Action Fiction!

Action Fiction! is a live performance series where local actors perform original short fiction by the best local writers. I ran the series for several years in San Francisco and am excited to bring it to Bellingham. 

Why?

Let's admit it: great writers are not always great performers.

Great writing deserves great performance. Many readings feel quiet and static, but fiction can be dramatic, funny, strange, and alive. By pairing original voices with great performers, we turn short stories into live literary theater. 

What's in it for you?

🎭 Performers get a low-stakes environment to experiment and perform brand new local writing. 

✍️ Writers get to hear their work interpreted by actors. Just sit back, have a drink, and be your own audience.

😃 Fans get to enjoy an exciting and unique show.

Upcoming shows

Currently seeking participants for two separate dates (with more to come), so let me know if you're interested in either date, or a potential future one.

1️⃣ Saturday, June 27 at the Chuckanut Writers Conference

2️⃣ Tuesday, July 7 @ New Prospect Theatre

👉 Want a peek at the action? Check out some past events.

How it works

✍️ For writers

Submitted stories should be ~10 minutes (about 1,000–1,500 words or less). Pieces with strong voice, dialogue, or internal monologue tend to work especially well, but genre is open.

If the work fits the show, we’ll match the story to one or more performers, and then connect you together about a month in advance. What the performer does with the story is up to them, but they’re welcome to reach out to you with questions.

On the day of the show, just sit back, relax, and enjoy.

🎭 For performers

Each performer receives a ~10 minute story (about 1,000–1,500 words) about a month in advance. What you do with it is entirely up to you—from a straight reading to something more theatrical with staging, props, or multimedia.

Once you're assigned a story, you also have the option to connect with the writer if you want to ask questions about tone, character, or context (totally optional). 

Interested? Please say so.