Playwrights fest begins tonight

The playwrights – from Post Falls to New York City – have been selected. Now the finals begin.

The Spokane Civic Theatre’s Playwrights Forum Festival, now in its 24th year, showcases new work and awards prizes to the winners of the adjudicated competition.

This year, two full-length plays are part of the competition. Each will be performed twice in a reader’s theater format during the festival’s first weekend, tonight through Saturday.

“Lost Children” is a drama by Tom Pierce of Seattle and “Skin Deep” is a comedy by Rich Orloff of New York.

The festival has traditionally been a showcase for one-act plays. This year there will be four one-acts in the competition, to be performed in fully staged productions during the festival’s second weekend, June 14 through 16.

The one-acts are:

“”Wet Clay,” by Jake Farley of Seattle

“”No Smoking,” by Lori Marra of Rochester, N.Y.

“”The Meditation,” by Reed McColm of Post Falls

“”So What’s the Story, Enderman?” by Leigh Hunt of Gig Harbor, Wash.

These plays were chosen from dozens of entrants by an adjudication committee. The committee will announce a winner on the last night of the festival. Also, audiences will vote for a people’s choice winner.

Here’s the schedule of shows for each performance:

Tonight: “Skin Deep,” 7:30 p.m.

Friday: “Lost Children,” 8 p.m.

Saturday: “Skin Deep,” 2 p.m.; “Lost Children,” 8 p.m.

June 14: All four one-acts, 7:30 p.m.

June 15: All four one-acts, 8 p.m.

June 16: All four one-acts, 8 p.m.