DTC Receives Mellon Grant for Playwright-in-Residence

Dallas Theater Center announced today that The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded it a grant to support a three-year playwright residency. Award-winning playwright and 2010 Meadows Prize recipient Will Power will be DTC's new playwright in residence.

"This grant from The Mellon Foundation will further DTC's commitment to foster long-term relationships with playwrights, connect them with the community at large, and support the development of new plays and musicals for the American theater," said DTC's artistic director Kevin Moriarty. "Will is a writer, teacher and performer with a gift for creating work that bridges social divides and cultures. He has developed a close relationship with the artistic staff and shares DTC's core vision and values. Will's insight and talent will be an invaluable asset to DTC's artistic staff."

As DTC's playwright-in-residence, Power will be a full-time member of DTC's artistic staff and will contribute greatly to DTC's artistic policy. His primary focus will be writing, but he will also spend a considerable amount of time teaching and developing new works. In addition, Power will work with Moriarty on a new strategic initiative to reach out to two under-represented neighborhoods in Dallas, one affluent and one made up of low income households, and help DTC to forge relationships that will welcome audiences from both neighborhoods into the theater.

"When Kevin approached me to join the staff of DTC as a full-time, three-year resident playwright, and described his vision for my involvement as a member of his artistic team, I saw the chance for an artistic home," says Power. "This position offers me the opportunity to focus beyond one project and have a longer trajectory with DTC. As a member of DTC's artistic team, I will join a staff of actors, directors and educators to review plays, critique performances, plan seasons and design programs. That is an opportunity that playwrights rarely have and I can see how it will be transformational to me as an artist and a playwright."

Power will be the first of several playwrights to fulfill multi-year residencies at DTC. Beginning with Power, DTC will add a new playwright every one and a half years, creating a rotation that allows playwrights to work together and support each other's work.

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