Broadway Licensing has partnered with Playwrights Horizons, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) to co-commission three new plays and musicals.
The new initiative will see Broadway Licensing help fund the development of new work with at least three theatres per year. Selected theatres will work with Kent Nicholson, Director of Acquisitions and New Works at Broadway Licensing, to identify writers and projects ready for development. By partnering with producers of all kinds, across the geographical landscape, Broadway Licensing will continue its work of building a thriving theater community across the world, one play and musical at a time.
“I’m thrilled to be partnering with theaters with such sustained and proven commitments to producing quality new work”, said Nicholson. “I can think of no better way of sustaining writers, creating new productions, and giving voice to the important messages that playwrights deliver through their art.”
Natasha Sinha, Associate Artistic Director of Playwrights Horizons said “This new initiative begins in our favorite way — by offering substantial resources to thrilling generative artists. We are grateful for this opportunity to bring a co-commissioned playwright into the New Works Lab (Playwrights Horizons’ play development program), so that their commissioned work can benefit from the artist-led processes that we know Broadway Licensing deeply values. And it’s heartening to know that the play would already be in conversation to have future life, since it’s always the hope that a great new play will meet many, many audiences.”
“Broadway Licensing’s commitment to providing meaningful support to nascent projects is highly innovative and bold, upending the model of investing in projects only after they have proven success,” said ART Interim Artistic Director Luan Schooler. “The financial support they bring allows ART to offer a more expansive, creative approach to new play development, and their strong, collaborative artistic team is an exciting new partner in the room. We are excited to partner with Broadway Licensing and applaud them for investing with companies like ART in creating new work for the American theatre.”
