American Playwrights News

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe Delivers Inspirational Original Musical Revue

The World Premiere production of the one-woman show, Under the Jello Mold at The Complex as part of The 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival in the Ruby Theatre, June 2017. The play is written by and starring Jennie Fahn and directed by Tom Cavanaugh.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the West Coast premiere of An Octoroon written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Eric Ting will close out its season.

Pasadena Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for the world premiere musical SHOUT SISTER SHOUT! Created and directed by RAndy Johnson, who wrote and directed the hit Broadway musical A Night With Janis Joplin, with book by Cheryl West (Play On!). Click below for a sneak preview at the talented ensemble!

Hero Theatre announced today that Lileana Blain-Cruz, Alice Reagan, Laurie Woolery, David Mendizabal and Lou Moreno have joined the roster of directors for their program Festival Irene: Celebrating the Legacy of Maria Irene Fornes, which will transfer to NYC this fall after a successful run in Los Angeles.

Lesser America (Half Moon Bay, The Bachelors, Carnival Kids, Trevor) presents the New York Premiere of IN A WORD by Lauren Yee, winner of the 2016 Francesca Primus Prize and a finalist for the ATCA/Steinberg Award. Directed by Tyne Rafaeli (The Bridges of Madison County national tour, Actually at Geffen Playhouse), previews began June 16 at Cherry Lane Theatre, where Lesser America continues its run as the inaugural Company in Residence. Opening night is slated for tonight, June 21.

Playwrights Foundation, the West Coast's premiere launchpad for exceptional emerging playwrights has named the artistic teams and daily schedule for the 40th Anniversary Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF).  The 40th Anniversary Bay Area Playwrights Festival runs July 13 - 23, 2017 at Custom Made Theatre, 533 Sutter Street in the heart of San Francisco's Theater District.  In addition to twelve staged readings, the Festival will offer a Theater Professionals weekend 7/21-23, special events, and an anniversary celebration 7/13.  Tickets at bayareaplaywrightsfestival.org.

Shabach Enterprise's groundbreaking play festival, Fade To Black, returns for it's 5th season of short plays. Fade To Black is Houston's first and only play festival to showcase the new works of African-American playwrights! Check out photos from the festival below!

Claudia Catania, founder and Artistic Director of Playing on Air, has announced the release of Playing on Air's 50th podcast: acclaimed actors Sam Waterston and John Douglas Thompson starring in Kate T. Billingsley 's A Man of His Time, directed by Estelle Parsons. A Man of His Time is now available for streaming and download along with Playing on Air's entire archive.

The Riant Theatre - the AUDELCO Award-winning nonprofit providing a nurturing developmental environment for playwrights and theatre creators of diverse cultural backgrounds - will hold an afternoon cocktail reception on Saturday, June 17, 2017 from 2 - 4 pm at The Riant Theatre, located at 31 West 34th Street, 7th Floor (btw 5th and 6th Avenues). 

National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, cheers the first opening of its 70th Rolling World Premiere, Br'er Cotton by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm. The play, which was seen at the 2016 National Showcase of New Plays in Austin, Texas, will open at Core Member Kitchen Dog Theater (Dallas, TX) on June 9 and run until July 1.

The Riant Theatre -- the Audelco Award-winning nonprofit providing a nurturing developmental environment for playwrights and theatre creators of diverse cultural backgrounds -- proudly presents THE STRAWBERRY ONE-ACT FESTIVAL.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons has opened its 2017 Online Auction.

Pasadena Playhouse announces its 2017/18 season, the first under new Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman, which includes bold, new takes on beloved classics, an exciting new Olivier award-winning political thriller, and an irreverent look at one of America's most hot-button issues.

Second Stage Theater's (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) production of SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER has been extended by one week and will now play through Sunday, June 25.

Not Such Small People

Lesser America (Half Moon Bay, The Bachelors, Carnival Kids, Trevor) presents the New York Premiere of IN A WORD by Lauren Yee, winner of the 2016 Francesca Primus Prize and a finalist for the ATCA/Steinberg Award. Directed by Tyne Rafaeli (The Bridges of Madison County national tour, Actually at Geffen Playhouse), previews begin June 16 at Cherry Lane Theatre, where Lesser America continues its run as the inaugural Company in Residence.

Second Stage Theater, the preeminent home for American plays and living American playwrights, has announced that Kevin Brockman, Executive Vice President, Global Communications, Disney/ABC Television Group, has joined the company's Board of Directors.

National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, announces its 70th and 71st Rolling World Premieres: Br'er Cotton by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm and Project Dawn by Karen Hartman. The two plays will receive a total of 6 NNPN RWP productions, with each play seeing at least three distinct productions in a discrete 12-month period.  

A Boston-born Jew in Montreal and a Gaza-born Palestinian in Melbourne have just published the first English-language anthology worldwide in any genre of drama, prose or poetry by Jewish and Palestinian writers.