Alley Theatre Receives Edgerton Foundation New Play Award for DEAR ALIEN

Alley Theatre has received an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award for Dear Alien by Liz Duffy Adams, directed by Shelley Butler. The award provides support for additional rehearsal time with the full creative team prior to the world premiere, with the aim of extending the life of the work beyond its first run. Dear Alien will premiere at the Alley on May 8, 2026, and run through May 31, 2026.

“Each year, the Edgerton Foundation’s support sustains the heartbeat of new play development,” said LaTeshia Ellerson, TCG’s Co-Executive Director of National Engagement. “By giving playwrights, directors, and their collaborators more time to experiment and refine, these awards ensure that the most daring and transformative stories can take root and thrive beyond their premieres.”

“I'm so grateful to the Edgerton Foundation for their support of Liz Duffy Adams's play Dear Alien. The titular role (played by Resident Acting Company member Dylan Godwin) is on stage the entire show, and it is going to be quite a challenge. Getting an additional week of rehearsal makes a tremendous difference. Supporting new plays is incredibly important for the health of the American Theatre. Four years ago, Alley Theatre premiered Liz's play Born with Teeth, and it just finished its run on the West End after having graced the stages of major theatres in the U.S. such as the Guthrie, Asolo Rep, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This support of new plays makes a real difference, and I deeply appreciate the Edgerton award,” remarked Rob Melrose, Alley Theatre Artistic Director.