Theater begins here.
Playwrights' Center's 2023–24 public season is only one piece of the holistic support that the Center offers to playwrights, but it serves as an opportunity for the writers we are currently supporting to share their work with audiences, and as an opportunity for theater-lovers around the world to gain access to some of the most exciting new plays. This season offers in-person programming and invites remote audiences to be part of bringing these new plays to life by also making filmed performances available online.
Ruth Easton New Play Series
The Ruth Easton New Play Series gives five playwrights 35 hours of development time to explore, evolve, and experiment with their new plays. The featured writers work with a team of artistic collaborators to workshop their plays-in-progress and share them through two in-person public readings. A filmed version of each play is then available online, giving audience members across the world the opportunity to experience these new works.
One of the most resource- and time-generous development opportunities in the theater field, this series is made possible by the Ruth Easton Fund of the Edelstein Family Foundation. More than half of the plays developed through this series have gone on to full productions at theaters around the world.
This season’s Ruth Easton series will support the following plays:
PRECARIOUS
By Steph Del Rosso
In-person readings: Monday, October 9 & Tuesday, October 10 at 7 p.m.
Filmed presentation available online: October 23–29
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO
By Mat Smart
In-person readings: Monday, November 6 & Tuesday, November 7 at 7 p.m.
Filmed presentation available online: November 20–26
YOUR LOCAL THEATER PRESENTS: A CHRISTMAS CAROL, BY CHARLES DICKENS, AGAIN
By Anna Ouyang Moench
In-person readings: Monday, December 11 & Tuesday, December 12 at 7 p.m.
Filmed presentation available online: December 25–31
LORE SEGAL'S OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES
Adapted by Daniel Aukin and Emily Feldman
In-person readings: Monday, February 5 & Tuesday, February 7 at 7 p.m.
Filmed presentation available online: February 19–25
VIAL MAN
(THE APOTHECARY'S STORY)
By Steven Dietz
In-person readings: Monday, March 4 & Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m.
Filmed presentation available online: March 18–24
In The Lab
In The Lab is now in its fourth year of supporting artists as they develop experimental new works in a variety of forms. It is designed to meet the changing needs of artists exploring new theater pieces and new ways of working.
In The Lab features two writers as they create, explore, test, and try again, pushing the boundaries of form and content. Audience members are invited into the experiment for an open rehearsal presentation followed by a conversation with the artists on the process.
This season’s In The Lab projects are:
CYRANOID, AN ADAPTATION OF CYRANO DE BERGERAC
By Janaki Ranpura
In-person presentation: Friday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m.
bayou
By AriDy Nox
In-person presentation: Friday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m.
PlayLabs Festival
Playwrights’ Center’s public season culminates with PlayLabs, one of the nation’s most comprehensive new play festivals, during which three playwrights, working with artistic collaborators of their choosing, enjoy an extended workshop of their new plays, two public readings, and time for rewrites in between. The festival will close with a showcase of scenes from plays-in-progress by ‘23–’24 Playwrights’ Center Fellows, featuring works by Jerome, Many Voices, and McKnight Playwriting Fellows.
The Center hosts artistic leaders from theaters across the country during PlayLabs, inviting them to spend time with festival playwrights and get to know their work, with the goal of moving more new plays to production. Artistic leaders and theater lovers across the country and around the world are invited to experience the PlayLabs Festival virtually as video recordings of the three featured plays and the fellows’ showcase are made available for a limited time after the festival.
PlayLabs will take place April 15–21. The full festival schedule and details about both in-person readings and online presentations will be announced at a later date.
The 2023–24 PlayLabs Festival will feature:
FANTASMA
By Benjamin Benne
Reading dates to be announced.
ESTHER PEREL RUINED MY LIFE
By Mathilde Dratwa
Reading dates to be announced.
PIRATES STEAL
By Peter Gil-Sheridan
Reading dates to be announced.
PLAYLABS FESTIVAL FELLOWS SHOWCASE
Reading date to be announced.
Artists in Conversation
Playwrights’ Center's Artists in Conversation series offers a uniquely intimate look at playwrights and their process. This series brings audiences together with artists who share their behind-the-scenes thoughts on their craft, the field, and the world. These conversations are open to all and provide an exciting opportunity to hear directly from exceptional playwrights and theater artists. Participants, topics, and times will be announced throughout the year.