MIDDLEBORO — Peg Holzemer has been involved in theater for decades, and since the pandemic, the Middleboro resident has found an inventive way to bring art to Middleboro and help playwrights out at the same time.

“We’re helping them, they’re helping us,” Holzemer said.

When playwrights write a play, Holzemer explained, it can be difficult for them to get audience feedback, in part because performing a play often requires large investments in things like costumes and sets.

That’s where Holzemer theater company, Theatre One Productions, steps in.

Theatre One has been performing stage readings of different plays in Middleboro every month. At Holzemer’s stage readings, actors perform the play in front of a backdrop while wearing black clothing, meaning there is less of an investment in set design or costumes and the audience can focus more on the acting and the script.

“You don’t have a standard full production,” Holzemer said.

After the stage readings, the playwright participates in a question and answer session with the audience, which helps the playwright get feedback.

“The playwright comes to [the stage reading] and wants to hear that feedback,” Holzemer explained. “It’s like anything else… if you’re testing a new recipe, does it need more salt or pepper?”

Theatre One’s next stage reading is of Nancy Temple’s play Shangri-La, which will take place on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 1:30 at the Mitchell Memorial Club, located in 29 Elm St.

Holzemer said that although Shangri-La isn’t explicitly about a particular winter holiday, the play does touch on topics relevant to the holidays such as “forgiveness, love, happiness and renewal.”

At the stage reading, donations of food will be accepted for the Sacred Heart Food Pantry.