Ground Floor Theatre Unveils 2026 Fellows for GFT Writes

Ground Floor Theatre has revealed four local playwrights have been chosen as 2026 GFT Writes fellows. Now in its third year, 2026 recipients include Michelle Alexander, jkjk (khattieQ, Jenny Larson-Quiñones), Devon Khalsa, and Sam Mayer. GFT Director of New Works Megan Thornton will continue to lead the program which runs February 2026-January 2027.

GFT Writes is a yearlong fellowship for Austin-based playwrights whose work falls within Ground Floor Theatre’s mission of centering historically underrepresented communities. A writers group anchors the fellowship, with the cohort meeting monthly to read and respond to one another’s work.

In 2025, the GFT Writes program expanded to include table reads with actors in the spring, and additional access to Ground Floor Theatre resources. The fellowship culminates with the GFT Writes reading series, a workshop and staged reading presented by Ground Floor Theatre in January 2027.

Incoming playwrights said the following on the program:

“GFT Writes is the kind of space where emotional honesty and artistic rigor can live side by side — and I need both right now.” – Michelle Alexander 

“I applied to GFT Writes in hopes of finding community. When I’m deep in the weeds of the writing process, it is so important to hear insight from fellow artists whose backgrounds and experiences are different than my own. I am so thrilled to be a part of the GFT community this year!”  – Devon Khalsa

“I love writing groups! It's such a gift to have a group of fellow artists reading your pages and giving you feedback. It's also a gift to have a deadline. It encourages you to WRITE, because frankly, just sitting down and doing the writing is sometimes the hardest part.” – Jenny Larson-Quiñones

“Writing is frequently very lonely work. GFT Writes makes it less so. I'm looking forward to spending a year with a cohort of exciting Austin playwrights: reading, writing, and growing together.” – Sam Mayer 

GFT Writes serves as an incubator for emerging and established playwrights looking to create new works that shine a light on groups that are often overlooked. Seeking passionate theatre makers who will benefit from an environment that nourishes and challenges them, Ground Floor Theatre accepts applications to its GFT Writes Fellowship annually.