Chris Coleman takes hard, but funny look at sexism, identity

Every year certain stage works strike a chord with Chris Coleman, artistic director of Portland Center Stage.

At the 2013 JAW Festival, a showcase for playwrights, Coleman watched as Seattle’s Yussef El Guindi presented his new play. It wasn’t the title of the work — “Threesome” — that drew Coleman’s attention as much as the story itself.

Yes, it was an awkward sexual farce involving a couple and an invited stranger, but, no, the story didn’t remain the same. It took a turn, toward secrets, issues of sexism, possession and independence.

“It starts out literally as a sexual adventure, but the resonance of what that means expands exponentially in the second half,” says Coleman, who has led one of Portland’s most-renowned theater companies since 2000, and annually directs highly acclaimed plays such as “Threesome.”

“I thought it was a hilarious romp. Thematically quite powerful. I’ve not done anything quite like this.”

At JAW, “the audience response to it sold me,” he adds. “The first half is a sex farce, physically hilarious and awkward, but it takes a surprising turn. Ultimately, it gets at something deeper underneath, about how we can reclaim our identity and our sense of ownership of our body. The complexity of this story, combined with the crazy humor, will make a really interesting journey for our

audience.”

Admittedly, Coleman says he wouldn’t bring his 6-year-old to see it — “I’d definitely call it an ‘R.’” But it’s such captivating theater, he adds, and after the world premiere run in Portland, starting this week at Gerding Theater and going through March 8 (pcs.org), he hopes another company picks up on El Guindi’s work.

“It’s always hard to know. Yussef has a nice reputation around the country, and has won significant awards,” Coleman says. “There’s been quite a bit of interest from artistic directors about this piece. There are a lot of people reading it.

“One of the things you hope for, anytime you’re working with R&D; (research and development), you’re going to produce 150 prototypes before one actually finds a market. You have to keep your expectations real. The biggest win is the experience our audience gets to have in hearing a new voice.”

There also are Middle Eastern themes in the play. El Guindi has roots in Egypt, as does Alia Attallah, who plays Leila. Dominic Rains (Rashid) was born in Tehran, Iran. Quinn Franzen (Doug) is the third wheel in “Threesome.”

“I’ve not done a play by a Middle Eastern author before,” Coleman says, “and certainly not one that trafficked in these kinds of political themes. It’s been fascinating to have discussions with people of different backgrounds about these issues. It’s very interesting and mind-opening. I love that.”

Coleman realizes that the title and content of “Threesome” might raise some eyebrows. But, he says, “I look for something that’s a little different, where they are doing something different theatrically rather than just a good old-fashioned play.”

He adds: “Definitely, the team here is excited about smart plays, this community is excited about literature and brainy plays. This play does both. It’s inventive about intense and interesting topical issues. It’s very funny. It’s politically quite thought-provoking. It’s a meaty evening.”

Coleman says he has really enjoyed working with El Guindi, from seeing the raw script at JAW through rewrites and development all the way through rehearsal.

“Threesome” was favorably received during JAW, and Coleman expects it to be even more popular fully staged.

“Until you put it in front of an audience, you don’t know what the journey is going to be,” he says. “It’s always a bit nerve-racking.”

After “Threesome” and directing “Edward Foote” for Alliance Theatre in his hometown of Atlanta, Coleman will be working on another very interesting work next at Portland Center Stage. He has befriended and collaborated with two stars of “Grimm,” Sasha Roiz and Silas Weir-Mitchell, to put on Richard Greenberg’s “Three Days of Rain” in late May.

Call it a threesome of a different kind.

“I had reached out to Sasha two years ago, after I read in a magazine that he bought a condo in the Pearl and loved biking, restaurants and Portland Center Stage,” Coleman says.

“I reached out to him, we had coffee and lunch, and he came to me last April and said they (Roiz, Weir-Mitchell and fellow “Grimm” actor Bree Turner Saliman) had found a script they liked. We started reading it in earnest. They had a window (to perform). They’re good actors, and really nice people.”