The Thirsty Word monthly reading series is excited to present a special program taking place on Thursday, July 18, at Cafe Paradiso, located on the northwest corner of the Fairfield town square. Titled “Shorts of July,” the evening will feature five original screenplay shorts and ten-minute plays, all written by area creative writers and performed by an ensemble of Fairfield actors. The series, which began in 2020, has been a popular avenue for local and regional writers to share their latest creative work for an attentive audience.
“We have some serious theatrical talent in our neck of the woods!” says Meredith Siemsen, creator and host of the series. “And this evening is a chance to showcase just the tip of that iceberg. I’m a theater kid at heart, and what better way to keep a toe in two of my favorite creative words than bring together a crew of writers and actors for an evening of entertaining, totally original pieces that nobody’s ever seen or heard before—presented in the simplest, least fussy format possible. Voices, mics, and some great stories. That’s it.”
The series, which takes place every third Thursday of the month, typically features a mix of genres: creative nonfiction, flash fiction, essays, poetry, and the occasional radio-theater play or screenplay—but the July 18 event will be the first time that the Thirsty Word has presented an evening solely dedicated to pieces that are ultimately imagined for the stage or screen.
The five short works—written by Lee Ross, Douglas Marshall, Warren Goldie, Judith Hans-Price, and Richard Morell—range from a comedy that takes place inside the human body—to a romance on the rocks at the grocery store—to a ticking-clock conversation with AI. Add in a mythical tiger tale and a historically accurate account of some hard-won San Franciscan whiskey to round out the mix.
The cast for the evening includes actors from all over town: Tommy Brower, Lou Bolster, Fred Hucke, Craig Deininger, Alaris Todar, Lee Ross, Meredith Siemsen, Mitchell Price, Doug Marshall, Richard Morell, Solomon Davis, and Katherine Eid Wild.
“There might even be brief moments of live accompaniment or song,” says Siemsen, “but I’m leaving those decisions up to the writers of each piece who are all graciously taking the lead in directing their own ensembles.”
“I’ll be the first to admit I’m a little addicted to ‘checking out’ in front of the boob tube,” says Siemsen. “Maybe some of you are, too. But once a month at Thirsty Word, it’s our chance to make our own entertainment while offering an outlet for local creatives to share their stuff. And we have a pretty darn good time.”
“Thirsty Word can be an eye-opening and delightful experience to share with your community members,” says Siemsen. “The people who get up there on the mic are people you might see regularly at the grocery store or at the cafe—but did you know they were also secretly wizards of the written word? Or in this particular case, well-versed in the languages of film or theater? No, you didn’t! Well, maybe you did, ha ha! Either way, what fun it’s been so far to witness each writer’s uniquely fascinating way of harnessing stories, capturing characters, and unleashing worlds, either real or imagined.
“I get a real kick out of writing,” says Siemsen, “but even more fulfilling than putting words down on the page is getting to sharing them out loud, for real live people. And, I mean, who doesn’t love being read to? There is something inherently comforting in it. It’s a win-win.”
Come out on Thursday, July 18, and see for yourself why the Thirsty Word series has been packing the house as of late. The reading starts at 7:30 p.m. and ends around 9 p.m. A minimum $5 donation is suggested at the door.
A portion of the July 18 proceeds will support the making of Richard Morell’s Romance Cleanup in Aisle Five, a screenplay short in the evening’s lineup that’s currently raising funds for production.
Cafe Paradiso is located at 101 N. Main Street. Come early and order a glass of wine, beer, kombucha, herbal tea, espresso drink, an iced Italian soda, or a tasty pastry.
Writers interested in reading at the Thirsty Word this fall or winter can email Meredith Siemsen at sourceoffice@lisco.com. While most readings don’t follow a particular theme, the series is currently seeking submissions that are loosely Halloween themed for October, or winter-holiday themed for December. All writing genres are welcome.