Photo by Henry McGill
(RED BANK, NJ) -- The award-winning Two River Theater has been selected as a recipient of a 2025 National Theatre Company Grant from the American Theatre Wing, recognizing the organization's leading innovative efforts to produce and champion new work by American playwrights. Two River is one of only five theaters nationwide to receive this prestigious grant of $100,000.
The National Theatre Company Grants program provides support to nonprofit regional theater companies across the country that demonstrate exemplary work both on and off the stage. This year’s recipients were chosen from a highly competitive national pool of applicants, highlighting Two River Theater’s significant impact within the cultural landscape of New Jersey and beyond.
“Two River Theater is deeply grateful to the American Theatre Wing for this extraordinary recognition,” says Two River Artistic Director Justin Waldman. “To be honored as one of only five theaters nationwide is incredibly meaningful for our staff, organization, and New Jersey’s vibrant arts community. We are proud, as a regional theater, to play a vital role in shaping the national cultural conversation and this support fuels our mission to support new American writers while expanding community access to the arts. We thank the incredible panelists and join in congratulating our fellow National Theatre Company Grant recipients.”
The National Theatre Company Grant will support Two River Theater's ongoing commitment to the creation of new Latine work for the stage through the annual Crossing Borders (Cruzando Fronteras) Festival. Crossing Borders, now in its 15th year, is set to take place August 6-9, 2026 at Two River. This funding will contribute to the expansion of the Festival with the addition of a developmental reading and workshop performance of a Spanish-language play, as well as enhanced marketing and community development initiatives, including Spanish-language training for staff.
From world premieres and new play development to robust arts education and outreach initiatives, Two River continues to invest in programming that reflects diverse voices and connects people through powerful storytelling.
The four other theater companies to receive a National Theatre Company Grant are: Breaking Wave Theatre Company (Guam), Got in the Road Productions (New Orleans, LA), City Theatre (Miami, FL), and Shabach Enterprise/Fade to Black (Houston, TX).
The American Theatre Wing, best known as the founder of the Tony Awards®, invests in brave work, supports creative growth, and celebrates excellence in bringing inclusive stories to our national culture through theatre. The American Theatre Wing has spent a century honoring theatrical achievements and fostering artistry, by providing a platform for strong and fearless voices in the American theatre.
