ATHENS, Ohio -- Family is the theme of several new plays to be presented during the Eighth Annual Ohio University School of Theater Playwrights Festival Thursday, May 23 through Saturday, May 25 in the Forum Theater, located in the Radio Television Building. The three-day festival is free and open to the public.

Seven graduate students in the professional playwriting program at Ohio University and an actor-director from north Florida will read their plays for the university's playwriting faculty and professionals.

The professional playwrights in attendance will include: Quincy Long, who has written teleplays for HBO and American Playhouse; Chuck Smith, a resident director at Chicago's Goodman Theatre and an artist-in-residence at Columbia College; and Caridad Svitch, a playwright, songwriter, translator and editor whose work has been seen at The Women's Project of New York, Portland Stage, and Cleveland Public Theater, among others. The professionals will provide the aspiring playwrights with advice and constructive criticism on the craft, style and production of their individual works.

Some of the plays scheduled for reading are: "Lemonade" written by Justin Boyd, a story about wedding planning pandemonium; "Artists Notes" written by Addae Moon, in which a young artists confronts the truths behind her art following the return of her estranged brother; and "Rest in Peace" by Darcey Mesaris, a story about an estranged daughter who returns home for her mother's funeral to encounter her dysfunctional family.

The complete schedule of performances is as follows:

Thursday:

• Ian Mairs, "She's a Big Girl Now," at 1 p.m.
• Qui Nguyen, "Belted Blue, Bleeding Yellow,' at 3 p.m.
• Justin Boyd, "Lemonade," at 8 p.m.

Friday:

• Mark Snyder, "The Sounds of Ice," at 1 p.m.
• Addae Moon, "Atrists Notes," at 3 p.m.
• John Ray Sheline, "Roost," at 8 p.m.

Saturday

• Darcey Mesaris, "Rest in Peace," at 3 p.m.
• Sarah Zettler, "Come Rain," at 8 p.m.