The West Side Players is a non-profit touring theatre company formed in 1991, to bring outdoor theater to the communities of Washington county. Based on the principle of providing quality, affordable theater to everyone, the Players staged Shakespeare's "A Comedy of Errors" as their debut production, performing in parks in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Forest Grove. The following summer, they delighted children and adults alike with their production of "Winnie the Pooh." This led the Players to the idea of producing children's theatre on a regular basis. In the fall of 1992, the West Side Players introduced their Children's Theatre Tour of "The Bremen Town Musicians." The Children's Theatre Tour has continued to tour the greater Washington County area every fall. They have produced such shows as "Aladdin and his Magic Lamp," "Puss-N-Boots," "The Frog Prince," and "Coyote Steals Fire and other Native American Tales," all original scripts written by West Side members.

In the winter of 1994, The West Side Players joined with Pacific University's Literature of Vietnam Class to produce "Strange Snow," a play about the effects of war on those who have returned home. After the run at Pacific, the cast was invited to perform the show at the VA Hospital in Vancouver for many veterans and their families and after the performance, they where privileged to participate in discussions with those in attendance. For the cast and crew of the show, this was a moving and unforgettable experience.

The most recent indoor production was "The Shadow Box," by Michael Cristofer, the moving story of three terminally ill patients and their families coping with impending loss.

During this time, the West Side Players continued to mount their Outdoor Summer Theatre Tour, including such shows as "A Company of Wayward Saints" by George Herman, Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor", "Tartuffe" by Moliere, the North American premiere of "Romeo & Juliet, Deceased" by Martin Beard, and most recently, "The Curate Shakespeare As You Like It" by Don Nigro. Each summer brought the Players back to such favorite locations as Raleigh Park in Portland, Murrayhill Amphitheatre in Beaverton, Pacific University in Forest Grove, and McMenamin's Edgefield in Troutdale.

The 2000-2001 season marked the beginning of a new chapter for the West Side Players, as we embark upon an exciting new partnership with DEO Catering to bring dinner theater to downtown Hillsboro, Oregon.

Unfortunately, after that one successful season, DEO Catering lost their lease on the building we'd been using, and the West Side Players are still looking for a space to play in.

For more information about the West Side Players, please contact us at (503) 640-5746, or drop us a note.