Stage Partners to Launch New Play Commissions with EdTA and California Thespians
Playwrights Ian McWethy and Mandy Conner will develop new one-act plays for school theatre programs.
For the third year, independent play publisher Stage Partners has announced two new play commissions. The purpose of each commission is to engage professional playwrights to create inspiring new works especially for school theatre programs.
Stage Partners has once again paired with the Educational Theatre Association to commission a new one-act play, this year by seasoned theatre teacher and playwright Mandy Conner. The second collaboration is with California Thespians to commission a new one-act play by the prolific writer Ian McWethy. Both partnerships will give students and teachers the opportunity to participate in new play development, while offering playwrights resources to create a new play for a public premiere, and subsequent publication and licensing by Stage Partners.
"With these new commissions, we further our commitment to connect playwrights with theatre groups for the benefit of all the artists involved. With each new commission, a great new play emerges." says Stage Partners Founder & Artistic Director Jason Pizzarello.
"The Educational Theatre Association is proud to continue our partnership with Stage Partners to support the creation of new work that invites students and educators into the development process. This commission gives students the opportunity to collaborate with professional artists and experience what it means to help shape a new play from the beginning. We are especially excited to welcome Mandy Conner, whose experience as both a theatre educator and playwright makes her an ideal artist for this project." -Jay Gerlach, Interim Executive Director, Educational Theatre Association
Camofleurs: The Unseen Women of 1918 by Mandy Conner will receive a premiere workshop reading at this year's International Thespian Festival in June 2026 at Indiana University. It will be presented by Stage Partners in conjunction with the Educational Theatre Association. Students attending the festival will have the opportunity to participate in the workshop, helmed by Maria McConville, Director of Education & Engagement at Stage Partners. This is the third year this commission is taking place. Last year's festival culminated in a successful workshop of Peter Gil-Sheridan's Retreat, which was published by Stage Partners.
In conjunction with California Thespians, Stage Partners has commissioned playwright Ian McWethy to develop a new one-act play for a California high school theatre troupe to premiere at the CA Thespian Conference in 2027. Los Alamitos High School has been selected for the partnership. Stacy Castiglione, Performing Arts Department Chair, will be the director.
Stage Partners is an independent play publisher dedicated to making exceptional new plays accessible to all theatres and schools. Founded and run by writers experienced in theatrical licensing, Stage Partners aims to make finding the perfect new play easy, engaging, and exciting, whether you are a new drama teacher or an experienced artistic director. With scripts that are always free to read, lightning-fast licensing, and a passionate staff, Stage Partners is committed to offering industry-best services to both its customers and its playwrights. www.yourstagepartners.com
Mandy Conner has been teaching in high school theatre in Texas for the past thirty years. She began her love for theatre while attending McLennan Community College and Texas Tech University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English. She is currently a Masters of Fine Arts Candidate at the University of Idaho.
She has earned fifteen trips to the Regional UIL One Act Play Meet (including her original productions of Ago, Should Not Cause Harm, Unclaimed, and 11), and has had nine appearances at the UIL State One Act Play Meet (including her original productions of Lafayette No. 1, Should Not Cause Harm, Rue, and Where the Sky Meets the Sea). She received the 2018 K-12 Educator of the Year Award from the Texas Educational Theatre Association and the 2020 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award.
In addition to teaching, directing, and writing, Mandy conducts creativity workshops throughout the state. Mandy resides in Texas with her husband Chris and two daughters, Edie and Josie.
Ian McWethy Over sixty of Ian's plays have been published and have been performed in all fifty states as well as fifty countries abroad. He's also co-written two novels with Carrie McCrossen, Margot Mertz Takes It Down and Margot Mertz For The Win, published by Penguin Random House. He's happily married to that same Carrie McCrossen, where they live in Los Angeles with their two kiddos. Mr. McWethy is represented by Alex Platis of Game Plan Media, and Jay Patel of Peikoff Mahan.
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