BEST BETS Thursday 6/15

COSTA MESA

7:45pm

Theater

South Coast Repertory’s third annual Pacific Playwrights Festival begins with the first of two weekends of readings and workshop stagings of new plays.

“The End of It All,” a vaudeville-era show-biz story by Cusi Cram, and “Fighting Words,” a boxing tale by Sunil Kuruvilla, include costumes and scenery. Previews are this weekend. “The End of It All” plays tonight and Saturday at 7:45. “Fighting Words” plays Friday and Sunday at 7:45.

Also on tap are two 2:30 p.m. readings from the theater’s Hispanic Playwrights Project. On Saturday, “Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams” by Nilo Cruz concerns a young Cuban American journalist’s return to her homeland to cover the Pope’s visit. On Sunday, “Vieques” by Jorge Gonzalez dramatizes the changes decades ago when the U.S. military came to an island near Puerto Rico.

* Pacific Playwrights Festival, South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Thursdays through Sundays. 7:45 p.m. Ends June 25. $8 for readings, $12 for workshop play previews this weekend; $18 for workshop performances next weekend. (714) 708-5555.