Keller Auditorium
Oregon Arts Watch
The Keller Auditorium is Portland’s oldest and largest publicly owned theater building. Seating more than 3,000 (depending on the stage configuration), it hosts Broadway touring shows, opera, ballet and more. The Keller occupies a downtown city block across the street from the renowned Keller Fountain.
History of Keller Auditorium
Keller Auditorium opened on July 4, 1917, as the Public Auditorium, serving both as a concert and events venue and the home of the Oregon Historical Society. Much larger in its early days — when its seating capacity was more than 5,000 — the auditorium proved its versatility the very next year when it became a hospital and morgue for victims of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic.
In the mid-1960s the auditorium and the neighborhood around it were redeveloped, and in 1968 the new theater, Civic Auditorium, instantly became central to the Portland performing arts scene. The new space hosted touring shows, the Oregon Symphony and Portland Opera, and many other performances that required its spacious auditorium, sharp acoustics and advanced stage technology. Since then, the Keller has received several more renovations to keep it up-to-date. After an extensive one in 2000, it was renamed to honor benefactor Richard Keller. Today it remains a very practical and versatile performance space.
Performing Arts in Portland
Portland Theater
Portland has a well-established network of venues and theater companies and an increasingly dynamic and diverse small theater scene.
Classical Music in Portland
Classical music in Portland isn't just the classics. Classical musicians offer new and innovative works, and an ongoing lineup of inspiring performances, from timeless works to modern interpretations.
Comedy in Portland
There's always something funny happening in Portland. From stand-up comedy to improv or even comedy classes Portland has any kind of comedy you may be looking for. Portland boasts many stages to bring you fresh, up-and-coming, and touring comedians.
Resident Companies at Keller Auditorium
Broadway in Portland
One of the most frequent entries on the Keller calendar is the Broadway in Portland series. The Keller’s huge stage and vast orchestra section make it a perfect home for touring Broadway spectacles, from “Wicked!” to “Fiddler on the Roof” to the various Disney extravaganzas. No compromises are necessary in the transfer from Broadway to the Rose City.
Tickets $50-$250. Details are subject to change; please check Broadway in Portland’s Website for current information.
Oregon Ballet Theatre
Portland’s largest dance company is Oregon Ballet Theatre, and its version of “The Nutcracker” dominates the Keller every December. The company offers a full range of ballets, including edgy contemporary choreographers to traditional story ballets requiring demanding classical ballet chops and characterization. Oregon Ballet Theatre also performs in the smaller Newmark Theatre.
Tickets $25-$110. Details are subject to change; please check OBT’s Website for current information.
Portland Opera
Founded in 1964, the Portland Opera is best known for finding the best up-and-coming singers to sing the great roles in classic operas (Verdi, Mozart, Puccini). In recent years, the company has experimented with much more modern fare. The Opera Chorus is a community institution and the stage design in the Keller can border on the spectacular. The company also uses the Newmark Theatre and their HQ near OMSI for more intimate programs.
Tickets $30-$250. Details are subject to change; please check Portland Opera’s Website for current information.
Know Before You Go
For the 2022-23 season, all ticket holders, regardless of age, are required to show proof of full COVID vaccination or a negative test result from a COVID PCR test (taken within 72 hours of performance time) for entry into the theater. Visit the Portland Opera website for more information.
In addition, all patrons, regardless of age, test results and vaccination status, are required to wear masks inside the theatre at all times (except when consuming food or beverages).
Other Frequent Events at Keller Auditorium
Since the 1960s the Keller has hosted its share of rock ’n’ roll shows and still features stops from artists like Iggy Pop, Iron & Wine and David Byrne. Two holiday favorites, The Hip-Hop Nutcracker with MC Kurtis Blow and Portland’s Singing Christmas Tree, pop up each winter. And the auditorium also hosts lectures presented by the World Affairs Council of Oregon and Literary Arts.
At Keller Auditorium
TEDxPortland
Cities are built and rebuilt, and Portland is in transition once again. With leadership, intention, and purpose, we drive progress by uniting our diverse perspectives. The magic of our culture and community is realized through the amalgam of creativity, technology, and innovation. Year 12 is inspired by the unlimited potential and endless possibilities revealed through…
Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour
Blippi is coming to your city for the ultimate curiosity adventure in Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour. So, come on. Dance, sing, and learn with Blippi and special guest Meekah as they discover what makes different cities unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore? You bet! So get ready…
Jason Bonham
Encompassing hits from the iconic band’s entire career, including albums Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin IV and Physical Graffiti, the concert event celebrates the life and music of Jason’s father, the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, with “…a band that recreates Led Zeppelin’s music to such a degree that one can’t help…
Ben Schwartz
Ben can be seen starring in the Universal Pictures’ upcoming horror comedy RENFIELD, set for release in April. You can also catch him starring opposite Kevin Hart and John Cena in DIE HART 2: DIE HARTER, the second season of Roku’s hit action comedy. Ben has leading roles in Lord & Miller’s AppleTV+ miniseries THE…
Puccini: In Concert
One hundred years after he died in 1924, we celebrate a one-night-only concert featuring Giacomo Puccini’s enduring compositions. Experience the drama and passion of these cultural touchstones, brought to life by an exciting ensemble of featured guest artists. Treat yourself, get fancy with friends, and enjoy a brilliant night out. We’ll cherish the iconic music…
Alicia Villarreal
Martha Alicia Villarreal Esparza, known simply and professionally as Alicia Villarreal, is a Mexican singer. Villarreal participated in different bands in Monterrey, before becoming the lead singer for Grupo Límite in 1995. After nearly eight years of success, Villarreal left the band pursuing a solo career.
Annie
Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theater goers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to…
Celeste Barber
Hailed as the “Australian Queen of Comedy”, Celeste’s original celebrity parody Instagram account has attracted over 8.1 million followers. In 2019 she released her best-selling book Challenge Accepted and she was also seen on the 2019 Showtime special of the same name. In 2020, she won the AACTA (The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television…
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Tedeschi Trucks Band is a Grammy Award-winning 12-piece rock and soul powerhouse that holds a well-deserved reputation as one of the best live acts touring today. Led by husband and wife guitarist Derek Trucks and singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi — hailed as “two of the best roots rock musicians of their generation” (NPR), the 12-piece Tedeschi…
Jacob Collier
Recognized by audiences, critics and fellow musicians alike as one of the most gifted young artists of modern times, 29-year-old Jacob Collier already boasts a seemingly endless list of achievements including five Grammy wins – which saw him become the first British act in history to win four Grammys for each of his first four…
Sesame Street Live: Say Hello
Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their friends from Sesame Street are coming to your neighborhood to say hello! In Sesame Street Live! Say Hello. You can sing and dance with your favorite furry friends while enjoying fun surprises along the way. So wear your dancing shoes and go to where the air is sweet…
Wild Kratts LIVE!
The Wild Kratts LIVE! stage show that has kids across North America buzzing is coming to Portland with an ALL NEW show: “Wild Kratts LIVE 2.0 – Activate Creature Power!” Get ready to dive into another classic Wild Kratts adventure with the Kratt brothers as they combine live action and animation, with Martin and Chris…
Brincos Dieras
Brincos Dieras is “the most irreverent clown in all of Latin America”. Dressed in his signature clown costume, complete with makeup and a flamboyant suit, he draws thousands of fans to his engaging live performances. An international sensation, the comic hails from El Paso, Texas, and performs on stages across the United States and Mexico….
Shane Gillis
Shane Gillis is a stand-up comic, actor, and writer from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. After winning Philly’s Funniest at Helium Comedy Club in 2016 Shane was named an “Up-Next” Comic at Comedy Central’s 2019 Clusterfest in San Francisco and a “New Face” at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. In 2021, Gillis released his…
Girl From The North Country
Girl From The North Country is the Tony Award-winning new musical that the Chicago Tribune declares is “a Broadway revelation.” Written and directed by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale, Girl From The North Country reimagines 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan as they’ve never been heard before, including…
Company
inner of 5 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, COMPANY “strikes like a lightning bolt. It’s brilliantly conceived and funny as hell” (Variety). Helmed by three-time Tony Award-winning director Marianne Elliott (War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Angels in America) this revelatory new production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s groundbreaking musical…
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
Pat Benatar: she’s always been a rule-breaker and a trailblazer. She remains a bold and distinctive artist both on stage and on record, and now, after more than three decades in rock ‘n’ roll, she’s a bonafide living legend. A four-time Grammy winner, Benatar is a classically trained mezzo-soprano. During the 1980s, Benatar had two…
Was this page helpful?