Plays receiving public readings are chosen from that season’s submitted scripts highly rated by our readers/evaluators.

BPF public readings are open to the public with no admission fee. They are typically scheduled on Saturdays between November and March.

The readings are rehearsed by an assigned director, and read by experienced actors. Each reading is followed by a discussion with the playwright(s) and director, and the actors and audience invited to participate.

If chosen for a reading:

• The playwright shall provide a sufficient number of scripts for the actors and director.
• The playwright or a proxy must be in attendance.

In submitting a play, the Playwright specifically authorizes the staging of a public reading of the play at the BPF’s sole discretion, and further irrevocably authorizes the BPF to make a video and audio recording of the reading, and to post that recording on its website or elsewhere, using any extant technology and any technology that may later be developed. The recording is intended to be available both for the Playwright’s benefit and that of the BPF. Notwithstanding, the BPF assumes no obligation to make or post the recording or to maintain it.

A reading is not required for a play to be chosen for production, nor is it a guarantee of production. BPF member theatres are independent producing organizations, each with their own tastes, ambitions and strengths. Each theatre chooses which play(s) they will produce based on their own criteria.