WESTFIELD — There is something happening in Westfield, inside a local church, that many locals are slowly finding out about. It’s the Juice Box One Act Playwriting Competition, featuring plays from all over the world.

This year, 10 plays are being offered over the course of four nights: June 10 to 13. The plays in competition were selected from 200 submitted. Plays from California to Chechnya are being featured. Five comedies will be presented on June 10 and again on June 12. Five dramas will be presented on June 11 and again June 13. These plays will be adjudicated by a committee of judges and awards will be handed out on Sunday, June 14.

Begun in 2023, the festival is part of a larger entity called The Lakeshore Center For The Arts. It’s housed inside the First Presbyterian Church, right across from the Patterson Library. It is produced by a small but dedicated group of local “theatre people” — actors, directors, technicians, and stage crew who have created something which allows their audiences to experience a unique evening of entertainment; one that is immediate, evolving and always different.

The plays don’t shy away in their attempt to promote social discourse and dialogue. While some of the plays are just for fun, others deal with some very real issues in our modern world. These plays seek to work on our ever-changing definition of humanity by “holding a mirror up to nature.” In the opinion of one of the directors involved in this project, “Live theatre is essential to us as human beings in this world. Theatre is a place where people sit in the dark with strangers and have a collective experience, listening to stories that illuminate who we are as a people.”

Tickets are already available and will go quickly, as space is limited. For information on how to reserve tickets call 716-224-2135.