Tough Shit is an onstage conversation about the most challenging questions Portlanders are facing. We’ll bring together three people with very different experiences of and perspectives on the city to talk through some shit with help from the audience and a moderator. The questions will be tough, and this shit will not be resolved in one night; We expect to leave with more questions than answers, plus some renewed hope for the future. And if not, well….

Joining us for this conversation are journalists Leah Sottile and Jonathan Maus and other Portlanders to be announced.

This event is presented in partnership with the Tomorrow Theater. Tickets are available at tomorrowtheater.org.

About our guests

Leah Sottile is the author of two books: Blazing Eye Sees All and When the Moon Turns to Blood. Her journalism has been published by The Washington Post, The New York Times Magazine, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Outside, the BBC, The Atlantic and High Country News, where she is a correspondent. She is the host of the podcasts Hush, Burn Wild, Two Minutes Past Nine and the National Magazine Award-nominated series Bundyville. She is the co-founder of The Western Edge, reporting from and living in Portland.

Jonathan Maus is a community journalist and publisher/owner of BikePortland, an independent news company founded in 2005. His work combines advocacy and journalism and spans from original reporting to photography, videos, events and podcasts. He's been named one of the "50 Most Influential Portlanders" by Portland Monthly magazine and has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and local advocacy organizations. He lives in North Portland and dreams of being a basketball coach.

About the venue

Mobility access: The Tomorrow Theater is wheelchair-accessible, with capacity for 4 wheelchairs, along with 4 mobile companion seats, and additional seating in the front row that can be used to accommodate additional wheelchair and companion seats. Please notify the theater if you have ADA accessible needs so they can prepare the theater. You can email the theater at tomorrow@pamcut.org.

Parking: The theater is in a busy neighborhood with scarce street parking, though there are usually plenty of spaces available two blocks to the north or south. There is one accessible parking spot across Division on SE 35th Place between Division and SE Grant Court. There is a second accessible parking space two blocks away on SE 36th Ave between Division and SE Clinton St. There are modern curb cuts with truncated domes at the corner of SE 35th Place and SW Division and right in front of the entrance. There is a marked crosswalk across Division at SE 35th There is a ramp going from the entrance to the lobby area outside of the theater. 

Public transit: There are stops for the TriMet FX2 bus within two blocks of the theater. There are stops for Lines 9, 10, 14, and 72 within a ten-minute walking distance.

Food and drink: There is a concession stand in the lobby. Outside food and beverages are not permitted.

Lighting: The venue has appropriate overhead lighting before and after the conversation. During the conversation, lights are dimmed with staged lighting facing the stage. Lights in the lobby/bar remain on during the program. The auditorium has two steep carpeted aisles with red lights lining each edge.

Sound: There will be music at a moderate volume before and after the event.

Read more about the Tomorrow Theater.