Join us for a reading of The View from Here at the Fertile Ground Festival!

The View from Here

As Elsie prepares to leave the planet, she’s visited by two young people who are also, in their own ways, death-adjacent. Can the three of them help each other fix the terrible, lonely tilting of their lives before Ed arrives?

Directed by Nik Whitcomb

Featuring Vana O'Brien, Taya Dixon, Samuel Campbell, and Tony Green.

Part of LineStorm Playwrights presentations of new works in progress in Portland's Fertile Ground Festival!

April 17th at 2pm at Artists Repertory Theater in Portland, Oregon.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/portland/article/10-Shows-to-Check-Out-at-the-2026-Fertile-Ground-Festival-20260403

Wonderful reviews for Apple Hunters, now playing at Artists Rep!

"APPLE HUNTERS! is listed as the "feel-good" show in Artist Repertory Theatre's season, presumably because "will lighten your heart and restore your faith in humanity" would have been too long. But that's really what E.M. Lewis's gorgeous new play does..."

Krista Garver at Broadway World

https://www.broadwayworld.com/portland/article/Review-APPLE-HUNTERS-at-Artists-Rep-20260408

"With quiet brilliance, E.M. Lewis’s heartwarming play about brotherhood, adeptly directed by Zeina Salame at Artists Repertory Theatre, drops breadcrumbs of meaning while also letting us make our own way through the rich woods of her characters’ memories and current-day troubles."

Linda Ferguson at Oregon ArtsWatch

https://www.orartswatch.org/looking-for-love-in-all-the-right-places-four-childhood-friends-embark-on-a-quest-to-find-an-apple-in-apple-hunters/

Apple Hunters! World Premiere at Artists Repertory Theater in Portland, Oregon!

Apple Hunters!

March 31 - April 26, 2026
Artists Repertory Theatre

written by E.M. Lewis |  directed by Zeina Salame

It’s been a hard year for Eddie.  So he gets the old gang back together (his big brother and two childhood friends) and convinces them to join him as he tries to find a long-lost variety of apple once grown in their childhood stomping grounds. Amid the blur of chores, kids’ soccer practice, and the relentless daily grind, the guys embark on a quest for this legendary golden apple — and end up finding something much more valuable along the way..

Mellon Foundation Playwright-in-Residence E.M. Lewis wraps up her 6-year residency at Artists Rep with Apple Hunters!, a funny and heartfelt story of men, friendship, and the power of showing up for each other.

https://artistsrep.org/performance/apple-hunters/

Dorothy's Dictionary -- now playing at Oregon Contemporary Theater!

Dorothy's Dictionary is playing at Oregon Contemporary Theater in Eugene from February 21 - March 9, 2025!

https://www.octheatre.org/dorothysdictionary

Reviews:

Dorothy Velasco, for KLCC:

"A play named Dorothy’s Dictionary would naturally grab my attention, and I’m so glad that it did. Now playing at Oregon Contemporary Theatre, this tender-hearted two-person drama by E.M. Lewis can juggle our emotions from laughter to tears in a matter of seconds. ...the play is only an hour and 15 minutes long, but the plot is fully developed, and completely satisfying."

Dorothy's Dictionary comes to Portland in 21ten's "Bare Bones" Theater Production

In November 2024, Dorothy's Dictionary had a lovely little production at 21ten in Portland -- an intimate theater with lots of heart.

Sparks fly when Zan, an angry high school student, is forced to work off his community service assignment helping Dorothy, an ailing librarian. But each of them might just have what the other needs... if they can only find the words.

https://www.21ten.org/event-details-registration/dorothys-dictionary-2024-11-17-14-00

Reviews:

Linda Ferguson for ArtsWatch: "Chronicling the friendship between a teen and a librarian, the 21ten Theatre production of the Oregon playwright's award-winning play glows with humor and emotion."

https://www.orartswatch.org/short-and-sweet-e-m-lewiss-60-minute-play-dorothys-dictionary-offers-inspiration-and-hope-in-a-divisive-time/

Krista Garver for Broadway World: "The production is part of 21ten’s BareBones mobile theatre program, designed to bring dramatic storytelling to audiences in spaces like schools, libraries, and senior centers. As such, the production itself is quite simple – two actors, a set consisting mostly of stacks of books. The secret sauce here is authenticity, evident in Lewis’s gorgeous writing as well as Campbell and Darner’s performances, which perfectly capture the warmth, humor, and humanity of their characters. I recognized bits of myself in both of them.

DOROTHY’S DICTIONARY is a reminder of the beauty of shared stories and the surprising places we find connection. Don’t miss it."

https://www.broadwayworld.com/portland/article/Review-DOROTHYS-DICTIONARY-at-21ten-Theatre-20241114

Strange Birds is a finalist for the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival!

In May, STRANGE BIRDS was one of five plays featured in the 2024 Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival!  I had the opportunity to work on the play with Chicago director Mikael Burke and a wonderful cast of young actors from Southeast Missouri State College -- lovingly referred to as SEMO.  It was a wonderful week of readings and workshops.  Very inspiring to be part of!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/st-louis/article/Student-Blog-My-Week-at-the-Lanford-Wilson-New-American-Play-Festival-2024-20240709

The Frankenstein Project is a finalist for the Neukom Award!

Intimate Surveillance by Catherine Stewart won this year's Neukom Award, and The Frankenstein Project by Oregon-based playwright E. M. Lewis was selected as the finalist for 2024. Five additional plays were selected as honorable mentions: The Fabric of Things by Dan Aibel; Sync by Shanna Allman; otou-san by Sean-Joseph Choo: Cut It Out by Jonah Lipsky; and I WOULD DO ANYTHING 4 U! by Maggie Munday Odom. All the recognized plays were selected from 96 submissions.

The Neukom Institute for Computational Science at Dartmouth College is dedicated to supporting and inspiring computational work. The Literary Arts Awards is part of the Neukom Institute’s initiative to explore the ways in which computational ideas impact society.

https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/2024/12/nh-playwright-wins-neukom-institute-literary-award

The Frankenstein Project at Florida Atlantic University!

Coming up next... a workshop production of my newest play THE FRANKENSTEIN PROJECT at Florida Atlantic University!

https://www.fau.edu/artsandletters/theatrelab/owlnewplayfestival/thefrankensteinproject/

A fully-realized workshop production of a new play. 

In 1816, Mary Shelley grieves her lost child and conjures a creature that looks a lot like her beloved husband. In the present, Mary Lattimore tries to write a paper about Mary Shelley’s book for her high school English class, but gets distracted by the new friendship she begins with an AI robot her father has created and brought home. The Frankenstein Project is about the monsters we battle, the monsters we create, and the monsters we (sometimes) are. 

Following Theatre Lab’s 2022’s hit World Premiere production of her play Dorothy’s Dictionary, award-winning playwright E.M. Lewis returns to the FAU campus with her newest creation. The Department of Theatre and Dance is proud to provide a first home for this exciting new script - connecting stories of the past with those we’re living in today!

A "Preview" Production of STRANGE BIRDS in LAUNCHPAD at UCSB

From February 20-March 1, STRANGE BIRDS had a beautiful preview production in LAUNCHPAD at University of California, Santa Barbara, directed by Risa Brainin.  A fabulous design team, cast, and crew brought this dark little thriller to life.  I was delighted to have the opportunity to join them remotely for rehearsals, and in-person for dress rehearsals and opening weekend!

A lovely feature about our new play process in the Montecito Journal!

https://www.montecitojournal.net/2025/02/25/strange-birds-takes-flight/

A reading of STRANGE BIRDS at Artists Rep!

 

In a remote mountain cabin, five women reckon with dark forces in this fierce and funny feminist thriller. Strange Birds is about women and wolves... and sisters... and secrets. 

Set in Oregon's Wallowa Mountains!  This play is a finalist for the Oregon Book Award and the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival.  It was featured in the Fertile Ground Festival, and had a preview production at UC Santa Barbara, in their LAUNCHPAD Program.

I hope you'll join us at 7:30pm on Monday, March 3rd at Artists Repertory Theatre for a reading of STRANGE BIRDS!  Melory J Mirashrafi is directing, and we have a wonderful cast of actors.  

Admission is FREE.



STRANGE BIRDS
Written by E. M. Lewis
Directed by Melory J Mirashrafi

Featuring:
Kayla Hanson as Lou 
Rachel Routh as Phoebe
Sofia Marks as Gwylan
Crystal Muñoz as Jo
Taya Dixon as Whitney
Brave Sohacki as The Wolf 

Stage Directions and Soundscape by Matt Cherub
Produced by Shawn Lee

Lewis receives Distinguished Alumni Citation from Willamette University

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-cVWPoMABo

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant at PSU!

 This new opera by composer Evan Meier and librettist E. M. Lewis had its academic premiere at Portland State University in December 2023!

https://www.orartswatch.org/magic-and-logic-working-together-psu-operas-charming-production-of-evan-meier-and-e-m-lewis-sherlock-holmes-and-the-case-of-the-fallen-giant/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2q8mfh7TWuxAL6JsGMnuIae-gReTOSM8P7jLZuhgUakH4zepyCeu_27eE_aem_AbYM1W4hgbMWfZ1t_-E7LBsPpmBcKUBNyu7qucEWUwZN-SUtDWXDlZvUDuthJQskZmLwzEZ-4qvMO1f-6R2npdja

Strange Birds in the Fertile Ground Festival!

 

LineStorm presents Strange Birds by E. M. Lewis in the 2024 Fertile Ground Festival!

https://fertilegroundpdx.org/strange-birds/

Festival coverage by Krista Garver!  

https://www.broadwayworld.com/portland/article/FERTILE-GROUND-ROUNDUP-2-20240424

1st Stage production of How the Light Gets In garners 8 Helen Hayes Award Nominations!

Congratulations to Artistic Director Alex Levy, and everyone at 1st Stage in Tysons, Virginia!  The Helen Hayes Award Nominations were just announced, and their beautiful production of my play How the Light Gets In received a whopping EIGHT NOMINATIONS, in a variety of categories!

Outstanding Production

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play 

Alex Levy for Outstanding Director of a Play

Jacob Yeh and Joel Ashur for 

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play

Kathryn Kawecki for Outstanding Set Design

Helen Garcia-Alton for Outstanding Lighting Design

Gordon Nimmo-Smith for Outstanding Sound Design

https://theatrewashington.org/updates/2024-helen-hayes-award-nominees

Join us for a Reading of Apple Hunters! in the Fertile Ground Festival

Hey, friends!  Do you have your tickets to Apple Hunters!?!  We just had our second rehearsal, and I love these actors so much.  This is the first reading a brand new play.  It's about a quest to find a lost variety of apple.  And... well, you know. Other stuff, too.

Zoom reading - watch from home!
Produced by LineStorm Playwrights
for the Fertile Ground Festival

Featuring John San Nicolas, Eric Pargac, Vin Shambry, Josh Weinstein, and Barbie Wu.

Tuesday, February 1 at 7pm

Get your FREE ticket now at the Fertile Ground Festival website.

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Play - an essay for HowlRound

In December 2020, the folks at HowlRound Theater Commons published an essay I wrote called "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Play."  Inspired, of course, by the wonderful poem by Wallace Stevens, "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird,"  I endeavored to look both poetically and craftily at the various angles a playwright might use to engage with a work in progress.  

Read it here:    https://howlround.com/thirteen-ways-looking-play

August 10th and 11th - So You Want to Write an Opera?

I'm looking forward to taking part in the Dramatist Guild's upcoming webinar!  Please join us if you're working in opera as a librettist or composer, or would like to!

August Craft Webinars: So You Want to Write an Opera

Librettist/Playwrights Roundtable on AUGUST 10 - Noon Pacific/3pm Eastern Time

Playwrights, librettists, and lyricists from both theatre and opera will discuss the differences in writing for each medium, and how to make the crossover, with personal anecdotes and examples drawn from their experience. This webinar is open to questions from the public.  Moderated by Deborah Brevoort.  Featuring:  Mark Campbell, E. M. Lewis, Sandra Seaton, and David Henry Hwang.

Composers Roundtable on AUGUST 11 - Noon Pacific/3pm Eastern Time

Composers experienced in both opera and theatre writing will discuss the pivotal role of the composer in originating and creating new operatic works for both the traditional operatic stage and new experimental venues, how opera composers find librettists and what they look for in an opera libretto, and what composers believe librettists to know, or learn, in order to serve the specialized needs of an operatic score.  Featuring: Kamala Sankaram and Stephen Schwartz.

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The conversations from the webinars will be published in The Dramatist Guild’s magazine, The Dramatist, in the November/December 2021 “Opera Issue”-- the first time the Guild has devoted a complete issue to this topic!

Click here to sign up for the webinars!  

Duck Harbor - A New Web Series Premieres!

 

It’s not easy finding connection these days. But when a crazy accident brings Wendy and Mac together, they might not want to let go...

Filled with small town charm, and featuring funny, quirky characters, Duck Harbor is a twelve episode romantic comedy about rediscovering joy and figuring out where you’re  supposed to be in the world. 

Every week, each of the two actors, who live on opposite coasts, will be given only their half of the script and will experience the other side of the story with a sincere and genuine freshness, “on stage,” in front of our audience. 1st Stage is delighted to welcome back renowned playwrights E. M. Lewis and Bob Bartlett, who will be collaborating on this unique and exciting piece. Directed by Alex Levy. Featuring Deidra LaWan Starnes and Geoffrey Rivas!

Performances will take place every Tuesday, June 1- August 17, 2021 -- 5pm PDT / 8pm EDT.

Click here for more information: https://1ststage.org/duck-harbor

Dec. 8 - Reading of Dorothy's Dictionary at Palm Beach Dramaworks!

Dorothy's Dictionary has been selected to be part of Palm Beach Dramaworks New Year/New Plays Festival! 

January 8, 2021 at 4:30pm (west coast time) or 7:30pm (east coast time)

Tickets are FREE:  https://www.palmbeachdramaworks.org

Matt Stabile is directing!  Our cast features Karen Stephens and Eli Mosely.  Elizabeth Dimon is reading stage directions.

We've had a wonderful week of work together, and I've had the chance to do a few more adjustments to the script.  I'm quite fond of this little two-hander, about an unexpected friendship that blossoms between an angry teenager and an ailing librarian.  I hope you'll tune in!

"What They Call Us" in the Dramatists Guild Event "Live from the Anarchist Jurisdiction"

 

The Dramatists Guild of America presents LIVE FROM THE ANARCHIST JURISDICTION tonight at 7pm EST! Join us for a Zoom reading of 76 new micro plays, including "What They Call Us" by E. M. Lewis.  Created in the style of The One-Minute Play Festival (#1MPF), these plays are a meditation on the current cultural and political moment in our country.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_WhZ2R1GVSCSlZ9PI6s9FPg