Because what even is this election?
Now get out there and VOTE.
In a year when 4 billion people in 76 countries are headed to the polls, questions of democracy and involvement have never been more relevant. As we barrel towards this historic Presidential Election, Risk/Reward is asking performance artists to raise their voices and say something about how we got here, what we’re feeling now that we’re here, and what we can do in the aftermath.
Photos by Gary Norman (L), Tipping Point LLC (C), and Jingzi Zhao (R)
Portland Center Stage presents Risk/Reward’s Election Anti-Party, three days of theater, film, and mayhem anti-celebrating the upcoming presidential election. Featuring a different presentation every night, the Election Anti-Party will delve into how we got here, what we can do about it if things get weirder, and what hope might look like.
Photo by Gary Norman
The Fig Tree Committee has been touring An Iliad to correctional facilities around the Pacific Northwest for over five years, alongside rare public performances; so far, over 3,000 people have seen their production, most of whom were incarcerated at the time. Their work knits together audiences on both sides of the prison walls by using one of the world’s oldest stories to examine the cycles of violence, trauma, displacement, and hope for healing that unite us all. The Fig Tree Committee is bringing the Election Anti-Party this heavy dose of perspective just before kicking off a tour to correctional facilities in Wisconsin (swing state!), Vermont, and New Hampshire in October.
A discussion with the artists to follow the performance.
figtreecommittee.org/
Photo by Jingzi Zhao (top) and Cameron Browne (bottom)
In May 2020, following the death of George Floyd, Portland, Oregon, became the focus of media attention for its protests and demonstrations against systemic racism and police brutality. Tipping Point is a documentary film about the largest recent civil rights protest in U.S. history, and how Portland emerged as its epicenter. Told through the individual stories of Portlanders on the ground, Tipping Point humanizes the struggle while allowing Portland’s story to serve as a mirror for all of America – the past that brought us here and the future we must choose.
Prior to the screening, Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theater will perform an excerpt of The Sounds of Afrolitical Movement, a journey through the many forms of protest and resistance. Rejoice! is a Portland-based contemporary dance ensemble led by the bold vision and artistic direction of Oluyinka Akinjiola. Inspired by the folklore of the great African diaspora, Rejoice’s performance repertoire boldly weaves stories of adversity and hope, captivating audiences with their outspoken calls for social change.
A discussion featuring the artists, filmmakers, artist/activist Emily Squires, and civil rights lawyer Ashlee Albies to follow.
Showcase photos by Tojo Andrianarivo (upper right), A Bitter Orange Photography (lower right), and Jenni GreenMiller (lower left)
Local performance artists, assemble!
Risk/Reward presents 20 different artists’ thoughts on the 2024 Election. Each piece is made to order, bespoke for this moment, and must be between 2 and 4 minutes in length. In response to Risk/Reward’s call for submissions, Portland has turned out: expect theater, music, film, pies, dance, rat-based strip-tease, righteous fury, performative sculpture, a gentle and loving examination of what it is to vote by mail, and (most surprising) maybe even a fleeting wisp of hope in the air.
QUICK Q&A:
Q: Hey, isn’t that Pepper Pepper in the promotional image up there?
A: Yes.
Q: …Is Pepper going to be an all-American hot dog in this Showcase thingy?
A: No.
Q: So then –
A: – but they will be doing something disturbingly food-related.
Q: I MUST KNOW WHEN AND WHERE I CAN BUY TICKETS.
A: GO HERE. There’s only about 100 seats per night – GET YOUR TICKETS NOW.
Q: No further questions.