(Above: Lisa Roth and Mary Buss played in Oregon Contemporary Theatre’s The Roommate, the last production before OCT shut down for the season because of the worldwide Covid-19 outbreak)

Pandemic update from the Oregon Contemporary Theatre

By Randi Bjornstad

“Canceling the reaminder of what was OCT’s most successful season ever was a paintful but necessary decision,” OCT producing artistic director Craig Willis readily admits in a message to theater supporters.

But “don’t worry,” he continues. “We’re still going to find a way to share NW10: Oh, Boise! in some fashion with you soon.” The two other shows that also have been cancelled following the Covid-19 outbreak, A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Grand Concourse, will be on the schedule in future seasons, he says.

In the meantime, other things are happening — online, as is the order of the day.

In mid-May, playwright Paul Calandrino will offer an online course in the subject. Also before too long, actor Inga Wilson will premier online acting classes for interested thespians “ages 8 to 80,” according to the memo. And there also will be a online development workshop, featuring a new play by Kareen Fahmy.

The nonprofit, professional theater company will announce its coming season — with optimism that the Covid-19 outbreak will dissipate during the coming months — within the next few weeks.

Of course, Oregon Contemporary Theatre has financial worries as a result of the pandemic and the cancellation of so many shows as well as the organization’s major fundraiser of the year, Experience OCT, which Willis says normally generates 10 percent of OCT’s annual operating budget.

“Thankfully, OCT received an SBA Payroll Protection Program loan” from the federal Small Business Adminstration program,” he says. “That’s making it possible for us to retain full-time staff and keep some artists employed through early June.”

Nonetheless, support from the community continues to be a necessity, and OCT is in the process of organizing a fundraising campaign to help with that effort.

In the meantime, there is the matter of what to do with tickets already purchased for cancelled performances, and OCT offers three choices, both for individual ticket purchases or season pass holders:

  • Donate purchased tickets back to OCT and take a tax deduction for the full ticket value, “which is a great way to help us keep staff employed and working to make sure OCT is ready to reopen when it’s safe to do so,” Willis says.
  • Take a credit for your ticket value toward a future OCT performance.
  • Email OCT at info@octheatre.org to discuss other options

An online form for people with ticket purchases to let OCT know what they would like to do with their paid-for tickets is available at octheatre.org/cancellation-preferences.

For answers to questions, email info@octheatre.org or call the OCT ticket office at 541-465-1506. Information on upcoming classes and other events is available on the OCT website at octheatre.org.

To make freestanding contributions toward the theater’s expenses, there is a link at:

Donate Here

Willis signs off by saying, “We are forever grateful for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the theater again soon.”