PORT TOWNSEND — PT PlayFest, this town’s two-week celebration of live theater and fresh ideas, is going headlong into its final days with a slate of free events and brand-new plays.
Doris Baizley, a co-founder of LA Theatre Works, is the featured artist invited here by Key City Public Theatre, host of the 19th annual festival.
She’s reveling in it all: hosting a performance of her play “Neel Beaux” on Friday night, partaking in a panel discussion with other playwrights Saturday evening and teaching writing workshops both Saturday and Sunday.
For those who just want to see a lot of shows, PlayFest has that, too.
Three one-act stories by local writers will take the stage Thursday at Key City Playhouse, 419 Washington St., and from Friday through Sunday, patrons can attend readings, open rehearsals or full productions of seven other plays.
A festival pass, at $35, covers all performances, while the $95 writer’s pass includes all shows plus Baizley’s intensive workshop Sunday for playwrights.
Friday’s presentation of “Neel Beaux” features seasoned Port Townsend actress Michelle Hensel and Key City Public Theatre apprentice Jordan Carlson as Alice Neel and Cecilia Beaux, respectively — two female artists from different eras.
Their conversation about their creative lives makes a fitting story for this place, said director Denise Winter.
“We have so many artists here,” she said, “that are hitting their artistic strides at different ages.”
Baizley, for her part, will then engage the audience in conversations about art, life, men and women.
The whole event will start at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Key City Playhouse. Tickets are $20 at the two portals for all things PlayFest: the box office at 360-385-5278 and www.KeyCityPublicTheatre.org.
Over at the Pope Marine Building, 603 Water St., Baizley will give a free playwriting workshop from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
She invites new and experienced writers to bring lots of paper, writing utensils — and the willingness to let go.
“I love to start people on ideas — sort of loosen up and really play,” she said in an interview last week from her home in Venice, Calif.
Baizley will next offer an intensive workshop at the Pope Marine Building from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday for playwrights with works in progress.
“I’d love it if writers would bring their work,” she said, adding that she hopes to coach those who might be a bit stuck.
The fee for Sunday’s intensive is $75, and as with the free Saturday workshop, participants should call or email ahead to ensure a seat: rsvp@keycitypublictheatre.org or 360-385-5278.
Here’s the full lineup of PlayFest activities in downtown Port Townsend:
Thursday
■ 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Playwrights’ Potluck, free at the Pope Marine Building.
■ 7:30 p.m. — One-act plays: “Beautiful Ratty Blanket,” “Oedipus at Delphi” and “Let’s Give the Dog Hands!,” $15 at the Key City Playhouse.
Friday
■ 11 a.m. — Staged reading of “Optimism, Or” by AP Andrews, $10 at the playhouse.
■ 1:30 p.m. — Reading of “skinny crazy small” by Sylvie Mae Baldwin, $10 at Pope Marine.
■ 2:30 p.m. — One-act productions (see above), $15 at the playhouse.
■ 3 p.m. — Open rehearsal for “skinny crazy small,” free at Pope Marine.
■ 5 p.m. — Readings of the one-act plays “Lucifer,” “Mortuary Affairs” and “The Standoff,” $10 at Pope Marine.
■ 7:30 p.m. — “An Evening with Doris Baizley,” $20 at the playhouse.
Saturday
■ 10 a.m. — Playwriting workshop, free at Pope Marine.
■ 11 a.m. — Teen Lab play written and produced by local teens, $10 at the playhouse.
■ 1:30 p.m. — Open rehearsal for “Optimism, Or,” free at the playhouse.
■ 2 p.m. — Open rehearsal for “Neel Beaux,” free at Pope Marine.
■ 4:15 p.m. — “Insta-Play,” a production written and performed by those who show up, free at Pope Marine.
■ 6 p.m. — “Three Generations of Playwrights on Life and Death,” a panel discussion, free at the playhouse.
■ 7:30 p.m. — One-act productions, $15 at the playhouse.
■ 8 p.m. — “Working Drafts,” cold readings of six new scripts by selected local playwrights, $10 at Pope Marine.
Sunday
■ 10 a.m. — Playwriting intensive, $75 at Pope Marine.
■ 1:30 p.m. — Reading of “skinny crazy small,” $10 at the playhouse.
■ 3 p.m. — One-act readings, $10 at Pope Marine.
■ 5 p.m. — “Neel Beaux” reading, $10 at the playhouse.
■ 6:30 p.m. — Pass-holder party at the playhouse, free for pass holders.
■ 7:30 p.m. — “Optimism, Or” reading, $10 at the playhouse.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
