January 29, 2020
Page 7
Arts &
ENTERTAINMENT
Fertile Ground for Original Works
Portland writer, author and playwright S. Renee Mitchell’s “Three
by Ten & More” a series of readings that that tell powerful stories
about love, history and bullying. The Portland African American
theater group PassinArt presents the new works on Friday, Jan. 31
through Feb. 9 at Self Enhancement, Inc., 3029 N. Kerby Ave. as
part of Fertile Ground A City-Wide Festival of New Works.
On Love, History and Bullying
PassinArt presents
Mitchell readings
PassinArt: A Theatre Company
grounded in Portland’s African
American community presents
“Three by Ten & More,” three
short theatrical readings that fo-
cus on love, history and bullying
by local writer, author, and play-
wright S. Renee Mitchell.
The first presentation, “Love
Me Right,” is Mitchell’s poetic
story of a Valentine’s Day encoun-
ter that helps a single woman and
a married couple recognize that
the heart is never safe when it is
lured out to play like it doesn’t
mind the risk of falling in love.
“Blood is Thicker Than Color,”
the second reading, is a story of
a Native American family during
America’s dark days of chattel
slavery learn that family’s blood is
more meaningful than one’s color.
“Shaping of An Avalanche,” the
third selection is about the memory
of a bullied high school girl whose
suicide begins a series of events
that turn the tables on her bullying
classmates, leading to an unexpect-
ed and surprising ending.
“Three by Ten & More” opens
Friday, Jan. 31 and plays through
Feb. 9 at Self Enhancement, Inc.,
3920 N. Kerby Ave., as part of the
Festival Ground A City-Wide Fes-
tival of New Works. Shows on
Friday and Saturday are at 7 p.m.
and Sunday shows are at 3 p.m.
Bonus performances and audience
discussion will follow the staged
readings.
Tickets are $10 and can be pur-
chased at passinart.org
The Portland-grown Fertile
Ground City-Wide Festival
of New Works kicks off
Thursday, Jan. 30 and con-
tinues through Sunday, Feb.
9, bringing 75 events and
120 acts of creation to mul-
tiple local venues in theater,
dance, poetry, circus, music,
animation and multidisci-
plinary acts. Fertile Ground
is an annual celebration
of the prolific playwrights,
abundant actors, innovative
dancers, talented designers
and adventuresome producers who live and work right here in the Rose City. An incubator
for new work in all forms and stages of creation, Fertile Ground offers theater and dance,
workshops, staged readings and multidisciplinary events for 11 days and at all times of the
day and at venues across the city. The festival is an astonishing breadth of creative work
with seasoned theater and dance companies alongside new art-creators of every ilk. Since
the inaugural festival in 2009 more than 70 Fertile Ground-originated works have gone on
to further productions, locally, naturally and in festivals worldwide. “Each year, I’m like a kid
in a candy store as I look through the project listings for the first time, awash with delight
at the inventive, thoughtful, diverse array of creative impulses they comprise,” said Nicole
Lane, Fertile Ground festival director. “This year is no different and maybe even more
exciting than some years.” For a full list of this year’s offerings, visit fertilegroundpdx.org.