Curated by Essential’s Founding Artistic Director, Peter Hardy, himself a national award-winning playwright who’s had over 30 productions of his work done around the country and has had plays chosen for the National Playwrights’ Conference and the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival and received playwriting awards from the National Playwrights’ Conference, the Festival of Southern Theatre and the New Southern Theatre Festival.
All Bare Essentials readings are free and open to the public. Be sure to stay after for exciting conversation with the director, cast and playwright!
What audiences are saying…
“It exposed me to something I didn’t know about- how plays are crafted- and the amazing talent we have in Georgia.”
“Programs like this are vital for the survival of Georgia theatre”
“The delight of discovering new talent is a major draw, and connecting with stories close to our own communities and backyards is a wonderful gift.”
What our playwrights say…
Thank you for everything you did to help make the reading happen and come off so smoothly! As a first time playwright, seeing the work performed on stage meant the world to me.
-Matt Hoffman, The Manuscript reading June 6, 2022.
I love staged readings because they allow a play to take its first baby steps towards coming to life. When I’m writing the dialogue I hear it in my head a certain way but until it’s actually coming out of the mouths of performers I don’t know if it’s working the way I thought. Staged readings also give a great sense of the flow and momentum of the piece as a whole. They are a part of my creative process with every script I write.
-Emily McClain, The Rock and the Hard Place reading Aug 22, 2023
UP NEXT:
Check back soon for our 2025 Bare Essentials lineup!
2024 Bare Essentials Play Readings
False Awakening by Jacob Ryan Martinez (Aug 12)
Liz Frank by Keely Herrick (Aug 20)
Full Term by Jazzë A. Lewis (Aug 20)
The Fantabulous Showcase of Laurie and Kacey by Sydni Symone (Aug 27)
2023 Bare Essentials Play Readings
Water Boyz by Kwik Jones (Aug 14)
The Rock & the Hard Place by Emily McClain (Aug 22)
Pas de Deux by Sarah Swiderski (Aug 29)
The Other Bones by Beverley Sylvester (Aug 29)
2022 Bare Essentials Play Readings*
The Manuscript, by Matthew Hoffman (June 6)
The Exhibit by Ozzy Rose Wagner (Aug 9)
Barbie Liberation Organization by Robert Fuson (Aug 10)
Shark Week by Anneka Rose (Aug 22)
2020 Bare Essentials Play Readings*
Sunrise from the Moon, by Hannah Manikowski (Aug 11)*
Cheek by Jowl by Emily McClain (Oct 1)*
Smoked by Thomas Brazzle (Nov 12)*
Dead Gay Body by Abraham Johnson (Nov 16)*
2019 Bare Essentials Play Readings*
Concert Reading of Memory Lane, by Sharon Goldman and Marilyn Baron (Feb 23)
DAY OF SATURN by Leviticus Jelks III (Aug 3)*
HENRY DARGER TAKES A WALK by Rosalind Sullivan-Lovett (Aug 6)*
WAITING FOR BIG STUFF by Allan Dodson (Aug 12)*
THE ODDS AGAINST DEATH by Ted Westby and John D. Babcock III (Aug 21)*
THE OUTRAGE MACHINE by Daniel Carter Brown (Dec 9)
2018 Bare Essentials Play Readings
FAITH by Lee Osorio (Aug 7)
DAD by Ben Harris (Aug 7)
A POSTERIORI by Courtney Earl (Aug 14)
BABY SHOWER FOR THE ANTI-CHRIST by Ben Thorpe (Aug 22)
2017 Bare Essentials Play Readings
PANTS ON FIRE! by Jacobi Howard (Feb 13)
WHAT MY MOTHER TOLD ME by Anna Denise Millard (May 22)
FALLING OFF THE EDGE by Paul Donnelly (Aug 9)**
VALENTINO by Liz Dooley (Aug 14)**
RICK AND RICKY by Lee Raines (Aug 23)**
2016 Bare Essentials Play Readings
MISS SMALL TOWN USA by Gerry L. Bartholomäi (Jan 26)
PETE N’ WENDY by Erin Considine (Aug 8)**
THE MEMORY BOX by Laura King (Aug 15)**
NEVER BEEN TO VIENNA by Gerry L. Bartholomäi (Aug 24)**
2015 Bare Essentials Play Readings
DELI by Diane Dexter (Aug 4)
THE WAYFARERS by Hillary Simpson Bolle (Aug 10)
WASH, DRY, FOLD by Nedra Pezold Roberts (Aug 18)
THE END OF WILLIAM HENRY by Caleb Zane Huett (Sept 30)
THE CISCO KID WAS MY MOTHER’S BOYFRIEND by Bill Gibson (Nov 30)
2014 Bare Essentials Play Reading Series
TROLLS by Robin L. Burke
PERFECT FAITH by Frankie Little Hardin
LIMBO NIGHT IN PURGATORY by Tyler Stuart
THE BEAST OF SKITTER CREEK by Brian Forrester
MISS ADELIA’S GARDEN by Gerry L. Bartholmai
CHRIST AMERICA by Bill Gibson
2013 Bare Essentials Play Reading Series, curated by Amber Bradshaw:
THE UGANDA PLAY by Theroun Patterson
(Went on to win the 2014 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award and premiere as part of the 2014 Essential Theatre Play Festival)
FORTUNES OF WARREN by Lee Wright
CEMETERY ROW by Karen Wurl
2012 Festival reading:
SPLIT IN THREE by Daryl Fazio
(Went on to be workshopped in Florida Rep’s first annual PlayLab Festival then premiered during their next season. Also produced in Aurora Theatre’s 16-17 season.)
2011 Festival readings:
MY BROTHER’S KNIFE by Joshua Mikel
PAIN IN THE NECK by Rachel Teagle
THE SPINS by Sara Crawford
(World Premiere production at Out of Box, January 2016)
2005 Festival reading:
APRIL 10, 1535 by Cheryldee Huddleson
2004 Festival readings:
A MATTER OF GRACE by Mary Miller
FLEEING FROM GRACE by Janea Boyles
2003 Festival readings:
DEATH AND THE MIDDLE MAN by Joey Cleary
(Later produced by Working Title Playwrights, directed by Peter Hardy)
BEYOND BELIEF by Daniel Walsh
*Produced thanks to support from Georgia Humanities, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, through funding from the Georgia General Assembly.
**Produced in partnership with Working Title Playwrights
