In 2004, PlayPenn was born of an idea by Paul Meshejian that the city of Philadelphia, with a community of growing theatrical production, could benefit from an organization supporting the development of new plays and playwrights. PlayPenn’s first annual New Play Development Conference was held at the Adrienne Theatre in the summer of 2005 where four playwrights were given two weeks to work with a director and actors of their choice and dramaturgical support to bring their works closer to production readiness.  Three of those plays went on to acclaimed success giving the organization an early foundation to build on.

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In the ensuing years participation in PlayPenn’s annual Conference grew from eighty-five to over eight-hundred applicants. The Conference flourished from supporting the development of four plays to eight with development time increasing to three weeks, the rehearsal time of any major development organization in the country. 

 

PlayPenn playwrights received a wide range of awards including Guggenheims, the Whiting Award, the Macarthur Genius Award, and the Tony Award, among others. By the time Meshejian left the organization in 2020, PlayPenn had developed over one hundred and forty plays, seeing nearly four hundred professional productions across the country and around the world.  

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With Associate Artistic Director Michele Volansky, Meshejian led the organization to strong financial and artistic health. Broad support in the local and national theater communities made it possible for the organization to support the employment of dozens of artists annually while building an audience eager to support new plays in the Philadelphia community. Additionally, workshop support for local playwrights, a rich offering of classes by notable playwrights, and a partnership of The Foundry, contributed to making PlayPenn an essential resource in the community.

 

During Meshejian and Volansky’s tenure, the diversity of our playwrights became a hallmark of the organization, leading to greater diversity in artist and audience participation, across the board, ending the first chapter of an ongoing story.  

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In 2020/2021, the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements created a sense of urgency for the PlayPenn board to begin the process-oriented work of refreshing our values. The group was comprised of artists, academics, and professionals from varied disciplines and represented multiple perspectives and viewpoints including Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, and artists who have children. These values guide PlayPenn’s artistic and administrative choices now, and as we move into our future together.