Belfast Maskers is adding a special winter event to its season with a series of staged readings presented on three Saturday afternoons in February, at 2 p.m.

The series revives a past Maskers tradition of sharing diverse, script-focused theater in an intimate format during the off-season. The format keeps the theater active and connected to the community, according to producer Erik Perkins, in a Maskers news release. 

“I love that we can present a variety of theater with minimal preparation or production costs,” he said. “It’s a great way to stay engaged with the community and volunteers during the off-season when the theater is often shuttered.”

The lineup explores themes of love, identity, and relationships:

Feb. 7: “Kalamazoo” by Michelle Kholos Brooks and Kelly Younger, directed by Greg Marsanskis, is a humorous and heartfelt story about aging, loss, and second chances.

“As I get older, I am more interested in the problems that arise with age,” said Marsanskis. “‘Kalamazoo’ asks how do you face the rest of your life when that one special person you have been sharing it with passes away. I love the answer the playwrights explore.”

Feb. 14: “Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties” by Jen Silverman, directed by Stephanie Natale Frus, offers a fast-paced and comedic
exploration of identity, gender expectations, and love through the lives of five women all named Betty.

“This play feels like a pop-up art book with an in-your-face look at navigating what society says it means to be a woman,” said Frus. “It takes taboo and throws it in your face. I am always drawn to plays that inspire authentic dinner conversations afterward — and this one lets us talk about love.”

Feb. 28: “Dinner With Friends” by Donald Margulies, directed by Meg Nickerson, is the Pulitzer Prize–winning drama examining intimacy and the myth of the “perfect couple” when a long friendship between two married couples is tested. Nickerson describes the experience as theater that lingers: audiences “walk away still thinking about the people you just met.”

Tickets are $10 or three for $25. These readers theater-style performances are free for those who have purchased season passes, which
are also on sale now. More information and tickets are available at http://BelfastMaskers.com.