tiny or nonexistent budgets. Back when
I started theatre, that was the kind of
work I did. I completely understand
trying to make something happen with
zero dollars and everyone volunteering.
And maybe that’s why Fertile Ground
is so appealing to me, because it’s like
my theatre-making childhood, where
big beautiful ideas meet production
scarcity. It makes me want to give these
works a group hug. As long as a work is
new and artistic and involves Portland
artists, the answer is “yes!” That’s why
there’s no curation.
A West Coast
Premiere Musical!
HOW TO DIG NEW WORKS
First of all, embrace the idea of an
11-day festival; don’t just focus on one
show. Don’t look at it like, “Let’s go see
a play,” but like, “What kind of wild
adventure are we going to get into tonight?” A festival pass is only 50 bucks,
which is a sweet deal!
Fertile Ground gives people permission
to do whatever they want to artistically,
so sometimes what you’re seeing will
be about ¾ baked. But that also means
your opinion matters! These writers
and producers are eager for audience
feedback to find out what worked what
didn’t work. Sometimes they’ll host a
talkback after a show or give the audience a survey, and you can speak up and
help with their process. For audiences,
it can be refreshing to see something
that isn’t perfect, that hasn’t been workshopped to death, and to even have a
say in how it goes forward.
Hey, attending a festival is like visiting
another country. You’re not going to like
everything you see or every dinner that
you have, but overall, did you learn; did
you grow; did you have fun? .
I
-W
NNING T
H
AWA
Join Skippyjon for a
rip-roaring adventure in
far, far away Mexico!
TER
EA
Here, you have to remember that some
of these artists are sharing their work
and their process outside of their living
room for the first time. So you want
to ask, “Was it interesting? Was it entertaining? Was it believable? Was my
attention held for the whole show?”
RD
With an established play, you’re asking,
“Is this the proper treatment of this
already-proven material?”
Theater
ke
ickets ma
t
gifts!
great
JAN 17–FEB 15
NEWMARK THEATRE www.octc.org
Tickets start at just $15
oregon arts
commission
PORTL AND
BAROQUE
ORCHESTRA
Monica Huggett, Artistic Director
VIVALDI
FOUR SEASONS
Featuring Monica Huggett, director & violin soloist
FERTILE GROUND FESTIVAL OF NEW WORKS
January 22-February 15
www.fertilegroundpdx.org
APRIL 24, 25 & 26 DOWNTOWN & REED COLLEGE PBO.ORG 503.222.6000
ARTSLANDIA AT THE PERFORMANCE JANUARY | FEBRUARY
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