Deborah Stein News

After a yearlong, nationwide search, Trinity Repertory Company has selected Meredith McDonough as the theater's next Artistic Director.  Learn more here!

Here's my conversation with playwright Ankita Raturi about the genesis for the play and how she developed it as a comedy rather than a drama about a mother and son cross-country college tour.

Upon completing my miniseries with the current five MFA playwrights at UC San Diego, I thought it would be super valuable to hear the perspective of an alum whose work is currently up and running. So without further ado, it is my immense honor to introduce you all to nationwide superstar playwright and 2022 UCSD alum Keiko Green!!

Hello y’all! For the next couple of months, I’m shining a light on one of the coolest parts of UC San Diego’s theatre department. Every spring quarter features a culmination of artistry that brings grads and undergrads together from all theatrical disciplines: the Wagner New Play Festival. The engine that revs the festival to life is the cohort of MFA playwrights. Each of them spends fall and winter quarters working on a piece ahead of its world premiere production in the spring. We have five playwrights this year, so this article is the fifth installment of a five-part series where I’ll be sitting down for a conversation with each of them. I hope reading these will be half as much fun as I had putting this together.

Hello y’all! For the next couple of months, I’m shining a light on one of the coolest parts of UC San Diego’s theatre department. Every spring quarter features a culmination of artistry that brings grads and undergrads together from all theatrical disciplines: the Wagner New Play Festival. The engine that revs the festival to life is the cohort of MFA playwrights. Each of them spends fall and winter quarters working on a piece ahead of its world premiere production in the spring. We have five playwrights this year, so this article is the fourth installment of a five-part series where I’ll be sitting down for a conversation with each of them. I hope reading these will be half as much fun as I had putting this together.

Hello y’all! For the next couple of months, I’m shining a light on one of the coolest parts of UC San Diego’s theatre department. Every spring quarter features a culmination of artistry that brings grads and undergrads together from all theatrical disciplines: the Wagner New Play Festival. The engine that revs the festival to life is the cohort of MFA playwrights. Each of them spends fall and winter quarters working on a piece ahead of its world premiere production in the spring. We have five playwrights this year, so this article is the third installment of a five-part series where I’ll be sitting down for a conversation with each of them. I hope reading these will be half as much fun as I had putting this together.

Hello y’all! For the next couple of months, I’m shining a light on one of the coolest parts of UC San Diego’s theatre department. Every spring quarter features a culmination of artistry that brings grads and undergrads together from all theatrical disciplines: the Wagner New Play Festival. The engine that revs the festival to life is the cohort of MFA playwrights. Each of them spends fall and winter quarters working on a piece ahead of its world premiere production in the spring. We have five playwrights this year, so this article is the second installment of a five-part series where I’ll be sitting down for a conversation with each of them. I hope reading these will be half as much fun as I had putting this together. 

Hello y’all! For the next couple of months, I’m shining a light on one of the coolest parts of UC San Diego’s theatre department. Every spring quarter features a culmination of artistry that brings grads and undergrads together from all theatrical disciplines: the Wagner New Play Festival. The engine that revs the festival to life is the cohort of MFA playwrights. Each of them spends fall and winter quarters working on a piece ahead of its world premiere production in the spring. We have five playwrights this year, so this article is the start of a five-part series where I’ll be sitting down for a conversation with each of them. I hope reading these will be half as much fun as I had putting this together. 

Discover the exciting lineup for the JAW Festival of New Plays, featuring innovative works from emerging playwrights.

Christian St. Croix received the 2024 Dominic Orlando Playwriting Award, honoring playwrights who have forged their own paths and taken artistic risks, with finalists Aimee Chou and Robert Alexander Wray. Learn more about St. Croix and about the award.

Williamstown Theatre Festival has named Beth Hyland as the recipient of the 2024 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award for her play SYLVIA SYLVIA SYLVIA. Learn more about Hyland!

 La Jolla Playhouse has revealed initial programming for the 2024 WOW Festival of immersive and site-inspired work. Learn about the shows!

The latest recipients have been announced for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Initiative commissions for new theatrical works surrounding themes of science, math, and technology.

Playwrights' Center and Venturous Theater Fund have revealed the 2023-25 Venturous Playwright Fellows: Harmon dot aut, with their play Tornado Tastes Like Aluminum Sting (in partnership with Spectrum Theatre Ensemble and the Contemporary American Theater.

The Dominic Orlando Fund, which was created in 2022 following playwright Dominic Orlando's passing in 2021, announces the inaugural recipient of the Dominic Orlando Playwriting Award: José Casas. The two other finalists for the award were Tyla Abercrumbie of Chicago and Roger Q. Mason of Los Angeles.

Two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Lee will be going on tonight as Fagin in Oliver! at New York City Center!

The New York City Center production of Oliver! began performances last night, May 3. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out photos of the cast taking their first bows here!

See first look video of the New York City Center production of Oliver! The production is led by Lilli Cooper as Nancy, Raúl Esparza as Fagin, Julian Lerner as The Artful Dodger, Tam Mutu as Bill Sikes, Brad Oscar as Mr. Bumble, Benjamin Pajak as Oliver Twist, and Mary Testa as Widow Corney.

Watch rehearsal footage of Julian Lerner, Benjamin Pajak, and the cast of the City Center Encores! production of OLIVER!

Rehearsals are underway for the New York City Center production of Oliver! The production will be led by Lilli Cooper as Nancy, Raúl Esparza as Fagin, Julian Lerner as The Artful Dodger, Tam Mutu as Bill Sikes, Brad Oscar as Mr. Bumble, Benjamin Pajak as Oliver Twist, and Mary Testa as Widow Corney. Check out first photos of the cast in rehearsals!