Reading Series
Tongues Reading Series
The Tongues Reading Series allows writers to hear their new plays read aloud by professional actors, under the management of a director, in a theatrical setting.
In 1998 Cherry Lane launched its reading series of new American plays and has since hosted more than 300 readings of new works by emerging, mid-career and award-winning writers from our community. It is our belief that the playwright learns the most about their work by bringing it before an audience, and Tongues seeks to offer artist and audience a public forum to experience and discuss a wide array of exciting new works interpreted by a number of New York's finest actors, from F. Murray Abraham to Mercedes Ruehl to Jesse Eisenberg.
The reading series was named Tongues in honor of two late artists from Cherry Lane's history, director Joseph Chaikin and playwright Sam Shepard, who collaborated as writers to pen a new play by this name. Their memories continue to inspire Tongues and Cherry Lane's additional programs dedicated to providing writers with opportunities to develop new work.
