The Alcove New Play Development Program
The Alcove at the Lortel is a national and international multi-faceted approach to developing plays by early and mid-career playwrights and translators led and curated by Caridad Svich.
The play development process starts with the awarding of micro-commissions for full-length work. Additional elements include R & D work sessions in conjunction with dramaturgs, directors and/or designers, and rotating roster of artists-in-residence. Two digital components of the program are a digital reading series and a webcast series entitled “Conversations from the Alcove” where Svich chats with Lortel-commissioned artists about arts and ideas in theatre and performance.
Playwrights and Theatre-makers are currently selected for Alcove commissions both by invitation and through agent submission and referrals on a rolling basis between September and February. An open submission window will be announced in future, likely fall 2025.
Conversations from the Alcove
A webcast series on the Lortel’s YouTube channel featuring conversations with playwrights on arts, ideas, craft and the world.
Fall Schedule
September
Lisa Sanaye Dring – September 10, 2024
Lisa Sanaye Dring is a writer and director originally from Hawaii. She is the Tow Foundation Resident Playwright with Ma-Yi Theatre Company. Her play SUMO receives its NY premiere at the Public Theater, Ma-Yi and La Jolla Playhouse this season.
Arturo Luiz Soria – September 24, 2024
Arturo Luiz Soria is an actor and playwright. His piece Ni Mi Madre was seen at Rattlestick Theatre where his new play Sin Padre will be seen this season. As an actor, he was in The Inheritance on Broadway and Wet Brain at MCC Theater.
October
Simon Stephens – October 1, 2024
Simon Stephens is the recipient of a Tony Award, an Olivier Award and more distinguished prizes for his work as a playwright. He is best known for his adaptation of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, which was seen on Broadway, the West End and all over the world. He is author of numerous plays among them Vanya, Port, Heisenberg and Three Kingdoms.
Latine Playwrights Rountable with Exal Iraheta, Iraisa Ann Reilly, and Mónica Sànchez – October 15, 2024
Exal Iraheta is a Chicago based Salvi-American playwright, screenwriter and teaching artist.
Iraisa Ann Reily is a writer, performer and educator who is half-Irish, half-Cuban and a whole lotta New Jersey.
Mónica Sànchez is an Albuquerque based playwright and actor and educator.
Indigenous Playwrights Rountable with Vickie Ramirez and Drew Woodson – October 29, 2024
Vickie Ramirez (Tuscarora, Six Nations of the Grand River) is a founding member of Chukalokoli Theater. Her work has been developed or produced at Native Voices at the Autry, The Public Theater and Roundabout Theater.
Drew Woodson is a Western Shoshone playwright based in New York City. Their work has been developed at Rattlestick Theater and HERE Arts Center.
November
Kristen Adele Calhoun – November 1, 2024
Kristen Adele Calhoun is an actor, writer and producer. She is staff writer on HBO Max’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s SULA. Her work has been seen at the Geffen Playhouse and National Black Theatre
Georgina Escobar – November 12, 2024
Georgina Escobar is a Mexican writer and filmmaker and maker of frontera futurity. Her work has been seen at INTAR, Dixon Place, Clubbed Thumb and more.
Matthew Paul Olmos – November 26, 2024
Matthew Paul Olmos is a Mexican-American playwright from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for his play a home what howls which premiered at Steppenwolf Theater in 2024.
December
Kirsten Greenidge – December 3, 2024
Kirsten Greenidge is a Boston based playwright where she is resident artist with
Company One Theatre. Her plays include Milk Like Sugar which was seen at
Playwrights Horizons and Luck of the Irish which was seen at LIncoln Center Theatre.
Tristian B. Willis – December 10, 2024
Tristan B. Willis is a playwright and game creator based in the Washington D.C. area. They are interested in trans, queer work and the intersection of theatre and games.
Jennifer Maisel – December 24, 2024
Jennifer Maisel is a Los Angeles based playwright. Her work has been seen across the country. She is best known for her play Eight Nights.
The Alcove at the Lortel is a place to seed dreams and innovative writing for performance reflective of the breadth and depth of artistry and perspectives in the national and global theatre realm.
Future components of the program will include a scratch night series, a works-in-progress festival and more.