MC-10 Playwrights Find Home at 16th Street Theater

16th Street Theater is the new home of Chicago's MC-10 Playwrights' Ensemble, a collection of ten of the country's most sought-after established and mid-career Chicago playwrights and theatre-makers.

Playwrights (pictured L to R, top to bottom)Lydia Diamond, Lisa Dillman, Rebecca Gilman, Mickle Maher, Brett Neveu, Marsha Estell, Carlos Murillo, Tanya Palmer, Julie Marie Myatt, and Laura Schellhardt make up MC-10.

At 16th Street's Benefit BASH this past Saturday at FitzGerald's Niteclub, the audience of over 150 erupted into a standing ovation when it was announced that 16th Street is to produce one play per year by this elite group of writers over the next decade, beginning in 2020.

Inspired by other playwright driven models like New York's award winning 13P, each MC-10 playwright is empowered to decide whether to present a world premiere, to take this opportunity to revisit a previously produced play, or to do a site-specific work. Most significantly, the playwright is in charge.

"The goal of MC-10," explains ensemble member Tanya Palmer, "is to put the playwright at the center of the creative decision-making process."

"MC-10 is a perfect fit for 16th Street since we are a playwrights' theater," states Artistic Director Ann Filmer. "Everything we do is in service to the playwright and their play."

In the spirit of play, in June of each year, the next year's writer is chosen by putting all names into a hat. The MC-10 2020 playwright is Julie Marie Myatt. The world premiere of Myatt's WAKE UP, Mrs. Moore will be directed by Ann Filmer July 9 - August 9, 2020. At Saturday's Benefit, Mickle Maher'sname was delightedly pulled out of the hat from the FitzGerald stage guaranteeing Maher to a production as part of 16th Street's 2021 Season Fourteen.

Playwrights Thomas Bradshaw, Philip Dawkins, Sandra Delgado and Zayd Dohrn all serve on MC-10's Advisory Council. Bios of all MC-10 playwrights are below.