About Commission! Commission!

Commission! Commission! is the first of it's kind in Portland Oregon based on a similar event at New Dramatists in New York City wherein ten playwrights from around the country were auctioned off to "commissioners" who then gave their playwright an idea as the seed of a play (or a song).  The playwrights then were escorted into the writing room while the patrons moved into dinner.  The playwrights had about 20minutes to write an original play based around the idea which was then given to professional directors and actors to stage in approximately 10 minutes. Following dinner the guests (commissioners) were escorted into the theatre where all the pieces were performed. 

The proceeds from the event go to benefit the Just Add Water/West playwrights festival held yearly at Portland Center Stage. 

My Work in the Event

As one of four guest directors for the event I was assigned 2 plays and the 1 original song written that evening

Life Farts
written by Kristin Newbom
directed by Patrick Spike
commissioned by Debi Coleman

Tribute to Debi (original song)
written by William S Gregory and Rick Lewis
directed by Patrick Spike
commissioned by Judith Marks

Muriel's Murder Mystery
written by Liz Duffy Adams
directed by Patrick Spike
commissioned by David Lezak

Other notable people that were part of this event

Playwright Glen Berger
Playwright David Hancock
Playwright Steve Patterson
Playwright/Novelist Tom Spanbauer
Playwright/Screenwriter Krista Vernoff
Playwright Sarah Treem
Playwright/Screenwriter/Actor Ebbe Roe Smith
Playwright Itamar Moses

Director Stan Foote
Director Kent Nicholson
Director/Actress Blair Brown