The New Jersey Play Lab (NJPL) has selected six plays for development in the company’s 2022 Residency Program. Over the course of the next four to eight months, each play will undergo its own individually designed development process, including dramaturgical guidance and play readings. The end result will be new plays by New Jersey-based writers that are ready for production on New Jersey stages and beyond.
The 2022 NJPL Residency plays are And Every Creeping Thing by Eric Craft (Bernardsville, NJ); Come Rain, Come Hurricane by Edwin Rivera-Arias (Hoboken, NJ); Dining on the Truck-Side, Or The Untold Story of the Turnpike Greats by Ravin Patterson (Jersey City, NJ); The Cousins (Rhymes with Dozens) by Benjamin V. Marshall (Plainfield, NJ); The Golden Door by Lia Romeo (Maplewood, NJ); Un Hombre by Stephen Kaplan (Bogota, NJ).
These plays were selected from over 60 submissions from New Jersey-based playwrights of all career levels. The selection committee was composed of senior, associate, and apprentice NJPL dramaturgs, as well as early career artists who have participated in the company’s programming for emerging dramaturgs.
The goal of this 2022 Residency program is two-fold: to develop new production-ready plays by NJ-based playwrights, and to mentor and provide professional learning opportunities to emerging dramaturgs. All dramaturgs who were part of the selection committee will collaborate on the development of the Residency plays.
The NJPL holds an annual submission process for its Residency Program. The next submission deadline is November 1st, 2023.
For more information on the Residency Program, the 2022 selected plays/playwrights and the 2022 selection committee, please visit njplaylab.org.
The New Jersey Play Lab (NJPL) is dedicated to developing production-ready plays through comprehensive hands-on dramaturgy. This unique approach to play development serves both New Jersey playwrights and producers by offering an alternative to the often fractured process by which plays arrive at their first production. The New Jersey Play Lab offers developmental residencies, play development forums, and dramaturgical services, designed to foster the creation and production of outstanding new work in The Garden State and beyond, thus strengthening the ongoing movement to establish New Jersey as a valued and vibrant hub of new play development. Additionally, the company offers programming and mentorship opportunities for early career playwrights and dramaturgs.
The Co-Founders of the NJPL, Cheryl Katz and Kaitlin Stilwell, have a combined experience of over 40 years of working in new play development. As a creative team, they led the artistic staff at Luna Stage for four years prior to forming the NJPL, during which time, they commissioned and developed over 20 new works for the stage.
The New Jersey Play Lab aims to facilitate the production of more new work at New Jersey theatres, become a resource for producers across the country looking for outstanding plays that are ready for the stage, and contribute to the national conversation about best practices for play development. The NJPL is a registered 501C3 non-profit organization.
