Four nights, four completely different plays — each one a world premiere. That’s the format, and it’s a good one. You can drop in for a single evening or go back every night and get a totally fresh experience each time. Afternoon and evening performances run daily, with readings at 2pm and 7pm Thursday through Saturday, and 2pm and 5:30pm on Sunday.

The plays themselves were chosen from a staggering 364 submissions — screened blind by a volunteer team of more than 45 readers — so you know the four that made the cut earned their spot. This year’s lineup: The Henry Clyde Canning Murder House by Christian Missonak, Laughing Matter by Rob Ulin, John Dillinger Gets a Manicure by Elise Forier Edie, and Tesseract by Scott C. Sickles. Four very different titles, which is kind of the fun of it.

And the productions aren’t just readings thrown together for a weekend — professional directors are at the helm and the casts pull from actors working across Ventura and Los Angeles. After every performance, the writers and cast stick around for a talkback session, which is honestly one of the best parts. You get to hear the story behind the story, ask questions, even weigh in on the work while it’s still being shaped.

That last part matters, because NACT isn’t just putting on plays — they’re developing them. The best work that comes through the festival has a real shot at moving on to larger stages and commercial venues down the line. Which means on any given evening this June, you might be watching the very first performance of something that ends up having a long life in American theatre.

The whole thing exists because founders Beverly and Kirby Ward believe professional theatre shouldn’t be out of reach for regular people. They’ve got the résumés to back that up — Broadway, London’s West End, national tours — and they chose to bring that experience home to Ventura County and make it free. Hard to argue with that philosophy.