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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 early 2025.

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! 

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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

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