There's all kindsa stuff going on at the Fertile Ground theater festival, including parties, workshops, and late-night, cocktail-fueled, adults-only entertainment. See fertilegroundpdx.org for complete listings—here's a few highlights.
Foreplay at the Someday
Someone in the theater scene finally got the memo that "sex sells"—so the Someday Lounge should be accordingly packed for tonight's four wonderfully named short plays, listed here in descending order of awesomeness: "I Have Herpes"; "Erectile Dysfunction, The Musical"; "Fourplay" (but only if it's about an orgy); and "Kama Sutra Wednesdays."
Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th, Sun Jan 25, 4 pm, Mon Jan 26, 8 pm, $10
Inviting Desire
Speaking of sex, Inviting Desire literally aims to do just that, by building a collaborative piece based on the sexual fantasies of real women. (While developing the show, Dance Naked Productions sent a message to its female Facebook friends asking them to submit their deepest, darkest fantasies for possible use—resulting in one very hilarious misuse of the "reply all" button. Whoops!)
Dance Naked Productions at 602 N Prescott, Fri Jan 23-Sat Jan 24, 8 pm, Sun Jan 25, 7 pm, Thurs Jan 29-Sat Jan 31, 8 pm, Sun Feb 1, 7 pm, $20
The Adventures of Jojopatamus and His Best Friend Ralphred
Gosh, it's just sex, sex, sex with you people! Just kidding. This show is for ages three and up, so bring the kiddos and leave those dirty thoughts at home.
Ohana SE PDX Children's Theater at the Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne, Fri Jan 23 & 30, 6 pm, Sat Jan 24 & 31, 2 & 6 pm, Sun Jan 25 & Feb 1, 2 pm, $10 kids, $15 adults
Craft/Craeft/Kraft
The Fuse Theatre Ensemble's Craft/Craeft/Kraft is an investigation of the various definitions of craft. The play will be staged at the Museum of Contemporary Craft, an institution that is itself dedicated to exploring and expanding the meaning of the word. Just guessing that homemade armwarmers will be nowhere in sight.
Fuse Theater Ensemble at Museum of Contemporary Craft, 724 NW Davis, Thurs Jan 29, 7 pm, Sun Feb 1, 2 pm, free
Kick/Ball/Change
One of the few unscripted shows in the festival, Kick/Ball/Change showcases a slew of local dance acts—there's hiphop from All of the Above, you-know-what from Beefcake Burlesque, and, the words I've been waiting my entire LIFE to write in reference to a dance performance, "cat-based art" from Cattitude.
Pants-Off Productions at the Someday Lounge. 125 NW 5th, Sun Jan 25, 9 pm, $10-15
Gracie and the Atom
It's just a workshopped version of the script, not a fully staged production, but this play by McKinley (of Dirty Martini fame) is a musical about "life, death, faith, physics, and Catholic school."
Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison, Fri Jan 23, 7:30 pm, Sat Jan 31, 2 pm, $12
Vitriol and Violets
See the theater listing on this page for more info, but this is one of the most promising shows in Fertile Ground, so we felt it deserved another plug. Plug! Plug!
Rainy Day Productions and Artists Repertory Theatre at the Blue Room at the Scottish Rite Temple, 1525 SW Yamhill, Fri Jan 23, 8 pm, Sat Jan 24, 2 & 8 pm, Sun Jan 25, 2 pm, Fri Jan 30, 8 pm, Sat Jan 31, 2 & 8 pm, Sun Feb 1, 2 pm, $25-40
