COLLAPSE by Allison Moore
JERICHO by Jack Canfora
YANKEE TAVERN by Steven Dietz
JIHAD JONES at Kitchen Dog Theater
AGNES UNDER THE BIG TOP: A TALL TALE by Aditi Brennan Kapil

"The generosity and vitality of this unique and much needed organization ultimately benefits playwrights, theatres, audiences and the culture."

-David Rambo, The Ice Breaker

“[CLNPF] secures for the playwright not simply a 'product' (the premiere) – but a process (the ongoing series of productions)... The model – giving several theatres a crack at a new work, giving a writer several chances at their revisions – is a godsend."

-Steven Dietz, Yankee Tavern

 

“In an industry as competitive, as unstable, and as personal as theater, the acknowledgment from a national body of professional theaters that the Emerging Playwright Residency gives a young writer is invaluable.”

-Jennifer Fawcett, Playwright-in-Residence 2009

“NNPN really acts as a new play grapevine. Because member theaters are in regular contact, they get to know each theater's mission and tastes and a recommendation from one member to another is much more meaningful. Those relationships have helped my work find a home. ”

-Allison Moore, Hazard County, Collapse
 

“In grad school I was writing politically, socially-derived works, not blockbusters. I saw very little future for my voice. Then NNPN invited me in... I am not only a better writer because of my association with them, but I am a better artist, and witnessing their generosity, a better person. ”

-Sean Christopher Lewis, Playwright-in-Residence 2008

 

“I was and remain deeply honored and encouraged by the Smith Prize… I love that the prize is awarded to a script and not a production… I love that NNPN is working against premiere-itis.”

-Y York, 2008 Smith Prizewinner, ...And LA is Burning

“[NNPN’s] professional network is as vital (and unique) as the artistic support -- I've not found any other group that offers both.”

-Eric Coble, For Better

“The Smith Prize was a great shot in the arm for me. It served as a valuable affirmation from my peers that my work is both of a high quality and exploring important issues. ”

-Seth Rozin, 2007 Smith Prizewinner, Black Gold

“NNPN not only lives up to its mission of championing ‘the development, production, and continued life of new plays,’ but also champions the authors of those new plays in the long journey from page to stage.”

-John Biguenet, Rising Water, Shotgun

“The National New Play Network is so vital and necessary - one of those really bright ideas - that one wonders why it took so long for theaters to get together and create it.”

-Yussef El Guindi, Jihad Jones and the Kalashnikov Babes

 

 

Virtual Script Library

 

NNPN member theaters have access to a powerful online tool: the Virtual Script Library.  Housed on the 37Signals software suite in the Cloud, our Library contains a number of "Reading Rooms" which allow members to access scripts we've helped to produce, trade plays of interest and learn about new work from all over the globe.  Only member theaters and alumni playwrights may upload scripts to the Library; and only member theaters, alumni playwrights and NNPN Ambassadors have "borrowing privileges" (i.e., donwload capability).   If you already have login credentials to the Library, click here to access it.  If you are an authorized user and need login credentials, please email General Manager Jojo Ruf here.     

Current Reading Rooms include:

  • Alumni Plays Reading Room (plays written by alumni of our core programs)
  • Commission Partners Reading Room (contributions from our commission partners:  Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Arena, Berkeley Rep, Oregon Shakes, South Coast Rep and Yale Rep)
  • Literary Managers Reading Room (where play pitches that come out of our Literary Chats can be found) 
  • Program Archives Reading Rooms (Plays commissioned by NNPN, produced through the Continued Life of New Plays Fund, presented at the National and DC Showcases, and workshopped through the MFA Playwrights Workshop)

Whenever plays are uploaded to any of these Reading Rooms, literary staff members and/or Artistic Directors of NNPN members are notified.  (Individuals uploading plays to the Virtual Script Library are responsible for obtaining permission from the playwrights to do so.)