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Playpenn’s free year-long professional development program that helps emerging playwrights build sustainable careers by understanding the business of theatre.
The PlayPenn New Play Development Conference is a three-week intensive held in Philadelphia dedicated to nurturing playwrights and developing bold new theatrical works—culminating in free public readings.
The
foundry
The Foundry at PlayPenn is a three-year playwrights workshop for emerging Philadelphia-based writers, guided by lead artists L M Feldman and R. Eric Thomas. Foundry members meet two to three times a month to share pages from works-in-progress, exchange feedback, and add tools to their craft and creative practice within a supportive, artist-driven community.
In addition to the workshop process, The Foundry offers professional development, networking opportunities, and exposure as playwrights launch their careers. After completing the initial three years, writers continue as ongoing members, remaining active participants in The Foundry community.
Eligibility guidelines, submission materials, details, and deadlines are subject to change.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible, you must reside in the greater Philadelphia area and should not be enrolled in an MFA program.
Fees
PlayPenn maintains an open and free submission policy, a rarity in the new play development field. In addition, the program is free to all selected participants.
Submission details
Applicants must provide the following materials:
Responses to two short-answer questions (5–7 sentences each)
A PDF of a 10-page playwriting sample (samples longer than 10 pages will NOT be read)
A writing/literary resume
Due to the volume of submissions, we are unable to offer individual feedback on application materials.
deadline to apply
Submissions will remain open until midnight on September 9, 2024.
Selection process
After review, select applicants will be invited to interview with Lead Foundry Artists L M Feldman and R. Eric Thomas and a member from the PlayPenn staff.
This year, three new writers will be accepted into The Foundry at PlayPenn.
Continuing Eductaion
Since 2015, PlayPenn has offered a dynamic roster of Continuing Education classes for theatre artists of all experience levels. While our courses are rooted in the craft of playwriting, they welcome all theatre makers—directors, dramaturgs, actors, producers, designers, and multidisciplinary artists—who are interested in deepening their storytelling skills and artistic practice.
PlayPenn’s classes are artist-led and student-centered, offering in-depth explorations of craft, process, and the realities of making theatre today. Many classes are available online, allowing students across the country to participate. Each year, we serve more than 125 emerging, mid-career, and seasoned artists looking to grow creatively and professionally.
ELIGIBILITY
PlayPenn’s Continuing Education classes are open to all playwrights and theater makers, regardless of experience level. Please note some classes may have specific requirements or recommendations - such as prior writing experience, reading assignments, or submission of materials. Any requirements will be clearly outlined in each class description.
Fees
While PlayPenn maintains an open and free submission policy—a rarity in the field of new play development—and runs free artistic and professional development programs at no cost to participants we do charge a fee for our multi-week classes. These fees help ensure that the working professionals who serve as our teaching artists are fairly compensated for their time and expertise.
Past Classes
Structure is Not a Dirty Word
with Emma Goldman-Sherman
New Play Development
with Che'Rae Adams
Self-Production Boot Camp
with Roland Tec
Character & Behavior
with James Anthony Tyler
Script Analysis for Theatre Writers
with Pandora Scooter
Jumping from the Stage to the Screen
with Monet Hurst-Mendoza
Theatricality—Writing for the Stage
with Mathilde Dratwa
Solo Shows
with Che'Rae Adams
Writing Pitches
with Carrie Klewin Lawrence
Fabulism! Expanding Narratives Through Magic
with C. Julian Jiménez
Collaborating with a Dramaturg
with Karina Batchelor
Writing an Autobiographical Play
with Angeline Larimer
Writing Intimacy & Violence
with Cristina Ramos
Performance Poetry 101
with Dr. Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon
Reality Theft: Writing Reality Based Theatre
with Danny Tejera
semesters
Our professional development classes are offered in three seasonal cycles:
Spring: March through May
Summer: June through August
Fall/Winter: October through early December
Each session features a curated lineup of classes for playwrights, musical theatre writers, and theatremakers at various stages of their careers. All classes are offered online unless otherwise noted.
the playwrights cohort
The Playwrights Cohort at PlayPenn is a year-long professional development program open to emerging playwrights and focuses on navigating the industry. Every month experts in their sector will engage the cohort on subjects such as entertainment law, building a portfolio, finding representation, having agency in the rehearsal room, managing personal finances and more. The Cohort operates on a hybrid model, holding monthly meetings in person and online.
Cohort members meet with PlayPenn collaborators and guest professionals for 12 career developmental sessions throughout the year. Sessions are in the hybrid model, with digital and in-person sessions on topics including: Entertainment Law, Finances for Freelancers, Representation, Promoting Work, Agency in the Rehearsal Room, and Development Opportunities.
Eligibility guidelines, submission materials, details, and deadlines are subject to change.
ELIGIBILITY
Production History: Applicants should have no more than two full professional productions of their plays. A full professional production is defined as a production with more than one performance and includes production elements such as costume design, set design, lighting, etc.
Educational Status: Applicants must not be currently enrolled in an academic program (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, or other degree-granting programs).
Residency: Applicants must reside in one of the following locations: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, or the District of Columbia.
Participation Expectations
We ask that participants be available for:
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Approximately 9–10 Zoom sessions
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2–3 in-person sessions in Philadelphia
Sessions are typically 2 hours long and take place at 7:00 PM on the third Wednesday of each month, running from Fall 2024 through Fall 2025.
Fees
PlayPenn maintains an open and free submission policy, a rarity in the new play development field.
Submission details
Only (1) play submission/application per playwright is permitted.
We are not able to accept physical submissions through the postal service or via reps/agents/managers.
The application will ask for your name, however please ensure that your name does not appear on the title page or any other page of the PDF files you upload.
deadline to apply
The application opens October 15, 2024 at 12:01 AM EST.
The application closes November 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST, or once 200 applications are received (whichever happens first).
New Play Confernce
PlayPenn’s flagship New Play Development Conference is central to our mission. It’s a vital platform for supporting playwrights and advancing new work across the local, regional, and national theater landscape.
Each Resident Playwright is provided with 29 hours of rehearsal over three weeks—an uncommon level of support in an industry where most institutions offer just one to two weeks.
Each play also receives two public staged readings—one at the Conference’s midpoint and another at its conclusion—giving audiences a rare opportunity to follow the arc of a play’s development in real time.
Eligibility guidelines, submission materials, details, and deadlines are subject to change.
ELIGIBILITY
The playwright must live in the Mid-Atlantic Region (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, or D.C.).
Playwright must be Age 18+
Scripts must be full-length and no longer than 120 pages.
Cast size must be limited to a maximum of six actors.
Musicals are not eligible.
The submitting playwright must be the sole writer of the script and own the rights exclusively.
3rd Year Foundry Members are not eligible to submit, as they will each receive a First Spark Foundry Reading.
Scripts must be unproduced, although scripts with prior readings are eligible.
Fees
PlayPenn maintains an open and free submission policy, a rarity in the new play development field.
Submission details
Only (1) play submission/application per playwright is permitted.
We are not able to accept physical submissions through the postal service or via reps/agents/managers.
The application will ask for your name, however please ensure that your name does not appear on the title page or any other page of the PDF files you upload.
deadline to apply
The application opens October 15, 2024 at 12:01 AM EST.
The application closes November 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST, or once 200 applications are received (whichever happens first).
Selection process
All submissions will be reviewed anonymously without revealing the playwright's name.
We will collect demographic information so that the demographic of the reader reviewing can be matched with the demographic of the playwright who submitted. This is done to combat implicit bias and give each submission the best possible chance of moving.
In the first round, readers will review a 20 page sample from the script.
Which 20 pages is up to the playwright. Think about what pages will best show your play's potential.
In the second round, readers will read the full script of each application that advanced through the first round.
In the third round, PlayPenn leadership will read the plays that advanced through rounds one and two.
PlayPenn leadership will then narrow down the list to eight. Those eight will be shared with partner theatres for consideration and together we will select the four conference plays.
The mission statements of partner theatres will be taken into account in the selection of the four conference plays.
As a Philadelphia-based organization, we are committed to selecting at least one play by a Philadelphia Playwright as one of the four Conference Plays.
Playwrights will be notified in the Spring of 2025 regarding their application status.
Conference details
Rehearsals and readings will take place from June 30, 2025 to July 20, 2025.
The Conference offers playwrights the opportunity to work with a director, dramaturg, stage manager, and professional actors. The playwright chooses their team.
Playwrights are given 29 hours over two weeks to rehearse their play, make changes, take input from their collaborators, make discoveries in the room— and it all culminates in two readings open to the public. Rehearsal time is preceded by a full company orientation during which the full company shares space and collectively pens community agreements.
Readings are presented at music stands in a theatre space. There are no design elements. However, please note that depending on the venue, the reading may be performed on the preexisting set for a production happening in the space.
Artists are encouraged to attend other readings and events related to the Conference.
PlayPenn only provides travel and housing to out of town playwrights during their time in Philadelphia.
Resident Playwrights will receive a stipend of $1200