Playwrights Horizons

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Playwrights Horizons
Playwrights-horizons.jpg
Playwrights Horizons
Address416 West 42nd Street
Manhattan, New York City
United States
OwnerPlaywrights Horizon, Inc.
TypeOff-Broadway
Capacity Mainstage: 198
Peter Jay Sharp: 128
Website
www.playwrightshorizons.org

Playwrights Horizons is a not-for-profit American Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work.

Contents

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Adam Greenfield [1] [2] and Managing Director Casey York, [3] Playwrights Horizons encourages the new work of veteran writers while nurturing an emerging generation of theater artists. Writers are supported through every stage of their growth with a series of development programs: script and score evaluations, commissions, readings, musical theater workshops, Studio and Mainstage productions.

History

Playwrights Horizons was founded in 1971 at the Clark Center Y by Robert Moss, before moving to 42nd Street in 1977 where it was one of the original theaters that started Theater Row by converting adult entertainment venues into off Broadway theaters. The current building was built on the site of a former burlesque, which previously served as the off-Broadway Maidman Playhouse between 1960 and 1966. [4]

André Bishop served as Artistic Director from 1981 to 1991, followed by Don Scardino who served through 1995. Tim Sanford served as Artistic Director from 1996 until July 2020, serving as "outgoing Artistic Director" during the 2020-2021 season. [1] Adam Greenfield took over as Artistic Director in July 2020. [1] In 2023, Managing Director Leslie Marcus ended her 30-year tenure with the company. [5]

Playwrights Horizons has worked with over 375 writers and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. In 2005, it was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. [6]

Playwrights Horizons' auxiliary programs include the Playwrights Horizons Theater School, which is affiliated with NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and Ticket Central, a central box office that supports the off-Broadway performing arts community. Designated to give undergraduate students a foundation within various fields of theater. The theater school is split between a traditional two year program, focusing on skills and techniques as a theater artist, and an advanced training program, which is meant to help students build a connection between undergraduate training and their independent careers. [7] Founded in 2010, Clubbed Thumb and Playwrights Horizons founded SuperLab, which aimed to support creative thinking by producing six new plays. [8]

Awards

Past productions include seven Pulitzer Prize winners:


List of Obie Awards: [16]

YearCategoryRecipient(s)
1967Special CitationsThe Open Theatre
1977Distinguished ProductionsEve Merriam, Tommy Tune, Kate Carmel, Cast
2005Obie Grant Gina Gionfriddo
2007Obie Grant Young Jean Lee
2016Special Citations: Collaboration Annie Baker (Playwright)
2016Special Citations: Collaboration Dominique Morisseau (Playwright)
2019Special Citations Clare Barron (Playwright), Lee Sunday Evans (Director)
2020Playwriting Michael R. Jackson
2020Playwriting Will Arbery
2020Special CitationCreative Team and Ensemble of Heroes of the Fourth Turning
2020Special CitationCreative Team and Ensemble of A Strange Loop
2022DesignReza Behjat
2022DirectionTaylor Reynolds
2023DesignEnver Chakartash (Costumes)
2023DirectionDustin Wills
2023Playwriting Bruce Norris
2023Special CitationsDesign Team: Kate Noll, Cha See, Haydee Zelideth Antuñano, Tei Blow, John Gasper, Nick Hussong
2023Sustained Achievement in Directing Pam MacKinnon
2023Sustained Achievement in Performance K. Todd Freeman
2023Sustained Achievement in PerformanceShannon Tyo
2024Special CitationsMilo Cramer, Morgan Green
2024Sustained Achievement in DesignJian Jung (Set)
2024Sustained Achievement in Directing Sarah Benson
2024Sustained Achievement in PerformanceGreg Keller

Notable productions

Notable productions include:

References

  1. 1 2 3 McPhee, Ryan (2019). "Tim Sanford to Step Down as Playwrights Horizons Artistic Director". Playbill. Playbill.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  2. ↑ Sherman, Rachel (May 9, 2023). "'Teeth' Adaptation and 'Stereophonic' in Playwrights Horizons New Season". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Casey York Joins Playwrights Horizons as Managing Director". Playbill.com. June 28, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Maidman Playhouse". Lortel Archives . Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Casey York Joins Playwrights Horizons as Managing Director". Playbill.com. June 28, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  6. ↑ Roberts, Sam (July 6, 2005). "City Groups Get Bloomberg Gift of $20 Million". The New York Times . Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Playwrights Horizons Curriculum". tisch.nyu.edu. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  8. ↑ Schulman, Sophie. "Clubbed Thumb And Playwrights Horizons Launch SuperLab Today, 11/12". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  9. ↑ "The Pulitzer Prizes" . Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  10. ↑ "The Pulitzer Prizes" . Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  11. ↑ "The Pulitzer Prizes" . Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  12. ↑ "The Pulitzer Prizes" . Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  13. ↑ "The Pulitzer Prizes" . Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  14. ↑ "The Pulitzer Prizes" . Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  15. ↑ "The Pulitzer Prizes" . Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  16. ↑ American Theatre Wing (March 25, 2025). "Obie Awards". Obie Awards.
  17. ↑ Brantley, Ben (September 27, 2017). "Review: In 'The Treasurer,' a Son Remembers Mama, as She Forgets Everything". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 1, 2025.

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