“If you want If you want exciting theatre in Portland, I would race right now to get tickets to Defunkt Theatre...
”
Defunkt Theatre
is a nationally recognized, non-profit theatre company dedicated to creating innovative productions that challenge conventional ideals of society. We offer relevant perspectives on issues of race, gender, class, and ability. We strive to stretch the minds and comfort zones of our audience and ourselves. Sharing purposeful storytelling to illuminate our common human experience. Defunkt is committed to removing financial barriers to our work; all performances are "pay what you can."
OUR PEOPLE
Sarah Armitage
Executive Director
sarah@defunkttheatre.com
Sarah graduated from Portland State University's theater department in 2006 and has been stage managing around town from time to time since 2000. She is a true theater nerd who gets really excited about theater history and theory. Sarah joined Defunkt in 2014 as a company member and took over as Executive Director in 2015. When she joint Defunkt it was because she felt as though she had finally found an artistic home with artists who viewed the world in a similar way. She has Stage Managed Boys in the Band, Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom, In the Forest, She Grew Fangs, Precious Little, The Undiscovered Country, and Blasted. Dramaturgical credits include: The Submission, Insignificance, Precious Little, The Udmurts, She has directed, On the Edge (Trifles and Dutchman), The Pride, and Tragedy, a Tragedy. When not working at Defunkt, Sarah is a High School English teacher in Hillsboro.
Andrew Klaus-Vineyard
Co-Artistic Director
Andrew@defunkttheatre.com
Andrew is an award-winning multidisciplinary multimedia artist. Best known for his work in film and photography, which has been internationally exhibited in Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, Vancouver, and Rio de Janeiro and most recently the Tate in London as well as across the United States. He studied contemporary art at Savannah College of Art and Design and holds a degree in Cultural Studies and Time-Based Srt from Portland State University. Klaus-Vineyards work has been featured in American Theater Magazine, The Oregonian, The Advocate, Just Out, Spectrum, PQ Monthly, Bitches Brew, Muscle Magazine, and The Feminist Review. He has collected awards as a director, producer, and sound designer for his work in film. He has directed the feature film Spark, documentaries for the US State Department, as well as commercial and artistic projects for private clients and collectors. He is the author of the graphic novel, Godless. In addition, he is a founding member of the electrorock band Mattachine Social and works as a neo-classical composer under the moniker Boarding School. He has served as technical director for Defunkt theatre’s production of Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain and again as TD and co-producer on the nationally acclaimed production Herstory/History, The Boys in the Band and The Children’s How. As a theatre director Klaus-Vineyard has directed The Submission by Jeff Talbore, No More Candy by Leela Ginelle and the critically acclaimed In The Forest, She Grew Fangs by Stephen Sportswood.
Matthew Kern
Co-Artistic Director
matthew@defunkttheatre.com
Matthew is an actor, musician, and producer. A graduate of the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre in California, and Bard College in New York, he has appeared locally with Artists Repertory Theatre, Tears of Joy, and several now truly defunkt theatres. He is proud to have appeared in one of the first defunkt shows, The Investigation of the Murder in El Salvador, as well as the world premiere of James Moore’s in apparatri. Recent Defunkt credits include Three Days of Rain, The Homecoming, Back Bog Beaut Bait, Attempts on Her Life, Glengarry Glen Ross, Fire Island, The Boys in the Band, and 448. Psychosis for which he and his fellow actors received the Drammy Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Ensemble.
Paige Rogers
Defunkt Company Member
paige@defunkttheatre.com
Paige is a Midwestern gal with a Bachelors in Arts Administration and Theater from Drury University. After graduating, she continued studying at the Portland Actors Conservatory (PAC). Paige is the Managing Director of Staged! where she guides young artists through a pre-professional training program in acting. Her acting credits include Sarah in A Map of Virtue (Theatre Vertigo), Brinn in Girl in the Red Corner (Defunkt Theatre), She is Fierce (Enso Theatre Ensemble), Carol in The Amish Project (PAC) and more. Paige also has been behind the scenes as a stage manager with Theatre Diaspora and a former company member of Theatre Vertigo.
Joe Rogers
Defunkt Company Member
Joe@defunkttheatre.com
Joe is a guy from the Midwest who loves to Stage Manage, go for a run with his dog, Frankie & travel with his wife, Paige. He graduated from Drury University with a Bachelors in Biology and Environmental Science. After moving to Portland with his wife he stumbled into Stage Management and hasn’t looked back! His backstage credits include: Assistant Stage Manger in Pontypool (CoHo Theatre), Stage Crew/Fly Crew in Mary Poppins (NWCT), Stage Manager in Slipping (Defunkt Theatre). He is excited to Stage Manage his next show; Brilliant Traces at Defunkt Theatre, as one of the newest company members of Defunkt Theatre!
Our Story
Defunkt Theatre is a group of intensely devoted, passionate theater artists. Known for imaginative productions of bold, provocative material, Defunkt is Portland's destination for theater that makes you think and feel and talk about afterwards. The Oregonian described our 2010-11 season as “fearless and unflinching.” We are drawn to works that reveal the world in which we live and we have produced playwrights as diverse as Sam Shepard, Gertrude Stein, Sarah Kane, as well as new works from local writers. Located in the heart of the vibrant and historic Hawthorne district, we are a distinct presence in Portland's arts community; and our performances showcase the breadth of talent of this wonderful city. We believe in making quality theater accessible to all; and no other company offers more to the public at such a low cost.
Defunkt Theatre's inception was in 2000 and these years have brought many exciting changes and new collaborators. Defunkt would not exist without the hard efforts of all these artists and their contributions. We thank the community and patrons of theatre for their support throughout the years!
We do this work because we love it and this community. Our passion for our work is infectious and as The Oregonian wrote "defunkt theatre reminds us why risky theater is worth our time."
We thank the community and patrons of theatre for their support throughout the years!
thank you. The Defunktionals