Oregon Stage Works is run by nice people who are well-meaning. They aren't running the glitziest theater in town, but sometimes it's the gutsiest.
They offer many classes for kids, aspiring actors, and others interested in theater crafts. They have a forum for local playwrights, and as of January 2006 they are starting to produce some of these new, local plays.
People like OSW because it's an intimate space, and yet so much can happen on their stage. It's fun to compare them with the Shakespeare Festival, just to see the different extremes (and what money can or can't buy).
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