Dorset Theatre Festival's New Play Development Program Receives NEA Grant

Dorset Theatre Festival's New Play Development Program is off to a great start this summer, with the announcement of a $10,000 NEA grant to support DTF's commitment to new work. DTF will continue to host its popular New Play Reading Series this year, and for the first time will collaborate with the Marble House Project and hold the readings in the Marble House Event Barn. In addition to the new play reading series, the Jean E. Miller Young Playwrights Program will present winning plays from regional student writers on June 15th at the Playhouse.

"This grant will help us to continue to serve as an incubator for new plays, welcoming exciting new and diverse voices to our community," says Artistic Director Dina Janis. "We are excited at this opportunity to grow and expand our New Play programs to support even more great new American voices."

This week saw the annual Lark Playwrights Retreat, hosted by Theresa Rebeck and the Dorset Theatre Festival. Six playwrights from New York and around the country spent a week at Rebeck's beautiful Dorset Hollow home, where they each workshopped brand new pieces of theatre. Participants this year included Suzanne Bradbeer, Brian Dykstra, Kendall Kaminsky, Rogelio Martinez, Vic Shuttee and Marisa Smith-Krauss. Plays developed at this retreat in past years have gone on to production on Broadway and major theatres across the nation. Past participants have included MacArthur Genius Award Recipient Samuel D. Hunter, House of Cards staff writer Laura Eason, and Rajiv Joseph (Gruesome Playground Injuries, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo).

For more information on DTF's New Play Development program or to book tickets, visit www.dorsettheatrefestival.org or call (802) 867-2223.