Echo Theater Company

Mission

To create space for collaboration and the joyful celebration of community using circus and ensemble theater traditions to empower people of all abilities discover their potential and create fearlessly.

Bottom Line

For more than 30 years, Echo has cultivated a welcoming space where everyone can explore circus, expressive movement, and performance within an inclusive community.  We center Disabled, queer, unhoused, and low-income students of all ages and backgrounds, empowering all to take supported risks, get creative, collaborate with diverse peers and be seen onstage!  

Your support will enable Echo to: Bring the power of circus to more Title 1 schools; Provide inclusion specialists for Disabled students; Employ a diverse staff including Queer and Disabled teaching artists; Sustain accessible rental rates for emerging and established artists, ensure a future where all bodies are seen as necessary and worthy of attention and celebration.

Quote

Echo has given me the opportunity to explore circus life. As a disabled queer power chair user, it is very hard to find places that are accessible to me, even harder to find staff willing to help me. Echo has helped me by giving me an aide which I need to help me in class. By giving me accessibility tools I was able to accomplish physical therapy… and helped my mental health to maintain sobriety. I started classes day one of sobriety and now I'm almost 2 years clean. Echo is amazing!
Carter Lee - student

“Echo Theater has been graciously and faithfully coming to campus and working weekly with some of our most challenged and challenging kids for over five years now—even through the pandemic! I have seen the fun and growth in so many children as they experience movement in such an exciting inspiring new way.” 

• Dave Jeffery, MD, Trillium Family Services

Incentives

  *First 30 donors under age 35 receive a $10 gift card to The Fresh Pot 

  *Donate $25 and receive a  Butteye sticker

  *$100 = A personalized plaque on one of the permanent theater seats at   Echo Theater. 

  *$600 = one-hour private class for up to 4 students 

  *$1000 = A private movie party for 100! Return to Echo Theater’s roots as a silent movie house with a private screening of your favorite film... including popcorn!

Partner(s)

Nonprofit partners:

p:ear mentor has partnered with Echo to host free circus classes with unhoused youth for the last 3 years.

Rose City Rollers is collaborating with Echo to put a Butteye on skates, because derby plus circus is magic!  

The Marie Equi Center is sharing marketing/promotion, resources and mentorship with Echo, including coaching from their Development Consultant, Nel.

Business Partners:

Superhero Fitness is hosting Echo classes in their amazing gym in 2027 and offering incentives to our donors.

The Fresh Pot is Echo's go to coffee spot on SE Hawthorne. They've supplied our staff with caffeine and community for many years and are providing gift cards to our donors.