fbpx New Play Development | HowlRound Theatre Commons

New Play Development

New work is the future of theatre, and this is where you’ll find in-depth content about best practices for its development, as well as pieces about specific work. Consider starting with the essay “Rules of Engagement for New Play Development” and Notes to the Note-Givers; or, Embracing the Paradox.” For musings on the power of new work, watch the video of Todd London’s keynote for the 5th Annual ORIGINKC: NEW WORKS FESTIVAL or read the transcript.

The Latest

Podcast
The Trans History Project: A Cohort of Playwrights and Theatres
by Nicolas Shannon Savard, Bo Frazier
19 May 2026
Podcast
The Trans History Project: Ten Plays in Development
by Nicolas Shannon Savard, Bo Frazier
12 May 2026
Podcast
New Threads, New Forms: MENA/SWANA Dramaturgy and Development
by Nabra Nelson, Marina Johnson, Evren Odcikin
7 May 2026
The word translate and its equivalent in various languages.
Essay
4 September 2012

Adam Versenyi propses a national effort in the US to translate plays into English, and what this initation would look like

Video
Friday 3 August to Sunday 5 August 2012.
Austin, TX, United States

Hidden Room of Austin, Texas presented beta tests and a performance of Rose Rage, their adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry VI trilogy, livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv from Friday 3 August to Sunday 5 August 2012.

Video
Friday 27 July 2012
Bay Area CA, United States

As part of the 2012 Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Playwrights Foundation hosted a symposium, Form vs. Content: Who’s Your Mama? llivestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 27 July 2012 at 2 p.m.-5 p.m. PDT / 4 p.m.-7 p.m. CDT / 5 p.m.-8 p.m. EDT / 9 p.m.-12 a.m. GMT / 10 p.m.-1 a.m. BST.

The cover of Still by Jen Silverman.
Essay

A Conversation About Collaboration

26 July 2012

Playwright Jen Silverman interviews her friend and collaborater Lisa Henieman about her stillbirth, the collaboration they embarked on to tell Lisa’s story, and the lessons they leaned from that experince.

A drawing of a man with the name "Barton Booth" beneath him.
Essay
24 July 2012

Introducing Barton Booth, a place for writer and collaborators to get noticed in the hopes of getting produced.

Video
Monday 23 July 2012
San Francisco, CA, United States

Mugwumpin presented a conversation with cultural critic Greil Marcus at Z Space, exploring the topic of their next show, American prophecy, livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 23 July 2012 from 1 p.m. PDT – 3 p.m. PDT / 4 p.m. EDT – 6 p.m. EDT.

Video
Sunday 22 July 2012
Bay Area CA, United States

2012 Bay Area Playwrights Festival at Playwrights Foundation, San Francisco presented Scenic Design and New Play Development: A Panel Discussion livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 22 July 2012 at 3 p.m. PDT / 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. EDT.

The set for Futurity.
Essay

On The Lisps’ Futurity: A Musical

12 July 2012

James J. Hodge examins our societys relation to the future through the lens of the new musical Futurity by the Lisps.

A clock labelled "Naked Angels" with the word "Tuesdays" beneath it. The clock reads 9:00.
Essay
18 June 2012

Andy Donald talks about Tuesdays@9, Naked Angels' iniative to welcome playwrights to a truly open submissions policy, where they can have a shot at getting their work produced.

Several rows of seats in a theater.
Essay
16 June 2012

Heather Violanti profiles Horse Trade Theater Group, a bold proposal for how to make theater more accessible to entry-level artists.

Three actors sit around a table onstage.
Essay
11 June 2012

Playwright Kirsten Greenidge reflects on her impulses to rewrite, and how she learned to stay connected to her work.

Portrait of Matt M. Morrow.
Essay
7 June 2012

Matt Morrow, the new Associate Artistic Director of City Theatre, talks about his work with City Theatre, what excites him about new writers, and his recent return to Pittsburgh.

A portrait of Karla Boos.
Essay
4 June 2012

Karla Boos discusses theatre in Pittsburgh, and the relationship between playwrights and directors.

Video
Thursday 31 May 2012
Nashville, TN, United States

Tennessee Rep's New Works Lab presents readings from four regional playwrights livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 31 May 2012.

A logo that reads "Icicle Creek Theater Festival Summer Conservatory."
Essay
9 May 2012

The Icicle Theatre Festival is a special kind of new play journey. Allen Fitzpatrick explores the opportunities of this festival.

The skyline of Seattle, Washington.
Essay
7 May 2012

How does Seattle theater look in Spring of 2012? Specifically for new plays, for playwrights, for directors and actors who live to make something new, for audiences that crave and honor new work?

Video
Friday, April 27 2012
Austin, TX, United States

The Fusebox Festival in Austin, Texas presents "Chewing the Fat: Delicious Conversations" livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 27 April and Saturday, 28 April 2012.

Essay
17 April 2012

Student Nick Medvescek writes about the synergy of HowlRound and Emerson College's student-led theatre community.

A logo for the Black Women Playwrights' Group.
Essay
9 April 2012

Jason King Jones interviews Karen Evans, President and Founder of The Black Women Playwrights’ Group, about the why she found it necessary to start producing.

A drawing of a man with purple skin holding a pencil. He has flowers in his hair.
Essay
29 March 2012

Kevin Becerra recounts his first time at the Humana Festival, and what it's like to head to the mythical center of new play development.

Essay

A Paradigm Shift in Connecting Plays and Producers

23 February 2012
A large office building with a sign that says Carnegie Mellon Entertainment Technology Center.
Essay

An Invitation that will Blow Your Mind

21 February 2012

Woolly Mammoth's Miriam Weisfield introduces us to The Carnegie Mellon Entertainment Technology Center, an exciting new iniative where technology and playwriting team up to engage audiences in ways never before seen.

Portrait of Jacob Loewith.
Essay
20 February 2012

Jason Loewith discusses the opportunities at work that are making mid-size theaters the home for effective new play development.

Essay
17 February 2012

Victoria Stewart writes about the new play development problem in New York... and what the Big Apple can learn from the Twin Cities.

Essay

We make stuff here

15 February 2012

Jessica Huang writes about the Twin Cities, and how their unique DIY scene allows for the underground and the established to co-exist.

Subscribe to HowlRound

Sign up for our daily, weekly, or quarterly emails so you never miss the latest theatre conversations.

Sign me up

Support HowlRound

We fundraise to keep all our programs free and open and to pay our contributors. Thank you to all who make our work possible!

Donate today