October 11th - November 8th 2025
Thursdays - Sundays at 7:30pm
Thursdays - Sundays at 7:30pm
What people are saying
"This is genre-defying, uncompromising, and completely original. Van Der Merwe has created something that will challenge, provoke, and transform your understanding of what a night at the theatre can be."
-Krista Garver, Broadway World
read the full review HERE
The name, Dancing on the Sabbath, alludes to both dancing and witchcraft, practices that have been viewed as taboo in Western cultures and banned on and off throughout history. “These things often had to happen in secret,” Van Der Merwe says. “The whole play is basically one big secret.”
-Isabel Lemus Kristensen, Portland Monthly
"Phenomenal!"
"Astounding!"
"Breathtaking!"
"Jaw dropping!"
"... a beautiful, scary, theatrical wonder!"
"... a fascinating and beautiful theatrical experience!"
"One of the craziest shows I've ever seen. Honestly, superb. Go check it out if you can!"
"Absolutely unforgettable! I left the theatre feeling joy."
"... a genius of storytelling."
"Beautiful! So rich with meaning."
"Such powerful and wonderful theatre!"
"I will be thinking about it forever"
"Really poignant and thought-provoking piece"
"What an outstanding, powerful, and important work of art.
You got to the essence of storytelling and theatre. It blew me away."
"Weird, wild, massive juxtapositions intricately, purposefully crafted/choreographed (from scratch), experiential, experimental theatre"
"Every detail - visual, aural, in movement or rhythm or vocalization - was so fully, wildly realized."
"There was just silence and chimes and the vibe was BAD"
-Krista Garver, Broadway World
read the full review HERE
The name, Dancing on the Sabbath, alludes to both dancing and witchcraft, practices that have been viewed as taboo in Western cultures and banned on and off throughout history. “These things often had to happen in secret,” Van Der Merwe says. “The whole play is basically one big secret.”
-Isabel Lemus Kristensen, Portland Monthly
"Phenomenal!"
"Astounding!"
"Breathtaking!"
"Jaw dropping!"
"... a beautiful, scary, theatrical wonder!"
"... a fascinating and beautiful theatrical experience!"
"One of the craziest shows I've ever seen. Honestly, superb. Go check it out if you can!"
"Absolutely unforgettable! I left the theatre feeling joy."
"... a genius of storytelling."
"Beautiful! So rich with meaning."
"Such powerful and wonderful theatre!"
"I will be thinking about it forever"
"Really poignant and thought-provoking piece"
"What an outstanding, powerful, and important work of art.
You got to the essence of storytelling and theatre. It blew me away."
"Weird, wild, massive juxtapositions intricately, purposefully crafted/choreographed (from scratch), experiential, experimental theatre"
"Every detail - visual, aural, in movement or rhythm or vocalization - was so fully, wildly realized."
"There was just silence and chimes and the vibe was BAD"
Welcome to the Center of Compliance
Here, the most incorrigible, unruly princesses are sent to master the art of obedience.
Of the King’s twelve daughters, five have been declared unmarriable and must be retrained to become “proper” wives. The King will accept nothing less. If his daughters refuse to comply, how can the rest of the women in the land be expected to?
But something is amiss at the Center. Even under the King’s watchful eye, under guard, and under lock and key, the princesses have been up to no good.
And so, dear Watcher, the night vigil falls to you.
Of the King’s twelve daughters, five have been declared unmarriable and must be retrained to become “proper” wives. The King will accept nothing less. If his daughters refuse to comply, how can the rest of the women in the land be expected to?
But something is amiss at the Center. Even under the King’s watchful eye, under guard, and under lock and key, the princesses have been up to no good.
And so, dear Watcher, the night vigil falls to you.
Up to no good
When you come to sit the night vigil, do not let the princesses out of your sight!
From eldest to youngest, Princesses Saffron (Sammy Rat Rios), Tula (Joellen Sweeney), Jade (Olivia Mathews), Winnie (Kailey Rhodes), and Bina (Kayla Hanson)
From eldest to youngest, Princesses Saffron (Sammy Rat Rios), Tula (Joellen Sweeney), Jade (Olivia Mathews), Winnie (Kailey Rhodes), and Bina (Kayla Hanson)
Sammy Rat Rios-
Member of Actors' Equity Association
|
Joellen Sweeney
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Olivia Mathews
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Kailey Rhodes
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Kayla Hanson
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Under Suspicion
Keep a sharp eye on the princesses’ keepers. The Praying Woman (Laura Cannon) and The Guard (Kai Hynes) seem to be letting things slip inside the Center.
Laura Cannon
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Kai Hynes
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After the Lights go out
In the Grove
Meaning of "Sabbath"
sab·bath
/ˈsabəTH/
noun
(1) a day of religious observance and abstinence from work.
(2) a supposed annual midnight meeting of witches with the Devil.
/ˈsabəTH/
noun
(1) a day of religious observance and abstinence from work.
(2) a supposed annual midnight meeting of witches with the Devil.
About the Twelve Dancing Princesses by The Brothers Grimm
There was a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. They slept in twelve separate beds, all in one room, and each night the doors were securely locked. Yet every morning, their shoes were found worn through, as if they had been danced in all night. No one could figure out how this happened or where the princesses had been.
In desperation, the king declared that anyone who could uncover the secret and discover where the princesses went to dance would be allowed to choose one of them as his bride and become king after his death. However, anyone who failed to solve the mystery within three days and nights would be put to death.
In desperation, the king declared that anyone who could uncover the secret and discover where the princesses went to dance would be allowed to choose one of them as his bride and become king after his death. However, anyone who failed to solve the mystery within three days and nights would be put to death.
Creative
Director & Set Designer Samantha Van Der Merwe
Choreographer Laura Cannon
Fairy Tale Consultant Kate Bernheimer
Assistant Director Maryellen Wood
Lighting Designer Abby Jacquin
Sound Designer Matt Wiens
Costume Designer Anya Jones
Technical Director & Set Design Collaborator Nate Raphael
Set Design Collaborator Alex Meyer
Video Engineer Jared Jonas
Film Creation Rob Martinez
Stage Manager Hayley Lamsma
Assistant Stage Manager Amelia Grissom
Fight Choreography Kristen Mun-Van Noy
Weapons Specialist John Armour
Box Office Manager Kai Hynes
Scenic Painter Harry Fonk
Set Design Intern Quinn Magness
Choreographer Laura Cannon
Fairy Tale Consultant Kate Bernheimer
Assistant Director Maryellen Wood
Lighting Designer Abby Jacquin
Sound Designer Matt Wiens
Costume Designer Anya Jones
Technical Director & Set Design Collaborator Nate Raphael
Set Design Collaborator Alex Meyer
Video Engineer Jared Jonas
Film Creation Rob Martinez
Stage Manager Hayley Lamsma
Assistant Stage Manager Amelia Grissom
Fight Choreography Kristen Mun-Van Noy
Weapons Specialist John Armour
Box Office Manager Kai Hynes
Scenic Painter Harry Fonk
Set Design Intern Quinn Magness
Dancing on the Sabbath is generously supported by our major donors; Ronni Lacroute, Jessie Jonas, Ellyn Bye, and Anonymous x 2. We'd also like to thank PDXWines, the foundations and organizations listed below, members of Shaking the Tree's Board, as well as many other individual supporters. To support this show, or any others in our season, please visit our DONATE page.
THANK YOU to our Craft Night volunteers as well as volunteers who stopped by to help create our vine materials: Olivia Matthews, Gerrin Mitchell, Jo Brody, Samie Joan Pfeifer & Tim Waggoner.
Special Thanks to Anand Boucher-Colbert
THANK YOU to our Craft Night volunteers as well as volunteers who stopped by to help create our vine materials: Olivia Matthews, Gerrin Mitchell, Jo Brody, Samie Joan Pfeifer & Tim Waggoner.
Special Thanks to Anand Boucher-Colbert
