On the first Sunday of each month, the lobby of Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) in Portland, Oregon, hums with the scribbling of pencils and the tapping of keys as Oregon playwrights gather for community and inspiration.
A new group called ARTwrite has been inviting playwrights to come together for a little bit of writing, a little bit of sharing, and a lot of connecting with other playwrights since October 2025. The group was founded by ART’s playwright-in-residence E. M. (Ellen) Lewis and Oregon’s new regional Dramatists Guild Representative, Sara Jean Accuardi.
“Playwriting can be a lonely business,” Ellen shared, “…and the theater community has had such a challenging time in the wake of Covid.” Sara Jean added, “We sensed this need for a regular gathering spot in our community. And Artists Rep – with its history of support for new plays and Pacific Northwest playwrights – seemed like the perfect place to convene. We didn’t know how much interest there would be. We only knew that something like this should exist.”
Well, it turns out that if you build it, they will come. Each month, they’ve found themselves scrambling for more chairs as the number of playwrights in attendance grows.
ARTwrite is completely free, and the doors are open to anyone with an interest in playwriting, which has resulted in a wide variety of artists sharing space, insight, and sparks of creativity. Seasoned playwrights mingle with those just beginning to think about writing their first play, high school students write alongside octogenarians, a playwright who lives a couple blocks away from the theatre chats with someone who traveled there all the way from the Oregon coast.
“We’re so pleased with how it’s going!” Ellen said. “The more troubled the times, the more urgent the need for artists to come together, support each other, and give voice to what’s happening in the world. Now is definitely the time for this.”
On the heels of ARTwrite’s success, the duo has added a monthly gathering specifically geared toward musical theater creators, called ARTsong. They held the first meeting in January with a small invited group of composers, lyricists, and bookwriters, and they’re excited to see what that more specialized group will grow into. They hope to expand ARTsong next year, and implement a more formal application process for it.
But in the meantime, if you’re a playwright or are simply curious about playwriting, drop by and connect with ARTwrite’s growing community of local playwrights – meeting from 11am – 12:30pm on the first Sunday of every month at Artists Rep! They’d love to see you there.