ABOUT

Readers Theatre Repertory is an Equity-waiver theatre company in Portland, Oregon, founded in 2001 by Co-Artistic Directors Bob Martin, Matt Martin, Mooch Martin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, and Doreen O’Skea. In 2003, the Company expanded to include Jamie Miller. David Berkson and Wendy Wilcox joined RTR in 2006 and Jason A. England in 2010. Readers Theatre Rep is dedicated to staging “small stories with big ideas at their heart”: tales that alternately amuse, confront, assuage and inspire.

We perform one weekend a month, September through May, using traditional one-act plays as our source materials. Shows are “blocked”: actors are in costume and not necessarily on stools or utilizing music stands but move, and use some props and playing areas, though scripts are held and there is no memorization. Lighting, music and sound effects also play a role in our shows.

The performances are about an hour long, and feature anywhere from one to four plays, depending on the length of the plays chosen. Admission is an affordable $10.00.

Our playing space, also a critical factor, is Blackfish Gallery, a cooperative art gallery in Portland’s colorful Pearl District. The “stage” varies depending on the month’s show, which can range from a pastoral oil painting hanging, to a riotous barbed wire-and-neon sculpture collection that must somehow be acted around. It is a small space, holding no more than 35 people, which imbues every performance with the undeniable power of intimacy. With its art, movable walls and seating arrangements, each month is literally a new stage.

The six Co-Artistic Directors all have a foundation in academic and professional theatre. Most importantly, all love this genre, and have a shared vision of intelligent, provocative readers theatre tailored specifically for adults.

Readers Theatre Repertory has a loyal and growing following. We hope you visit us soon, and become a part of the RTR family!

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