PRESS RELEASE: PHAME Academy Announces Ambitious Summer Production Based on Talking Heads’ Iconic Concert Film
PHAME presents
STOP MAKING SENSE
A Multimedia Concert Tribute to Talking Heads
August 26 and 27, 2023
at REVOLUTION HALL
1300 SE Stark Street Portland, OR 97214
PHAME Academy is thrilled to announce Stop Making Sense, a multimedia rock n’ roll event at Revolution Hall on August 26 and 27, 2023. Inspired by Talking Heads’ 1984 concert film of the same name, this colorful, joyful show will feature PHAME artists sharing the stage with professional musicians and well-known special guests (TBA). Almost forty years after the original film’s debut, PHAME seeks to pay homage to Talking Heads and the Stop Making Sense cultural phenomenon through an I/DD lens.
Following the success of The Poet’s Shadow in 2019—PHAME’s first production to be written, designed, and performed by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities—Stop Making Sense will continue to showcase the vast talent of PHAME’s artists in a brand-new way. In addition to the vocalists, iPad musicians, and dancers appearing live onstage at Revolution Hall, PHAME visual artists, photographers, actors, and videographers will collaborate on content for eleven original videos to be featured throughout the show. PHAME artist JJ Ross will develop original choreography and reimagine some classic solo dance sequences from the film.
Says PHAME Executive Director Jenny Stadler, “This show is really going to have it all: beloved music; incredible talent; unique and vibrant use of video and projections. It’s going to be a wild ride in the best way. And audiences will see our artists—people who experience disability—sharing an inclusive stage with industry professionals, making something fantastic together.”
Longtime PHAME collaborators Jason Rouse and Jessica Dart are co-producing and directing.
“We’ve been dreaming about this show for two years now, and it’s finally happening! We love Talking Heads, we love PHAME, and we’re excited to help bring them together. It’s such a great opportunity for PHAME artists to stretch themselves creatively, collaborate on something new, and feel the unmatched energy of a rock show at Revolution Hall,” says Rouse.
Stop Making Sense is supported by the Oregon Cultural Trust. It is also supported by a Creative Heights grant from the Oregon Community Foundation.
Two performances only, August 26 at 7:30pm and August 27 at 2:00pm.
MORE INFORMATION HERE. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW: August 26 | August 27
Media Contact:
Anya Roberts, Chief Operating Officer, PHAME Academy
aroberts@phamepdx.org | (503) 764-9718 ext. 15