Playwrights' Center Announces 2016-17 McKnight Fellows, New Core Writers

Following last month's announcement of the incoming Jerome and Many Voices Fellows, the Playwrights' Center is pleased to introduce the 2016-17 McKnight National Residency and Commission recipient, two 2016-17 McKnight Fellows in Playwriting, six new Core Writers and three 2016-17 Core Apprentices. McKnight Theater Artist Fellows will be announced in June.

"I'm so proud that writers at all points in their journey-whether they are just out of school or have years of productions under their belts-find an artistic home and individualized support at the Playwrights' Center," says Jeremy B. Cohen, the Center's Producing Artistic Director. "We're grateful to the McKnight Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their pivotal contributions to advance the careers of these deserving artists."

Fellows, Core Writers and Core Apprentices are selected by independent panels.

2016-17 MCKNIGHT NATIONAL RESIDENCY AND COMMISSION RECIPIENT

Francine Volpe

The McKnight National Residency and Commission funds the creation and development of new works and comes with a $14,000 commission, $5,750 in workshop funds, and travel and housing stipends. Recent recipients include Erik Ehn ("Queen"), Karen Hartman ("Roz and Ray"), Sibyl Kempson ("The Securely Conferred, Vouchsafed Keepsakes of Maery S.") and Betty Shamieh ("Veritas"). The 2016-17 recipient is Francine Volpe, whose plays include "The Good Mother," "The Given" and "Late Fragment." For her commission, Volpe will be working on a new play about lies, manipulation and online dating.

2016-17 MCKNIGHT FELLOWS IN PLAYWRITING

Andrew Rosendorf, Rhiana Yazzie

The McKnight Fellowship in Playwriting awards two Minnesota-based playwrights a $25,000 stipend, $2,500 to support play development and other professional expenses, and $1,400 in travel funds. Recent recipients include Aditi Brennan Kapil, Basil Kreimendahl, Carson Kreitzer, Harrison David Rivers and Joe Waechter. The 2016-17 McKnight Fellows in Playwriting are:

• Andrew Rosendorf, a 2015-16 Jerome Fellow at the Playwrights' Center whose plays include "Cane," "Brilliant Corners" and "Tranquil," which will have its world premiere with Luna Stage in April 2017.
• Rhiana Yazzie, a two-time Jerome Fellow and previous Playwrights' Center Core Writer who is under commission by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Public Theater for "American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle." Yazzie created New Native Theatre in 2009, where she serves as Artistic Director.

NEW CORE WRITERS

Larissa FastHorse, Martyna Majok, Jason Gray Platt, Gabrielle Reisman, Harrison David Rivers, Mat Smart

The Core Writer Program at the Playwrights' Center provides play development workshops and professional support to 25 to 30 playwrights from across the country over a three-year term. Work by Core Writers composes the Center's public season (the PlayLabs new play festival in October and the Ruth Easton New Play Series December through April). Playwrights who have benefited from the Core Writer program include Christina Anderson, Marcus Gardley, Samuel D. Hunter, Melanie Marnich, Winter Miller and Lauren Yee. Joining the 23 continuing Core Writers are these six playwrights, whose Core Writer terms will run through June 2019:

• Larissa FastHorse (Santa Monica, Calif.), whose plays include "Urban Rez," "What Would Crazy Horse Do?" and "Cherokee Family Reunion." FastHorse is developing "Fancy Dancer" under a commission from Children's Theatre Company and is the Guthrie Theater's 2015-16 Joe Dowling Annaghmakerrig Fellowship Award recipient.
• Martyna Majok (New York, N.Y.), whose work includes "Ironbound" (Round House Theatre, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater) and "Cost of Living" (premiering this summer at Williamstown Theatre Festival), and who is the current PoNY Fellow at the Lark Play Development Center.
• Jason Gray Platt (New York, N.Y.), who wrote the text for Woodshed Collective's recent experiential "Empire Travel Agency" and whose work has been seen at Source Festival, Round House Theatre, American Repertory Theater and others.
• Gabrielle Reisman (New Orleans, La. and New York, N.Y.), a founding member of Underbelly theater collaborative whose work includes "Catch the Wall," "70 Secrets of Marmalade Kittens" and "Storm, Still."
• Harrison David Rivers (St. Paul, Minn.), a 2015-16 McKnight Fellow in Playwriting and 2014-15 Many Voices Fellow whose plays include "And She Would Stand Like This" and "When Last We Flew." Rivers is the 2016 Playwright-in-Residence at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
• Mat Smart (New York, N.Y.), a previous Core Writer, McKnight Fellow in Playwriting, and two-time Jerome Fellow whose play "The Royal Society of Antarctica" (developed at the Playwrights' Center's PlayLabs festival) received the 2015 Equity Jeff Award for Best New Work in Chicago.