Jersey City to Host Annual New Play Festival This Spring

Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC), in partnership with the New Jersey Play Lab (NJPL), has announced the collective of playwrights selected for the 2026 Garden State New Play Festival (GSNPF)—a groundbreaking festival that continues to redefine how new work is developed by centering community, advocacy, and artistic exchange.

The 2026 Collective of Playwrights includes: Andrew Bentley, Alia Berry, MC Crosby, Emmanuel Ebba III, Danielle Frimer, Amanda Faye Lacson, Victoria Lenga, Palesa Mazamisa, Nancy Méndez-Booth, Aaron Morrill, Tracie E. Morrison, M. D. Schaffer, and Sam Sultan.

This year's Collective reflects a wide spectrum of artistic voices and lived experiences, including professional, emerging, and early-career playwrights; Jersey City community members working in nonprofit and advocacy fields; college students; and an international playwright. Each selected work explores a distinct aspect of social justice and its impact on individuals and communities.

The Garden State New Play Festival will take place May 1–17, 2026, featuring staged readings of the Collective's works at multiple locations throughout Jersey City.
For more information about the playwrights, visit the New Jersey Play Lab website.

Festival passes are available at www.jctcenter.org.

The 2026 Collective was selected through an extensive submission and community-based outreach process, aligned with JCTC's mission and the core values of GSNPF: Community & Advocacy, Artistic Equity & Exchange, and Craft & Excellence.

“The Garden State New Play Festival was created as a living conversation between artists and community,” said Olga Levina, Executive Producer and Co-Founder of Jersey City Theater Center. “In a time when so many people feel disconnected, GSNPF invites us to listen deeply—to stories rooted in social justice, lived experience, and shared humanity—and to engage with art not as passive observers, but as active participants in shaping a more compassionate and just world.”

Conceived as an alternative model for new play development, GSNPF bridges a rigorous dramaturgical process with deep community engagement. The Festival is rooted in the belief that stories centered on social justice should invite audiences to participate—not only as spectators, but as collaborators in dialogue, reflection, and change.

“At The New Jersey Play Lab, we believe that new play development thrives when artists are supported holistically and connected meaningfully to the communities their work serves,” said Cheryl Katz, Founding Artistic Director of the New Jersey Play Lab. “GSNPF creates space for playwrights to grow their craft while also asking important questions about responsibility, access, and impact. It's a model that honors process, purpose, and people equally.”

In the six months leading up to the Festival, each playwright will engage in a personalized dramaturgical track to further develop their work. In addition, six Festival writers will lead interactive workshops with local community organizations and conduct in-class workshops with students at New Jersey schools. Playwrights will also convene regularly for shared professional development sessions.

The Festival will also host two creative workshops exclusively for community members, offering opportunities to engage directly in the playmaking process. Topics, dates, and times will be announced at a later date.

The Garden State New Play Festival offers a powerful and inclusive framework for new work—one that dissolves traditional hierarchies between artist and audience while honoring the integrity of each artist's voice and craft. By fostering a vibrant ecosystem of collaboration, learning, and advocacy, GSNPF positions playmaking as both an artistic practice and a catalyst for deeper understanding, collective growth, and meaningful social impact.