The New Harmony Project Unveils Lineup of Artists Supporting 2026 Writers' Residency

The New Harmony Project has announced the nationally renowned collaborators joining their 14 artists in residence at NHP's Annual Writers Residency, to be held from May 21-May 31, 2026.

“The New Harmony Project was founded to nurture stories in film, television and theatre, and this year we're intentionally focusing on projects for film and television, and we're delighted to bring back Matt Williams and Angelo Pizzo, two of NHP's incredible alumni, to work with this year's artists in residence. And Aurin Squire's mentorship for television writers is unmatched,” said Jenni Werner, NHP's Executive Artistic Director.

“We are thrilled to partner with Humanitas to program our Industry Workshops, and to continue our partnership with Mosaic Theater to develop 24K's The People v. Marion Barry.”

Humanitas is a Los Angeles-based organization that honors and empowers television and film writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. www.humanitasprize.org Mosaic Theater Company produces bold, culturally diverse theater that illuminates critical issues, elevates fresh voices, and sparks connection among communities throughout Washington, D.C. and beyond. www.mosaictheater.org

This incredible lineup of industry professionals will lead workshops, one-on-one sessions to develop scripts, workshops on pitching projects, and hands-on discussions about staffing and leading writers' rooms, selling projects to studios, the state of the industry, and other aspects of the business. To read full bios for each of the artists below, visit https://www.newharmonyproject.org/2026celebrationofstorytelling.

Joining in New Harmony as Consultants:

• Matt Williams (NHP founding board member, creator of TV shows including Home Improvement and Roseanne)
• Angelo Pizzo (NHP Alumni, Hoosiers, Rudy, and other feature films)
• Aurin Squire (Evil, The Good Fight, and This is Us and more)

705 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 • www.newharmonyproject.org

Joining Virtually for Industry Workshops:

• Jairo Alvarado (Redefine Entertainment)
• Julia Brownell (Parenthood, This Is Us, The Path, and more)
• J. Holtham (The Handmaid's Tale, Marvel's Jessica Jones, Supergirl, and more)
• Erika Kennair (Head of Scripted, US and Canada at The Mediapro Studio, Stranger at the Gate, and more)
• Melanie Marnich (Apples Never Fall, Big Love, The Big C, and more)
• Sharyn Rothstein (Einstein, Suits LA, Orphan Black: Echoes, and more)
• Molly Smith Metzler (Maid, Sirens, Orange is the New Black, Shameless, and more)
• Alena Smith (Dickinson, Cry Wolf, The Affair and more)

Additionally, on May 30, NHP will present a work in progress sharing of 24K's The People v. Marion Barry.

The People v. Marion Barry

By 24K (Psalmayene 24 and KOKAYI)
Directed by Tony Thomas
Dramaturged by Chelsea Radigan
Featuring performances by KOKAYI, Michael Bahsil-Cook, Montel Butler, Jonathan Feuer, and Nia Savoy-Dock

The People v. Marion Barry is a new musical by 24K (Helen Hayes Award winning theater artist Psalmayene 24 and Grammy-nominated artist KOKAYI). The project is a docu-musical based on interviews with Washingtonians who knew Marion Barry, the late mayor of Washington, DC. Exploring this complex and polarizing figure through the stories and insights of those most familiar with him, this unconventional musical will center the cultural, racial, and sociopolitical landscape Barry navigated while giving shape to the soulful and rhythmic way he moved through the world. Tickets for the sharing of The People v. Marion Barry are available at https://www.newharmonyproject.org/2026celebrationofstorytelling.

NHP previously announced the 14 artists in residence, including: KOKAYI (Grammy-nominated musician, You are Ketchup: and Other Fly Music Tales), Psalmayene 24 (Young John Lewis: Prodigy of Protest), Ryan Amador (The Future Perfect Project, Q2), Bleu Beckford-Burell (The End of the Line Anthology), Kristiana Rae Colón (The Chi, BLK EURYDICE), Ty Defoe (Ojibwe and Oneida Nations, Firebird Tattoo), Sarah Galante (Swallow Me Whole), Peter Gil-Sheridan (This Space Between Us), MJ Kaufman (Therapist Crush), Sondai NaNaBuluku (DOOMPOCALYPSE), a.k. payne (Furlough's Paradise), Nia Akilah Robinson (The Great Privation; Or How to Flip Ten Cents into a Dollar), Kap Taylor (Writers' Room Assistant, I Suck at Girls), and Caity-Shea Violette (RX Machina).

ABOUT THE NEW HARMONY PROJECT

The New Harmony Project is Indiana's premier destination for the development of scripts for the stage and screen. NHP is a national arts organization whose mission is to nurture writers in the development of scripts and new stories that interrogate the complexity of hope. Through artist-centered programming, we care for artists so they can change the world. The organization was founded in 1986 when a group of theatre, film, and television professionals gathered to engage and support writers whose work sought not just to entertain, but to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For nearly four decades, The New Harmony Project's flagship program has been its Annual Writers' Residency, held in the peaceful serenity of New Harmony, Indiana. There, writers are provided time and space to dream, create, develop, and workshop new scripts. The Residency stands apart from other programs in the country with its focus on community. In 2024, The New Harmony Project began to expand its support and care of alumni writers, as well as significantly expanding support for the further development of new work through PlayFest Indy, a season of new play development produced in partnership with Indianapolis producing theatre companies. The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson (Mexodus), Erika Dickerson-Despenza (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner cullud wattah, 2019 Princess Grace Award), Rajiv Joseph (King James, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner), Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet, NBC's Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Last Night and the Night Before), Vichet Chum (Kween, Bald Sisters, 2018 Princess Grace Award), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two-time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels' The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (Break Beat Play, How We Got On), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Dael Orlandersmith (After the Flood), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Mark St. Germain (Freud's Last Session, The Cosby Show), Matt Williams (Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (Home Improvement, Roseanne) and Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers).

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

ABOUT HUMANITAS