This play is about 2020. Need we say more?Okay, maybe a little: 2020 has taught us so much about grief, loss, sadness, isolation, anger, rage, fury, community, more isolation, longing, loneliness, friendship, laughter, skin-shedding, cocoons, hiding under beds, growth, retreat, silence, gratitude, radical acceptance, claustrophobia, unexpected minor miracles amid so much catastrophe.The more we settle into the truth of ourselves, the more room we create for joy despite the despair.Join us for an exploration of what it means to make theatre during the pandemic – what it means to create new forms, evolve, retreat, and reemerge with a renewed commitment to truth-telling.
Performing Arts Interpreting Alliance (PAIA)
Upcoming interpreted and ASL performance events, primarily in the greater Portland Metropolitan area.
Quick Glance Season List
Looking Forward in a Time of Flux
*update 10/15/2020: Theatres are moving into virtual live-streamed and recorded events, a few in-person events with safety protocols + limit...

Monday, January 25, 2021
W 1/29/2021 "Community" by Anya Pearson - interpreted
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Sat 12/5: "A Christmas Carol" - interpreted live virtual performance
TIME : 7:00 pm PST; virtual house opens at 6:30 pm
TICKETS : Click here to watch the live performance (free)
or Reserve your Pay What You Can tickets at Brown Paper Tickets
PLOT: Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by his 7years dead business partner late one Christmas Eve, telling Scrooge that he must bear the visitation of three spirits who may help him to change his misdirection in life. Scrooge is then guided by these spirits to significant events in the past, present and future that force him to see life from a new perspective. With the memorable appearances of Jacob Marley, the Crachit Family (including Tiny Tim), the Fezziwigs, and Scrooge's nephew Fred, Scrooge's epic journey is a seasonal tradition, brought to you by the talented and tireless students, staff and supporters of PCC Theatre. Come and enjoy this ghostly tale of redemption and hope!
Appropriate for: All Ages
Running Time: Under 90 minutes (including an intermission)
ALL DATES with links to the performances
- December 3 – house opens at 6:30pm, curtain at 7pm
- December 4 – house opens at 6:30pm, curtain at 7pm (Audio Description)
- December 5 – house opens at 6:30pm, curtain at 7pm (American Sign Language Interpretation)
- December 6 – house opens at 1:30pm, curtain at 2pm
Thursday, October 15, 2020
PCS: Love in the Time of Pinatas 10/24/2020
"Hilarious and deliciously biting, this play brings love, piñatas, and donuts to the fight against injustice, hatred, and oppression in all its flavors (but especially the orange-tinged variety). Writer, performer, and comedian Baruch Porras Hernandez shares stories of his journey as a Queer Latino boy growing up in Toluca, Mexico, and immigrating to California. Using poetry, stand-up comedy, and sweaty go-go dance vibes, Baruch serves up everything from Rainbow Brite realness to Frida Kahlo glitter magic along the way. Love in the Time of Piñatas played to sold-out crowds in San Francisco and this staged reading is a special adaptation for the PCS Remix: Play Reading series. Grab your party hat and get ready to take a bite of this deep-fried, frosted goodness!"
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Looking Forward in a Time of Flux
I am continuing to work with a few local theater on providing access for productions as things change. And change again. There are some exciting possibilities ahead - which I can't tell you, yet, because there is still so much which is unknown. Theatre is not dead - it is being adapted to this requirements of this current time we are living in. I will continue to try to share online opportunities as they become available, as new forms are created and shared, as I find new Deaf productions being shared. I look forward to the time when we can be in the room together, sharing laughter and breath and tears and surprise and wonder with the actors on the stage and tech crew in the booth and backstage. Until that time, let's keep our creativity alive and support the efforts of each other as we navigate distancing and face masks and large gathering bans.
You can also check us out on Facebook @paiaPDX, where there are links to Deaf productions, conversations about signing in theatre, online Deaf film and arts events, Deaf improv comedy, and more.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Deafinitely Theatre's "Love's Labour's Lost"
deafinitely theatre and shakespeare’s globe present
love’s labour’s lost
by william shakespeare
Thursday, April 2, 2020
2019-20 season update (4/2/20)
Almost all regular season productions have cancelled. NW Children's Theater and School is actively trying to reschedule Suessical and the Elephant & Piggie Tour, but as of now, any shows in April have been cancelled.
If you already have tickets to any of the interpreted performances, you can check the theatre's website to see how they are handling exchanges, their refund policy in terms of this situation. You may also opt to donate the ticket cost to the theater in most cases - an easy way to help support the theaters who have had to go dark and cancel a large chunk of their seasons.
APR 2020
*cxld* Sa 04/18/20 CORR Kissing the Witch
*cxld* W 04/22/20 PPH Thurgood
MAY 2020
*cxld* Th 05/07/20 PCS Howards End
*cxld* Su 05/10/20 STT The Antipodes
Sa 05/1620 NWCT Elephant & Piggie’s, We are in a Play – On Tour (Salem 11AM)
*cxld* Sa 05/16/20 PCC In The Blood (7:00 pm)
Sa 05/16/20 NWCT Seussical (at noon)
*cxld* M 05/18/20 PCS Teen Program Spring Showcase - free
JUN 2020
*postponed to next season* tba PROF By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
*cxld* Th 06/18/20 PCS Cambodian Rock Band
*Key to Theater Abbreviations, with links*
CORR Corrib Theatre
NWCT Northwest Childrens Theater and School
PCC Portland Community College, Sylvania
PCS Portland Center Stage at The Armory
PGMC Portland Gay Men's Chorus
PPH Portland Playhouse
PROF Profile Theatre
STT Shaking the Tree Theatre
Thursday, March 19, 2020
COVID-19 related update
I am continuing to work with a few local theater on providing access for productions as things change. And change again. There are some exciting possibilities ahead - which I can't tell you, yet, because there is still so much which is unknown. Theatre is not dead - it is being adapted to this requirements of this current time we are living in. I will continue to try to share online opportunities as they become available, as new forms are created and shared, as I find new Deaf productions being shared. I look forward to the time when we can be in the room together, sharing laughter and breath and tears and surprise and wonder with the actors on the stage and tech crew in the booth and backstage. Until that time, let's keep our creativity alive and support the efforts of each other as we navigate distancing and face masks and large gathering bans.
You can also check us out on Facebook @paiaPDX, where there are links to Deaf productions, conversations about signing in theatre, online Deaf film and arts events, Deaf improv comedy, and more.
[update 3/20/2020] As the US tries to flatten the curve, slow the spread and respond to COVID-19, many people are feeling the impact as there are curfews and gathering bans. Theater and other arts organizations are making difficult decisions or being mandated to close. As of 3/18/2020 it is unknown how long the current level of crisis will last, or when we can begin returning to theatres and movies and soccer matches and more.
Here is an updated list of interpreted performances which are still on the schedule, some cancellations and postponements. I do expect that many of the plays through the rest of the season will be cancelled; but, for now, we wait and see what happens.
MAR 2020
*cxld* Th 03/19/20 PCS The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
*postponed* Sa 03/21/20 PGMC Reflections (8:00 pm)
*postponed* Su 03/22/20 PGMC Reflections (3:00 pm)
*cxld* Th 03/26/20 PCS 9 Parts of Desire
*cxld* Sa 03/28/20 NWCT Elephant & Piggie’s, We are in a Play – On Tour (Portland 11AM)
APR 2020
*cxld* Sa 04/18/20 CORR Kissing the Witch
*postponed* W 04/22/20 PPH Thurgood
MAY 2020
Th 05/07/20 PCS Howards End
*cxld* Su 05/10/20 STT The Antipodes
Sa 05/1620 NWCT Elephant & Piggie’s, We are in a Play – On Tour (Salem 11AM)
Sa 05/16/20 PCC In The Blood (7:00 pm)
Sa 05/16/20 NWCT Seussical (at noon)
M 05/18/20 PCS Teen Program Spring Showcase - free
JUN 2020
*postponed* Fr 06/05/20 PROF By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Th 06/18/20 PCS Cambodian Rock Band
*Key to Theater Abbreviations, with links*
CORR Corrib Theatre
NWCT Northwest Childrens Theater and School
PCC Portland Community College, Sylvania
PCS Portland Center Stage at The Armory
PGMC Portland Gay Men's Chorus
PPH Portland Playhouse
PROF Profile Theatre
STT Shaking the Tree Theatre
Monday, February 24, 2020
March 2020 Interpreted Performances Summary
MARCH 2020 Interpreted Performances - the short list. Click the links for more information!

W 03/04/20 PPH Pipeline

Fr 03/13/20 PacU This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing
Sa 03/14/20 PCC Our Town (7:00 pm)

Th 03/19/20 PCS The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Sa 03/21/20 PGMC Reflections
(8:00 pm)
Su 03/22/20 PGMC Reflections
(3:00 pm)

Th 03/26/20 PCS 9 Parts of Desire
Sa 03/28/20 NWCT Elephant & Piggie’s, We are in a Play – On Tour
(Portland 11AM)
*Key to Theater Abbreviations*
NWCT Northwest Childrens Theater and School
PacU Pacific University
PCC Portland Community College, Sylvania
PCS Portland Center Stage at The Armory
PGMC Portland Gay Men's Chorus
PPH Portland Playhouse
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Sat 2/22: "James X" interpreted
an interpreted performance of
DATE: Sat 2/22/20 at 7:30 pm
LOCATION: New Expressive Works, 810 SE Belmont, Portland OR
TICKETS: code AFA for discount at corribtheatre.org; tickets also available at the door
INTERPRETER: Dot Hearn
Confronting Church and State.
Plaintiff James X confronts the defendants, Church and State, for injustices they perpetrated throughout his childhood. While awaiting his trial, James examines his confidential state files compiled over the previous 45 years, and takes us on a journey through the schools, courts, health boards, industrial schools, psychiatric hospitals and prisons. It is part of the secret history of Ireland in the last century.