Long Wharf Theatre Presents The New Haven Play Project

Long Wharf Theatre (Jacob Padrón, Artistic Director; Joshua Borenstein, Managing Director) is proud to present the New Haven Play Project. This initiative is a dynamic partnership with organizations committed to serving the community of New Haven. As Long Wharf Theatre enters a new chapter, the New Haven Play Project anchors our theatre as a place for radical inclusion that celebrates the kaleidoscope of our community.

Participants of the New Haven Play Project work with Long Wharf Theatre artists over an extended time through a series of theatre workshops, writing sessions, and storytelling events. Our collaboration culminates in a public performance at Long Wharf Theatre on The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre on Friday June 28 at 7PM and Sunday June 30 at 2PM. Our partners include: Connecticut Mental Health Center & Foundation, The Towers, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), and the New Haven Free Public Library.

Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Director, Jacob Padrón said, "We at Long Wharf Theatre are committed to building meaningful and lasting partnerships that amplify and fortify all the important work that goes into supporting the people who call New Haven home."

"Long Wharf Theatre has a long history of delivering world-class stage productions to the New Haven area. So IRIS jumped at the opportunity to partner with them last year. The collaboration was transformational for our refugee clients who wrote and performed the piece, as well as exciting and educational for the audience of 400," said Will Kneerim, Director of Education and Employment at IRIS. "This collaboration is helping empower future leaders. We look forward to seeing where our relationship with Long Wharf Theatre will take us next."

Michael J. Sernyak, MD, CEO of Connecticut Mental Health Center, said of its first year of partnership with Long Wharf Theatre, "We are proud to add Long Wharf Theatre to our list of illustrious community partners as we celebrate the creativity of the people we work with at CMHC. We are grateful for this opportunity, and we look forward to an extraordinary debut on the Long Wharf stage."

In addition, our partner at The Towers, CEO Gus Keach-Longo said, "With our friends at Long Wharf Theatre, our senior community has become even more vibrant because of the life-affirming process that this program provides. The benefits that flourish from the personal reflection, writing, group work, and live theater has touched our entire community."

Tickets to the New Haven Play Project are $20 and available on a sliding scale. To purchase tickets, visit www.longwharf.org/new-haven-play-project or call the LWT box office at 203-787-4282. Free passes will be available at every branch of the New Haven Free Public Library for New Haven library cardholders on a first come, first served basis.

New Haven Play Project is made possible with support from Avangrid/UI Lighting Up The Arts, Ruby Melton & Gail McAvay, and media sponsor Ethnic Online.

The Elder Play is sponsored by Jim Vlock and Gail Brekke Vlock as well as the Genesis Program supported by the Daryl and Steven Roth Foundation & Theatre Forward.

In addition, Long Wharf Theatre is a member of Public Works National, a network of theatres that gather to share practices and help build momentum around community-based theatre nationwide.