Events 2024

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE STAGE
LIGHT AND DARK: SHORT PLAYS by LOUISE WYNN and TIMOTHY KRAUSE
On the approach of Halloween, in a special Fifth Tuesday session, an evening with both theatrical levity and dramatic weight unfolds. Don’t miss these live readings of a short quirky comedy and a compelling one-act drama created by two distinct playwrights:

HAVING A VANYA MOMENT – by LOUISE WYNN
As Uncle Vanya and Sonia examine art in a gallery in Camas, Washington, unexpected visitors provoke a debate about self-reflection, desperation, destiny, and style.

NOW ARE YOU AFRAID OF ME – by TIMOTHY KRAUSE
A relentless biographer is determined to tell the story of a notorious criminal known for his many prison escapes … but at what cost?

CONTENT ADVISORY: This play contains scenes with adult situations and language and references to violence and sex; recommended for mature audiences.


NOTE: IN-PERSON EVENT. This session is scheduled for 7 pm at Portland Playhouse, 602 NE Prescott St. Admission will not occur prior to the reading. Masks are optional. Please see https://portlandplayhouse.org/COVID19 for more information about health and safety at the facility. The reading is free for attendees, but donations to offset our expenses are always appreciated.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

NOTE: CHANGED MEETING DATE. Because Election Day falls on our regular meeting date, there will be no meeting on November 5, 2024. We elected to schedule our session one week earlier (October 29) instead. he meeting will take place on the stage (rather than the studio/community room) at Portland Playhouse.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE STUDIO
FREEDOM [ACT II] – by Chari Smith
This rousing rock musical brings one of civilization’s most iconic tales to life, portraying the Hebrew prophet Moses not just as the destined leader of his people, but as a young man torn between royal privilege and stark injustice. Freedom reveals the untold emotional experiences of those who journeyed with him—from his mother’s heart-wrenching sacrifice to Pharoah’s sinister ambitions—taking us on an emotional journey of love, loss, and liberation.

Additional submissions are being reviewed by our team…

We have quite a few scripts under review or in the process of being scheduled or cast for our regular readings. This process takes time. If you have submitted a script, we thank you for your patience. That said, we continue to welcome additional script submissions to consider for our readings. If you are interested in submitting a script for consideration, whether a full-length, a one-act, or a 10-minute play, check out our guidelines: https://www.pdxplaywrights.org/wp/faq-playwrights/ … and then send it (or questions) to submit@pdxplaywrights.org!

In any case, we’ll see you soon.

From time to time, we may offer online gatherings as used to do on a regular basis. We will update you as best we can with our newsletter and website and social media postings. We apologize for any inconvenience in these changes, and we thank you for understanding.

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PAST EVENTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE STUDIO
GUERNICA – by JONATHAN HERNANDEZ
A series of complementary but distinct short science fiction dramas examining AI robotics in relation to the human condition, the push for technology, and space exploration at all costs. Collectively, the pieces including Sofie, Maestro, and Sway ask the questions: What constitutes humanity? What is the cost of being human? What is the cost of surviving?

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
REGRET: A GOTHIC COMEDY – by Karen Polinsky
At a rustic property in Oregon—attacked by crows but suddenly worth millions—a family gathers to pay their respects to a dying patriarch and his problematic wife … at long last turning their regrets into murder. Meanwhile, an adorable endangered species is running out of time.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6  – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
SARAH UNCENSORED – by SARAH STEIN

Two solo shows from one dynamic storyteller:

  • HURT ME – This is a raw and “uncensored” story of Sarah’s life between a divorce and remarriage to the same person. It focuses on the men Sarah met during those eight years, including “the Buddhist Bastard” and “Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde”! It is a rollicking, sarcastic journey sure to bring much laughter. (Regarding the title, she adds, “No fears: Hurt Me is more emotional than physical.”)
  • BORN TO KVETCH – As a native New Yorker and a Jew, Sarah is (as she puts it) “a born kvetcher.” The definition of kvetch is to fret, complain, gripe … but with style. This will be an interactive show where volunteers will be brought on the stage and taught how to kvetch.

TUESDAY, JULY 2 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
JUDY & DOLLY – by ALISHA CHRISTIANSEN
Judy and Dolly, an unlikely pair separated by miles and circumstances, connect by way of butterflies and hummingbird wings. They egg each other on through life’s peaks and valleys. One’s more famous than the other, but both have a shared sense of powering their way through a world that isn’t exactly made for them. Consoling themselves with diamonds, hair-dos, and music, the two friends make their mark, leaving life better than it was at the start. Through it all, these friends support each other til the end.

TUESDAY, JUNE 4 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
MOTHER, MONSTER – by LINDSAY PARTAIN
In a desperate bid to defy death, Dr. Harriet Frankenstein works to resurrect her deceased husband, but playing God unleashes unforeseen consequences as she navigates the looming specter of war. Harriet knows she must destroy all evidence of her Creation, but in her attempt to do so, he is accidentally freed to face a violent world that rejects his existence, leaving Harriet and the ones she loves to face his impending wrath. An adaptation of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, commissioned by Veteran’s Repertory Theatre.

TUESDAY, MAY 7 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
YOU CAN’T QUIT – by STAN MATTHEWS
A dark comedy about corporate and personal ethics, and how people react when they discover their boss is a monster.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This play contains scenes with adult language and situations.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16-SUNDAY, APRIL 21 – CHAPEL THEATRE
PDX PLAYWRIGHTS PRESENTS – THE FESTIVAL WITHIN THE FESTIVAL
Poignant tales of immigrants, outlandish comedy, compelling full-length dramas, provocative solo shows, hilarious political satire, and more — PDX Playwrights will give voice to vibrant variety this year. Our shows within the Fertile Ground Festival of New Works will be presented at Chapel Theatre (4107 SE Harrison St, Milwaukie, OR) April 16-21. Festival passes and individual tickets (each only $15) are on sale now! Most of our plays are staged readings, and a few (including our flagship Epic Shorts: Strange Burdens) are full productions. The full city-wide festival fast approaching, and you can check here now for our amazing Festival Within the Festival play descriptions and lineup!

TUESDAY, MARCH 5 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
THE GOVERNMENT AGENT – by ADAM HARRELL
Ted Wyatt’s criminal reign as mayor and future political aspirations are thrown into peril when a suspected undercover government agent shows up in his small town of Crystal Canyon. With the help of his corrupt staff, he and his dysfunctional family pull out all the stops to impress the agent, preserve the status quo, and possibly line their own pockets along the way. Based upon The Inspector General by Nikolai Gogol.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This play may not be suitable for audiences under the age of 17.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
TRU ADORATION – by KATIE BENNETT
A cast of eccentric characters pervade this humorous play about romance, life and career: Alexandra Bow and Jerry Cosmo may have different college majors, but yearn to be of one heart. As they struggle to understand each other with the help of their celebrated dance teacher, Tru Adoré, there is no end to their curiosity about the true nature of love, physics and dance. (NOTE: This is a new, expanded version of a previous work.)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30 – PORTLAND PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ROOM
PDXP FERTILE GROUND 2024 CO-PRODUCERS ORIENTATION – presented by PDX PLAYWRIGHTS
Playwrights who received confirmation last month about their submissions to participate in the Fertile Ground Festival of New Works 2024 are required to attend this presentation designed to answer questions and set the stage for collaboration ahead of the events, April 16-21 at Chapel Theatre.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27 – COHO THEATRE
SCENARIO! PLAYWRITING WORKSHOP SHOWCASE – presented by PDX PLAYWRIGHTS
Following this week-long workshop at CoHo Theater, running January 8-12, with evening classes and staged readings on the weekend, short works and excerpts created by participants will be presented. Audience feedback also will be gathered. Facilitators of the workshop included Karen Polinsky, Ajai Tripathi, and Olga Kravtsova. Preliminary windows for various showcase segments are at 1 pm, 2:30 pm and 4 pm.  See here for more information!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16 – ONLINE
THE WELL – by FARAH HAIDARI
A comic tragedy about addiction, intimacy, and connection. The Well is a series of two-person scenes following a female protagonist over nine years of her young adult life. Seven male characters are played by one male actor.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This play contains scenes of involving substance use and adult situations.

NOTE: This was an ONLINE EVENT because of weather conditions.

When our readings are conducted as virtual sessions, readers usually have been pre-cast by the playwrights. Fellow writers, actors and listeners are warmly invited to participate and offer their reactions, insights, and feedback. We leave it up to the playwrights whether they wish to have their script available before and/or during the read. The timing of the script access, if any, is based on the playwright’s preference. If there is an advance posting of the script or other materials they will be here: https://www.pdxplaywrights.org/scripts/. The reading is free for attendees, but donations to offset our expenses are always appreciated.

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MORE ABOUT US

PDX Playwrights is a group for playwrights who want to meet, hear their scripts read aloud, and share feedback.

Typically we have 15-20 people — and sometimes more — at each meeting: playwrights, actors, and friends. Plays are read aloud by whomever is at the table that night, or sometimes by actors selected in advance.

Regular meetings

First Tuesdays of the month

7 to 9 p.m.

When a meeting approaches, check our site (pdxplaywrights.org) for updated information.

Free – a hat will be passed virtually for optional donations to cover expenses: (Contributions via PayPal are conducted through our site at https://www.pdxplaywrights.org/wp/donate/ ). Thank you. We look forward to seeing you