End of Year
Giving 2023

End of Year Giving
Ends December 31 at midnight!
Help us keep the momentum rolling through 2024! Support us today...

ALLIE HANKINS:
TRANSPARENCY

Allie Hankins: By My Own Hand, Pt 2: TRANSPARENCY
August 25-27 | 8:00 pm
A series of solos choreographed by Linda Austin, claire barrera, keyon gaskin, Takahiro Yamamoto, and Lu Yim.

ATOLE
CANELA

ATOLE Canela
July 21-22 at 7:30pm, July 23 at 5:00pm
Interwoven storytelling and improvised music telling a tale of communal grief.

HOLLYWOOD
THEATRE
BENEFIT
SCREENING

Hollywood Theatre Benefit Screening: Waiting for Guffman
July 9 at 2pm
WAITING FOR GUFFMAN (1996) returns to the big screen with Portland's own Risk/Reward!

2023 Festival of
New Performance

Risk/Reward Festival 2023
June 23-25 at 7:30pm
Featuring Hannah Victoria, Slumber Party, Shannon Stewart/Screaming Traps, Marisa & Maribel Plasencia, Claire Rigsby, Emily June Newton, James Mapes/Fly Paper Games

CLOWN DOWN 2:
CLOWN OUT
OF WATER

Clown Down 2: Clown Out of Water
Sept. 15, 16 at 6:00 pm / Sept. 17, 18 at 2:00 pm
Carla Rossi navigates climate disaster and the terror and joy of living on an increasingly distressed planet.

BY MY OWN
HAND PT. 1:
GHOSTING

BY MY OWN HAND PT 1: GHOSTING (ALLIE HANKINS)
August 5-7 at 8pm | Livestream on August 7 at 8pm
GHOSTING dissects the inner monologue of a performer through questioning the boundary lines of the audience-performer relationship.

2022
Risk/Reward
Festival

Risk/Reward Festival 2022
Friday, June 24-Sunday, June 26, 2022
Featuring Kate Duffly & Peter Ksander, Noelle Simone, Jenny May Peterson, Wade Madsen, ATOLE, James Mapes//Fly Paper Games, Roman Norfleet...

CONSTANT
STATE OF
OTHERNESS

CONSTANT STATE OF OTHERNESS
May 20-21, 2022
Unit Souzou ensemble members will explore otherness in their deeply personal stories in this multi-disciplinary taiko performance.

Support
Risk/Reward

Support Contemporary Northwest Artists!
Anytime
Ongoing fundraiser for Risk/Reward & contemporary performing artists in the PNW

2021 VIRTUAL
RISK/REWARD
FESTIVAL

2021 Risk/Reward Festival: Virtual
July 6-20, 2021
Featuring Princess Bouton, Wobbly Dance, Morivivi Theatre (with Hand2Mouth), Kelly Nesbitt & Mad Composer Lab, Olivia Louise...

2021
RISK/REWARD
FESTIVAL

Risk/Reward Festival 2021
Thursday, June 24-Saturday, June 26, 2021 starting at 7:30pm
Featuring Princess Bouton, Wobbly Dance, Morivivi Theatre (with Hand2Mouth), Kelly Nesbitt & Mad Composer Lab, Olivia Louise...

RQC:
COMEBACK
SPECIAL

Renée’s Queer Cabaret: Comeback Special
Saturday, May 29 at 7:30pm on YouTube
Comeback Special featuring music and hosting by Renée Muzquiz and co-host extraordinaire Jason Potter!

Tax Day Telethon with Carla Rossi & Pepper Pepper

Tax Day Telethon with Carla Rossi & Pepper Pepper
Thursday, April 15 at 7:30pm
FUNDRAISER FOR PNW ARTISTS ON APRIL 15

RQC: QUEER
NATIONAL
CONVENTION

RENÉE’S QUEER CABARET
October 27-November 3 at 7:00pm PST
Special Edition: Queer National Convention! This week, all ticket proceeds go to Portland's Black Resilience Fund.

PAVEMENT:
PARKING LOT DRIVE-IN
PERFORMANCES

Pavement 2020
Saturday, July 18 at 7pm & 9pm
Featuring Subashini Ganesan, KT Kusmaul, Oluyinka Akinjiola, Fear No Music, Amenta Abioto, Gerrin Mitchell, Anya Pearson...

BLACK
LIVES
MATTER

BLACK LIVES MATTER
Now and Always
Risk/Reward supports the current national uprising and stands in solidarity with those working to fight for Black lives.

RENÉE'S
QUEER
CABARET:
CAGED HEAT

RENÉE’S QUEER CABARET: FILMED
Saturday, May 23 at 7:00pm
A filmed installment of the variety show that defies the traditional cabaret with rock music and a focus on the intimate humor, joys and vulnerabilities of living on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.

LIVE STREAM
Otherness:
Togetherness

LIVE STREAM: Otherness: Togetherness
March 21 at 7pm
Unit Souzou ensemble will come together for the first time with installation artist Horatio Law and violinist-looper, Joe Kye in a celebratory showcase of these Asian American artists.

RENÉE’S
QUEER
CABARET

Renee’s Queer Cabaret 4: The Island of Misfit Queers
December 17, 2019 @ 7:30pm
RENÉE’S QUEER CABARET is a live stage performance that defies the traditional cabaret with rock music and a focus on the intimate humor, joys and vulnerabilities of living on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.

CLOWN
DOWN

CLOWN DOWN: Failed To Mount
Nov 14-16 at 8pm, Nov 17 at 5pm
CLOWN DOWN tackles anxiety, depression, artistic block, and your favorite everyday traumas in a warped tribute to Mister Rogers and absurdist theatre.

Variety
Culture
Mixer

Variety Culture: Curator & Artist Mixer
October 7, 2019 - 6:30-8:30pm
Portland variety show hosts Dahlia Kash (Mélange), Belinda Carroll (Outlandish), Meg Nanna & Jess Green (Fused Creative), and Renée Muzquiz (Renée's Queer Cabaret) share their vision and talk curation, promotion and production.

Looking
for
Tiger Lily
(solo)

Looking for Tiger Lily (solo)
September 12, 13 & 14 at 6:30
Starring past Risk/Reward artist Anthony Hudson // Carla Rossi, who put a queer spin on the ancestral art of storytelling. Part of PICA's 2019 TBA Festival.

2019
Risk / Reward
Festival

2019 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 28-30, 2019
Featuring Body Home Fat Dance, Milton Lim & Patrick Blenkarn, ilvs strauss, LanDforms, Joni Renee Whitworth...

Renee's
Queer
Cabaret 3

Renee’s Queer Cabaret 3
June 3, 2019 @ 7:30pm
The third installment of our resistance variety show featuring drag, burlesque, storytelling, music, and more. This show's theme is B-Movie favorite "Not of This Earth."

Gallery 114:
InkBodySkin-Paint
+Fire

Gallery 114: InkBodySkinPaint+Fire live performance
March 7, 2019 - 6:30pm
Risk/Reward and Gallery 114 collaborate on a live performance during the opening reception and First Thursday of David Slader and Owen Carey's show "InkBodySkinPaint+Fire."

Clock That
Mug Or
Dusted

Clock That Mug or Dusted
October 20 @ 8:00pm
Beloved drag/dance femme icon Cherdonna returns to Portland with a show that draws on vintage feminist ideals to find out what queer/drag feminine means today.

Renée's
Queer
Cabaret 2

Renée’s Queer Cabaret 2
October 20, 2018 at 10pm
The second in a series of themed "resistance variety shows" hosted by Rockstar and B Movie Actress Renée Muzquiz. October's theme? "Night of the Living Dead"

Awaiting
Oblivion

Awaiting Oblivion…
September 14-15 @ 8:30pm, September 16 @ 4:30pm
2015 Risk/Reward Festival artists Tim Smith-Stewart and Jeffrey Azevedo premiere their full-length work in Portland.

Renée's
Queer
Cabaret

Renée’s Queer Cabaret
August 30, 2018 @ 7:30pm
The first in a series of themed "resistance variety shows" hosted by musician and B Movie actress Renée Muzquiz.

Pavement:
Pop-up street
festival

Pavement: A Festival of Pop-Up Performances in Public Places
First Thursday Gallery Walk
Risk/Reward's first foray into the outdoors with pop-up performances in the Pearl, coinciding with First Thursday's art walks.

2018
Risk / Reward
Festival

2018 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 29-July 1, 2018
Featuring Bouton Volonte, Cheryl Delostrinos/AU Collective, Moonyeka, Eli Steffen, Britt Karhoff, John Berendzen...

Strong
Female
Protagonist

Strong Female Protagonist
February 23-25 & March 2-4, 2018
Strong Female Protagonist is a comedic, queer solo performance that prioritizes the power of femininity and sass.

Performing
Artists
Summit

Performing Artists Summit
JAN 27, 2018 @ 3pm
Risk/Reward hosts this gathering of Portland’s independent theatre, dance and hybrid art-makers. Come together to help survey the field and discuss...

2017
Risk / Reward
Festival

2017 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 23-24 @ 7:30, June 25 @ 5pm
Featuring Linda Austin Dance, Queen Shmooquan, Pam Tzeng, Pepper Pepper, Shannon Stewart/Donal Mosher, Kiana Harris...

Winners
and
Losers

Winners and Losers
Fri-Sun @ 7:30pm, Sun @ 2pm
Winners and Losers is a staged conversation that embraces the ruthless logic of capitalism..

New
Work
Preview

2017 New Work Preview
FREE | 6:00PM
Featuring Holcombe Waller, David Ornette Cherry, Nancy Ellis, Noah Dunham, Danielle Ross, Donal Mosher and Jack Stocklyn...

2016
Risk / Reward
Festival

2016 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 17-19, 2016
Featuring Vanessa Goodman / Action at a Distance, Anthony Hudson / Carla Rossi, Milton Lim / Hong Kong Exile, SNKR, ilvs strauss...

Cherdonna
Sinatra

Cherdonna Sinatra: Worth My Salt
APR 29 - MAY 1, 2016 | Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm, Sun @ 5pm
A one-of-a-kind dance spectacular by Seattle’s favorite drag-clown-dance artist....

New
Work
Preview

2016 New Work Preview
January 25th, 2016 @ 6PM
Featuring Tahni Holt, Sascha Blocker, Faith Helma, Anthony Hudson (aka Carla Rossi), Grace Carter, Action/Adventure Theater and Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble...

Suniti
Dernovsek

Suniti Dernovsek- LEADING LIGHT
Thu-Sun, 7:30pm nightly
A haunting meditation on public expectations, private vulnerabilities, and the precariousness of the feminine ideal. Featuring Suniti Dernovsek, Holland Andrews, Allie Hankins...

2015
Risk / Reward
Festival

2015 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
July 10-11, 17-18 @ 7:30pm, July 12 & 19 @ 5pm
Featuring: Markeith Wiley, Faith Helma, Nancy Ellis, Éowyn Emerald & Dancers, Dani Tirrell, Katie Piatt, Tim Smith-Stewart, Jessica Jobaris & General Magic...

New
Work
Preview

New Work Preview – 2015
January 26th, 2015 @ 6PM
Featuring Linda Austin, Tracy Broyles, Katie Watkins, opticnoodle, PETE, Katherine Longstreth, Fuse Theatre Ensemble, Push Leg, Pepper Pepper and Wayne Bund...

On Demand:
Frédérick Gravel

ON DEMAND: Frédérick Gravel- Usually Beauty Fails
Fri-Sat, 7:30pm
Join us for a year-end celebration and special video screening of this one-of-a-kind dance/music/performance mashup by Montreal-based artist Frédérick Gravel and his hot-blooded team of dancers/musicians...

Allie
Hankins

Allie Hankins- Like A Sun That Pours Forth Light But Never Warmth-World Premiere
Fri-Sun, 8pm nightly
A correspondence between chroeographer Allie Hankins and Ballet Russes danseur noble Vaslav Nijinsky...

2014
Risk / Reward
Festival

2014 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 20-21 @ 7:30pm, June 22 @ 5pm
Featuring: Laura Heit, Ilvs Strauss, The Neutral Fembot Project, Erin Pike, Lucy Lee Yim, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble...

Kill
All
Festivals

Kill All Festivals
Doors @ 6pm, first performance at 7pm
KILL ALL FESTIVALS is a consortium of summer festivals that come together for a unique event of live performances, line up announcements, film, music, animation, prizes, pizza, beer and more...

Kyle
Loven

Kyle Loven-Loss Machine
Fri-Sat - 7:30pm, Sun - 5:00pm (75 minutes)
Part installation, part image-driven theater, Loss Machine unearths a world of lost items, misplaced thoughts, and fractured journeys all housed within an intricately detailed set...

New
Work
Preview

New Work Preview – 2014
January 27th, 2014 @ 6PM
Featuring Portland Experimental Theater Ensemble, Troika Ranch, Alicia Jo Rabins, Hand2Mouth, Allie Hankins, Kaj-anne Pepper, Danielle Ross, PushLeg, Action/Adventure, and Fuse Theatre Ensemble...

2013
Risk / Reward
Festival

2013 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
Fri-Sat - 7:30pm, Sun - 5:00pm
Featuring AJA, Wayne Bund, Shannon Stewart, Josh Martin (605 Collective), LanceLife, the Satori Group...

Kill
All
Festivals

Kill All Festivals
May 10th, 2013, 7-10PM
KILL ALL FESTIVALS is a collaborative event between the Experimental Film Festival, Creative Music Guild (hosts of the Improvisation Summit of Portland), Northwest Animation Festival, and the Risk/Reward Festival...

Making Sense
Of New
Performance

Making Sense of New Performance
January 27th, 2013 @ 12:30PM
New creations and world premieres are all the rage in the performance community. This event gathers local dramaturgs, playwrights, ensembles, producers and audience members to discuss the creation and evolution of new work...

NW: NOW

NW:NOW
September 9th, 2012, 3:30-4:30PM
A forum for creators from the Northwest to introduce new and upcoming projects to an audience of international artists, curators, producers, presenters, and programmers...

2012
Risk / Reward
Festival

2012 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
Fri-Sat - 7:30pm
Featuring Tracy Broyles, Corrie Befort, Pappas and Dancers, DECEPTiCONS, Queen Shmooquan, Hand2Mouth, Cat Main & Jamie Nesbitt...

2011
Risk / Reward
Festial

2011 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
Fri-Sat - 7:30pm
Featuring bobbevy, Jessica Jobaris and general magic, Part & Parcel, Kyle Loven, People Person, Portland Experimental Theatre Lab, Zac Nelson & Stephanie Simek...

2010
Risk / Reward
Festival

2010 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 19th, 2010 @5:00 and 8:00PM
Featuring The Cherdonna & Lou Show, Oslund + Co, Katherine Longstreth, Erin Leddy, Angela Fair, Paul Budraitis directed by Sean Ryan, Hand2Mouth, Mike Pham...

Witness
Relocation

Witness Relocation- The Panic Show
September 7th, 2009 @8PM
NYC performance company Witness Relocation comes to Portland for a one night showing of their newest piece, THE PANIC SHOW. Dubbed, "A dance-theater anarchist's Utopia" by Performing Arts Journal, Witness Relocation combines dance & theater ....

2009
Risk / Reward
Festival

2009 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 27th, 2009 @ 5:00 and 7:30PM
Featuring Hot Little Hands, Linda Austin, Janet Pants, Angela Fair, Joe von Appen, Hooliganship, Byron Au Yong, Rush-N-Disco...

Justin Bond

Justin Bond-Rites Of Spring
March 25th, 2009 @8:30PM
Justin Bond, star of John Cameron Mitchell's 'Shortbus', 2009 nominee for the GLAAD Awards and one half of Tony nominated performance due Kiki and Herb, began writing songs while straddling a log on a mountain in Tennessee on Mayday of last year ...

2008
Risk / Reward
Festival

2008 Risk/Reward Festival of New Performance
June 27 - 28, 2008 @7PM
Featuring Woolly Mammoth Comes to Dinner, LizZieMoVeS Co., Kyoko Uchida, Rush-N-Disco, Marya Sea Kaminski, Faith Helma, Joe von Appen, Fever Theater, Helsinki Syndrome, Oracle, Iretsu, Atole, Polka Madre / Jack "Yankl" Falk, DJ Browkenwindow...