What’s On
By Samuel Beckett
Come see our very own Artistic Director, Ira Kortum, in a special production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett!
One of the most influential English-language plays in recent history, Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is an absurdist tragicomedy that seems to be about everything—and nothing at all.
Featuring talents from four different theatre companies, this production of Waiting for Godot will be fully staged at the Wyrd Hut in Southeast Portland, with proceeds supporting the Canon Shakespeare Company.
Performances will run August 6th through 23rd. Tickets available here, with more information in the Ticket Booth.
WAITING FOR GODOT (AMATEUR PERFORMANCE RIGHTS) is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service.
www.concordtheatricals.com
Up Next: Waiting for Godot
Meet the Team
Cast:
Estragon: Ira Kortum, Artistic Director of the Canon Shakespeare Company
Vladimir: Paul Roder, Props Lead at Twilight Theatre Company
Pozzo: Tony Domingue
Lucky: Preston Black
The Boy: Arjun Sarraju
Production Team:
Director: Alacias Enger, Artistic Director & Co-Founder of Third Eye Theatre
Stage Manager & Lighting Designer: Mojo McCoy
Costume Designer: Rebecca Dow
Set Design & Construction: Christina Kortum
Sound Design: Ravyn Jazper-Hawke
Ira Kortum
EstragonIra Kortum (he/him) is thrilled to be fulfilling a life long dream of his in performing the part of Estragon! A charter member of The Canon Shakespeare Company, he also serves as the company’s Artistic Director. Ira’s pursuit for knowledge at several schools for the performing arts over the years, including The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and Portland State University, where he holds a Master of Science degree in Theatre Arts, have led him to Randolph College. Where he is currently working towards his MFA in Theatre. Ira has over thirty years of experience as an actor in both film and stage. Some of his more memorable stage roles include that of Claudius in Hamlet, Alfred Packer in Cannibal the Musical, Vince in Buried Child, Macbeth in Macbeth, Uncle Ernie in The Who's Tommy, and Delmont Williams in The Miss Firecracker Contest. Ira wishes to dedicate his performance to his best friend and the love of his life, Christina Kortum.
Paul Roder
VladimirPaul Roder has been a fixture in local theater for some 15 years now. He serves on staff as Prop Dept. Lead for Twilight Theater, where he also directs and acts. He has built sets and directed for Experience Theater Project, and was Artistic Director at HART for 6 years. He and his wife Karen have a side project called Theatre in the 'Hood, along with Tina Arth, this production's sponsor.
He'd like to thank Ira for making this a reality, and Lacy for her guidance and direction. It's been a joy to share the stage with Tony, Preston, and Arjun, and to work with Mojo, Christina, and Rebecca as well.
Paul and Karen live in Beaverton with their two Maine Coon cats.
Tony Domingue
PozzoTony Domingue is looking forward to this production. He has been involved with community theater for the past 10 years. His previous roles have included Lieutenant Stokes in American Son and the character "Love" in Everybody, both with the Twilight Theater Company. Tony would like to thank his theater teacher Jo Strom Lane for her support over the years.
Preston Black
LuckyPreston Black (Lucky) is thrilled to have the opportunity to perform such an incredible piece of art with such lovely and talented people. Preston is relatively new to the theater scene in Portland, having appeared last year in a reading of Dinner with Friends at Twilight Theater and just recently in the original play BUMP by local artist Riley Michael Parker for the new company Millions & Millions. They performed in the ensemble of Pullman vs. Paxton's Heathers: The Musical in Seattle and performed in many plays and musicals in Rhode Island. Preston studied acting at the University of Rhode Island and currently studies under Brooke Totman at 100 Lives Rep. They'd like to thank their amazing wife, Grace, for always being supportive and encouraging, and Paul for reaching out with the opportunity.
Arjun Sarraju
The BoyArjun Sarraju is thrilled to join the cast of Waiting for Godot as The Boy. A relatively new performer, his credits include Von Sochocky in Radium Girls with Village Home, the Wizard in Once Upon a Mattress with Stages, and more. The experience of working on this play has only made Arjun fall even more in love with theatre. He’s thankful to the creative team, cast, and crew for this truly wonderful production experience. He hopes you enjoy(ed) the show.
Alacias Enger
DirectorAlacias Enger (Director) is delighted to be making her debut with The Canon Shakespeare Company by directing this production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Alacias is the Artistic Director of Third Eye Theatre and has simultaneously been producing and directing in the Second Annual Portland Pride Play Festival. Alacias reentered the Portland theatre scene in 2024 by co-directing Mae West’s The Drag at Twilight Theatre with Third Eye’s Programming Manager, Ravyn. She continued her collaboration with Ravyn by relaunching Third Eye Theatre in 2025 with the First Annual Portland Pride Play Festival. Producing more than 20 plays in Portland between 2006 and 2013, she is thrilled to be focusing her attention on Third Eye Theatre’s Portland Pride Play Festival and Queer Voices New Play Development Program. Directing credits include No Exit, Das Barbecü, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, We Bombed in New Haven, and Porn Shop! just to name a few. On the stage, a few of her favorite acting credits include Polly Pry in Cannibal! The Musical, Shelly in Buried Child, and Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest. When not at the theater, you can very likely find Alacias writing, traveling, or spending time outdoors.
Mojo McCoy
Stage Manager & Lighting DesignerMojo McCoy is a theater technician at a few local theaters in Portland, having just finished their associate's degree at MHCC. While they've been a technician for many shows at MHCC, the most notable are Stage Manager for Jesus Christ Superstar and Everybody. You may have seen them act in Be More Chill as Ensemble and Men on Boats as Hawkins. They have regular contracted theater work that they do through 21ten as one of the Barebones Theater stage managers, and Twilight Theater Company as a technician of various sorts. Mojo would love to thank their fiancé, pets, friends, and family for always supporting them when they put their mind to something and cheering them through it.
Rebecca Dow
Costume DesignerRebecca (Costume Designer) is excited to be working with The Canon Shakespeare Company. A lover of sewing and clothing, she started costuming while at college and has been lucky enough to keep it a part of her life since then. Prior notable productions include The Importance of Being Earnest, We Bombed in New Haven, and Cannibal! The Musical.
Christina Kortum
Set Designer & Set ConstructionChristina Kortum, or “CK” as she’s known, is the owner and operator of Ravenous Studios, a character makeup and prop-making shop with operations in Portland, Oregon and now also Burbank, CA. Christina has been working in the film and entertainment industry since 2006, on projects located around the world. You have seen her work on such shows as NBC's Grimm, Portlandia, Leverage, and The Librarians, as well as numerous independent feature films. Recently, Christina was a recipient of a Makeup Artist Guild Award for her contribution to Kerry Herta’s team creating the 2022 American Horror Story Double Feature promo and 2023 American Horror Stories Dollhouse promos for FX. When not designing for film or television, you can find Christina spending time with her family or plotting out her next creative adventure.
Ravyn Jazper-Hawke
Sound DesignerRavyn’s (she/they/all) recent credits include sound design for Third Eye Theatre’s 2nd Annual Portland Pride Play Festival, where she serves as Programming Manager. She spent 15 years in retail music, including management positions at Tower Records and Wherehouse Music, and later booked bands as Managing Director of the Henry Strater Theatre in Durango, Colorado.
Her directing credits include The Drag, They/Them/Their, Sappho: The 10th Muse, Psycho Beach Party, The Revenger’s Tragedy, The Pillowman, and The Who’s Tommy. She co-directed The Drag with Alacias Enger and has collaborated with Ira Kortum from both sides of the footlights: Ravyn directed him as Uncle Ernie in Tommy, and he directed her as Anorexia in Toxic Avenger: The Musikill. During the latter, Lloyd Kaufman kissed her cheek and told her she had “a voice like a bell,” which remains her only claim to fame.
Samuel Beckett
PlaywrightSamuel Beckett (1906-1989) is widely recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.
Mr. Beckett is most renowned for his play Waiting for Godot, which launched his career in theatre. He then went on to write numerous successful full-length plays, including Endgame in 1957, Krapp’s Last Tape in 1958, and Happy Days in 1960. Mr. Beckett received his first commission for radio from the BBC in 1956 for All That Fall. This was followed by a further five plays for radio, including Embers, Words and Music and Cascando.
Like no other dramatist before him, Mr. Beckett’s works capture the pathos and ironies of modern life yet still maintain his faith in man’s capacity for compassion and survival, no matter how absurd his environment may have become.
Mr. Beckett’s bio courtesy of concordtheatricals.com.
Special Thanks To:
Our gracious sponsor, Tina Arth; Stephanie Crowley, for all her work in marketing; Karen Roder, for laundry and line help; Andy Cameron for the poster; and Scott & Blade with the Wyrd Hut.