Dark Room

The Dark Room is a monthly reading group that is a co-production of Cleveland Public Theatre and The Cleveland Theatre Collective (www.clevelandtheatre.com). The Dark Room affords emerging and veteran playwrights the space and resources to develop new works and affords actors a chance to cold-read original scripts and offer feedback from a performer’s perspective. It offers a venue to workshop plays, novels, poems, or any other written work in a supportive, yet critical environment. The Dark Room occurs on the second Tuesday of every month in the church on the CPT campus (located just east of the Gordon Square Theatre entrance).

Each month features an open session of readings followed by a reading of the featured piece of the month. When there is no featured reading for the month, the entire evening is devoted to open session (similar to an open-mic night). Each month, the program begins at 7:30pm, with writers wishing to have their work read in open session arriving between 7:15pm and 7:30pm. Open session readings take place from 7:30pm-8:00pm, followed by a brief period of discussion to offer feedback. Featured readings (scripts up to an hour in length) begin at 8:00pm followed by a more in-depth discussion of the work.

Writers signing up for open session should bring selections to be read by actors in attendance. Writers’ samples or scenes should be no longer than 10 pages (or 10 minutes in length) and writers should bring a copy for each character as well as a copy for someone to read stage directions (there is no copy machine available on the night of the event).  If a piece has a particularly large cast size (more than 3-5 actors), we suggest you contact us in advance so that we may invite actors to attend.  The order of work to be read is first come-first serve. Writers who sign up first will have their work read first. Please keep in mind that there is only 30 minutes of open session time on months with a featured reading.

If you are interested in being a featured writer at a future Dark Room, please send a 20- 30 page script along with a short bio, cast requirements, descriptions of the characters and a synopsis of the piece. Writers wishing to present during the open mic portion of The Dark Room may submit shorter works, up to ten pages, in advance of the event to help with casting and attendance/promotion. All submissions should be made to Mindy Herman at mherman@cptonline.org or Derek Koger at drkoger77@yahoo.com.