JAW 2024 was a BLAST!

Thanks to all who came through!

Great new plays. Incredible live music. Brilliant community performances. We could not be more thrilled with the turnout in support of this year's JAW Festival of New Plays. Did you join us for a show (or 2 or 5??)? Make sure to fill out the Audience Feedback Surveys linked below to help the playwrights out as they continue on their journey to develop these works into your future favorite plays!

• ...Daisy the Cow...
• Good Person
• Fires, Ohio
• Teen Playwrights Showcase
• The Sunnyview Elementary Art Show

Check out photos from JAW on our Flickr -- more images will be added all week! 

PLAYWRIGHTS: Check this page in fall 2024 for details on our open submission program for next year's JAW.

The JAW New Play Festival is Portland Center Stage’s week-long assembling of artists and audiences to create new plays! Each July, artistic teams, including playwrights, directors, and actors, come together to rehearse — and a lot of times rewrite! — a new play. The final piece of the process happens during the weekend, when we share “music stand readings” with audiences so the playwrights can hear their work, often for the very first time!

• Develop energizing work
• We are committed to developing dope plays!
• Champion exciting voices
• We are invested in playwright-driven artistic growth, giving opportunities to fresh, engaging, powerful theatrical voices.
• Connect with our communities
• We believe that audiences are active participants in the creation of new work. The audience is the final collaborator an artistic team needs to bring a play to life.

In addition to new play readings, Portland Center Stage presents Press Play events during the JAW festival weekend. To welcome people into the space, we offer pre-show performances and workshops, featuring dynamic local artists. These events include an ever-changing lineup of dance exhibitions of all genres, live music, visual art, choreographed movement showcases, interactive installations, and artist labs. All JAW events are free to the public and help introduce new audiences and community members to the breadth of talent in our city, and beyond.

Since 1999, JAW has created a space for 92 playwrights to develop 95 plays. Most have gone on to receive professional productions across the country, including many world premieres at PCS.

Portland Center Stage is committed to making our facilities accessible to all of our patrons. Wheelchair seating, accommodation for service animals, sign interpretation, and sound amplifying devices, and large print programs are available for JAW. For more information about these services, please visit our accessibility page.