First City Theater is coming to 720 Main St. in downtown Oregon City, in a building that has housed performances before. Owner Eric Nepom, who runs the project with his wife, Aden Nepom, confirmed to What Now Portland that the venue is still in the early stages. “We’re six months to a year away from opening,” he said.
The couple plans to fill the stage with a mix of improv, scripted theater, musicals, burlesque, classic movies and stand-up comedy. The building was most recently home to the Pioneer Pub, which closed in February, and the Nepoms plan a major renovation before they can open the doors.
The building dates to 1912, when it opened as the Star Theater, offering vaudeville shows and early films. It was the first theater in Oregon City, with about 300 seats, and it operated until around 1950. Over the following decades, the space housed a series of bars and nightclubs.
The Nepoms purchased the roughly 4,000-square-foot building in August. Plans call for tiered seating for about 80 to 100 guests, a stage of about 12 by 26 feet, a green room and a classroom space for improv workshops and rehearsals. The owners hope to open with a Star Wars parody play.
The name has two meanings. It honors Oregon City’s history as the first incorporated city west of the Rocky Mountains, and it is a nod to The Second City, the Chicago improv theater known for launching “Saturday Night Live” performers.
The Nepoms, who live in West Linn, have long backgrounds in improv. Eric founded Infinite Improv about 25 years ago, and Aden joined the company about 12 years ago. Infinite Improv will be the theater’s resident improv company, and Aden’s company, Art of Change, will offer communication and public speaking training in the space.
The theater plans to serve beer, wine and snacks, and the owners hope audiences will pair a show with dinner at nearby downtown restaurants. More information is available at firstcitytheater.org.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reported first on this development.
