Coho Productions Inc
Programs
Coho Theater Community Programs
SINCE 1995, COHO HAS PIONEERED ARTIST-LED CO-PRODUCTION AS A MODEL OF CREATING THEATER. EACH SEASON, COHO SOLICITS SCRIPTS AND PROJECT PROPOSALS FROM LOCAL PRODUCERS, PORTLANDS THEATER PROFESSIONALS, AND EMERGING ARTISTS. COHO SELECTS PROJECTS BASED ON AN ONLINE SELECTION SYSTEM THAT AIMS TO DECENTRALIZE THEATER ACCESSIBILITY AND PROVIDE PRODUCING RESOURCES TO FORMERLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. COHO ALSO PROVIDES GRANTS AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMMING TO HELP LOCAL ARTISTS PRACTICE SELF-PRODUCING AND EXPAND THEIR SKILL SET. THE ARTISTIC VISION IS INCLUSIVE, DEMOCRATIC, AND REFLECTS THE EVOLVING TASTES OF THE PORTLAND THEATER COMMUNITY. OUR PROGRAMMING VARIES WIDELY IN STYLE, FORM AND CONTENT, BUT REMAINS COHESIVE IN REFLECTING COHOS HIGH STANDARD FOR ARTISTIC INTEGRITY.COHO CO-PRODUCTIONSIN 2021, COHO IMPLEMENTED A NEW CO-PRODUCTION MODEL GEARED TOWARD EMERGING ARTISTS AND THEATER COMPANIES WITH DEMONSTRATED ARTISTIC QUALITY BUT LACKING FINANCIAL RESOURCES. UNDER THIS MODEL, COHO CO-PRODUCES WITH LOCAL CREATORS TO HELP THEM GET THEIR WORK SEEN IN AN ACCESSIBLE SUPPORTED WAY. THERE IS NO CHARGE TO CO-PRODUCERS OUTSIDE OF A SMALL NIGHTLY DOOR RECOVERY FEE, COHO MANAGES PUBLICITY AND BOX OFFICE, AND CO-PRODUCERS ARE COMPENSATED WITH AN AGREED UPON PERCENTAGE OF BOX OFFICE RECEIPTS. COHO ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE AS REQUIRED BY OUR CO-PRODUCERS.COHO NIGHTLIFECOHO NIGHTLIFE WAS LAUNCHED IN 2020 AS AN OUTLET FOR COLLABORATIVE, LIVE-STREAMED, VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING. COHO NIGHTLIFE IS A SERIES OF ONE-NIGHT-ONLY PERFORMANCES, PERFORMED AT THE COHO THEATRE AND STREAMED LIVE TO TWITCH. ALL PERFORMANCES ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. AUDIENCE MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ENGAGE WITH THE PERFORMANCE THROUGH THE TWITCH CHAT FEATURE AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO TIP THE PERFORMERS BY MAKING DONATIONS THROUGH TWITCH OR THEIR VENMO OR CASHAPP ACCOUNTS. COHO IS PROUD TO SUPPORT NIGHTLIFE ARTISTS THROUGH FINANCIAL COMPENSATION, ACCESS TO RESOURCES, AND A PLATFORM TO ENGAGE AND REACH NEW AUDIENCES ON A GLOBAL SCALE.COHO LAB RESIDENCY PROGRAMTHE COHO LAB RESIDENCY PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN 2020 WITH THE AIM TO EXPAND COHOS OUTREACH AND DIVERSIFY PROGRAMMING. THIS PROGRAM'S FOCUS IS TO PLATFORM LOCAL TALENT AND INCREASE EXPOSURE FOR PERFORMERS TYPICALLY SIDELINED BY THE CURRENT THEATER INDUSTRY. EACH YEAR THREE RESIDENTS ARE SELECTED FROM THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP A PROJECT OVER THE COURSE OF A SEMESTER. RESIDENTS BUILD THEIR OWN TEAMS, CHOOSE THEIR OWN MENTOR, MANAGE THEIR OWN BUDGET, AND PRODUCE THEIR OWN WORK. COHO GUIDES AND SUPPORTS THESE ARTISTS, HELPING THEM CULTIVATE AN ORGANIC CREATIVE PROCESS THAT THEY CAN TAKE WITH THEM WHEREVER THEY PRODUCE IN THE FUTURE. COHOS MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN THE PRODUCING CAPABILITIES OF THE ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO CREATE NEW AND COMPELLING WORK.GUEST RENTALSWHEN THE COHO THEATRE IS NOT OCCUPIED BY OUR OWN PROGRAMMING, THE SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR GUEST RENTALS. THIS PROVIDES MUCH-NEEDED PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE SPACE TO ESTEEMED LOCAL ARTISTS IN A VARIETY OF PERFORMING ARTS MEDIUMS. OVER THE YEARS COHO HAS HOSTED PRODUCTIONS FOR DISTINGUISHED COMPANIES SUCH AS THIRD RAIL REPERTORY THEATRE, PROFILE THEATRE, BOOM ARTS, STAGED!, CORRIB THEATRE, PETE, 11:DANCE CO, AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, COHO HAS HOSTED MANY INITIAL READINGS AND PREMIERES FOR LOCAL PLAYWRIGHTS AND CREATORS OF NEW WORKS.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$590.1KProgram 1 [2025]
COHO PRODUCTIONS PROVIDES EMERGING ARTISTS WITH ESSENTIAL CREATIVE RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND NETWORKING SUPPORT. THROUGH OUR CO-PRODUCTION MODEL, ANNUAL ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM, CLOWNFEST, AND RESOURCE CENTER, COHO WORKS TO CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND SPACE FOR ARTISTS AND PROJECTS THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE NORMAL REGIONAL AND COMMUNITY THEATRE MODELS, INCLUDING PERFORMERS OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, TRAINING, AESTHETICS, ETHNICITY, AND ECONOMIC STATUS, GIVING VOICE TO A BROAD RANGE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND OFFERING CONTENT RELEVANT TO VARIED POPULATIONS. COHO ARTIST RESIDENCY OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAM COMPENSATES ARTISTS FOR AUTONOMOUSLY CONCEIVED WORK, WITH SUPPORT FROM COHOS MARKETING AND PRODUCTION DEPARTMENTS. RESIDENTS RECEIVE A $3,000 STIPEND AND A 2030-HOUR WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP A NEW WORK. EACH RESIDENCY INCLUDES A PRIVATE/INVITED SHOWING FOR THE ARTISTS TO RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL FEEDBACK, THEN CULMINATES IN A TICKETED SHOWING FOR A PUBLIC AUDIENCE. APPLICATIONS ARE ROLLING, AND FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. COHO HAS COMMITTED TO ENSURING QUEER AND BIPOC REPRESENTATION WITHIN EACH RESIDENT COHORT. IN THE 2026 SEASON, WE WILL OFFER FOUR RESIDENCIES, SUPPORTING ARTISTS IN CREATING FOUR DISTINCT, FULLY PRODUCED EXPERIMENTS THAT ARE COMPLETELY LED BY THE RESIDENTS ARTISTIC VISION. WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE CAN HAVE LASTING EFFECTS. MANY OF THE ARTISTS WE SUPPORT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN COHOS RESIDENCY PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE MORE COMPETITIVE AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES. CO-PRODUCTION PROGRAM COHO PROVIDES UNDER-RESOURCED THEATRE COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS WITH TECHNICAL, FRONT OF HOUSE, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND MARKETING ASSISTANCE WHILE CHARGING A MINIMAL $100 DOOR RECOVERY FEE FOR EACH NIGHT THEY BOOK OUR THEATER, AND SPLITTING TICKET SALES DOWN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN COHO AND THE VISITING ARTIST. SAID ONE RECENT CO-PRODUCER, ON THE DAY OF THE PERFORMANCE IT FELT LIKE EVERYONE WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE SURE WE HAD WHAT WE NEEDED AND TO MAKE US FEEL WELCOME. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME PUTTING ON A SHOW AND COHO'S WONDERFUL STAFF MADE IT SUCH AN UPLIFTING, EMPOWERING EXPERIENCE. ALL THE EQUIPMENT WE NEEDED WAS AVAILABLE. IT FELT LIKE THE THEATER AND STAFF WAS AS INVESTED IN MY ART AS I WAS. ARTIST RESOURCE CENTER LAUNCHED IN 2023, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A RESOURCE LAB, RECORDING STUDIO WITH RECORDING AND EDITING TECHNOLOGY, COWORKING STATION WITH INDUSTRY STANDARD THEATRE DESIGN AND EDITING SOFTWARE, AS WELL AS A PRIVATE MEETING SPACE FOR CREATIVE BRAINSTORMING. IN THIS SPACE, WE COLLABORATE WITH AREA EXPERTS TO OFFER MENTORSHIP, WORKSHOPS, AND SKILL-SHARING SO THAT OUR ARTISTS CAN DEVELOP IMPORTANT SKILLS, FROM VIDEO EDITING AND LIGHT DESIGN, TO SET-BUILDING AND GRANT-WRITING. THE CENTER WAS DESIGNED TO RESPOND TO RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND ADAPT TO DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM OUR LOCAL ARTISTIC COMMUNITY. ACCESS TO THE RESOURCE CENTER IS AVAILABLE VIA A SLIDING-SCALE SUBSCRIPTION, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRADE VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR ACCESS. AS OF 2025, WE LAUNCHED OUR NO STARVING ARTISTS FOOD PANTRY WITHIN THE RC, WHICH IS REGULARLY STOCKED WITH SHELF-STABLE ESSENTIALS, FROZEN MEALS, AND FRESH PRODUCE FROM OUR FARMERS MARKET PARTNERS.CLOWN FESTIVAL EACH FALL, OUR ANNUAL COHO CLOWN FESTIVAL SHOWCASES ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE REGION IN A MONTH-LONG EXTRAVAGANZA OF INDEPENDENTLY CO-PRODUCED CLOWN PERFORMANCES. THE CLOWNFEST EMERGED FROM THE ARTISTIC VISION OF COHOS LATE PRODUCING DIRECTOR PHILIP CUOMO, WHO ENVISIONED OUR LITTLE BLACK BOX THEATER AS A CENTRAL HUB FOR CIRCUS ARTISTS. FROM SURREALISM TO CAMP TO PROTEST ART, THE CLOWN FESTIVAL HAS ESTABLISHED COHO AS THE PLACE FOR CLOWN, FOR PHYSICAL COMEDY WITH AN ABSURDIST SPIN, FOR COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION, AND FOR LETTING GO AND LETTING YOURSELF LAUGH. CLOWNFEST GIVES VOICE TO A BROAD RANGE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND OFFERS CONTENT RELEVANT TO VARIED POPULATIONS, INVITING OUR NEIGHBORS INTO A NOURISHING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PERFORMING ARTS.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2024 – Jun 30, 2025Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$242.9K
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