IATI Theater Will Host 2026 Cimientos Play Development Series with 10 New Works

IATI Theater has announced the 2026 edition of its celebrated Cimientos Play Development Program, a long-running initiative dedicated to supporting the development of bold new theatrical works in English and Spanish. Created more than 26 years ago under the name La Voz de los Autores, Cimientos (Spanish for "foundations") has become one of IATI Theater's signature artistic initiatives, providing emerging and established playwrights with a nurturing environment for experimentation, collaboration, and artistic growth.

Through workshop panels, mentorship, and dramaturgical support, selected playwrights participate in an intensive incubator process designed to develop innovative new works for the stage. Each year, the program culminates in the Cimientos Staged Readings Series, a week-long festival that brings these plays from page to stage before New York audiences. The staged readings and post-show talkbacks invite audiences into the creative process, fostering meaningful dialogue between artists and community members.

The 2026 cohort reflects the international and multilingual spirit that has defined Cimientos for over two decades. This year's selected playwrights and works include:

• Rogelio Orizondo with Salomé - Texas, USA
• Leonardo González with Auxilio - New Jersey, USA
• Jorgelina Cerritos with Dient'eleón - El Salvador
• Tyler Rocio Ecoña with Machu Picchu Play - Pennsylvania, USA
• Margot Carmody with Olvídame - New York, USA
• Aly Kantor with They have become the forest - New York, USA
• Nina Ki with White Tiger - New York, USA
• Onyekachukwu Iwuchukwu with Move On - Nigeria
• Orlando Rodriguez with La Resurrección de Mictlān - New York, USA
• Natalia Buyatti with Juana estrellada - Argentina

This year's cohort reflects the global reach of Cimientos, bringing together playwrights from El Salvador, Argentina, Nigeria, and across the United States in celebration of the program's longstanding international and bilingual spirit. Together, these works navigate questions of ancestry, identity, memory, displacement, transformation, survival, and belonging across generations, borders, and imagined worlds, continuing Cimientos' tradition of amplifying daring and globally resonant storytelling.

Over the years, Cimientos alumni have gone on to receive national and international recognition, with many returning for full productions at IATI Theater and other notable venues around the world.

The program remains a vital part of IATI's broader mission to uplift underrepresented voices and expand the landscape of contemporary theater. Rooted in IATI's spirit of Vanguardia, forward-thinking, boundary-pushing theater, Cimientos continues to champion stories that challenge convention and reflect diverse contemporary experiences.