Since its debut in 1990, the Little Festival of the Unexpected (LFU) has established a tradition of nurturing artists, invigorating audiences, and exploring new voices, visions, and forms of theater.

Demystifying the Creative Process
Little Festival of the Unexpected is an annual event that furnishes a supportive environment for playwrights to develop their work in rehearsal with professional collaborators, as well as a unique opportunity for audiences to catch a firsthand look at the creative process that brings scripts to the stage through public readings.

Playwrights-in-Residence
Each year, a cohort of two to four playwrights are in residence at Portland Stage for the festival as they continue to develop their scripts with input from professional actors, directors, and dramaturges in rehearsal and audience members during open discussions held after the public readings of each play.
Each playwright in residence receives a stipend as well as housing during the festival. Limited support for travel is also available.
A Launchpad for Success
Past LFU scripts have successfully moved on to full productions at Portland Stage and at other professional theaters around the country. Both Almost, Maine by John Cariani (LFU 2003) and Papermaker by Monica Wood (LFU 2014) went on to become the most commercially successful Mainstage productions in Portland Stage’s history. Meanwhile, many other LFU works have gone on to productions across the country, including successful Off-Broadway productions and TV and Film adaptations.
LFU 2020s

MARIANAS TRENCH

WHAT COMES NEXT

PERSEVERANCE (2020)

THE LAST SHIP TO PROXIMA CENTAURI (2021)

Sweet Goats & Blueberry Señoritas (2022)

Madeleines (2022)

Riverbank

Rx MACHINA

IN HIS HANDS
LFU 2010s

KOALAS

PARADISE

SAM

TIGERS BE STILL

ARIADNE ON THE ISLAND

DICKENS’ DREAM

THE AWAKE

ASH

TOMORROW IN THE BATTLE

LOVE / SICK

BIG MOUTH THUNDER THIGHS

BROOMSTICK

VEILS (2013)

THE VIKINGS OF MUNJOY HILL

LAKE UNTERSEE

THE FIRST MRS. ROCHESTER

PAPERMAKER (2014)

FORTY

DYING TO KNOW

STRING AROUND MY FINGER (2016)

SOFONISBA

SEX AND OTHER DISTURBANCES

REFUGE/MALJA (2017)

THE NICETIES

THE QUEEN OF SAD MISCHANCE

READ TO ME (LFU 2019)

THE BONE GIRLS

THE CENTER OF GRAVITY (2010)
LFU 2005-2009

AUTUMN HOPE

TEN TRUTHS ABOUT FLATFOLDS

FAREWELLS

TWO DOZEN QUESTIONS

THE VIEW FROM TALL

THE BOOK OF HOURS

WET, OR ISABELLA THE PIRATE QUEEN ENTERS THE HORSE LATITUDES

MONOPOLY!

RARE BIRD

LONGFELLOW: A LIFE IN WORDS (2006)

MARVEL

MAGNETIC NORTH (2007)

THE OWL GIRL

LONGFELLOW: A LIFE IN WORDS (2007)

I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

THE PASSION OF THE HAUSFRAU (2008)

PEER GYNT

OUT OF STERNO

LAST GAS (2009)

THE TOYMAKER’S WAR

THE REAL MCGONAGALL
LFU 2000-2004

HALLOWED GROUND (2000)

KIDDING JANE

DR. SAM IS UNDER YOUR BED

THE BATHTUB DIARIES

APOCALYPSO!

YEMAYA’S BELLY (2004)

REMUDA

WONDERLAND

OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR

VOICES FROM THE SEA

WHALE

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WOMEN AND THE SEA

FALL OF THE HOUSE OF GLASS

ALMOST, MAINE (2003)

DOG ACT

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF DREAMS
LFU 1995-1999
THE FIRE EATER
THE ADVENTURES OF HERCULINA
THE SHOULDER: A CHAMBER OPERA
FAGGOT WITH A GUN
SHOOTING IN MADRID
SHE’S JUST AWAY!
THE TURN OF THE SCREW (1995)

A BICYCLE COUNTRY

LEAVING QUEENS

MANIFEST (1998)

THE SHANEEQUA CHRONICLES

FIRST LADY

BLOOD SHOCK BOOGIE

AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN

THE FLOOD

QUASI UN FANTASIA and TERMINAL EXIT

LOOKING FOR LOVE

GIRL’S GUIDE TO THE DIVINE COMEDY

THE PAVILION

MEN DIE SOONER

UNDER THE SKIN
LFU 1990-1994
HOUSE OF MIGHTY MOTHER THAT TRAVELS ACROSS THE SKY
GERTRUDE STEIN MELODIES
1000 AVANT-GARDE PLAYS
A PLAY CALLED NOT AND NOW
TERMINAL HIP

CHRISTINA ALBERTA’S FATHER

UNTITLED (LINDBURGH)

AIRTIME: CALL-IN & LIVE WITNESS

BLOWN SIDEWAYS THROUGH LIFE

CORNER STORE GEOGRAPHY

WHAT A CAT

SCOPOPHILIA

PARTIAL OBJECTS

SABINA (1993)

THE DARK CLOWN

THE PROMOTION, THE SUNSHINE’S GLORIOUS BIRD, THE MAN IN THE MOON

THIS DAY AND AGE

CHURCH OF THE SOLE SURVIVOR (1994)
