Executive Director/Founder

triangle productions! was founded by Donald Horn in 1989 and has become one of the oldest LGBTQ-identified theatres in the nation. Donald Horn, Don, or as his friends call him, Donnie has been the driving force for the company since the beginning opening two theatre venues, touring shows, writing over 15 books, and over 20 plays and musicals.

As an author his first book, Crumbs of Love (and that’s all you’ll ever get), was well-received, and he has finished the sequel, Pinch Me. His second book, Agapi Mou (my beloved), is part love story, heartache, and historical fiction about the Island of Zakynthos, Greece. It has been translated into Greek by Sophia Levandis. In 2011 he wrote three books: Gracie (a biography about Gracie Hansen), Gracie Hansen’s PARADISE, and Lost History of Oregon: A hotel by the name of Hoyt. Over the past several years he has been writing a trilogy entitled How Do You Say Murder in Greek? which deals with a twenty-five-year-old murder on the island of Zakynthos, Greece. He is also the author alongside collaborator Walter W Cole/Darcelle with Darcelle: Looking from my mirror and The Many Shades of Being Darcelle and four other books concerning Walter W Cole/Darcelle.

He has written an Oregon Encyclopedia article about Gracie Hansen: https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/hansen_gracie/#.XFHk8s9Kit8

As a playwright, he has written over twenty plays and musicals. He is believed to be the first playwright to write about those who left behind, ‘survivors’ of those passing with AIDS in 1990 - After the Rain; the first playwright to write about women/children/HIV-AIDS in his 1990 play, “…tell momma, goodbye…”, and he is believed to be the first playwright to deal with Alzheimer’s in his 1994 play, “Don’t know the Colour of Rainbows, Actually.” Some of his musical include ’69-The Sexual Revolution Musical (which won two Portland Area Music Theatre Awards for Best Songs) and the musical about Gracie Hansen, Gracie – a musical adventure (nominated for four PAMTA’s including Best Original work). His musical Ari-Maria about Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas premiered in Portland in 2013 and he premiered a new work about Native American jazz great Jim Pepper - The Jim Pepper Project in 2014. This received funding including National Endowment for the Arts to tour throughout the State of Oregon in 2015. He followed that project up with a musical based upon the legendary Portland theatre, Storefront entitled Storefront Revue: The Babes are BACK! a drama about George/Christine Jorgensen entitled TRANS-formation in 2018, and in 2019 premiered Darcelle: That's No Lady along with a Jewish comedy, Life. According to Morty and Ruth, a musical about Tammy Wynette entitled Me and Tammy and another historical musical this one about Nancy Boggs entitled Sex on the River. He will be represented off-Broadway this fall with his show Make Me Gorgeous!  starring Wade McCollum.

Through his leadership triangle has produced shows about the holocaust [Bent, Rose], AIDS [his own After The Rain, ...tell momma, goodbye...] and honored such people with works such as Ann Richards Ann, Golda Meir, Golda's Balcony, Dr. Ruth Becoming Dr. Ruth, Erma Bombeck At Wits End.

He has been seen on Portland's stages as an actor in musicals and plays, Trovarich, Bleacher Bums, Once Upon A Mattress, Funny Girl, The Potting Shed, Diminshed Capacity, Rain Dance, and Pal Joey. In 2014 he took to the stage again starring in his own highly successful show, The Donnie Show. Taking the lead from The Tonight Show he featured many musical acts and personalities from Oregon and Washington.

He, along with his company triangle productions!, was awarded the Oregon Heritage Excellence Award for The Darcelle Project in 2021. “Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations for outstanding heritage efforts. The nomination process is an opportunity to honor work that goes above and beyond expectations, serves as a model for future work, and inspires others.”

Currently working on gathering, documenting, and securing Oregon's vast LGBTQ history, The Umbrella Project.

Don/Donnie is a proud father of five children [step, adopted, own] and 11 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. 

He holds a BS and MBA from City University and has over 15 published books including, Crumbs of Love [his autobiography] and Agapi Mou [published in English and Greek about the Greek island of Zakynthos, the only place in the world where Jews were not harmed during WWII). He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, NAMT (National Alliance of Musical Theatre), and PATA. 

triangle's slogan is "We're not just a theatre, we're triangle...bare feet, hugs and all."

Visit his website at https://www.thedonnieshow.com

Email: don@trianglepro.org

Cell: 503-998-8067

About Us

Established in 1989 by Donald Horn, triangle productions! has enjoyed a unique niche in the arts landscape of Oregon by producing rich stories told through diverse perspectives, particularly the gay perspective. triangle is one of the oldest theater companies in the Portland metro area and is one the oldest LGBTQ-identified theatres In the US. Using the company’s mission, material is chosen with the goal of promoting diversity and acceptance, striving to bring relevant issues to a theatrical setting allowing the audience to be both entertained and educated.

The theatre deeply values both artists and audience members equally, ensuring that each feels included and that every show embodies a core of truth and humanity. Throughout the company’s history, it has staged over 250 productions and has brought professional, entertaining, and provocative theatre dealing with a wide variety of issues such as AIDS, drug addiction, homophobia, abortion, acceptance, racism, and individuality. The company has been recognized by 90 nominations or wins for its productions from Best Production (I Love You-You’re Perfect-Now Change) to Best Songs (“Perverts” and “You’ll Be Fine” from ’69 – the sexual revolution musical) and Best Original Production Darcelle: That’s No Lady in 2019.

 It has earned a rare degree of loyalty from its audiences – with some of its current season ticket holders who have been coming since 1989. Its longevity is due in part to innovative programming and to adapt to an ever-changing market. The company is continually evaluating and improving its services to ensure patrons receive the highest value for their arts dollars. Through Donald’s leadership, the company has opened three theatre spaces within the Portland area, Theater! Theatre!, Flying Rhino, and the company’s present location at the Sandy Plaza.

Over its 34-year history, the company has proven its worth in the state of Oregon and beyond. Providing part-time employment opportunities, hiring all actors, technicians, and musicians as employees while paying at or above minimum wage.  The company has always hired actors who are Equity as well as try whenever possible to do more blind casting.  It also has toured such shows as Soph, the Last of the Red Hot Mamas, The Jim Pepper Project [Native American Jazz artist], and The Brown Paper Bag Series [anti-lynching plays].

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