Shaking the Tree seeks to meld the boundaries of theatre and visual art by presenting thrilling and unconventional theatrical experiences in our non-traditional warehouse space. Founded in 2003, and led by Samantha Van Der Merwe, STT positions itself at the intersection of innovation, activism, equity, and groundbreaking theatricality to allow audiences to experience a deeper, more active connection to the work. 

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Check out our upcoming 18/19 season of shows HERE

Among Portland's best theatre companies, putting on a wonderful mix of classic and contemporary with an emphasis on the visual.
​~DeAnn Welker, special to the Oregonian

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Meet STT's Playwright in Residence for 2018/19- Anya Pearson

Anya Pearson is an award-winning actress, playwright, poet, producer, and activist. She is the inaugural winner of the prestigious $10,000 Voice is a Muscle Grant from the Corporeal Voices Foundation run by best-selling author Lidia Yuknavitch. Anya recently received a $10,000 commission to adapt Measure for Measure with an African-American lens focused on the prison industrial complex and its effect on black families. She is the author of the choreopoem, Made to Dance in Burning Buildings, which is a fusion of poetry, theatre, and violent and visceral contemporary dance which poses the question: how do we heal from trauma? Made to Dance in Burning Buildings was performed at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater on April 24 2018 and will receive its World Premiere at Shaking The Tree in February 2019. She is also producing a documentary, which follows the development of the play, her passionate quest to empower other survivors, and dissects rape culture as a whole. She is currently at work on her first collection of poetry. In February, Anya was a featured panelist at one of the talkbacks of Eve Ensler’s new play, In the Body of the World, at Manhattan Theatre Club. As an actor, she was recently seen as Seneca Howland in Jaclyn Backhaus’ Men on Boats for Third Rail Repertory Theatre. Favorite roles include Eve in Come to the Table, Mike Pence for Shaking the Tree, Nikki in Hands Up for August Wilson’s Red Door Project, Rebecca in The Call for Profile Theatre, and Antipholus/Adriana/Bobby (and others) in Bomb-itty of Errors for Post Five Theatre. An excerpt from her next piece, Above a Whisper, a fusion of poetry, narrative, dance, visual art, and film about sexual harassment, debuted at SALT at Shaking The Tree in May 2018. She is a graduate of the prestigious two-year program at the William Esper Studio in New York City where she studied acting with Terry Knickerbocker. She is also a graduate of the writing program at Marylhurst University. Her best production is truly her 5 ½-year-old daughter, Aidan. 

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I have been gobsmacked by every Shaking the Tree production I've seen! ~Patron

Shaking the Tree classes

Shaking the Tree Studio is a laboratory for tomorrow's theatre makers. By using the same principles we hold dear for play-making, we seek to provide students with rich and varied literature, allow them to explore it through immersion, and witness them experience a deeper connection of thought, feeling, and action, as a result.

INFO ON CLASSES

Shaking the Tree Warehouse

Shaking the Tree is the resident company of STT Warehouse, a beautiful, large warehouse space in South East Portland. STT Warehouse can be rented for performances, rehearsals and events. For more information about rates and availability, follow the link below.
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Rental info

Shaking the Tree needs you

If you have enjoyed coming to one of our productions or classes, and want to have more of a connection to our work, consider getting involved as a volunteer, a board member, or giving a gift to Shaking the Tree . Here's how you can get involved...
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Support us

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