NEW YORK CITY: The Manhattan Theatre Club has announced that it will produce a new slate of playwright commissions through its new partnership with the Edgerton Foundation, as well as a new round of commissions supported by ongoing partnerships with Bobbie Olsen and other donors. The company has also introduced the Groundworks Lab, a new year-round initiative for new-work development that will produce artist-driven workshops of works-in-progress by playwrights, directors, designers, and other theatremakers.
The recipients of the playwright commissions include Will Arbery, Eboni Booth, Heather Christian, Joshua Harmon, Aleshea Harris, Dave Harris, Khiyon Hursey, James Ijames, Martyna Majok, Qui Nguyen, Simon Stephens, Sanaz Toossi, Whitney White, and Alexis Zegerman. The inaugural Groundworks Lab artists include Cristina Angeles, a.k. payne, York Walker, and, in association with Ma-Yi Theater Company, Daniel K. Isaac and Ralph B. Peña.
“After an exceptionally challenging year, we are glad to look to the future with this extraordinary lineup of artists,” said Scott Kaplan, MTC’s director of play development, in a statement. “We are delighted to announce our new commissioning partnership with the Edgerton Foundation, and we are grateful to Bobbie Olsen for her continued support for singularly talented playwrights and their visionary work. The Groundworks Lab is a natural complement to these commissions, and we are thrilled to expand our support for new work with these exciting initiatives.”
MTC in partnership with the Edgerton Foundation supports commissions for original plays and musicals by established American artists that embody the full potential of great live theatre. The inaugural recipients of Edgerton Foundation New Play Commissions are Heather Christian, Joshua Harmon, Aleshea Harris, James Ijames, Martyna Majok, Qui Nguyen, and Whitney White. MTC is also partnering with the Almeida Theatre to co-commission Majok and with the Geffen Playhouse to co-commission Nguyen.
Additionally, MTC has awarded commissions to five more writers through the Bobbie Olsen Play Commission program, funded by an endowment from former Olsen, an MTC board member. These recipients are Will Arbery, Khiyon Hursey, Simon Stephens, Sanaz Toossi, and Alexis Zegerman. Eboni Booth and Dave Harris were also awarded commissions through additional funders.
MTC previously announced a new slate of commissions through its partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, awarded to J. Nicole Brooks, Diane Exavier, Franky D. Gonzalez, Charlie Oh, Kristin Slaney, and Else Went.
Founded in 1970, Manhattan Theatre Club works to innovate in the theatre, produce world and regional premieres, and collaborate with masterly artists across all fields.
