Jeremy B. Cohen News

The Playwrights' Center is continuing its commitment to developing playwrights and new work through their Core Writers program. Seven of the country's most thrilling playwrights are joining the program. The 2020-2023 Core Writers are Sharon Bridgforth, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Andrew Rosendorf, Riti Sachdeva, Charly Evon Simpson, Crystal Skillman, and Jonathan Spector.

The McKnight Foundation and Playwrights' Center are continuing to invest in the future of theater by supporting some of today's most promising playwrights through the McKnight National Residency and Commission and McKnight Fellowships in Playwriting. The awards are all the more pertinent as many theater-makers face unprecedented challenges during this moment of crisis.

The Playwrights' Center and Augsburg University have signed a Memorandum Of Understanding, entering a formal partnership to offer online, university-accredited playwriting courses to students from multiple universities and colleges across the United States. The course offerings will be guided by Augsburg University's Theater Department in conjunction with the Playwrights' Center. Registration and accreditation will go through Augsburg's Center for Global Education and Experience (CGEE).

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, welcomes six new members to its board of directors: May Adrales, associate artistic director, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee, WI; John Fontillas, planner, architect, partner, H3, New York, NY; Angela Gieras, executive director, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Kansas City, MO; Mara Isaacs, founder and executivecreative producer, Octopus Theatricals, New York, NY; Anthony Rodriguez, producing artistic director and co-founder, Aurora Theatre, Lawrenceville, GA; and Hana S. Sharif, artistic director, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. 

The Core Writer program at the Playwrights' Center gives 25-30 of the most exciting playwrights from across the country the time and tools to develop new work for the stage. The Center is announcing new Core Writers Darren Canady, Erin Courtney, Marisela Treviño Orta, Stacey Rose, Ariel Stess and Ray Yamanouchi. In addition, the Playwrights' Center is pleased to welcome three new student playwrights to its Core Apprentice program for 2018-19: Lily Padilla, Drew Paryzer and Lauren Wimmer.

Each year, the Playwrights' Center serves as an artistic home for nearly 40 fellows and Core Writers, in addition to supporting 2,000+ member playwrights across the globe and partnering with producing theaters to move work from page to stage. The Center today announced the 2018-19 Jerome Fellows Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Casey Llewellyn and Philana Imade Omorotionmwan; Many Voices Fellows Marvin Gonzalez De Leon and Haygen-Brice Walker; and Many Voices Mentee Antonio Duke.

The Playwrights' Center today announced the recipients of the 2018-19 McKnight National Residency and Commission and 2018-19 McKnight Fellowships in Playwriting.

The 2017-18 Ruth Easton New Play Series at the Playwrights' Center closes April 9 and 10 with Core Writer Harrison David Rivers' new play 'the bandaged place.' The readings begin at 7 p.m. at the Playwrights' Center, located at 2301 E. Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. They are free, but reservations are recommended and can be made at pwcenter.org.

Hennepin Theatre Trust and University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) School of Fine Arts have announced casting for the second annual performance of THE 24 HOUR PLAYS® on Monday, March 26 at 8 p.m. at the historic Pantages Theatre (710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis).

The 2017-18 Ruth Easton New Play Series at the Playwrights' Center continues March 5 and 6 with Core Writer Meg Miroshnik's new play 'Quiver.' The readings begin at 7 p.m. at the Playwrights' Center, located at 2301 E. Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. They are free, but reservations are recommended and can be made at pwcenter.org.

January's Ruth Easton New Play Series readings at the Playwrights' Center were standing room only, so theater fans will want to reserve their tickets early for February's offering: 'Three Quarter Inches of Sky' by Core Writer Sherry Kramer. The readings are February 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. at the Playwrights' Center, 2301 E. Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. The readings are free, but reservations are recommended and can be made at pwcenter.org.

Actress Anna May Wong (1905-1961) was incredibly prolific, appearing in silent movies, 'talkies,' television, plays and vaudeville. She was also stifled by a close-minded industry which largely limited the Chinese American actress to stereotyped roles, and the Hays code which kept her out of romantic leads.

Actress Anna May Wong (1905-1961) was incredibly prolific, appearing in silent movies, 'talkies,' television, plays and vaudeville. She was also stifled by a close-minded industry which largely limited the Chinese American actress to stereotyped roles, and the Hays code which kept her out of romantic leads.

The Jungle begins its 2018 Season with a duet of innovative plays showcasing local musicians. Opening the new season on January 13 is Ishmael, a fable that features members of the standout bluegrass band, Pert Near Sandstone. Next up is My Mother Has 4 Noses, written and performed by acclaimed singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke, opening February 10.

Leave your troubles at the door and just enjoy this entertaining spectacle.

As chilly weather settles into Minnesota, local playwright Kira Obolensky has a wintery new musical to share. 'The Overcoat: A Low-Fi Musical' is the first play in the Playwrights' Center's 2017-18 Ruth Easton New Play Series, a long-running series offering Playwrights' Center Core Writers 20 hours of workshop time to develop a new play and giving theater fans a chance to see free public readings of the plays in progress.

Hub Theatre Company of Boston will complete its highly acclaimed fifth season with the East Coast premiere of Michael Elyanow's dark comedy Robyn is Happy Today, October 27- Saturday, November 11 at First Church Boston, 66 Marlborough Street in Boston's Back Bay.

The Playwrights' Center's annual PlayLabs new play festival runs Monday, October 23, through Sunday, October 29, 2017. The featured playwrights are Jason Gray Platt ('Take Care'), Jen Silverman ('In the Time of the Volcano') and Alice Tuan ('A Humbling in St. Paul'), all Core Writers at the Center.

The Jungle Theater announced today its 2018 Season an energizing and remarkable line-up of music-filled shows boasting prominent musicians and three Midwest premieres of hit New York shows.

Hub Theatre Company of Boston will complete its highly acclaimed fifth season with the East Coast premiere of Michael Elyanow's dark comedy Robyn is Happy Friday, October 27- Saturday, November 11 at First Church Boston, 66 Marlborough Street in Boston's Back Bay.