Lifeline Theatre to Accept BIPOC Writer Submissions for Adaptation Workshop

Lifeline Theatre's 6th annual adaptation workshop is accepting submissions from writers of color through November 20, 2026. The workshop offers Lifeline's resources and expertise in literary adaptation to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) playwrights/writers living in the greater Chicago area who are seeking to adapt for the stage. The workshops will culminate in public readings and the potential to be considered for production in future Lifeline MainStage seasons. Past workshops have included new plays such as Joslyn Housley's Black Cyrus' Secrets of Liberation, Legerdemain, and Eternal Life and Kimberly Dixon-Mays' Rabbits in Their Pockets, which received a full, world-premiere production during Lifeline's 2025-26 season.

Submissions

If chosen, writers will receive:

• A nominal stipend
• A process-oriented, writer-focused, developmental experience;
• Scheduled readings of new or rewritten material with feedback from experienced Lifeline ensemble members and playwright-invited artists (including director, dramaturg, and actors);
• Administrative and casting support; and
• A final presentation for an invited audience.

'We are excited and proud to be able to continue offering this opportunity to underrepresented voices in the Chicago area,' said Bilal Dardai, a Lifeline ensemble member and newly appointed program coordinator. 'Our collaborations in the BIPOC Adaptation Workshop have not only provided our past recipients with time, resources, and constructive feedback to nurture a project that ignites their passion, but also given our ensemble the gift of insight into a writer's vision, ambition, and cultural background.'

Selection Timeline

Nov 20, 2026: Application form closes

January 8, 2027: Finalists informed

January 9-15, 2027: Finalist interviews

January 22, 2027: Workshop playwright(s) announced

Applicants may submit to the Adaptation Workshop at https://lifelinetheatre.com/annual-bipoc-adaptation-workshop-showcase/

Lifeline Theatre explores, interprets, and reimagines books and other literary works to create stories that move audiences beyond the margins of their own lives.

Founded in 1982, Lifeline is known for staging innovative adaptations of great works of fiction as well as commissioning original work. In 1987, Lifeline added KidSeries plays for children and families, and has been producing full seasons of programming for both adults and children ever since. For more than four decades and over two hundred productions, Lifeline Theatre has made an indelible mark on the Chicago theater scene and an invaluable contribution to the theater world at large. Lifeline's dedicated artistic ensemble has developed more than one hundred and forty world premiere literary adaptations and original plays, many of which have had a life beyond their Lifeline premieres, with productions across the United States, Canada, and abroad. Several scripts developed at Lifeline Theatre have gone on to national tours, and more than a dozen have been published. Lifeline Theatre has garnered dozens of Jeff Awards, including numerous awards for New Adaptation, New Musical, or New Work.

Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. Lifeline is accessible by CTA - Red Line Morse stop/buses. Street parking is also available. Lifeline is accessible to wheelchair users and visitors who need to avoid stairs.

Lifeline Theatre's programs are partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council Agency; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Polk Brothers Foundation; S&C Electric Company Fund; McMaster-Carr Supply Company; and the annual support of businesses and individuals.

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