WORCESTER—A prison classroom. A doctor’s office. Moving, spiritual poetry. These are just some of the dramatic settings unfolding at the Worcester Writers’ Collective second annual Summer Showcase from 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 31, at the Boroughs Theatre at the Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross.
“It is such a surreal treat to think that we are pulling off another showcase of original Worcester writing and creative fiction,” said Brett Iarrobino, a founding member of the WWC and the showcase director. “The city has so much to offer in the performing arts scene, and we are equally lucky to host so many cool and unique places where you can go to read your writing out loud before a really enthusiastic crowd.”
The showcase highlights the work of 12 Worcester Country writers, bringing a collection of poetry, plays, and short stories to life, using actors, sounds, and projections. Most of the pieces were workshopped during weekly WWC sessions. The Collective meets every Tuesday from 6-9 p.m. at the JMAC, 20 Franklin Street, in Worcester. Participants are afforded an hour of quiet writing time from 6-7 p.m., and then the group is split in half to workshop submitted writing.
Founding member Emma Couillard said the WWC — and the showcase itself — fills a creative void in the city.
“There is still no dependably routine and accessible place you can go in the city for a new play development process,” she said. “There is little opportunity for your writing to be read aloud by another artist’s voice so you can hear it for yourself. Our showcase is not quite a play, not quite an open mic; it is somewhere in between, because that option needs to be offered to our community.”
The WWC is free and open to everyone, including writers outside of Worcester County. It’s recommended participants bring a device (such as a laptop) for easiest access, as our work is shared on a Google Drive. If you don’t have one, don’t worry – old school pen and paper works, too. For more information, find them on Facebook, on Instagram @WorcesterWritersCo, or email WorcesterWritersCollective@gmail.com.
Tickets are free but must be reserved on Eventbrite.
