The State of the Theater -
Part Two: The roles, and where you might fit
Follow-up from Founder and Artistic Director, Ted Rooney
April 4, 2026
Thank you to everyone who responded to my last note. It meant a lot.
As promised — here's the fuller picture of 21ten. If anyone missed the first letter and is interested, it can be found here: Ted's Talk I
Before you dive into the full list — here's 21ten at a glance. Nothing fancy, but it gives you the idea.
As far as I can reckon, here is a map of 21ten as it exists, as it's growing, and as I dream it to be. Some of these wings are active and successful. Some are waiting for the right person to pick them up. Some are still a hope — but a sure one.
Read through. See if anything catches your eye. Or if you have an idea of your own. Either way, you know where to find me.
One Thing I Want to Say
When someone steps forward to help at 21ten, I'm not just looking for a skill. I'm looking for a person. The goal isn't to plug you into a function and move on — it's to bring you in. If someone came through our doors, gave their time and talent, and walked away feeling used rather than welcomed — that would be a failure on our part. Full stop.
So whatever role catches your eye below, know that it comes with something that isn't listed: a place at the table.
One more thing. This is a no-burnout zone. That means don't take on more than you can handle — but it also means choose things that light your fire instead of wear you out. I know something about that one myself.
First Things First — Our Most Pressing Needs
Volunteer & Community Coordinator ● Volunteer — Path to Paid
This is our most urgent need. As more people step forward, we need someone to receive them — welcome them in, match skills to needs, track availability, and make sure no one falls through the cracks. But just as important: this person helps new volunteers feel they belong here. Not just useful, but at home. If you're organized, warm, and good with people, this one has your name on it. Any background in community building is a bonus.
Company Manager ● Paid Position — Timeline TBD
If you have nonprofit management experience with an eye for development and already know and love what 21ten is doing — let's talk.
Development / Grants ● Path to Paid
We know the grants. We know the deadlines. We need someone to help make sure we don't miss them — and help us find more creative sources of support. Someone who knows the funding landscape and can point Ted toward the right foundation, corporation, or individual to have a conversation with. This isn't a position for a stranger to our mission. It's for someone already invested in 21ten's future.
The Wings — What We're Built On
MainStage ● Active
Our flagship — intimate, grounded theater. Six productions a year in our 40-seat house. Need: Someone to assist the producer with the full range of tasks — publicity, talent, budgeting. Good training ground for producing. One or two people to share House Manager duties on show nights. And someone to be the catch-all for keeping the lights on and the lobby running. For now, that's still me.
BareBones Wing ● Active
Actor-driven, stripped-down productions. We now have five BareBones productions built to travel — to schools, care facilities, prisons, and theater houses across the state. Angela Van Epps built this wing into something real, and we're deeply grateful. Evangel McGreene (evangel@21ten.org) is now stepping in as BareBones Manager. This wing has enormous room to grow. Need: Help seeking out performance opportunities, building partnerships, getting the word out, and pursuing funding.
After Hours Wing ● Active — Launching Now
Late-night programming — comedy, sketch, improv, cabaret, music, poetry, storytelling. Tyler Shilstone is building this out. Need: A logistics and publicity partner for Tyler. Also looking for acts and hosts.
Teaching Wing ● Active
Acting, on-camera work, storytelling, directing, playwriting, screenwriting, and more. Five teachers currently, more in the pipeline. Need: A coordinator to help manage and grow this program as it expands. This position becomes paid sooner than later.
Coffee Lounge ● Returning in April
21ten as a daytime "third space" — open to the community, no ticket required. Returning once Fertile Ground clears out in late April. Need: A coordinator or two willing to open the doors a few mornings a week and simply be present.
Actorcise ● Active
Our Sunday morning community actor workout — open to actors, writers, filmmakers, directors. Free and donation-based. Need: Help with scheduling and communication. Very low load.
The Street Fair ● Returning in Late June
Two years ago we pulled off a real neighborhood event. Last year we had to pass — not enough hands. We want it back. Need: A planning team. Event experience helps, but enthusiasm is enough. The time to assemble that team is now.
Growth & Community — Reaching Further
Naturally BareBones, but also:
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Theater & Film Community Liaisons — Building relationships with other Portland theaters and connecting 21ten with the local film world. We are not in competition — we are in community.
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Film Screenings Coordinator — Curating screenings on off nights. Eventually a regular calendar with discussions Sunday through Tuesday evenings. Another way to use the space and bring new people through the door.
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Local Business Sponsorship / Cross Promotion — Building relationships with neighborhood businesses who want to support live theater.
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Neighborhood & BIPOC Outreach — Grassroots, face-to-face presence in Ladd's Addition and intentional relationship-building to make 21ten a space that genuinely belongs to everyone.
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Merch — T-shirts, hats, bags. Someone with design sense and follow-through.
Programming — Expanding What Happens Here
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Play Reading Committee — Help curate and select what lands on our stages. A meaningful way to shape the artistic direction of the theater.
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Sunday Readings & Workshops Coordinator — We held invited Sunday Readings once or twice a month, and when Niels Truman moved on, that ball got dropped. Time to pick it up again.
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Storytelling / BareBones Development — Developing new work with actors, built for BareBones and beyond. Includes solo storytelling.
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Community Affairs — The non-theater life of 21ten: karaoke, game nights, neighborhood gatherings, a 21ten retreat. The stuff that makes a building feel like a home.• PDXonSTAGE
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Active — The free community theater listings site Chris Brantley built and maintains. An ongoing gift to Portland. Looking toward growth.
One More Hat
I'll be honest: one of the roles on this list is Ted's Assistant. Someone to help me manage the to-do list, hold me accountable to the vision, and keep the urgent from swallowing the important. If you have strong organizational skills and a soft spot for a dreamer who occasionally needs grounding — I'd love to meet you.
The Bigger Dream
Some things won't fully live until we find a space that can hold the full vision. I always saw 21ten as a theater and a community center. A place that houses the arts, yes — but a place where you can know and be known. You wanna go where everybody knows your name. We're not looking for a larger theater — intimate, in-your-lap storytelling is what we'll always be known for. But a building that could house a small theater, a classroom or two, a social gathering space, and maybe a coffee lounge or pub on site? That's the dream. Keep your eyes open for us.
This is 21ten. All of it — the live parts, the dormant parts, the not-yet parts. It's a lot. It's supposed to be. The vision has always been bigger than what one person can carry.
If something on this list called to you — even quietly — reach out. You don't need a resume. You don't need a plan. Just a willingness to show up and care about what's happening here.
That's always been enough.
Gratefully,
Ted
Artistic Director — and Dreamer
PS
Want to see BareBones in action? Come catch our first BareBones play — Here We Are Again Still (Nicknamed “The Bench Play”) — performing at Beaverton City Library, Saturday, April 11th at 2pm HWAAS. Auditorium level, basement floor. 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton, OR 97005. It is a 150 seat auditorium, so there is plenty of room!