IMGONNAWANNA at The Siren Theater

The Theatre Company announces a work-in-progress presentation of Producing Creative Director Jen Rowe’s new solo show, IMGONNAWANNA at 8:00 pm on August 23 and 24, 2024 at the Siren Theater. 

After extensive development work in Los Angeles with renowned playwright/actor Lauren Weedman (The People’s Republic of Portland, Hacks, Abbott Elementary, Arrested Development), Jen Rowe is pleased to present a deeply personal exploration of missing out and unintended consequences. Drawing from her unusual experiences with locked doors in suspiciously empty hotels, botched surgeries, canceled Cranberries concerts, third-grade superheroes, crappy customer service jobs, and even crappier boyfriends, Rowe paints a vivid picture of a lifetime of tenacious perseverance.

While Rowe has commissioned and produced new work for years, including guiding the development of solo shows for other actors, IMGONNAWANNA is the first work she has created for herself to perform. Rowe knows that this creative risk brings the opportunity for personal and professional growth — and along with it, the potential for failure. But Rowe says that’s what makes this venture so exciting.

“After being onstage in Portland for 20 years, I became very comfortable helping other artists realize their visions and hiding behind other people’s words and stories,” Rowe explains. “It’s a cold shower and challenging exercise to ask myself to believe in my own story and my own voice — to own that my existence, words, and talent are valuable. I can’t hide behind anything with this show, because it’s just me.”  

In addition to IMGONNAWANNA being a new experience for Rowe, the piece is a new storytelling vehicle for The Theatre Company. Since its inception, TTC has endeavored to play with theatrical form while building intentional community partnerships. This piece puts the company’s leadership at the forefront and provides the chance for Rowe to take her work on the road. Following the upcoming workshop performances in Portland, Rowe plans to stage the show in Los Angeles and New York before heading to the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

$25 general admission tickets are on sale now for the two-day-only run at the Siren Theater (3913 N Mississippi Ave). Limited seating is available.