From the Ground Up

From the Ground Up From the Ground UP is a Portland-based nonprofit that provides accessible arts programming focused on creating new art.

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR SHOWING TONIGHT!After the show, the director Amber Fares and FTGU artistic director Katherin...
04/30/2026

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR SHOWING TONIGHT!
After the show, the director Amber Fares and FTGU artistic director Katherine Murphy Lewis will host a discussion and Q&A about the film
A documentary following Israeli activist-comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi as she creates a comedy show by the same name. Shot over five tumultuous years, the film traces Noam’s personal, professional, and political journey in tandem with the region’s steady deterioration.

Raised in a bilingual Israeli-Palestinian village — the only intentionally integrated community in the country — Noam grows disillusioned with traditional peace activism. She pivots to stand-up and quickly attracts attention across the Middle East. But as her star rises, everything around her falls apart. With biting satire, Noam pushes her audiences to face difficult truths that aren’t always funny but do remind us that another reality is possible.

This night will feature more than just a screening of the documentary Coexistence, My Ass! After, the director Amber Far...
04/17/2026

This night will feature more than just a screening of the documentary Coexistence, My Ass! After, the director Amber Fares and artistic director of From the Ground UP Katherine Murphy Lewis will have a discussion and a Q&A
Join us April 30th at Pam Cut’s Tomorrow Theater at 7pm
Tickets at Pam Cut or FTGU website
COEXISTENCE, MY ASS! A documentary following Israeli activist-comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi as she creates a comedy show by the same name. Shot over five tumultuous years, the film traces Noam’s personal, professional, and political journey in tandem with the region’s steady deterioration.

Raised in a bilingual Israeli-Palestinian village — the only intentionally integrated community in the country — Noam grows disillusioned with traditional peace activism. She pivots to stand-up and quickly attracts attention across the Middle East. But as her star rises, everything around her falls apart. With biting satire, Noam pushes her audiences to face difficult truths that aren’t always funny but do remind us that another reality is possible.

Join us April 18th & 19th for FORM : Language, Body, and Breath at This weekend intensive will explore blending the bod...
04/10/2026

Join us April 18th & 19th for FORM : Language, Body, and Breath at
This weekend intensive will explore blending the body through movement and language to create moments that bring your stories to the surface. More info on our workshop highlight or the workshop tab on our website.
All backgrounds and experience levels welcome. Artists from many backgrounds and levels have participated in past runs of this workshop.
Sign up on our website!
Cost $250 Email Katherine for questions or financial assistance - email on our website

Join us at PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater for a showing of Coexistence, My Ass! A documentary following Israeli activist-com...
04/08/2026

Join us at PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater for a showing of Coexistence, My Ass! A documentary following Israeli activist-comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi as she creates a comedy show by the same name.
Thursday, April 30th. Doors at 6:30, show at 7. Tickets $15 on the Tomorrow Theater website
Featuring a discussion after the show between the documentary director Amber Fares and From the Ground UP’s Artistic Director Katherine Murphy Lewis.

ABOUT THE FILM
Shot over five tumultuous years, the film traces Noam’s personal, professional, and political journey in tandem with the region’s steady deterioration.

Raised in a bilingual Israeli-Palestinian village — the only intentionally integrated community in the country — Noam grows disillusioned with traditional peace activism. She pivots to stand-up and quickly attracts attention across the Middle East. But as her star rises, everything around her falls apart. With biting satire, Noam pushes her audiences to face difficult truths that aren’t always funny but do remind us that another reality is possible.

Curious about the instructor for DANCE X CAMERA? JOIN US: May 2nd and 3rd at Swipe to learn more about the fabulous Rac...
04/07/2026

Curious about the instructor for DANCE X CAMERA?
JOIN US: May 2nd and 3rd at
Swipe to learn more about the fabulous Rachel Slater. An artist who blends choreography and filmography to create stunning dance films!
Register on our website linked in our bio. Email Katherine for questions or financial assistance. Her email on the website as well. See you there!

Today’s associate artist spotlight is on Carlos-Zenen Trujillo, our dramaturgy mentor for the 2026 residency cohort!Carl...
04/06/2026

Today’s associate artist spotlight is on Carlos-Zenen Trujillo, our dramaturgy mentor for the 2026 residency cohort!

Carlos-Zenen Trujillo is a Latine theatre artist from Bejucal, Cuba. Carlos’ written work includes: The Island in Winter and Our Utopia (Bag&Baggage Productions); Sirena (Portland Center’s JAW Festival); Christmas, Contigo (Oregon Cabaret Theatre; Teatro de las Americas; TheatreWorks Tampa); Conchita (a play about a dog) and WILD/CAUGHT (Artist Repertory Theatre); The Image of the Black Madonna and Abundancia (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); The Long White Line (LimeArts Productions) and Queen of Deseret (FUSE’s OUTWright Festival). They have worked as a Dramaturg for several local theatres including Bag&Baggage, Advance Gender Equity in the Arts, Portland Center Stage, Artists Repertory Theatre and others. They are an ordained babalocha in Regla de Ocha and served as a Lucumi Religious Consultant for Dear Dead Drug Lord (Washington Ensemble Theatre; CRAVE Theatre) and The Brothers Size (Portland Center Stage). They were a 2019 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) ASPIRE Leadership Fellow, a member of ART’s 2022-2024 PATHWAYS Cohort, a 2020 KCACTF Directing Fellow, a cohort member at 2021 Ashland New Plays Festival New Voices Retreat and a participant in the 2021 Maria Irene Fornés Playwriting Workshop. They received the 2019 John Cauble Award for Artistic Leadership and the KCACTF Certificate of Merit in Dramaturgy for their work on The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Carlos-Zenen holds a BFA in Theatre Arts from Southern Oregon University with specializations in Performance, Direction and Dramaturgy. They hold a degree in Culinary Arts from the Northwest Culinary Institute and are a certified home care worker with the state of Oregon.

“Art is not a mirror to reflect the world, but a hammer with which to shape it.” -Bertolt Brecht

Explore the intersection of film and dance with upcoming workshop DANCE X CAMERATaught by the wonderful Rachel Slater, s...
04/03/2026

Explore the intersection of film and dance with upcoming workshop DANCE X CAMERA
Taught by the wonderful Rachel Slater, swipe to learn more!
Registration information found on our website.
Email Katherine for questions regarding financial assistance, found on the website

It’s no joke! This upcoming intensive will be fantastic! Swipe to learn more about FORM : Language, Body, and BreathTwo ...
04/01/2026

It’s no joke! This upcoming intensive will be fantastic!
Swipe to learn more about FORM : Language, Body, and Breath
Two days of moving, writing, and creating for all movement levels. Taught by Katherine Murphy Lewis and Andrea Parson.
Do you have a story to tell? Are you looking for new engaging methods of creating work that lives in front of others? Find more info and register on our website link in bio.
Questions and requests for financial assistance can be directed to Katherine.

Our next associate artist is Emily June Newton (aka Frank)! We are offering a workshop with her as well, Creating comedi...
04/01/2026

Our next associate artist is Emily June Newton (aka Frank)! We are offering a workshop with her as well, Creating comedic characters from the self. More info on our website!
Emily June Newton is an international comedic performer originally from Australia, now based in Portland, Oregon. Known for her eccentric, fully embodied characters and dynamic audience interaction, Emily’s work pushes the boundaries between performer and spectator. Her signature creations include Frank (the world’s most entertaining entertainer), Pat McKensie (Australia’s self-appointed Cultural Ambassador), The Rat King, and The Bard (Mike Bennett Studios).

Emily has performed nationally and internationally with acclaimed companies such as Terrapin Puppet Theatre (AUS), Oregon Children’s Theatre (USA), CoHo Productions (USA), The Children’s Art Theatre of China (CHN), and Dell’Arte International (USA).

Described as “comedic gold” by Broadway World and a “standout clown” by The Mercury PDX, Emily holds an MFA in Ensemble-Based Physical Theater from Dell’Arte International. She is the co-artistic director of the CoHo Clown Cohort, faculty at the Institute of Contemporary Performance (PETE), and a proud member of the Portland chapter of Fou Fou Ha, San Francisco’s premier burlesque clown troupe.

Next up in our associate artist spotlight is Megan Wilkerson! Megan Wilkerson is a professional Scenic Designer & Educat...
03/30/2026

Next up in our associate artist spotlight is Megan Wilkerson!
Megan Wilkerson is a professional Scenic Designer & Educator. Her Design work has been recognized by The Chicago Tribune, The Oregonian, The Austin Critics Circle, and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Regionally Megan has worked with The Seattle Rep, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Orpheus PDX, The Skylight Opera, First Stage Children’s Theatre, The Michigan Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Portland Center Stage and the Portland Opera.

Megan has taught a range of design and theatre courses in Portland and around the country including the Michigan State, The University of Wisconsin, Lewis & Clark and Portland State.

Megan is also an Art Director for advertising and film as well as an Educator. She and her husband own and run Pairings Portland Wine Shop & Bar where Megan exercises her sense of humor and fun on marketing natural wine to folks who would never try it otherwise.

Megan is a resident artist at Artists Repertory Theatre and a proud member of United Scenic Artists, the union of professional designers for live entertainment. To see more of Megan’s work visit meganwilkerson.com

This workshop was rescheduled and last time sold out in 10 days so grab a spot fast! Creating Comedic Characters from th...
03/28/2026

This workshop was rescheduled and last time sold out in 10 days so grab a spot fast!
Creating Comedic Characters from the Self
Blending Clowning Foundations, Personal Discovery, Costumes & Objects

April 18th /19th 11am-4pm at New Expressive Works
All levels welcome!
Register and learn more at our website
Participants are invited to bring costumes, accessories, or everyday objects that spark curiosity or silliness—these become powerful tools in revealing new comedic personas.

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Portland, OR

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