Artistic Programs
Season Productions
Each year, we present a season of plays and/or musicals in the 198-seat Mainstage Theater and in the 128-seat Peter Jay Sharp Theater. Every show is a world, American, or New York premiere production of a new work by an American writer. We are committed to presenting each show with the best possible production values, which serves the vision of the writer and gives the audience a truly enriching artistic experience.
New Works Lab
A laboratory for play development
These behind-the-scenes programs encompass all phases of new play development and help writers to develop their newest work. Each year, we award three to six new commissions to support writers during the creation process; presents developmental readings, which range from one-day to two-week events, of up to 25 new works-in-progress; produces three or more musical theater staged readings; and receives, reviews, and responds to nearly 1,000 full-length scripts and scores submitted through an open door policy, one of the only programs of its kind in the country.
Almanac
A digital magazine
As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic prompts broad, critical conversations within the larger artistic community about theater’s past and future—its architecture, its budgeting, its dramaturgy, and its role in the pursuit of racial equity in America—Playwrights Horizons finds itself in a unique moment of reflection and transformation, facing a change in artistic leadership while also marking the organization’s 50th Anniversary. In the effort to capture the rapidly changing ideas and mindset of this critical moment, Playwrights has conceived Almanac, a new digital magazine, a compendium of commissioned works by artists across all disciplines, as well as staff members: essays, drawings, interviews, manifestos, short plays, and more. This ambitious new project—a snapshot of artistic thought in a time of seismic change—will be assembled over the coming months and released in Fall 2020.
Digital Programs
Original scripted fiction and interview podcast series
Soundstage unites beloved writers and actors to craft scripted audio experiences of new plays and musicals. It’s theater for your ears, and you can enjoy it on the go, at home, or, really, from anywhere: now, theater is wherever you are. A new, free streaming program, Soundstage is a groundbreaking production that provides our adventurous artists with enhanced digital means to reach our curious audiences. Tune in and hear the stories of today by the writers of tomorrow.
Footnote showcases interviews, discussions, and roundtables conducted with writers, directors, actors, and other creatives from over our over 50 years of theatrical storytelling.
Digital native commissions
Filmed at and commissioned by Playwrights Horizons during the pandemic, and inspired by the 1963 dystopian novel Kill One, The KILL ONE Race is a reality competition game-play created by Raja Feather Kelly and his dance-theatre-media company the feath3r theory.
Playwrights Horizons and The Parsnip Ship collaborated to create The Detour Series, a theatrical experiment merging audio theater with site-specific audio journeys. These plays guide listeners through our lively Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Written by two New York City playwrights - Christin Eve Cato and Opalanietet - this project further expands both theater organizations’ audio programming in an active and unique format. Through directional cues in the audio plays and physical QR codes, participants are guided to specific points to complete the audio journey.
Redux Series
As part of our commitment to advancing new playwriting and strengthening the new play landscape, we've launched our Redux Series, joining forces with kindred theater companies to remount their productions on our stage for a wider audience.
Resources for Artists
During the chaos of the COVID pandemic, Playwrights Horizons compiled a list of resources for artists -- job listings, emergency grants, financial FAQs, and places to donate.
Perspectives on Playwriting: Master Classes
We're thrilled to invite you — our most venturesome theater lovers — to join us for Perspectives On Playwriting (POP), a program that aims to deepen our audience’s engagement with new plays by offering access to the wide-ranging ideas and techniques that go into the creative work of making plays.
Audience Development
Arts Access programs include Discount Memberships for students, people age 35 and under, and the general public; flexible and affordable season packages; and accessibility initiatives, such as open captioned performances for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals and unique ticket packages. Audiences can learn more about productions and writers and the process of new play development through our Digital Library that feature essays by the artistic staff and playwrights. Post-Performance Discussions conducted for each season production offer the writer and the audience an opportunity to converse and discuss each play.
Theatrical Fellowship Program
Each season we train and mentor early-career professionals in the areas of directing, stage management, costumes, casting, literary management, musical theater, general management, marketing, and digital media. Fellows leave the program with valuable connections and marketable skills, poised to become the next generation of theater artists and administrators.
Resident Company Program
Launched in 2014, our Resident Company Program provides like-minded theater companies the space and resources to create more art, and expand their capacity to provide artistic opportunities to writers. Clubbed Thumb (Maria Striar, Producing Artistic Director) joined as our inaugural Resident Company, which brought us our co-production of Men On Boats. Musical Theatre Factory (Shakina Nayfack, Artistic Director) became our second resident company in 2016. And in 2017, we announced SPACE on Ryder Farm (Emily Simoness, Co-Founder) as our third resident company!
Playwrights Horizons Theater School
Since 1983, the School, in association with New York University's Tisch School of the Arts’ Undergraduate Drama Department, has offered students a unique four-year program that emphasizes professional development and interdisciplinary theater training.
Playwrights Rehearsal Studios
We lease two floors of space at 440 Lafayette Street, which include 16 rehearsal studios and two theater spaces, when the spaces are not in use by the Playwrights Horizons Theater School. Conveniently located and affordably priced, spaces at Playwrights Rehearsal Studios are rented to hundreds of not-for-profit arts groups and educational organizations annually.