EVERY FEW YEARS, WE DO SOMETHING BIG

These ambitious summer projects bring PHAME artists together to create bold, large-scale productions that reach wide audiences and celebrate the power of inclusive, collaborative art. Here are a few from our archives—stay tuned for our next project coming summer 2026!

Stop Making Sense was a multimedia rock concert experience that brought PHAME artists together with an incredible lineup of guest musicians, including Laura Gibson, Lost Lander, Brian Koch (Blitzen Trapper), Matthew Gailey, Adriana Acosta, and Stephanie Strange. Inspired by the iconic 1984 Talking Heads concert film, this colorful and joyful production featured original choreography, dynamic video projections, stellar vocals, and unforgettable renditions of Talking Heads classics such as “Heaven,” “This Must Be the Place,” and “Psycho Killer.”

Directed by longtime PHAME supporters Jessica Dart and Jason Rouse, and with music direction by Amy Faulhaber and choreography by PHAME student JJ Ross, the show was a celebration of inclusion, creativity, and collaboration. PHAME artists performed as dancers, singers, and electronic musicians, supported by a live band. Their work was also featured in custom video projections that added an inventive, multimedia dimension to the production.

The Poet’s Shadow was an original rock opera created and performed by PHAME artists in collaboration with Portland Opera. Presented over a seven-show run in August 2023, the production was the culmination of an 18-month collaboration between our two organizations, combining powerful storytelling with inclusive artistic expression.

This contemporary fairy tale followed the journey of Elizabeth, a young poet reeling from heartbreak. As her words take on a life of their own, she sets off on a quest that tests her understanding of strength, courage, and love. The opera blended fantasy and emotional depth, brought to life through bold music, inventive visuals, and a powerful message of self-discovery.

The Poet’s Shadow featured artists with developmental disabilities at every stage of the process, not just writing and performing the opera, but also composing the music, designing the costumes, creating set design elements, and more. Performances took place at Portland Opera’s Hampton Opera Center, and Portland Opera also supported the production through opera-focused classes, workshops, and one-on-one vocal coaching.

The production also featured creative collaborations with Portland’s acclaimed Wobbly Dance, who choreographed the movement chorus, and the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, whose student musicians joined PHAME’s iPad Ensemble to form the opera’s one-of-a-kind orchestra.

In a single breath was a living performance collage of memories and moments written and directed by Matthew B. Zrebski in collaboration with PHAME artists and staff. Featuring special guest actor Jason Rouse and musical direction and composition by Matthew Gailey.