Spring Arts & Culture

Performing Arts

COCC Big Band Jazz Group’s Salute to Duke Ellington

With 17 musicians currently enrolled in Central Oregon Community College’s performance class, this jazz winter concert will showcase their talents in tribute to Duke, plus the concert will also include the premiere performance of a new big band arrangement by local composer and band member Brian Owen. Fri., March 14, 7pm at Wille Hall, COCC Campus. 2600 NW College Way, Bend. Free (donations appreciated).

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

From your childhood bookshelf to Central Oregon stage, Redmond’s Meadow Sky Productions proudly presents the C. S. Lewis’ classic this spring — the play will run for six shows from Fri., March 14-Sun., March 23 at High Desert Music Hall. 818 SW Forest Ave., Redmond. $25.

Celebrating the Classics: Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Schubert

The Cascade Chorale will be joined by the Dove String Quartet to perform some of history’s most celebrated composers. Sat., March 15, 7pm and Sun., March 16, 4pm at Bend Church of the Nazarene. 1270 NE 27th St., Bend. Free (donations appreciated).

Pops Goes to the Movies

The Bend Pops Orchestra’s winter concert will feature selections from cinematic epics like “Star Wars” and “The Lord of the Rings” alongside classics like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Jurassic Park” and “Hamilton,” plus a selection of Disney favorites and much more. Sun., March 16, 2pm at Mountain View High School Auditorium. 2755 NE 27th St., Bend. Free.

Jazz Central Swings

With special guest appearances from jazz musicians Mollie and Jim Tennant, Central Oregon vocal jazz ensemble Jazz Central is ready to tackle the swing era: “We’re excited to offer an elegant club atmosphere where we can bring together our local community and jazz enthusiasts for a night that celebrates the rich tradition and vibrant future of vocal jazz,” says James Knox, the group’s director. Fri., March 21, 7pm at Unity Spiritual Community of Central Oregon. 63645 Scenic Dr., Bend. $25.

You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown

Ovation Performing Arts introduces a new youth cast with the production of the Charles Schultz’ classic “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Fri., March 28, 6:30pm, Sat., March 29, 6:30pm and Sun., March 30, 3pm at Mountain View High School Auditorium. 2755 NE 27th St., Bend. Free.

Piano Showcase at the Tower

Sunriver Music Festival’s seventh annual Piano Showcase features pianist Arthur Migliazza, an acclaimed blues and boogie-woogie player. Sat., March 29, 7:30pm at Tower Theatre. 835 Wall St., Bend. $40-$75.

Reverie

A collaboration between Ping & Woof Opera, Pathways Dance Company and OperaBend, “Reverie” combines the magic of live music and dance, promising to be a feast for the senses by melding together several mesmerizing art forms. Sat., April 5, 7pm and Sun., April 6, 3pm at Wille Hall, COCC Campus. 2600 NW College Way, Bend. $10-$25.

The Sleeping Beauty

The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine presents its North American tour of “The Sleeping Beauty,” featuring a ballet troupe of 50 dancers with more than 200 exclusive costumes, which were created specifically for this production. Sun., April 27, 2pm and 7pm at Tower Theatre. 835 Wall St., Bend. $46-$167.

Next to Normal

A Pulitzer winner for drama and three-time Tony winner, “Next to Normal” is a rock musical that tears at your heart strings as it explores family and illness, loss and grief. Don’t miss local tattoo artist Jessie Zenor’s art gallery during the show, plus look for the return of Liza’s Lounge during Fourth of July week and then “The Wolves” in August and “Once” in the fall. Fri., April 4-Sat., May 3, 7:30pm at The Greenhouse Cabaret. 1017 NE Second St., Bend. $20-$75.

Mean Girls The Musical

Based on the book by Tina Fey, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and music by Jeff Richmond, this rock musical of “Mean Girls” will feature youth ages 13-18 from in and around Central Oregon. Thu., May 15-Sun., May 18 at Tower Theatre. 835 Wall St., Bend. $40.

Oregon Ballet Theatre 2

Oregon Ballet Theatre’s second company is OBT2, and the troupe will stop by Bend performing work by George Balanchine, Ben Stevenson, artistic director Dani Rowe and OBT2 director Dominic Walsh. Meet the dancers after the show! Sat., May 24, 2pm at Tower Theatre. 835 Wall St., Bend. $14-$24.

The Barber of Seville

BendOpera’s season concludes with Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” Sung in Italian and accompanied by a full orchestra and chorus, this masterpiece is for opera lovers. June 20-22 at Wille Hall, COCC Campus. 2600 NW College Way, Bend.

Upcoming from Cascades Theatrical Company

Entertaining Central Oregon since 1978, Cascades Theatrical Company’s current season features Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” (directed by Richard Choate, Fri., March 28-Sun., April 13, $32-$36); the classic musical “Grease” (book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, May 9-25, $51-$55); Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (directed by Juliah Rae, June 13-29, $32-$36); and the teen program’s “The Orphan Train” by Aurand Harris (July 11-20, $25-$28). Cascades Theatrical Company. 148 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend.

Literary Events

“IrelandISH”: A Reading by Jana Zvibleman

Jana Zvibleman’s new travel memoir “IrelandISH” documents two Americans “zigzag[ging] through the land of redheads.” If you’ve been, “you’ll laugh, sigh and nod. If you’ve yet to visit, you’ll be inspired to turn over even the quirky stones,” she writes. It’s “light, fun, short and heartwarming” — hear a reading along with live traditional Irish music from The Ballybogs on Fri., March 14, 2pm at Downtown Bend Public Library (Brooks Room). 601 NW Wall St., Bend. Free.

“When Duty Called”: A Reading with Alisha Hamel

Join a reading of “When Duty Called” by Alisha Hamel to hear an oral history of Oregon’s World War II veterans. After interviewing numerous WWII veterans, Hamel wrote a series of engaging personal stories from veterans who participated in some of the most well-known engagements of the war. Fri., March 14, 11am at Downtown Bend Public Library (Brooks Room). 601 NW Wall St., Bend. Free.

“None of the Answers” Meet and Greet

Bend’s Jeff Swaney looks back on a life of adventure and found wisdoms in his memoir, “None of the Answers: Racing Through Life in Reverse.” “We don’t know pleasure without experiencing pain,” writes Swaney, “and at the level of my planned subsistence, there was going to be plenty of discomfort. The bonus is we find the greatest joy in life is achieved when there are no expectations, and kablam! There you have a taste of nirvana.” Sat., March 15, 2-3:30pm at Barnes & Noble. 2690 NE Hwy 20, Bend. Free.

Author! Author! presents Ellen Waterston

While you can read Ellen Waterston’s musing on the pages of this paper each month in her column on ageing and ageism, The Third Act, it’s a real treat to hear her in person. Named Oregon Poet Laureate in August 2024, the Central Oregon poet and author recently published “We Could Die Doing This: Dispatches on Ageing from Oregon’s Outback,” which collects her years of essays from the Source Weekly in one compendium. Representing our neck of the woods in the state’s literary landscape, catch her speaking at the library’s Author! Author! series at Caldera High School. Thu., April 3, 7pm at Caldera High School. 60925 SE 15th St., Bend. $35.

Poetry Month Celebration

Take part in a series of Central Oregon Community College events in April celebrating Poetry Month. Events are taking place in Bend, Redmond, Prineville and Madras, and will include performances and workshops from Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston. Local poets will also be invited to share their work in poetry slams. Wed., April 16, 17, 13 and 24 at Central Oregon Community College. 2600 NW College Way, Bend. Free.

Author! Author! presents Willy Vlautin

Author and musician Willy Vlautin has written seven novels and received three Oregon Book Awards. Vlautin, who was also inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame (for his work with both Richmond Fontaine and The Delines), is coming to Bend’s Tower Theatre to discuss his work at this local literary event. Wed., May 28, 7pm at Tower Theatre. 835 NW Wall St., Bend. $35.

Film Events

Tangled

Disney’s “Tangled,” an animated story about the long-haired Rapunzel who spent her entire life in a tower, will be playing at the Tower. Get ready for Rapunzel to discover the world for the first time. Fri., March 14, 6pm at Tower Theatre. 835 NW Wall St., Bend. Free.

399: Queen of the Tetons

Attend a screening of the documentary “399: Queen of the Tetons,” which follows the most famous and photographed grizzly bear in the world. The film tracks the bear, known by her research number 399, as she struggles to raise her cubs in a rapidly changing climate with increasing human encroachment. Sat., April 5, 6:30pm at Tower Theatre. 835 NW Wall St., Bend. $18.

Sacred Alaska

A Redmond event will offer a screening of the film “Sacred Alaska,” an award-winning documentary about Native Alaskan culture and spirituality. A live Q&A with director Simon Scionka will follow the screening. Sat., April 5, 3pm at High Desert Music Hall. 818 SW Forest Ave., Redmond. $5.

We Are Home Film Festival

Thrive Central Oregon will show a collection of short films, host a raffle and offer information about local resources. The films reflect the value of home, belonging and community while raising funds supporting Central Oregonians in securing housing. Sat., April 12, 7pm at Tower Theatre. 835 NW Wall St., Bend. $22.

Banff Montain Film Festival

Catch two nights outdoor recreation films to support programs at Realms Middle and High Schools. Friday’s films are themed “Basalt” and Saturday’s theme is “Sandstone.” Fri. and Sat., April 25-26, 7pm at Tower Theatre. 835 NW Wall St., Bend. $25-$30.

Art Galleries

Melanie Stevens: Rest and Relief

This spring, look through a series of print works by Melanie Stevens on display at Scalehouse. The work is an exploration of moments of solitude, peace and stillness as acts of resilience and protection. The exhibit will continue through May 31. Catch an artist talk on Sat., April 5 at Noon. Open through May 31 at Scalehouse Gallery. 550 NW Franklin Ave., Ste. 138, Bend. Free.

Painting and Drawing Workshops

All smart and loving individuals often publicly say, “I love you all equally.” But we know there’s one true answer to who you really love most: Is it your dog, your cat or your significant other? It can be a tough call, but Sisters’ Flying Horse Gallery will give you the opportunity to work through all these feels and show them each the love they deserve. Try the Paint Your Pet (Sat., March 15 at 4pm) or Paint Your Partner (Fri., April 18 at 4pm) workshops, or maybe you adore an inanimate object most? Good, there’s a Still Life drawing workshop on Sun., March 30 at 2pm. Plus, don’t miss gallery openings for the group shows, “Tales From the Tattoo” on March 28 and “Into the Woods” on April 25. Flying Horse Gallery. 161 S Elm St., Sisters.

Impulses Exhibition at COCC

California artist Gwen Lowery will share an exhibition of abstract oil canvases titled “Impulses.” Inspired by the natural world as well as her feelings about the state of the world, she works spontaneously in the abstract. “I am influenced by the news of the day and by the colors and forms in the rural slice of the Northern California coast where I live,” she says. On display at COCC’s Bend campus on the Health Careers Center’s first floor gallery, the building is open Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm. March 24-May 28 at Health Careers Center on COCC Campus. 2600 NW College Way, Bend. Free.

Go Wild Sisters

Back for a second round, Makin’ It Local’s annual celebration of everything wildflowers returns on the Fourth Friday Art Walk in Sisters this March. The shop will hand out packets of an Oregon wildflower seed mix to guests because “they are the backbone of ecosystems for pollinators.” It’ll also kick off a group showcase featuring pollinator-related artwork by Kathy Deggendorfer, Lindsay Gilmore, Rachel Dantona, James Parsons, Green Bird Press, Cheryl Chapman, Charlotte Wallace and Sheila Dunn — showing until April 22. Fri., March 28, 4-7pm at Makin’ It Local. 281 W Cascade Ave., Sisters. Free.

Kids Curate

Fourth graders from La Pine Elementary made works of art, with help from artist Jake Kenobi, focused on the diverse perspectives of fire. The students’ work, based on what they learned over months of in-class visits and field trips, will be displayed at a new High Desert Museum exhibition. May 3-June 1 at High Desert Museum. 59800 S Hwy 97, Bend. $17.

This article appears in The Source Weekly March 13, 2025.