New Jersey Play Lab Will Present ALL EXITS! Statewide Play Reading Series

The New Jersey Play Lab has announced a new program serving New Jersey playwrights throughout the state. The program is called All Exits! NJ PlayLab's Statewide Play Reading Series.

The mission of All Exits! is to provide professional play development support to New Jersey playwrights residing outside of proximity to the New York City and Philadelphia areas. For this inaugural 2026 season, three plays will be selected to have dramaturgical support and professional readings at three professional theatres: Surflight Theatre Company (Beach Haven), Cape May Stage (Cape May) and River Union Stage (Milford).

Playwrights who reside in the counties surrounding each venue will be eligible to apply for the series. The application window will be open from May 15, 2026 to June 15, 2026. A team of professional directors, playwrights and dramaturgs will adjudicate the submissions. Once the team has culled the applications to three or four, the artistic teams of the partnering theatres will be invited to review the semi-finalists and help choose the finalists.

“As a resident of New Jersey for 35 years, I've come across so many talented playwrights who can't get into New York or Philly to receive the kind of professional/dramaturgical support they want or deserve.” explains Pandora Scooter, the series' director and member of NJPL. “If I'm candid about it, I think there's a bit of a feeling of being left out and maybe some frustration regarding those NJ playwrights who are able to take advantage of all that those major cities have to offer. We're just trying to level the playing ground a bit with All Exits!”

Interested playwrights should apply with a play they are currently working on, that require the assistance of a professional dramaturg and director, and that will benefit from a reading and subsequent talk back. Selected playwrights will receive some dramaturgical support before the reading, will have input regarding the choice of director and actors, and will participate in a talk back after the reading, which will be led by an experienced moderator.

The New Jersey Play Lab is a home for playwrights and dramaturgs of all career levels who seek collaboration, methodology, and excellence in their work. At each and every point of engagement at The New Jersey Play Lab, whether through our early career foundational programming, play development forums, dramaturgical services, or our developmental residencies, the focus is on providing the knowledge and opportunity to move forward in one's artistic and professional journey.

Cape May Stage celebrates its 37th year as the region's premier Equity theatre, producing world premieres, well-known contemporary plays, and provocative works that act as a catalyst for discussion. Productions feature Tony Award and Emmy Award winners alongside Broadway veterans. The organization is committed to developing new work through readings and the National Playwrights Symposium, which brings Pulitzer Prize–winning playwrights to mentor mid-career writers. In addition, Cape May Stage presents a cabaret series featuring Grammy Award–winning artists and acts from Broadway and beyond. All of this work is made possible through the generous support of its patrons, donors, and grantors.

Since its incorporation as a NJ non-profit in January 2002, River Union Stage has been a vibrant hub for creativity—bringing together passionate artists across theater, film, music, poetry, prose, and visual art. We entertain the Delaware River Valley with a diversity of artists, disciplines and performances that captivate, inspire, and unite our community. Each season features timeless classics and bold, modern works from new playwrights, visionary authors, talented poets, innovative musicians, filmmakers, and visual artists. Our mission embraces the power of art to transform, entertain, and enlighten.

Surflight Theatre is celebrating its 77th Season and is the 5th largest Professional Theatre in New Jersey in terms of budget and attendance. The mission of Surflight Theatre is to provide high-quality professional live theatre to the vacationers of Long Beach Island and the residents of Central and Southern New Jersey, while also training young theatre performers and technicians. Surflight's vision is to engage, entertain, and foster appreciation of live theatre for adults, teens, and children, and to serve as a community resource. Key programs include mainstage productions, children's theatre and musical theatre summer programs.

The name All Exits! comes from the old joke New Jerseyans would tell when then said they were from New Jersey: someone would reply “What exit?” which became a New Jersey-associated joke. All Exits! points to our programs dedication to include as many playwrights from far and wide across the state.

Questions may be directed to Pandora Scooter at pandora@njplaylab.org.

Playwrights interested in applying can do so here.

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