The Fertile Ground Festival of New Works starts April 10-26, 2026 throughout Portland and even extending to Hillsboro. There are dozens of dozens of staged readings, world premieres and works in progress in this festival with multiple venues in various stages of development. Because there are so many arts events The Fertile Ground Festival of New Works starts April 10-26, 2026 throughout Portland and even extending to Hillsboro. There are dozens of dozens of staged readings, world premieres and works in progress in this festival with multiple venues in various stages of development. (Download the full schedule at https://fertilegroundpdx.org/)

Because there are so many arts events, Dmae Lo Roberts decided to focus on four female playwrights in the festival: Sandra de Helen, Josie Seid, Alisha Christiansen and Erin Rachel.  She asked them all the same two questions:

  • What was the spark for your piece and describe that moment?
  • Why is this work the right moment at this time to do and for people to see?

The shows they are featuring include “Blue Roses” by Sandra de Helen, “House of O” by Josie Seid, “When I was a Mexican: A Bollywood Musical” by Alisha Christiansen and “unbound: a bookish musical” by Erin Rachel.

Sandra de Helen’s Blue Roses illuminates a buried chapter of American history through the lives of two women history tried to forget: Rosemary Kennedy and Rose Isabel Williams, sisters of John F. Kennedy and Tennessee Williams. Though separated by class, power, and public mythology, both women were subjected to lobotomies in the mid-20th century—procedures intended not to heal, but to silence.

Set against the rigid social expectations of the era, Blue Roses explores what happens when women are deemed “too much”: too emotional, too inconvenient, too difficult to manage. Rather than centering the towering male figures who dominate history books, the play insists on the interior lives of the sisters—their intelligence, humor, frustration, and longing for autonomy. 

Performance Dates: 

  • April 18th at 5:30pm
  • April 19th at noon
  • April 20th at 7:30pm

All shows at 21Ten Theatre, 2110 SE 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon

Tickets: https://fertilegroundpdx.ludus.com/index.php 

House of O by Josie Seid. Presented by LineStorm Playwrights, this Othello-inspired tragedy unfolds in the glittering yet cutthroat world of high fashion. Ibu Othello, a celebrated fashion mogul at the peak of his career, owes much of his success to Niara Iago, his brilliant but increasingly disillusioned head designer. As Othello journeys farther from his roots and becomes a symbol of commercial excess, Niara’s frustration festers into a calculated desire for revenge. Beneath the runway lights and luxury branding, betrayal, ambition, and manipulation threaten to unravel not only a fashion empire—but Othello himself. 

Friday, April 10, 2026   2:00 PM at Artists Repertory Theatre – 1515 SW Morrison St, Portland.

When I Was a Mexican: A Bollywood Musicalc is a true story inspired by the life of Kristin Tehrani, an Oregon resident. The book & lyrics is written by Alisha Christiansen who is also producing a series of readings at the HART Theatre in Hillsboro and at PSU’s Boiler Room in Portland, April 10-26. More details in our next newsletter. 

Show synopsis: Ana has a big birthday on the horizon, and finally, it’s time. She’ll stop at nothing to find her father. It’s a story of identity (and mis-identity), family (and found family), all with the support, encouragement, and sometimes cajoling of Ana’s friends. This enhanced staged reading of a new musical in progress will feature three songs and a full script of Ana’s journey through her unique and yet familiar contemporary story; one that will resonate with many who travel their own paths of cultural identities, life surprises, and community belonging.

  • Friday, April 10th @ 7:30 pm – HART (Hillsboro Artists Regional Theatre)
  • Wednesday, April 22 @ 7:00 pm – PSU Boiler Room Theatre
  • Saturday, April 25 @ 5:00 pm – PSU Boiler Room Theatre
  • Sunday, April 26 @ 12 Noon – PSU Boiler Room Theatre

Tickets: https://fertilegroundpdx.ludus.com/show_page.php?show_id=200512951

(Featured music in podcast include “The Sisters You Choose” and “Everyone Has a Family.” Lyrics by Alisha Christiansen and Composed and arranged by Balamurali Balu. Vocals by Renata Choglo.) 

unbound: a bookish musical follows Jane, a recent divorcee who returns to her hometown and begins working at Bookish, a beloved neighborhood bookstore. There, she encounters a community of artists, dreamers, and seekers navigating their own creative and emotional crossroads. Together, they explore what it means to belong, to rebuild, and to reclaim what was thought lost. Join us this spring for a full-length developmental presentation featuring new songs, new scenes, and expanded ensemble storytelling.

  • Saturday, April 18, 2026   3:00 PM
  • Saturday Matinee  3:00 PM
  • Saturday, April 18, 2026 3:00 PM
  • Sunday, April 19, 2026   7:30 PM
  • Sunday Evening – 7:30 PM
  • Sunday, April 19, 2026 7:30 PM
  • Monday, April 20, 2026   7:00 PM
  • Monday Evening – 7 PM
  • Monday, April 20, 2026 7:00 PM

All shows at PSU’s The Boiler Room Studio – 1620 SW Park Ave

For tickets visit https://fertilegroundpdx.ludus.com/index.php

(Featured music in podcast: “City Song,” as performed in unbound: a bookish musical (November 2025 workshop)music and lyrics by erin rachel. This excerpt features solo performances by Daron Webb, Brad Larsen, Noelle Goodenberger, and Ashley Song* with ensemble contributions from members of the cast including Anne Toledo, Hayden Iverson Todd, Matt Pavik, Monika M. Milani, and Montana Douglas.
Visit rockcitysea.org to learn more)

Full festival guide available for download here: https://fertilegroundpdx.org/festival-guides/

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