Portland Center Stage
Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways.
Now in its 23rd season, Portland Center Stage (Chris Coleman, Artistic Director) is the largest producing theater in Portland, Oregon. Established in 1988 as an offshoot of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PCS became an independent theater in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since May 2000. An affiliate of the League of Regional Theatres, Actor’s Equity Association and Theatre Communications Group, PCS produces a blend of classical, contemporary and premiere works in addition to its annual summer playwrights festival, JAW. In its home at the Portland Armory, PCS has over 10,000 subscribers and attracts an annual audience of nearly 120,000 theater-goers of all ages.
PCS also offers a variety of education and outreach programs for curious minds from six to 106, including discussions, classes, workshops and partnerships with organizations throughout the Portland metro area.
Portland Center Stage’s home since Fall 2006 — the Gerding Theater at the Armory — is the first historic rehabilitation on the National Historic Register, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum rating. The design includes efficient use of energy, water and building materials that lower operating expenses as well as the building’s impact on the environment.
