Whether you want to introduce your children to the performing arts or make date night plans for the grown-ups, we’ve got options for you! Check out our roundup of local performance venues and find shows that fit your interests and budget.
Think live performances are out of your price range? Thanks to the Regional Arts & Culture Council, anyone who receives food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and has the Oregon Trail Card can buy $5 tickets to many performances through the Arts for All program each year. Learn more and see participating venues here.
Don’t qualify for Arts for All, but still looking for a way to save? Consider splitting a season ticket package with friends. Season tickets are typically much more affordable than individual tickets, and if you split with friends, you’ll save even more. Tickets are also a great addition to your holiday gift wish lists. Another option is to buy “rush tickets,” usually sold close to performance time; check with box offices to learn more about their rush ticket policies. Certain venues also have discounted shows, such as pay-what-you-will nights at Portland Center Stage. Check event host websites or call the box office for details. Discounted tickets are often offered to students and seniors, and public libraries offer free cultural passes to many venues. Don’t forget to cash in your Multnomah County Library summer reading ticket prizes, too!
Be sure to check COVID-19 safety policies before heading out, as some venues may require masking or proof of vaccination.
A note about ticket prices: Ticket price estimates below are based on available tickets at the time of this writing and are subject to change. We include a range here for planning purposes, but venue websites will have the latest information.
Children’s Performances
Oregon Children’s Theater
2022-23 Season: Dog Man: The Musical; Pestilence: Wow!; Dragons Love Tacos; The Mad Ones; Impulse: Sweet 16; Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Ticket Prices: Approximately $12-$42, three-show season pass $66-$84
Audience: On their website, OCT provides recommended ages for each performance, but all shows are kid-friendly.
Northwest Children’s Theater
2022-23 Season: Northwest Children’s Theater has moved to Broadway! The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts — The Judy — will be the new home for all of your favorite productions from this creative team. Stay tuned for the grand opening and live show announcements in early 2023.
Ticket Prices: TBD
Audience: All ages welcome!
Kindie Musicians and Children’s Performers
Check our Kids Calendar to find local performances featuring these fantastic artists:
Red Yarn Productions
Mo Phillips
Kelli Welli
Mr. Ben Music
Rock N’ Roll Fairy
Lori Henriques Music
Cat Doorman
The Alphabeticians
Pointed Man Band
Aaron Nigel Smith
Chuck Cheesman
Rick Huddle
Tallulah’s Daddy
Hi Joe Kye
Olive and Dingo: the People’s Clowns
Nikki Brown Clown
New Moon Productions
Portland Puppet Museum Live Performances
Penny’s Puppet Productions
Dragon Theater
Oregon Shadow Theatre
Plays, Musicals and Opera
Broadway in Portland
2022-23 Season: To Kill a Mockingbird; Jagged Little Pill; Moulin Rouge! The Musical; Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations; My Fair Lady; Hairspray; Come From Away
Ticket Prices: Individual tickets vary by show, seat and demand, but they are approximately $30-$135 before fees. Season tickets typically sell out quickly (you may join the waitlist), but the six-show package is $379-$689. You may join their e-club to have early access to individual tickets while you wait for a season ticket spot or if you prefer to buy individual tickets.
Audience: Recommended ages for each show are listed on their website.
The Portland Opera
2022-23 Season: Carmen; Thumbprint; Rusalka – or ‘The Mermaid Opera;’ ABSENCE: Terence Blanchard; Portland Opera to Go: Beatrice. See also their virtual option, Portland Opera Onscreen.
Ticket Prices: Vary by demand and availability, but approximately $35-$270. Season tickets are a three-show package, with at least 20% off individual ticket price, up to 50% off certain performances. They also offer a flexible subscription at a 10% off rate. Two weeks before showtime, $10 tickets are available with a student ID, or up to two $5 tickets with a valid Oregon Trail card.
Audience: Masks encouraged, but not required. Proof of vaccination is not required. Performances are generally recommended for ages 8+, as operas are very long. Check the content warnings for each production to decide if a particular opera is appropriate for your child.
Portland Center Stage at the Armory
2022-23 Season: the ripple, the wave that carried me home; Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord; It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play; Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson — Apt. 2B; Young Americans; Where We Belong; Choir Boy; A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Ticket Prices: Approximately $25-$98 for individual tickets. Season tickets may be purchased in a 3-show package ($113+), 8 admission pass ($550), or — for ages 35 and under — an Armory Card 5-admission pass ($125) . PCS offers fantastic ticket specials, including pay-what-you-will nights.
Audience: Most shows are recommended for high school ages and up, but may also appeal to mature middle-schoolers.
Broadway Rose Theatre Company
2022-23 Season: The Evolution of Man; A Very Merry PDX-MAS; Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook; Auditon from Hell; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella; Ain’t Misbehavin’; Home for the Holidays
Ticket Prices: Vary by seating and availability, but typically range from $20-$50. Season tickets passes for 2023 start at $180 for six shows.
Audience: Children under six are not admitted to their mainstage shows, but children ages 6+ receive discounted admission. Their summer children’s productions don’t have age restrictions and prices typically range from $10 for youth to $12 for adults, kids under 2 free.
Lakewood Center for the Arts
2022-23 Season: The Kiss; Blithe Spirit; Elf: The Musical; The Ghost of David Belasco; Doubt: A Parable; Something Rotten: The Smash Musical!; Side Door Stage; Roar of the Greasepaint, Smell of the Crowd; The Happy Time; Celebration
Ticket Prices: Approximately $20-$42, Season tickets 20% off individual price.
Audience: Recommendation varies by performance, see website.
Milagro
2022-23 Season: Mijita Friedita; Día de los Muertos; ¡Viva la Muerte!; Semillas; La Quijote; The Play You Want
Ticket Prices: Approximately $20-$27. Season passes range from $70-$102.
Audience: Varies by production. Contact the box office for more details.
Other venues to explore:
World Stage Theatre
Portland Revels
Echo Theater Company
CoHo Productions
Imago Theatre
Lovegood Performing Arts Company
Clackamas Repertory Theatre
Twilight Theater Company
Portland Panto Players
Stumptown Stages
Artists Repertory Theatre
Profile Theatre
Third Rail Repertory Theatre
Original Practice Shakespeare
Portland Playhouse
Curious Comedy Theater
Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland
Portland Concert Opera
Theatre Diaspora
PassinArt
Ballet and Dance
Oregon Ballet Theatre
2022-23 Season: A Midsummer Night’s Dream; George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker; La Sylphide; Firebird; Made in Portland; Coppélia
Ticket Prices: Individual tickets start at $29. Season ticket packages come in three options: Family (save 50% on kids’ tickets); Repertory, and Choose Your Own.
Audience: The recommended family package includes The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and La Sylphide.
The Portland Ballet
2022-23 Season: The Enchanted Toyshop
Ticket Prices: Start at $15.
Audience: Their holiday production always runs the weekend after Thanksgiving, a perfect tradition to kick off the season. Shows are appropriate for the whole family.
NW Dance Project
2022-23 Season: Bolero+; In Good Company; Common Ground; Stravinsky
Ticket Prices: Approximately $29-$68, plus $6 service fee. Half-price student/senior rush tickets (as available, all seats) at theater box office beginning one hour before performance time.
Audience: Any age, appropriate for the whole family.
Body Vox
2022-23 Season: Pearl Dive Live; Serious Cupcakes; The Spin; Cinevox Dance Film Festival; Junior Artist Generator
Tickets: Vary by show and seat, but approximately $25-$70. Season tickets range from $60-$180.
Audience: Performances recommended for ages 8+.
Other venues to explore:
Classical Ballet Academy
White Bird
Performance Works NW
Polaris Dance Theatre
Aerial Performances:
A-wol Dance Collective: Aerial Without Limits
Do Jump
Night Flight Aerial & Circus Arts
Concerts
Oregon Symphony
2022-23 Season: From Boléro to The Beatles, The Planets to The Dandy Warhols, Carmina Burana to Chris Botti, your Oregon Symphony has it all this season. The Kids Concerts Series includes The Magic of Mozart; Frosty Fables; and Peter & the Wolf. The Popcorn Package includes Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert; Hocus Pocus; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Concert; and The Goonies. The Pops Series includes Revolution: The Music of the Beatles — A Symphonic Experience; Bugs Bunny at the Symphony; Star Wars vs. Star Trek; and Retro Themes for Grown-up Kids.
Ticket Prices: Tickets start at $25 for most shows, but $11 for the Kids’ Series. For season tickets, there are many options at a variety of price points.
Audience: The Kids Concerts series is perfect for up-and-coming music lovers and lasts only one hour. The Young People’s Concerts are perfect for grades 3-8. Families may also enjoy the Pops Series, featuring popular musical hits from a variety of eras, or the Popcorn Package, when the live orchestra accompanies a film projected on the big screen. While the Kids Concerts Series is appropriate for younger children, most productions are recommended for ages 7+.
Metropolitan Youth Symphony
2022-23 Season: From the New World; The Magic of Eric Carle; Tales of Love and Justice with Jennifer Higdon; Against the Grain
Ticket Prices: Downtown concerts $11-$45, Community concerts (see website for schedule) $5-10
Audience: Bring the whole family. MYS students may attend any MYS concert for free.
The Portland Youth Philharmonic
2022-23 Season: The 99th Season Highlights include Autumn Variations; Concert-at-Christmas: “Up in the Air;“ Ruth Gipps: Symphony No. 3; Beethoven’s Ninth
Ticket Prices: $10-$60, season subscriptions available
Audience: Hear the nation’s first youth orchestra for yourself!
Classical Up Close
This organization — a collective effort by members of the Oregon Symphony — provides FREE community concerts in the Portland area. See their website for the full schedule.
Ticket Prices: Free.
Audience: They offer full-length concerts, shorter pop-up concerts, and even kids’ concerts.
Portland Columbia Symphony
2022-23 Season: Tchaikovsky & Brahms; Heaven & Earth; Grace & Action; Pictures & Reflections
Ticket Prices: Individual tickets typically $30-$50, season tickets range from $108-$180.
Audience: They typically offer family concerts; join their mailing list to learn about the next one.
Other venues to explore:
The Grotto
Portland’s Singing Christmas Tree
The Old Church Concert Hall
All of the Above
Portland’5 Centers for the Arts
Portland’5 brings over 1,000 music, theater, dance and lecture performances to Portland each year at their five venues: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Newmark Theatre, Keller Auditorium, Brunish Theatre and Winningstad Theatre. This is a great, one-stop site if you like lots of options in one place.
Portland Metro Arts
Portland Metro Arts is a nonprofit arts organization that provides meaningful access to quality arts education and performance for all ages, including dance, visual arts, theatre and music.
Rose Quarter
You may think of the Trailblazers and Winterhawks, but the Rose Quarter hosts lots of additional events. This season see Disney on Ice in November.
Patricia Reser Center for the Arts
This new arts center in Beaverton boasts a wide array of world class performances in a beautiful building. Jazzy Ash and Red Yarn perform live this October.
Portland Ovations
Portland Ovations is a non-profit performing arts organization connecting artists and audiences through diverse arts experiences. Their unique mix of live performances and more intimate workshops, lectures, masterclasses, and School-Time Performances have delighted, inspired, and educated since 1931.
See also:
Clinton Street Theater
NW Performing Arts Alliance
Chapel Theatre
Cathedral Park Performing Arts Collective
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