33rd Bryan Harnetiaux Playwrights’ Forum Festival

Spokane Civic Theatre is proud to present its celebrated Playwrights’ Forum Festival, which, since 1983, has showcased new one-acts by playwrights from across the region. The festival is performed in two separate sets on alternating days.

Performance in the FIRTH J. CHEW STUDIO THEATRE
Rating: PG-13

2023 Playwrights’ Gathering

The 33rd Playwrights’ Forum Festival of short plays includes 10 productions and runs June 15-18 in the Firth J Chew Studio Theatre.

The Playwrights’ Forum Festival Gathering is Saturday, June 17, from 10AM-12PM and includes multiple interactive panel discussions regarding the art and business of playwriting, providing helpful information and suggestions for local and regional playwrights, followed by plenary Q&A session. This event is supported by The Dramatists Guild of America. See agenda.

Moderators include Melody Deatherage, Susan Hardie, Bryan Harnetiaux, Jake Schaefer, and Matthew Weaver.

Guest Presenter (via interactive Zoom): Gwydion Suilebhan — a cultural critic, journalist, and playwright. With co-author Steven Gimbel, he writes about comedy, politics, and philosophy for Salon, Moment, 3 Quarks Daily, and JewTh!nk, among other publications. Together, they are currently working on a social history of Jewish American comedy. As a playwright, Suilebhan’s writing has been noted for its “dexterous theatricality and unexpected pleasure” (Washington Post). A lifelong arts advocate, Suilebhan serves as both the Executive Director of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and the Project Director of the New Play Exchange for the National New Play Network. A founding member of The Welders, a Helen Hayes Award-winning playwrights collective in Washington, DC, Suilebhan previously held the position of Director of Brand and Marketing for Woolly Mammoth. Earlier in his career, he worked as a brand and communications consultant for arts and culture organizations. Suilebhan currently serves on the board of the Alliance for Jewish Theatre. From 2017-2020, he was a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild of America. He speaks widely on the intersection between the arts and technology in the 21st century.

Optional playwriting workshop, involving real time writing exercises, conducted by Scott Doughty, Bryan Harnetiaux and Pamela Kingsley, immediately following (1:30-3:00PM at Spark Central, 1214 W Summit Pkwy, Spokane, WA).