The Black Dog Arts Coalition and Theatre Black Dog host their fifth annual Playwrights Festival Thursday and Friday, Jan. 18 and 19 at the Black Dog Cafe in Snoqualmie. The festival starts at 7:30 p.m. and the shows start at 8 p.m., both nights.

The Playwrights Festival debuted in 2013 as the brainchild of Susan Bradford, the director of Theater Black Dog, to encourage fledgling playwrights and actors. In the early years, Bradford taught writing workshops and a few months later, actors performed the new plays at the first Playwrights Festival. Each writer received feedback and the opportunity to hear his or her work performed in front of a live audience.

Back for its fifth year with Bruce Stewart at the helm, the 2018 Playwrights Festival will feature eight playwrights from three cities around the Northwest teaming up with actors, directors, and the audience. Plays run from 2 to 15 minutes each on a wide range of themes from newlyweds to a soldier on the battlefield to a waitress and her kooky customers.

For more information, visit http://www.blackdogsnoqualmie.com.