Professional Live Theatre in Austin, TX
NEW PLAY
DEVELOPMENT
Commitment to New Play Development
Austin Playhouse is dedicated to highlighting the new works of playwrights through world premieres, commissioned works, and our new play festival. In 2021, Austin Playhouse completed a comprehensive strategic plan with a directive for creating a more equitable, anti-racist theatre that centers the voices of marginalized communities. Our upcoming continuance of the Festival of New Texas Plays will focus on breaking open the traditional theatrical canon by elevating these voices.
2025 Festival of New Texas Plays
Stay tuned for more information about Austin Playhouse's 2025 Festival of New Texas Plays, including submission guidelines and public reading dates! Submission information will be announced in November 2024.
World Premieres and Workshops
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Previews of
Departing
Attractions
by Lowell Bartholomee
August 5 - 20, 2022
World premiere of commissioned play collection by Artistic Company Member Lowell Bartholomee!
Nightbird
by R. Eric Thomas
March 3 - 26, 2023
World premiere of new play by playwright and best-selling author R. Eric Thomas!
The Battlefields
of Clara Barton
by Suzan Zeder and
Jenn Hartmann Luck
July 11 - 13, 2021
Workshop production of new musical by one of the nation's leading playwrights for family audiences, Suzan Zeder, and multi-hyphenate theatre artist and composer, Jenn Hartmann Luck!
The Mysterious
Affair at Styles
by Agatha Christie,
adapted by
Lara Toner Haddock
May 21 - June 5, 2021
Virtual world premiere adaptation by Artistic Company member Lara Toner Haddock of the Agatha Christie novel!
Confessions of an
English Danger Girl
by Bernadette Nason
April 23 - May 1, 2021
Virtual production written by and starring Artistic Company Member Bernadette Nason!
Summer and Bird
by Katherine Catmull
May 3 - 12, 2019
Austin Playhouse commissioned Katherine Catmull’s adaptation of Summer and Bird from her acclaimed middle grade novel for a free Theatre for Youth production!
Monroe
by Lisa B. Thompson
September 7 - 30, 2018
Austin Playhouse opened their 2018-2019 season with the world premiere of Monroe, one of the finalists of our 2018 Festival of New Texas Plays!
Roaring
by Cyndi Williams
April 4 - May 4, 2014
World premiere of Roaring by Artistic Company Member Cyndi Williams!
A Room With a View
by E.M. Forster, adapted by
Lara Toner Haddock
April 23 - May 22, 2012
World premiere production of the E.M. Forster novel, adapted and directed by Artistic Company Member Lara Toner Haddock!
Dug Up
by Cyndi Williams
October 10 - November 2, 2008
World premiere of Dug Up by Artistic Company Member Cyndi Williams!
New Play Festival History
2018 Festival of New Texas Plays
April 26th-29th
Finalists
Birthrights by Kira Rockwell
Dirty Dirty by Amy Gijsbers van Wijk
Eidophusikon by Reina Hardy*
Homeland by Michael Parsons
Monroe by Lisa B. Thompson*
Nutshell by C. Denby Swanson*
Shekinah by Blake Hackler
Small Steps by Briandaniel Oglesby
Tail End Charlie by Joey Banks
The Lady Demands Satisfaction by Arthur M. Jolly
*Festival Winner
2017 Festival of New American Plays
May 5th-7th
Finalists
A to Z by Monica Raymond
Atacama by Augusto Federico Amador
at the very bottom of a body of water by Benjamin Benne
Capital Crime! by Carson Kreitzer*
fish by Pat Pfeiffer
Flying by Sheila Cowley*
Low Hanging Stars by Sarah Saltwick*
On Pine Knoll Street by Mark Cornell
The Captives by Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich
Tumbleweed by Marcus Scott
*Festival Winner