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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
Essay
8 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, Anthony Werner interviews Chip Walton of Curious Theatre Company about the role of artists and audiences in relation to new works.

Essay
8 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, P. Carl interviews Alison Carey of Cornerstone Theater Company about how to open up the conversation about diversity and inclusion in the theatre.

Essay
7 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, Anthony Werner interviews Aimée Hayes, the Producing Artistic Director of Southern Rep on her ideal theatre that is artistically fulfilling, monetarily successful and diverse.

Essay
7 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, P. Carl interviews poet Claudia Rankine on the negotiation of the contradiction that often arises between beauty and the truth.

Three young actors in Santa hats posing around an adult actor
Essay
6 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, Anthony Werner interviews Karen L.B. Evans of the Black Women Playwrights' Group on the future and the intersection of technology and live theatre.

Essay
6 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, Anthony Werner interviews Tory Bailey of the Theatre Development Fund about the necessity of collaboration and communication between artist and theatre.

Performers on a stage, one singing into a microphone
Essay

A Truly Abundant Moment for the New Play Sector

5 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, P. Carl connects the abundance of new plays with the need to embrace diversity in the theatre.

One actor stands and counts money, another sits on the floor behind him
Essay
3 February 2011

Playwright Bruce Norris interviews Martha Lavey, Artistic Director of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, on how taste, talent, and bias influences her artistic descision-making.

A black and white photo of five actors in Edwardian costume and their director.
Essay
25 January 2011

P. Carl reveals his personal journey with theatre through the lens of confessions, contradictions, and beauty.

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 29 June 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 15 June 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

A promotional graphic for Gender Euphoria.
Podcast
19 May 2026

In part two of their discussion on The Trans History Project, host Nicolas Shannon Savard and Bo Fraizer explore how the initiative is building networks for support for the cohort of playwrights and collaborating with theatres across the US to produce trans stories.

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 18 May 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

event poster for world voices with penda diouf.
Video

World Voices

Monday 18 May 2026
New York City

Join us for the reading of a work in progress by one France's most significant young playwrights. 

A promotional graphic for Gender Euphoria
Podcast
12 May 2026

This episode is an interview with Baltimore Center Stage’s artist-in-residence Bo Frazier on the Trans History Project. The conversation covers what the initiative is doing to create counter-narratives in a political moment defined by trans erasure, plus a taste of the first five plays in development. 

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 11 May 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

Ukrainian Drama Showcase event poster.
Video

Theatre Festival of Staged Readings and Artist Talks

Saturday 9 May and Sunday 10 May 2026
New York City

The Ukrainian Drama Showcase is a theatre festival in New York City of staged readings aimed at introducing classic and contemporary Ukrainian dramatic texts to new audiences through dynamic, developmental work.

A promotional graphic for Kunafa and Shay.
Podcast
7 May 2026

Evren Odcikin joins Marina and Nabra to unpack new play development as a site of cultural translation, experimentation, and refusal, exploring Middle Eastern, North African, and Southwest Asian dramaturgies and artistic processes.

On the same page event poster.
Video

A Playwright Forum for a Changing Field

Tuesday 5 May 2026
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Join Company One and some of New England’s most dynamic playwrights for an evening of collective conversation about the changing new play landscape.

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 4 May 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

Pacific Playwrights Festival poster.
Video

Presented by South Coast Repertory

Sunday 3 May 2026
Costa Mesa, California, United States

Join South Coast Repertory for the Playwrights Panel, part of the 2026 Pacific Playwrights Festival.

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 27 April 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

event poster for  Buenos Aires in Translation, with Romina Paula's SOMBRAS (Argentina).
Video

With Romina Paula

Monday 20 April 2026
New York City

Romina Paula will direct excerpts of her new play Shadows, of course (Sombras, por supuesto), a translation-in-progress by April Sweeney and Brenda Werth. Followed by a panel with artists and presenters.

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 20 April 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

event poster for watch me work with suzan lori parks.
Video

A Playwriting Masterclass

Monday 30 March 2026
New York City

Watch Me Work, facilitated by Suzan-Lori Parks, is a virtual communal work session for nurturing creativity. Hosted by the Public Theater, these Zoom and HowlRound livestream sessions are accessible worldwide, allowing participants to join from home, school, or anywhere with internet access.

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