The Redbud Community Play Reading Series is a free monthly reading series in which community members and theatre professionals share in the joy of reading plays aloud together.
These unrehearsed readings offer opportunities to appreciate plays written by local playwrights and IU alums, and established plays we may not otherwise be exposed to.
This month’s reading is . . .
THE SOUND OF A VOICE and THE HOUSE OF SLEEPING BEAUTIES by David Henry Hwang
A special evening of two one act plays:
The Sound of a Voice
“The scene is an isolated house in the woods where a beautiful young woman lives alone. When a young samurai appears she offers him food and shelter, and when he decides to stay on they eventually become lovers. But while fascinated by his benefactress, the samurai cannot shake a superstitious mistrust of her.”
The House of Sleeping Beauties
“A well-known novelist, Kawabata, visits a brothel in order to learn why older men frequent it. However this establishment is quite different from what he expected. Here the men simply sleep in the same bed with the beautiful young women provided, and the women never awaken or see them. The madam who runs the home carefully screens all of her potential guests and only accepts men who she deems worthy. Kawabata intends to write about the house, but slowly falls under its spell and finds himself unable to write the piece.”
Content warning: suicide, sexual assault
David Henry Hwang’s work includes the plays M. Butterfly, Yellow Face (2024 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival broadcast on PBS Great Performances), Chinglish, The Dance and the Railroad and FOB, as well as the musicals Soft Power, Flower Drum Song and Disney’s international hits Aida and Tarzan.
Called America’s most-produced living opera librettist, he has written 13 libretti, including Ainadamar with composer Osvaldo Golijov (Metropolitan Opera premiere, Fall 2024) and The Monkey King with composer Huang Ruo, which opened at San Francisco Opera in November 2025 to critical and audience acclaim. Hwang was a Writer/Consulting Producer for the Golden Globe-winning television series The Affair and co-wrote the Gold Record “Solo” with the late pop legend Prince.
He is a Tony Award winner and four-time nominee, a Grammy Award winner and three-time nominee, a three-time OBIE Award winner, and a three-time Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Hwang has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dramatists Guild in 2025.
Interested in performing?
Fill out this form and we’ll do our best to incorporate you into future readings!
“[this series] pairs playwrights, actors and audience in a casual group setting that encourages engaging conversations. As a local playwright it can be difficult to find places to share my work within Bloomington. This play reading series has helped to fill that need in the community.”
-Brennen Edwards, local playwright
Cast members reading from ‘Gretty Good Time’ by John Belluso 
Cast members reading from ‘Gretty Good Time’ by John Belluso 
The playwright and actors from Nicole DeSalle’s The Mudlark’s Guide to Find-Worthy Finds 
Performers from the reading of ‘a profoundly affectionate passionate devotion to someone; noun’ by debbie tucker green 
Friends enjoying homemade sancocho at the play reading of ‘Sancocho’ by Christin Eve Cato 
Homemade sancocho for the ‘Sancocho’ reading! 
Performers from the reading of ‘Sancocho’ by Christin Eve Cato 
Performers from the reading of ‘Tragedy: A Tragedy’ 
Performers from the reading of ‘Tragedy: A Tragedy’ 
Audience from the reading of Brennen Edwards’ The Dead Pets Club. 
Performers from the reading of Minotaur by Caridad Svich
Want to learn more? Email playreading@redbudbooks.org with your questions
This programming is supported by a City of Bloomington Arts Commission Arts Project Grant and a Psi Iota Xi Thrift Shop Grant.
