Theatre Diaspora

09/29/2026

Join us for a free workshop reading and help develop a new play-in-progress!
Theatre Diaspora is proud to present a workshop reading of The Chinese Room by Adrian Zhang on Sunday, October 4 at 6pm.

Chinese American Vivian is struggling to write her own story. Between her parent’s expectations and cultural stereotypes, she feels like she’s trapped in a bad TV show. How can we write our own narratives, and what even is a “typical” Asian American story?

This workshop reading will be followed by a structured audience feedback session with the playwright. Come be part of the playwriting development process and support an emerging voice in AAPI theatre!

The reading will be held in the Black Box Rehearsal Room at Reed College’s Performing Arts Building, 3017 SE Woodstock Blvd., Portland OR 97202. The reading is free but seating is limited so RSVP through the link in our bio!

09/28/2026

Theatre Diaspora is honored to receive the Arts Fund grant from Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) this year! This general operating grant will allow us to continue championing AAPI stories in Portland through our staged reading series, summer production, community collaborations, and professional development for AAPI theatre artists. Kudos to all of the other amazing organizations who got the grant this year, and thank you again to A4 for this amazing support!

08/25/2026

After 11 years of helping build Theatre Diaspora into a home for Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and audiences in Portland, Samson Syharath is stepping back from his role as Co-Artistic Director.

While we’ll miss having Samson at the helm, we’re grateful that he’ll continue with Theatre Diaspora as a board member and artist. 

Justine Nakase will step into the role of Artistic Director. We can’t wait to see where her leadership takes us next, and we’re grateful that she and Samson will continue to collaborate in this next chapter.

Thank you, Samson, for 11 years of vision, care, and community-building. And welcome, Justine!

Come celebrate with us at our next event, Sharing Stories with the Hungry Ghosts, on Saturday, September 6 from 1:30-3:30 PM at Taborspace, co-hosted by Samson Syharath and Bea Yeh.

08/10/2026

Free workshop for AAPI creatives! Through movement, writing, and shared conversation, participants will explore personal and collective histories with Chisao . Food will be provided!

07/03/2026

It’s the final weekend! Catch it while you can!

Featuring Professor Barbie Wu, with work behind the scenes from more Reedies, Carla Ching’s play illuminates a unique and poignant friendship.

06/04/2026

🧨 Meet the cast of THE TWO KIDS THAT BLOW S**T UP!

Barbie Wu is the feisty firecracker Diana!

Wu is a Portland based actor, director, and professor. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from Southern Methodist University. Her past productions at ART include Sapience, The Chinese Lady, Today Is My Birthday (Audio Drama), Magellanica (Audio Drama), Everybody, and A Doll’s House, Part 2. Her other Portland productions include The Wolves at Portland Playhouse, A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Anonymous Theatre. Wu is an assistant professor in the theatre department at Reed College. Barbie is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

THE TWO KIDS THAT BLOW S**T UP runs June 26 to July 5 at Artists Repertory Theatre. Tickets in link in bio.

Photo Credit: Nina Johnson

05/06/2026

Lilly Do (she/her) is a q***r Teochew Chinese facilitator, instructor, and multidisciplinary artist. Cofounder of Liminal Bodies and Program Manager at Write Around Portland, Lilly spends her time walking around the neighborhood like an old Asian uncle and drawing as often as she can.
When she isn’t facilitating writing workshops, Lilly spends her time engaging in the BIPOC, AAPI, and q***r and trans communities in Portland as the cofounder of Liminal Bodies, a PNW-based q***r and trans writing project focusing on movement as a process for deepening our writing practices. Lilly is also the Program Manager at Write Around Portland, a free writing program that consists of participants writing, sharing, and giving strength-based feedback. Her piece, “Survival Artists and Their Generational Lessons” can be found in the first issue of Significant Beings.

05/01/2026

We love uplifting and featuring local AANHPI friends! Tag someone and let us spread the word about your incredible work!

05/01/2026

One of our writing cohort members , is organizing a comedy event.. an Asian American Pacific Islander Two Part Stand Up Comedy Showcase!! In May, AAPI Heritage month! You don’t want to miss it!!

📆: May 23rd and May 30th

📍: CORE - Bar & Food Carts
3612 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97266

⏱️: 7-9 pm

💵: Donation based

Billy Mamata and myself are co-producing these events! In an AAPI owned space.

DJ: Ken Hop

Poster credit:

18+ DISCLAIMER

🎤 Lineups: 🎤

May 23, 2026

1. Renata Tirta
2. Roseminda
3. Yue Zhou
4. Alina Aliyar
5. David Seung .o.g
6. Blake Hoshibata
7. Yu Chin Tsai
8. Men-Roth Nye
9. Katie Nguyen

May 30, 2026
1. Arvind
2. Brian Govender
3. Lindy Tongol
4. Jon Banks
5. Ru
6. Naomi Dixon
7. Armaan Singh
8. Krystal Martos







standupcomedy

04/24/2026

Our New Musical "RE-RITE" Opens Today! - An original Asian American Comedic Musical featuring Lao, Filipino, and Indian music and dance... https://mailchi.mp/6280cc2c16dd/rerite-opening