PlayFest

About PlayFest

PlayFest is an annual festival that provides a place for writers, theatre professionals, and audiences to connect and share ideas that promote thought-provoking stories. Audiences experience staged readings of seven new works over two weekends and participate in the development of new plays, conversing with playwrights, directors, and actors while absorbing groundbreaking new works.

Since 1999, the festival has introduced over 163 new works to regional and nationwide audiences, including Karen Zacarías’ Native Gardens, Lauren Gunderson’s I and You, Mark Brown’s Around the World in 80 Days, Kathleen Cahill’s Charm, John Biguenet’s Shotgun, Jennifer Hoppe-House’s Bad Dog, William Missouri Downs’ The Exit Interview, Steve Yockey’s Blackberry Winter, and Steven Dietz’ Yankee Tavern. Out of those readings, we have produced 18 new plays in our mainstage season. Many PlayFest plays have also received productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. Many PlayFest alumni have since been published and received critical acclaim and awards for their work. The world premiere of Gertrude and Claudius by Mark St. Germain, our first commission which appeared in PlayFest 2017, opened in our 2018-2019 season. Funding for the commission of Gertrude and Claudius generously provided by Rita and John Lowndes.

Orlando Shakes is a core member of the National New Play Network, a nationwide organization devoted to developing new work through the New Play Exchange, rolling world premieres, and annual conferences. Orlando Shakes prides itself on active participation within the national new play community while engaging its local audiences in the latest and greatest in playwriting.