lamb
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage
September 30 - November 5, 2023
Let the sunshine in! With an iconic score that changed pop culture forever, HAIR is as relevant today as it was when it radicalized a generation in 1968. This revolutionary rock musical tells the story of a group of counter-culturalists whose worlds are shaken when one of them receives his draft notice for the Vietnam War. Exploring ideas of identity, free love, community, global responsibility, and peace, HAIR reminds us that history is never far away - and that our collective voice is a powerful tool for change.
Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, 2009.
Tony Award nomination for Best Musical, 1969.
Liberace & Liza Holiday at the Mansion (A Tribute)
Written & Performed by David Saffert & Jillian Snow
In the Ellyn Bye Studio
November 11 - December 24, 2023
Don't miss this exhilarating parade of musical and comical fireworks! Local favorites David Saffert and Jillian Snow have dazzled audiences from New York to Portland. Get ready for nonstop glamor and glitz as they take the stage as Liberace and Liza Minnelli! Featuring rousing musical numbers, enchanting costumes, and unforgettable laughs, this cheeky and delightful show will have your holidays sparkling.
Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really
By Kate Hamill
Based on the Novel by Bram Stoker
Directed by Marissa Wolf
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage
November 25 - December 24, 2023
Bouncing between horror and humor, Kate Hamill's adaptation of Bram Stoker's seminal novel is a thrilling play that questions who the true monsters are. Fierce, feminist, and frightening, Dracula is a revenge fantasy worth sinking your teeth into! The Wall Street Journal called this play "a fresh, theatrically potent spin on the novel ... Hamill has given us a tremendously entertaining Dracula that has GREAT BIG HIT stamped all over it."
What the Constitution Means to Me
By Heidi Schreck
Directed by Marissa Wolf
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage
January 20 - February 18, 2024
Filled with humor and history, this Pulitzer Prize finalist asks what the U.S. Constitution truly means. As a 15-year-old, Heidi Schreck won debate competitions defending the Constitution across the country. As an adult, she resurrects her teenage self to investigate its profound effect on four generations of women in her family. This exhilarating show culminates in a live debate with an actual teen, allowing audiences to weigh in on the Constitution's impact on our daily lives.
2019 Tony Award nominee and winner of the Obie Award, Off-Broadway Alliance Award, and New York Drama Critics' Circle Award.
Quixote Nuevo
By Octavio Solis
A Reimagining of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Directed by Lisa Portes
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage
March 2 - 31, 2024
The story of Don Quixote comes alive with a modern twist! In the fictional town of La Plancha, Texas, a brilliant professor battling dementia imagines himself as Cervantes' titular hero. Enlisting his own Sancho, he embarks on a journey for his long-lost love - tilting at border patrol drones rather than windmills. Featuring vibrant, Spanish-infused music and language, this magical retelling spotlights Tejano culture and celebrates life, love, and the human spirit.
A co-production with South Coast Repertory and Seattle Rep.
Coriolanus
By William Shakespeare
Translation by Sean San José
Directed by Rosa Joshi
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage
April 20 - May 19, 2024
Famine threatens Rome and hunger fuels the tensions between the country's elite and the deprived masses. As civil unrest stirs political upheaval, the war hero Coriolanus is driven to defend and then destroy his own country. Shakespeare's rare and unique tragedy will be fueled by a dynamic female and non-binary ensemble, and a muscular, movement-focused staging. This modern translation updates the Bard's language while lifting the story's core - and reminds us that democracy is fragile and always worth defending.
Produced in partnership with upstart crow collective and Play On Shakespeare.
Clyde's
By Lynn Nottage
Directed by Chip Miller
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage
June 1 - 30, 2024
Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage serves up this delicious comedy that centers laughs, redemption, and restorative justice. The formerly incarcerated kitchen staff at Clyde's are navigating their new lives on the outside and their tough-as-nails boss - all while on a quest to create the perfect sandwich. The menu features loveable characters, big dreams, and a heartwarming story that's good to the last bite!
Tony Award nominee for Best Play, 2022.
A co-production with Syracuse Stage.
Mystery Play TBA
In the Ellyn Bye Studio, Dates TBA
There is one more incredible play in our 8-show lineup that will be announced at a later date. Producing live theater is always an exhilarating adventure and this exciting title will be well worth the wait. This play will automatically be included for those who purchase the Everything Package. All other season ticket holders will have the opportunity to add this show to their order at the subscriber discount rate the moment it's announced. Stay tuned!
TICKETS & INFO
Subscriptions are on sale now offering a savings of 25%. Groups of 10 or more can sign up for priority seating now to get an early bird special of 25%. Single tickets will go on sale on August 15, 2023. To purchase season tickets, visit pcs.org/shows/2023-2024-season or call/visit the box office at 503-445-3700, between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday. Ticket packages start at $107 for three plays. Educators, students, and those 30 and younger qualify for special discounts. The Armory Card is available for those 35 years or younger starting at $125 for five admissions.
PORTLAND CENTER STAGE
Portland Center Stage's mission is to create transcendent theatrical experiences and community programs that break down the barriers separating people. We support our community in celebrating the full scope of humanity, appreciating difference, and fostering belonging. PCS was established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and became independent in 1994. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Marissa Wolf and Managing Director Liam Kaas-Lentz, the company produces a mix of classic, contemporary, and world-premiere productions, along with a variety of high-quality education and community programs. As part of its dedication to new play development, the company has produced 29 world premieres, many of which were developed at its JAW New Play Festival. PCS's home is The Armory, a historic building originally constructed in 1891. After a major renovation, The Armory opened in 2006 as the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, the first performing arts venue in the country, and the first building in Portland to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). Learn more at pcs.org/idea.
Portland Center Stage's current season is funded in part by Season Superstars the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation; Season Sponsors the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the state of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts, and US Bank; and Producing Sponsors Ellyn Bye, Ray and Bobbi Davis, Ronni Lacroute, Mark Spencer, Argyle Winery, and Deschutes Brewery.
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