The FreshWorks program at Portland Theatre Works is designed to let playwrights hear a new draft of their play read by actors for the first time. The readings are free and open to the public.
Every third Monday of the month, Portland Theatre Works will produce an unrehearsed reading of a new play at Theater!Theatre! in southeast Portland. We're very excited to be partnering with Profile Theater in presenting these readings.
A playwright may do many revisions on the page, but once they get a chance to hear it, and see what an actor brings to their script, everything changes. Many things about the play--what's working, what's confusing--can become clear for the first time.
The FreshWorks series will also allow Portland audiences to get a taste of what local and national playwrights are working on right now, and perhaps a sneak peak at a show they'll see on a local stage a year or two down the road.
After the reading the playwright may solicit feedback in whatever format they wish, or decline to hear feedback (sometimes just hearing a first reading is feedback enough, though almost all playwrights get a great deal of help from the feedback session with the audience). As always Portland Theatre Works works closely with the playwright to find the best way for them to get the feedback they want.
Every 3rd Monday (usually) of the month at 7 p.m.