Molly Marinik (co-founder)
Molly Marinik (she/her) is a dramaturg specializing in new play and musical development. Molly has developed new work at the Atlantic Theater, Alliance Theatre, New Victory, Orchard Project, Musical Theater Factory, All for One, The Flea, 59E59, Barefoot Theater Company, NYMF, and many others, including Alchemation/Kevin McCollum where she served as literary consultant. Molly proudly served on the subcommittee for the Philip Seymour Hoffman Relentless Award for its first four seasons and she’s been a reader for many amazing organizations. Former Artistic Associate at Musical Theatre Factory (with Beehive) where she co-moderated the Women+ Roundtable. She also facilitated PlayGym classes at Luna Stage in NJ. Guest lecturing at Northwestern, Columbia, Colgate. Currently: Colt Coeur 2024/25 Resident Artist.
Molly is also an experienced grant writer and arts fundraiser. At McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ she served as Director of Grants and Development Communications (and was a two-time Interim Director of Development). Former Grants Coordinator for Atlantic Theater Company and Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA). Molly holds an MA in Theater History and Criticism from Brooklyn College.
SPECIALTIES New plays, new musicals, movement-driven work, early drafts, historical research, script reading, scouting.
RECENT SELECTED WORK
- Dust and Shadow by Jonathan Reid Gealt (music), Kasey Marino (book), Dustin Sullivan (lyrics). In development with Amanda DuBois.
- Fallout, the Musical by Dmitry Koltunov (book/music) and David Goldsmith (book/lyrics). NAMT 2023.
RECOMMENDED BY
"Molly has been an incredible partner in the writing process, and our work has led to an evolution of the piece, which I could never have achieved alone. She understands dramaturgy from both the technical practice as well as the psychological relationship that is required to create emotional safety for art to be challenged and grow. She understands the writer’s intent with a masterful intuition and asks piercing questions without forcing solutions. She is incredibly organized in her schedule and measured with her questions, allowing the work to maintain momentum and the team to stay on track. Molly also understands that great art colors outside the lines but acknowledges that those lines exist and uses them to track discussions. She has helped me achieve a new level of artistic maturity, and the work has gained polish without loosing character or grit. I never thought about working with a dramaturg prior, and now I can’t imagine working without one." —Dmitry Koltunov, composer and book writer/lyricist
"I've worked with Molly on a number of different projects, and her contribution as a dramaturg is consistently invaluable. She is able to focus on the subtle details of moment and character, while never losing sight of the big picture and overall arc of a play. Her collaborative approach keeps the often challenging process productive, fun, and inspiring." —Scott Katzman, playwright
"Molly helped me find and shape my play, but she exceeded my expectations of a dramaturg by bringing her considerable intuition and emotional intelligence to the project. She was able to read the room and the abilities and needs of the actors, help me to dig deeper into my characters, and was comfortable relating her own personal experiences on the subject matter; all of which helped to move the play to a more fully realized place on the page and in performance." —Heidi Armbruster, playwright and actress
A great book I read recently:
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte (not quite sure why it took me so long to get to this one)
“Decolonizing Wealth” by Edgar Villanueva (really for anyone who works in a system that participates in non-profit fundraising)
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Working at my family's independent record store when I was growing up
Favorite recent shows:
Illinoise, Teeth, Cabaret
Some things I like to do in my free time:
With two kiddos at home I don’t have much “free time” but if we're dreaming big here, I like to read recreationally, do yoga/pilates/ballet, listen to podcasts about politics and behavioral economics, and watch good TV. I aspire to someday have a much more exciting answer to this question.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
On a warm day: outside in the sun. Any day: at a bar with a good drink and a well-behaved, bustling crowd around me.
Natasha Sinha (co-founder)
Natasha Sinha (she/her) is a producer and dramaturg, focusing on new plays and new musical work. Natasha is Associate Artistic Director of Playwrights Horizons. Recently, as Director of Artistic Programs at Signature Theatre, she spearheaded new artistic programs for Signature (including a new holistic residency for early-career playwrights), and she was artistic line producer for select plays and musicals (including Dave Malloy's OCTET, FIRES IN THE MIRROR by Anna Deavere Smith, and Lauren Yee's CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND). She is the recipient of the 2019 LPTW Lucille Lortel Award. Until 2018, Natasha was Associate Director of LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater which exclusively produces premieres (including DISGRACED by Ayad Akhtar, Rude Mechs' STOP HITTING YOURSELF, Dave Malloy's PRELUDES, WAR by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, BULL IN A CHINA SHOP by Bryna Turner, GHOST LIGHT by Third Rail Projects, Martyna Majok's queens, and Antoinette Nwandu’s PASS OVER). She kicked off the LCT3 Spotlight Series with SHABASH!, hosted by Danny Pudi and Parvesh Cheena. Natasha was previously the Associate Producer at Barrington Stage Company. As a freelance dramaturg, she has worked on new plays and new musicals by Dave Harris, Michael R. Jackson, Grace McLean, Shakina Nayfack, Danny Pudi, Heather Raffo, Sam Salmond, and Kit Yan & Melissa Li. Natasha is a co-founder of Beehive Dramaturgy Studio, which works with individual generative artists as well as organizations such as Page 73, Musical Theatre Factory, Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program, and Astoria Performing Arts Center. She is on the Advisory Boards of SPACE on Ryder Farm, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, and Musical Theatre Factory (where she co-moderates MTF's POC Roundtable, exclusively for musical artists of color, and advises on various programs, including MTF MAKERS). She has served as a judge on many award committees, taught classes, written articles, led panels, and created events to center a range of exciting new voices from historically oppressed communities. In her free time, Natasha is one of three coordinators of Amplifying Activists Together.
SPECIALTIES
New Plays, New Musicals, New Devised Work, New Solo Work, Unconventional Storytelling, Plays With Music, Character Development, Social Justice
RECENT SELECTED WORK
-Tomorrow Will Be Sunday by Heather Raffo, directed by Kate Bergstrom; at Playwrights' Center (workshop)
-Interstate by Kit Yan & Melissa Li, directed by Jesca Prudencio; at Mixed Blood Theatre (world premiere production)
-Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris, directed by Taylor Reynolds; at Ojai Playwrights Conference (workshop)
RECOMMENDED BY
”Natasha's dramaturgy was PIVOTAL in the development of my play TAMBO & BONES. Her brilliant mind, sharp ear, and calming warmth were essential in helping push the play to become its best version. What I love most about working with Natasha is that she never settles, always choosing to ask the next question about the world and internal logic of the play and its relationship with the audience. In a play that spans four hundred years, a non-existent 4th wall, and an entire concert, Natasha's tireless note-taking and ability to diagnose what is being accomplished by each beat in a play are invaluable. Beyond that, I cannot imagine having a better friend, accomplice, and advocate in any rehearsal room. I feel so lucky that Natasha, with her relentless rigor and deep caring, believes in my work. Give her all of the money and opportunities. Your play, your theater, your post-rehearsal happy hours, will all be better for it.”
— Dave Harris, playwright
"I cannot say enough great things about Natasha's dramaturg work. I've had two projects where I've had opportunities to work with her--first on my musical Teeth and then on my musical A Strange Loop. In both cases I found her to be extremely incisive and quick to align and engage with the right questions to address dramaturgical issues in each piece. In Teeth, Natasha has been thorough, thoughtful and smart as my collaborator and I work through a tricky narrative and tonal combination, helping us focus our thoughts and move collectively in a positive direction to complete our latest draft. In A Strange Loop I've been struggling with how to illustrate my protagonist's journey in an extremely non-conventional way and Natasha's insights helped me identify narrative and character gaps that would help me clarify for the audience the exact story I want to tell. I've also worked with Jeremy Stoller on this piece and his dramaturgical precision and open-mindedness was key to my process as I headed to Ucross via the Sundance Theatre Institute to work through a crucial draft. I feel quite fortunate to work with both of these artists; the relationships I've forged with them has been invaluable."
—Michael R. Jackson, Composer-Lyricist-Bookwriter
"Natasha is a force of insight and wisdom. I met Natasha for the first time in the rehearsal room, and in the most epic of plays – my new play about migration and the global economy. Navigating in personal and seismic ways, Natasha was able to pose questions leading to the distillation of the work without making the play smaller – but rather, by sharing an equal ambition to see the work grow even bigger. She held and returned to the spine of the piece again and again, working like an anchor and a sail simultaneously. I’ve never worked on a play this epic, sprawling, or with this many concurrent narratives - she knew how to hold the center so I could continue to explore the extremes. Her intelligence, her life experience, her perspective and her care are a gift to the art of making of theater."
—Heather Raffo, writer/performer
“I met Natasha a few years ago during SHABASH!, an evening of South Asian theatre at LCT3. I could tell right away she had a passion for lifting up underrepresented voices and a gift for empowering the people around her. During that event, Natasha encouraged me to share a story I was working on about my relationship with my father. Since then, we have worked together on expanding that story into a full theatrical piece. Throughout the process, she’s been an excellent collaborator. I can always count on her to provide an honest, intelligent critique. With each new draft she has asked thoughtful questions to help me sharpen logic, and she finds a way to give me the confidence to dig deeper into my story. I trust her creative eye and besides that, she’s just a great friend. I look forward to the next time we can have a margarita and chat about our favorite Sondheim songs and/or how memories work!"
—Danny Pudi, playwright/performer
"I've been working on a pop opera about 12th century mystic and polymath Hildegard von Bingen for a few years, but it wasn't until I shared the work with Natasha that I started to understand how to put my material together in a comprehensive manner. Her questions, insights, and keen dramaturgical eye have helped me to shape a story out of my raw material, and her skills as a deep listener have in turn helped me to become sensitive to an audience's reception and response to the manner in which the story is told. I look forward to sharing my progress with Natasha because I trust her knowledge, experience and theatrical guts."
—Grace McLean, Writer/Composer/Performer
"I have always relied upon feedback from writer friends. Working with Natasha as a dramaturg was a new and wonderful world, First, there was the relief of not worrying that the feedback was going to be impacted by any concern for protecting my feelings. So no looking for the meaning behind the note. Natasha’s questions were smart and empathic. When I shared what I was trying to do she would tell me directly if she got it or not. Her thoughts moved my rewrite forward more efficiently. She also directed me towards elements in my work that I wasn’t aware of. This allowed me to remove or enhance what was already on the page. It was a great experience. I will be working with her in all my future projects."
—Tonya Pinkins, Tony Award winning actress, author, director, filmmaker
"Natasha’s skills as a dramaturg have been intensely beneficial for the new musical, Eighty-Sixed. Her ability to hone in on particular questions of character development helped push the authors to be much more specific, which really strengthened the arc for the protagonist. Her questions are never prescriptive or defensive – they are inquisitive, warm, and encouraging."
—Aaron Glick, Creative Producer
"Working with a dramaturg for the first time was like having a super-smart friend in the room who would ask all the right questions. When you've been writing a piece for so long it's easy to lose perspective, so the fresh eyes of a dramaturg was invaluable in tracking big picture stuff, like character arcs and theme. Natasha listened to us, what we were trying to do with our piece, and helped us get closer to our goal. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
—Ben Bonnema, Composer-Lyricist
"While I technically knew what a dramaturg was in theory before actually working with one, the term might as well have been synonymous with 'wizard.' Turns out I wasn't that far off. Working with Natasha was such an enlightening, stabilizing experience, especially in the middle of a hectic workshop process, where it's easy to get caught up in the small stuff and lose track of narrative priorities. I always looked forward to debriefing with Natasha and hearing her feedback; these sessions gave me much-needed perspective and helped clarify my writing goals before rehearsal the next day."
—Christopher Staskel, Librettist
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Worked full-time(-plus) as a medical assistant at my father's office every summer in high school. I wasn't really interested at all, but it's interesting to think back on now.
Last shows seen or projects worked on right before the pandemic:
I was dramaturging INTERSTATE at Mixed Blood in Minneapolis, after years with Kit Yan and Melissa Li on the musical. And I was a producer at Signature Theater at that time, working on Lauren Yee's play, CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND. Beautiful last productions to have collaborated on, before lockdown...
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Travel! Internationally, ideally, but these days I'll settle for a good long walk. I also recently co-founded Amplifying Activists Together with EllaRose Chary and Jay Stull, to channel collective action into progressive and radical activists' New York movements. Check it out at https://tinyurl.com/AmplifyingActivistsTogether.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
On a blanket in the park on a warm day, or in a cafe (back when I went into those) on a rainy one. Or at a cozy cabin in upstate NY.
Jeremy Stoller (co-founder)
Jeremy Stoller is a dramaturg who works primarily in support of new performance. He has dramaturged the world premieres of Marin Gazzaniga's The Unbelieving (The Civilians), Peter Gil-Sheridan's This Space Between Us (Keen Company), Ken Urban's A Guide for the Homesick (Huntington Theatre) and Nibbler (The Amoralists @ Rattlestick Playwrights Theater); L M Feldman's A People (Orbiter 3); Paper Canoe's Light at Triskelion Arts; as well as Thomas Choinacky and John Jarboe's Beaut and R. Eric Thomas's Will You Accept This Friend Request?, both at First Person Arts Festival; and the US premiere of Ken Urban's Sense of an Ending at 59E59 Theaters. Additional dramaturgy/literary work with Disney Theatrical, The Flea, Hypokrit Theatre Company, Luna Stage, Musical Theatre Factory, Play On! Shakespeare, PlayPenn, Jewish Plays Project, and terraNOVA Collective.
He is currently the Resident Dramaturg for Miami-based dance-theater company The Pioneer Winter Collective. From 2016 to 2022, he served as the Director of New Work for off-Broadway's Keen Company, where he oversaw the commission (and supported the subsequent premiere productions) of 25 short plays and musical for stage and audio; curated and facilitated six cycles of Keen's mid-career playwrights lab; and guided one world premiere and two New York premieres onto the mainstage. From 2010 to 2013 he served as the Literary Manager at Two River Theater. He founded The Dramaturgy Open Office Hour Project, which has been sharing resources with artists in cities around North America since 2014 and was profiled in American Theatre magazine. Co-founder, Beehive Dramaturgy Studio. He holds a BA from Drew University, and is pursuing an MA in Gender and Sexuality Studies from The City University of New York.
RECENT SELECTED WORK
-The Unbelieving — by Marin Gazzaniga; directed by Steve Cosson; produced by The Civilians/59E59 (production)
-Shanghai Sonatas — book by Alan Goodson; music by Xiang Gao; lyrics by Joyce Hill Stoner; directed by Chongren Fan (workshop)
-This Space Between Us — by Peter Gil-Sheridan; directed by Jonathan Silverstein; produced by Keen Company (production)
RECOMMENDED BY
”Jeremy Stoller was the Director of New Work at my Off Broadway theater company for six years. Throughout his tenure, he made a lasting impact by helping to move the company forward in new, thrilling and necessary ways. He did so sensitively, understanding the organization, how it functioned, and how it needed to adapt - all in meaningful and realistic ways. Jeremy is also the very best of dramaturgs. He has impeccable taste, is an expert at analyzing scripts and is a fierce advocate for artists. Jeremy has an expert understanding of the artist’s process and works diligently to ask questions and give feedback in the ways that are always supportive and catered to each individual. He is also the rare collaborator who can be firm and gentle, all at the same time. This artist-focused ethos extends to producing, as he carefully ensures creators' needs and voices are considered at every turn. Finally, his love of arts and artists is evident in everything he touches. He is a joy to work with!”
—Jonathan Silverstein, Artistic Director, Keen Company
"Jeremy has a terrific eye for singling out exciting new writers and plays. He has taken the time to get to know our aesthetic well so he can tailor his recommendations to work that is fitting for our theater. We have gone on to develop and produce work that Jeremy has brought to our attention. He is also a smart dramaturg and his comments on early drafts of our world premieres have proved to be invaluable."
—Cheryl Katz, Former Artistic Director, Luna Stage
"Officially, Jeremy served as the dramaturg on the New York production of Sense of an Ending, where he was a helpful sounding board as I made final revisions following the play’s London run. He also organized wonderful panels during the production featuring stellar guests. But outside any official position, Jeremy is always my go-to dramaturg. Whether he is helping me formulate material for an artist statement or giving feedback on an early draft of a new play, Jeremy is always insightful, asking the questions that bring me closer to the best articulation of a thought or idea."
—Ken Urban, playwright
"Working with Jeremy Stoller, his objective was clear—to help me write my best play possible. Not what he thought my play should be. Or what the majority of an audience might think my play should be. He strove to bring out what was lying within the existing pages. I knew my story—but I was having trouble with objectivity. And this is where Jeremy went to work—culling from my mass of pages - what I was looking for in my play. Jeremy was very detailed in his feedback, which I really appreciated - and without a hint of personal agenda. You must be open to criticism, yes, if you’re to work with a dramaturg (or in any collaborative environment, truthfully). And if you find the right person, as I had, the experience is very rewarding for the play and one’s growth as a writer."
—Michele Aldin Kushner, playwright
"Jeremy Stoller was a tremendous asset during the workshop production of The Sasquatch Project. He diligently read our drafts and new pages and gave us guiding notes that were never prescriptive and always helpful in diagnosing the root of the problems in the show. He cheered us on when progress was made and nursed our wounds during challenges in the process."
—Scotty Arnold, musical theater writer
"Jeremy was an integral collaborator to my project Beaut (First Person Arts Festival 2011) and has already been a fundamental researcher for my current project of Brecht's Baal. As dramaturg for Beaut he provided insights into queerness and autobiography that were transformational to the arc of the performance, and served as a mediator among the director, myself, and the other performers. His methods deeply investigate the work and push my own thinking into the most complex layers of provocation and understanding."
—Thomas Choinacky, performance artist
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Well, it's an interesting aspect of a non-theater job: Working as office manager for a small tech company, I convinced them to start a philanthropy program, and a program where we rented visual art from local artists for display in our office, and brought them to the office for conversations with our staff. This fulfilled some Robin Hood fantasies, and also was an extension of my dramaturgical sensibilities into a different sort of organization.
A great book I read recently:
”4 3 2 1” by Paul Auster
What are your favorite shows that you saw right before the pandemic?
Stew by Zora Howard (Page 73), Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage(Keen Company)
What do you do in your free time?
Long talks with friends. Read novels. Watch movies. Nerdy cultural things -- readings, exhibits, dance performances [the online, pandemic versions]. Cook, bake. I'm also going to grad school part-time, working toward an MA in Queer Studies.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
I enjoy being nomadic, so there are a few spots across the city: Amy's Bread, Cafe Reggio, City Bakery. Pastries + wifi + bathrooms + electrical outlets + charm, not necessarily in that order, are all important.
Jess Applebaum
Jess Applebaum (she/her) is a dramaturg-scholar whose practice is rooted in contemporary performance and social action. As a dramaturg she works collaboratively with performance makers, academics, and activists to develop and facilitate creative processes. Her work pays particular attention to lifting up the cultural and political context of each project: identifying how the content developed serves both its creators and its audience in a shared, live moment. As a PhD candidate in CUNY’s Theater and Performance program, Jess’s scholarship focuses on the labor of dramaturgy: pushing the perceived boundaries of how research is performed and applied in both creative and academic work. She believes that bodies perform knowledge, process activates power, and that, together, they can inspire new pedagogical and civic practices.
RECENT SELECTED WORK:
-Being part of The ‘Songs’ Brain and Body Trust for Jillian Walker's Songs of Speculation, direction by Mei Ann Teo, lights by Tuce Yasak, full Brain and Body Trust beings Brandon Webster, Dominique Rider, Kris Sidberry, and Susan Heyward
-Pillowtalk written and directed by Kyoung Park for Kyoung's Pacific Beat
-Happiness Machines #1 created by Nic Benacerraf, Jess Applebaum, Marina McClure, Camden Place and produced by ChaShaMa
A great book I read recently:
“Critical Art Ensemble: Disturbances”
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Hands down, being a poll worker for the 2020 Presidential Election.
My favorite show I saw right before the pandemic:
Jillian Walker's SKiNFoLK: An American Show
Some things I like to do in my free time:
There's not a ton of free time these days, when I have it what I love most is playing with my friends’ children and exploring the public parks in our five boroughs.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
I like to travel to where my collaborators are most comfortable.
Adrian Centeno
Adrian Centeno (he/him) is a dramaturg and arts educator based in Los Angeles. He’s helped develop and support new works at South Coast Repertory, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, Ojai Playwrights Conference, New York Stage & Film, Teatro Bravo, Childsplay Theatre Company, foolsFURY Theater Company, and Playwrights’ Arena, among others.
A fierce advocate for new plays, Adrian has proudly served by invitation on new play development grant panels and festival selection committees for the National Endowment for the Arts, Page 73, Signature Theatre, The Public Theatre, The Playwrights’ Center, Athena Project, and the Latinx New Play Festival. He’s also a proud affiliate dramaturg with Beehive Dramaturgy Studio.
He holds a master’s degree from UC Santa Cruz and was recently honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award. He is currently a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts at Cal State Long Beach, the literary manager at Boston Court Pasadena, and the artistic director of Seven Devils New Play Foundry.
RECENT SELECTED WORK:
-The Care and Keeping of Schizophrenia (And Other Demons) by Gloria Oladipo; directed by Benny Sato Ambush; produced by Seven Devils Playwrights Conference (workshop)
-Louder by Caroline V. McGraw; directed by Deena Selenow; produced by South Coast Repertory (workshop)
-Get Your Pink Hands Off Me Sucka and Give Me Back by Daniella De Jesús; directed by Taylor Reynolds; produced by San Diego Repertory Theatre (workshop)
A great book I read recently:
I'm not even sure where to begin. Most of my time is spent reading. I've always been drawn to non-fiction, plays excluded, so I don't read many novels. I can't get enough theory, history, or autofiction, though. I was really blown away by Frank B. Wilderson III's “Afropessimism” last spring when it was released. I revisited Barbara J. & Karen E. Fields' “Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life” with a graduate class this fall. The lyricism of a particular essay, titled "What One Cannot Remember Mistakenly," has stayed with me for the past few months. I've been thinking a lot about the unreliability of memory in my own writing. That text informed some of my recent revisions. At the time of this interview, I've just begun Vincent Bevins' “The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade & The Mass Murder Program That Shaped Our World.“ It's a terrifying, essential work, and it portends a grim future should we not interrogate some of the American myths that comprise our national 'past.' I'd recommend it on that basis alone.
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
I struggle to call any non-theater job I've had interesting! Well, I did work as a student teacher in a kindergarten class before I was credentialed. It was tremendous fun. I learned all of the songs, I used puppets to teach math, I read stories on the carpet after recess, etc. You know, I didn't think of it as being that different from a performance, really. Some mornings I was exhausted, but the kiddos would come into class so full of energy that I had to match it. It was a bit like a matinée performance with the most enthusiastic audience you could imagine.
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
I've been slower to return to in-person performance than I expected, but I've really connected with the handful of shows I've seen. I was knocked out by the National Theatre's production of The Lehman Trilogy and Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Caroline, or Change. I also really loved Alma by Benjamin Benne at the Kirk Douglas, Carolyn Ratteray's Both/And (A Play About Laughing While Black) at Boston Court, and Bernardo Cubría's The Play You Want at The Road Theatre Company. No two plays are alike in this bunch, and they all rekindle and reaffirm my love for theatre in their own ways.
Some things I like to do in my free time:
The pandemic really altered this answer for me. Most of my favorite things involve being indoors with a large group of people. I love live performance, film, museums, art galleries, concerts, sports events, used bookstores, poetry readings at my local coffee shop, etc. I love the energy of a crowd. It's been a while since I felt that energy, so I've had to find some new ways to fill my time. Since March, I've been really experimenting in the kitchen. I went vegetarian recently, so I'm learning all kinds of new recipes. I've got a pretty dynamite vegetarian chili that I perfected over the summer. I've also rediscovered my love for video games. I enjoy playing Animal Crossing, Among Us, and Jackbox with friends and family. That's been a great way to stay connected as we isolate in our respective homes. It's also given me a lot to think about in terms of the rapidly advancing narrative potential of virtual, interactive media.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
If possible, I really love to read outside. I provide freelance dramaturgy work for several local universities in Los Angeles, so I often enjoy snagging a bench or table near the quad. I like the flexibility that it provides. Sometimes I need to stand up or even pace a bit when I'm reading, so it's nice to have some room to move. Other times, I need to stop and process what I've read. It helps to take little breaks. I'll put the text down and just take a walk around the campus. I think these quiet moments of reflection in nature are an essential part of my process. There's usually a decent coffee shop within walking distance, and that always makes for a pleasant meeting spot, too.
Sandra A. Daley-Sharif
Sandra A. Daley-Sharif (she/her) is an Afro-Caribbean writer living in Savannah where she is currently Professor of Dramatic Writing at SCAD University. She is a Josephine Abady Award recipient and an OBIE Award-winning producer, both for her contribution of diversity to the American theatre landscape. She is the Producing Artistic Director of Liberation Theatre Company in NYC. She has produced many projects, across disciplines over the years. She is a founding member of HARLEM9, a group of producers coming together to explore the past, present, and future of theater. Sandra has a commendable resume of over 25 years in theater, film, and television.
Sandra completed and had a reading of her Ibsen inspired play Hedda and George with The Road Theatre. The Fire This Time presented a reading of her full-length play Hedda: A Portrait of a (Young) Woman and a production of her short play Anonymous, which was also produced by the EstroGenius Festival. Sandra’s play Straddling the Edge is on The Kilroy List, a Barbour Award finalist, and was workshopped at the cell theatre, directed by Kira Simring. Les Fréres is a Bay Area Playwrights Festival finalist, also on the Kilroy List, and a Eugene O’Neill semi-finalist.
She will have a reading of her new play Amma’s Wit, an EST/Sloan commission at EST’s First Light Festival in June. Blacklist had this to say about her new play The Trial of Amos ’n’ Andy, “The premise is ingenious as it explores the African American experience with stereotypical media, making it a story that spans generations”. Sandra also has several historical pieces that she has written and shopping for Television.
SELECTED WORK
-The Harder They Come by Suzan-Lori Parks;
The Public Theatre; Cultural Ambassador
-Death of Medea by Constance Strickland; Theatre Roscius
-Disruption by Andrew Stein
-Her Portmanteau by Mfoniso Udofia; directed by Laiona Michelle produced by George Street Playhouse (production)
-Ona, Washington, Lulu, George by David Morse
-We Are Proud to Present… by Jackie Sibblies Drury — Montclair State University, August 2020
-Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau; Westport Country Playhouse
A great book I read recently:
Sad to say, I have not read a novel in a while. Too busy reading scripts.
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Supervising a team of contact tracers.
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Gardening… missing NYC but, loving and discovering Savannah.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
Out by the lagoon. When the ducks are quiet.
Iyvon E.
Iyvon E. (she/her), an award-winning Nigerian-American creative producer, dramaturg, and freelance arts professional, formerly at Signature Theatre in NYC, leads The Parsnip Ship as its dedicated Artistic Director. She initiated LaunchPad—an early career playwrights residency—and launched SigSpace, dynamic public programming. Under Iyvon's leadership, The Parsnip Ship was named by The New York Times as one of "5 Podcasts to Bring Theater Into Your Home." With accolades like the Fulbright International Scholarship and the 2019 Mark O’Donnell Prize, she advances the arts globally, having worked in off-Broadway, regional, and international theaters. As a freelance dramaturg, arts administrator, and live events curator, Iyvon brings a dynamic approach to her work in the arts. Connect with her on social media: @iamiyvon and @theparsnipshipNY.
RECENT SELECTED WORKS:
- Hades and Persephone, experimental group collaboration; Trinacira Theatre Company, Sicily (production)
-The Half-God of Rainfall by Inua Ellams; NYTW and ART (production)
- Indigo Dreams by Melis Aker; Signature Theatre Company (workshop)
A great book I read recently:
“Parable of The Sower” by Octavia Butler
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Middle School English Teacher
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
'A' (What The Black Girl Found While Searching For God) by Taji Senior, directed by Matrex Kilgore, with music by Alwyn Robinson (The Parsnip Ship)
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Watch a disgusting amount of television
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
1M Lobby at The Public
Lewis Fender
Lewis Fender (he/him) is a trans dramaturg and director based in New York City, graduated from NYU Gallatin with a concentration in the dramaturgy of adaptation. Currently working in the executive department of New York Theatre Workshop, he has previously worked with New Dramatists and Elevator Repair Service. Lewis participated in the 2021 International Dramaturgy Lab with LMDA, developing with a group of dramaturg the concept for a Spanish-English podcast with the working title "Lost in Translation / Perdidos en la traducción". Lewis has spent time both studying and working with German-language theater, specifically the works of Brecht, Müller, and Jelinek. He is drawn towards explorations of adaptation, time, and messiness.
RECENT SELECTED WORK
-Work Hard, Have Fun, Make History; written by ruth tang, directed by Kedian; part of Breaking the Binary Festival
-The Parlour: A Digital Graveyard by Jesse McLaughlin & Genie Pflum; NYU Tisch; dramaturg/deviser (virtual student production)
-Who the F*ck is Ahmed? by Michael Zalta; The Lark (reading)
RECOMMENDED BY
“I brought Lewis on as a dramaturg for a piece I had felt stuck on for a long time. He brought great care and an inspiring curiosity to the piece, and the feedback he gave not only helped me move out of the rut I was in, but continues to inform choices I make as I develop the piece further. Each time we meet, Lewis brings practical and refreshing questions to our discussions, all in service of creating an authentic and engaging new theatrical piece. His unwavering support and enthusiasm is backed by a thorough knowledge of the craft and a great talent for storytelling.”
— Jaime Jarrett, playwright and composer
A great book I read recently:
“Confessions of the Fox” by Jordy Rosenberg
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Hand-making functional puppets for a local middle school’s junior production of Lion King. Many hours and many mysterious small cuts, but lots of fun.
Favorite recent shows:
this house is not a home (Abrons Arts Center)
Public Obscenities (Soho Rep)
One Night (Target Margin Theatre)
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Reading science fiction, drawing, lying in the sun at Riis Beach with friends (or, currently, day dreaming about going to Riis with friends).
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
A small coffee shop or somewhere sunny.
Ali Keller
Ali Keller’s (she/hers) plays have been presented at various theaters across New York City including: Standards (The Dramatists Guild), WHALE (Emerging Artists Theatre, The Riant Theatre), Here to Stay (The Gallery Players), For Goodness Sake (4th Street Theatre @ New York Theatre Workshop), Dear Nate (Midtown International Theatre Festival, ACME Theatre Festival), Un Altro Errore Nella Famiglia (Step1 Theatre Project), Slut Claus (Manhattan Rep Theatre, Bucknell University), Preference (Pussyfest V - Caps Lock Thetare), No Italian (Rising Sun Performance Company Laboratorium), and Good for You (The Assembly Hall at Judson Memorial Church). Good for You also made it to the second round at the 2018 Austin Film Festival Play Competition. She participated in Serials at The Flea - Cycle 43, where her series The Interview ran for two weeks. Readings of her plays Slut Claus, Dear Nate, Independent Christmas, Unresolved, Seven Fishes, and For Goodness Sake have been recorded as part of The CRY HAVOC Podcast. Select Film Credits include: Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened (production assistant), Believin’ (Production Manager), Fair, Kind, and True (Producer), and Zero Issue (Producer). Select Associate Director and Assistant credits include: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Broadway), the 2012 Oscar Hammerstein Award, and Live from Lincoln Center: Sweeney Todd, and Rob Fischer Celebrates Kander & Ebb. Select Directing credits include: A Visit to the Bronx (Finalist in The Avery Theater Company's 20/20 Festival at The Phillipstown Depot Theater), Stage Mothers (The Clurman Theatre), and Clarence the Cannibal (The Bowery Poetry Club). Ali has been a Dramaturg with the New York Musical Festival where this past year, the musical she worked with, Peter, Who? and 'Till which both won Best Book. She has also worked with many individual clients on new plays and musicals through Beehive Dramaturgy. Ali has worked as teaching assistant for Adam Gwon and Abe Koogler at Primary Stages. She received her B.A. in Theatre Arts at Bucknell University, is a Member of the Stillwater Writers Group, and a Resident Playwright at The CRY HAVOC Company, a Producer at the New York Picture Company, and a Member of the Dramatists Guild of America.
RECOMMENDED BY
"As a beginning screenwriter, I realized I needed some focused assistance to bring my script to the next level. Ali Keller provided exactly what I needed — hard-nosed, accurate, helpful feedback. As a result, my script was solicited for review by an agent in the U.K.” - Tom Lough
Jim Fagan (Director/Producer at Comedy Central)
Matt Cowart (Associate Director of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill; Sunset Boulevard - Broadway)
Rafeh Mahmud (Going: In Defense of Civil Society)
Emily Rose Simons (The Repatriot, Inconvenient Miracle)
A great book I read recently:
“Queens of Animation”
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Copywriter at perfume company
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
Stereophonic by David Adjmi
Deep Blue Sound by Abe Koogler
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Draw & cook
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
Times Square Marriott lobby
Rose Oser
Rose Oser (she/they) is a theater producer, playwright, and performer. They are the book writer of Shoshana in December, a new queer Hanukkah musical (December 2022 production Custom Made, Relentless Award Honorable Mention 2022, December 2021 reading Z Space, NEA ArtWorks recipient) and Tinderella: the modern musical (April 2018 world premiere FaultLine and Custom Made; March 2022 production Brunish Theatre, Portland'5). They have produced and hosted over 40 performances of Tinder Disrupt, San Francisco’s hit dating show, now at Brooklyn Art Haus.
In May 2023, Rose moved from CA to NYC and assumed the role of Producing Director of National Queer Theater, best known for the annual Criminal Queerness Festival. Prior to that, they worked at Z Space in San Francisco from 2017-2022, first as the Literary and Grants Manager, then Associate Artistic Director, then Interim Producing Director, a leadership position appointed by the Board of Directors. They co-led Z Space during the pandemic and produced the world premiere of The Red Shades: A Trans Superhero Rock Opera. Other notable producing credits at Z Space: Problematic Play Festival (LMDA Bly Grant) and the world premiere of Ripped by Rachel Bublitz (Will Glickman Award).
As the Co-Artistic Director of FaultLine Theater in San Francisco from 2016-2019 (recipient of the Annette Lust Award in 2018), they mounted full productions of new works by Karina Cochran, Barry Eitel, Vanessa Flores, Dan Giles, Jake Jeppson, Nayia Kuvetakis, Luna Malbroux, Savannah Reich, and Andrew Saito. They worked as the Grant Writer for American Conservatory Theater from 2014-2017. They hold a BA in Rhetoric from University of California, Berkeley.
SPECIALTIES
New Musical Development, Script Consultations, Queer Stories, Jewish Stories
RECENT SELECTED WORK
- Resident Dramaturg for the 2024 JMF Writers Grove at Goodspeed.
-The Red Shades, a trans superhero rock opera. Written by Adrienne Price; Music by Adrienne Price, Matt Grandy, and Jeanine Adkisson; Directed by Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe and Rotimi Agbabiaka. Producer of multiple workshops at Z Space in 2019 and 2020.
-Ripped by Rachel Bublitz, directed by Lisa Steindler. Producer of reading (part of 2018 Problematic Play Festival) and world premiere production at Z Space in 2019. Winner of 2020 Will Glickman Award.
RECOMMENDED BY
"Rose carries a thoughtful and incisive perspective that will elevate any new musical to the next level. I am consistently challenged and sharpened by Rose’s queries and critique- she will pose questions that needle into your brain and keep you up at night in the best way possible."
– Weston Scott, playwright/lyricist
"Rose has an ability to write extremely nuanced, natural and realistic characters that go on authentic and unique journeys. And she does so with wit, humor, and an imaginativeness that makes a new story a truly 'new' story."
– Jord Liu, playwright/composer
"I appreciate how Rose is so story-driven. Rose just wants to have a conversation and ask questions. And her continuous questions led to some amazing discoveries. It was truly a master class for me. And she taught me to keep asking questions myself. As I am writing my show, I am trying to view it through her eyes and I ask myself: 'What would Rose ask me right now? What's missing or not connecting?' Through the time I had with her, I learned to challenge myself and to keep digging."
– Anthony Fedorov
"Rose is simply a great dramaturg. She is insightful, kind and honest. A single meeting with Rose had me profoundly reexamine not only the musical I was developing, but my relationship to the piece and my creative process. I highly recommend working with her if you can.”
– Oliver Houser
"I thought Rose's insights were well crafted, original, and very helpful! I was grateful for Rose's perspectives and effort in the room!"
– Ianne Fields Stewart
"I loved how Rose approached our piece from the position of helping us achieve the goals -- and tell the story -- we wanted to tell, while still providing specific, actionable feedback with respect to character, story, and plot. Even in our piece's most formative stages, Rose's insights were invaluable, and helped steer us in the right (and most exciting possible) direction for our show! Also, Rose delivered notes with focus and clarity, but also with kindness, humor, and a generous artistic spirit -- any writing team would be lucky to work with her."
– Marcus Perkins Bejarano
"Rose has enthusiasm for every work they give feedback on! Nothing makes me more comfortable to talk about my creative work than the feeling that the person I'm talking to is genuinely invested in the world and the characters. Rose has a clear and evident understanding of story and structure, and their feedback is consistently smart and insightful."
– Sair Kaufman
"Rose's approach was one that was kind and very pragmatic. I really appreciated that Rose met our piece where it was, rather than trying to push it or reshape it into something that it wasn’t. Instead, Rose asked all the right questions and gave all the right thoughts to get us to do that ourselves."
– Rudy Percival
"Rose met me where I was at tonally and didn't question it especially with content related to buttfucking and Italian American movie actresses."
– Dylan MarcAurele
A great book I read recently:
"The First Bad Man" by Miranda July
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Alphabetizing some porn for Linda Williams.
My favorite show I've recently seen:
Teeth
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Play tennis, discover new places, drink coffee, dye my hair, worry, dream, ponder, wander, spiral etc.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
The late PianoFight in San Francisco. And presently, Brooklyn Art Haus.
Jocelyn Prince
Jocelyn Prince (she/her) is a Chicago-based writer, artist, and activist, and currently a Principal at ALJP Consulting. She previously served as Artistic Coordinator at Yale Repertory Theatre, Site Coordinator for Almira PreK-8 Academy at Cleveland Play House, Connectivity Director at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC, and Artistic Associate at The Public Theater in NYC. She is a Co-Founding Artistic Director of The New Black Fest in NYC. Selected Production Dramaturgy credits include Invisible Man, The First Breeze of Summer, and Raisin (Court Theatre); A Raisin in The Sun (Juilliard School of Drama); Harriet Jacobs and Intimate Apparel (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Black Diamond (Lookingglass Theatre Company); The MLK Project (Writers Theatre). Jocelyn has directed new work for the Playwrights Gym at Dobama Theatre, the Cleveland Playwrights Festival at Playwrights Local 4181, The Dark Room at Cleveland Public Theater, the Go Green Festival at The Movement Theatre Company in NYC, the Around the Coyote Festival in Chicago, and Snapshots 10-Minute Play Festival at 20% Theatre Company Chicago. Jocelyn’s social justice and political work includes staff positions with the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Obama for America and Hillary for America with the Ohio Democratic Party, Kamala Harris for the People in Iowa, and volunteer work with the Washington Peace Center. She has read and evaluated scripts for The Kilroys List, the Emerging Writers Group, The Ohio University Seabury Quinn, Jr. Playwrights’ Festival, and The PlayPenn conference. Her performance poetry has been featured by The Encyclopedia Show Chicago, The Encyclopedia Show DC, and La Ti Do. Jocelyn holds a B.A. in Journalism from Bradley University and a M.A. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University. She has written for TimeOut Chicago, TimeOut New York, The Chicago Reporter, Nonprofit Quarterly and the African American Review.
Jocelyn has taught in the Leadership for Creative Enterprises graduate program and the undergraduate rhetoric, theater and performance studies departments at Northwestern University, and served on the theater management faculty at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University. She has presented and spoken on panels at the Communities in Schools National Forum, the Department of Performance Arts at Georgetown University, the Theatre Communications Group National Conference, the Department of Theatre Arts at Howard University, the EMC Arts Continuing Innovation Convening, and the Department of Africana Studies; Rites and Reason at Brown University. She has written for TimeOut Chicago, TimeOut New York, Howlround,The Chicago Reporter, Nonprofit Quarterly and the African American Review.
SPECIALTIES
African-American Drama, Contemporary Drama, Spoken Word Poetry, Interdisciplinary and Experimental Work, Dance Dramaturgy, Site-Specific and Guerrilla Theater, Community Organizing
RECENT SELECTED WORK
- Life After by Britta Johnson; directed by Annie Tippe; The Goodman Theatre (production)
- Jack Diamond by J. Nicole Brooks; directed by J. Nicole Brooks and David Catlin; Lookingglass Theatre Company (production)
-Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage; directed by Jessica Thebus; Steppenwolf Theatre Company (production)
-Raisin by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg; directed by Charlie Newell; Court Theatre (production)
RECOMMENDED BY
"Jocelyn Prince is an insightful interpreter of classical works as well as an engaged collaborator on new, original productions. Through her work with Woolly Mammoth and Cleveland Play House as well as the New Black Fest, which she cofounded, she has helped to make American theatre more diverse, inclusive, and revolutionary.”
—Harvey Young, Ph.D., Dean and Professor, Boston University College of Fine Arts
"Jocelyn is a sharp-shooting woman with a strong dramaturgical eye and a great instinct for storytelling. Having her in the room for play development means encountering a well of thoughtful and provocative questions to assist in strengthening the narrative voice of the work. She goes hard for the plays she believes in, both as an advocate and audience member, and she supports the work onstage and off. Always infusing her dramaturgy with cultural context and perspectives, she is a valuable resource to have on any play development team."
—Dominique Morisseau, playwright
"Jocelyn’s dramaturgy work is astute and compassionate. Both scripts that she’s worked on with me have improved greatly with her careful feedback. I couldn’t recommend her more!"
—Les Hunter, playwright
A great book I read recently:
“The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Staffed a presidential campaign
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
I can't remember that far back. Lol. But I liked How to Catch Creation by Christina Anderson at The Goodman Theatre.
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Strength training, watch reality TV, interior decorating, board games
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
Chicago Waffles on S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago
Phaedra Michelle Scott
Phaedra Michelle Scott is a dramaturg and writer based in New York City. She is the Resident Dramaturg of New Harmony Project and has worked in new play development institutions around the country supporting writers as they develop new work. Her previous credits include dramaturgy with: MCC Theater (NYC) American Ballet Theater (NYC), New Victory Theater (NYC), New Dramatists (NYC), MTC Theater (NYC). The Playwrights Realm (NYC), Audible Theater Emerging Playwrights Fund; Regional credits include: Geffen Playhouse (Los Angeles); Huntington Theater Company (Boston), Cleveland Play House, Utah Shakespeare Festival (Cedar City, UT) , Salt Lake Acting Company (Salt Lake City, UT). Other credits include Playwrights Center, Great Plains Theater Conference. www.phaedrascott.com
RECENT SELECTED WORK
-Resident Dramaturg, New Harmony Project
-The Lonely Few by Rachel Bonds & Zoe Sarnack (Geffen Playhouse, MCC Theater)
-Lifted, choreography by Christopher Rudd (American Ballet Theater)
A great book I read recently:
“The Fifth Season” by NK Jemison
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Content Developer at the USS Constitution Museum
My favorite recent shows I’ve seen:
Jaja's African Hair Braiding by Jocelyn Bioh
A reading of Mexodus by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson (it was only a reading and it is still one of the best performances I have seen recently)
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Read, Crochet, Read obscure horror
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
The Chipped Cup in Washington Heights!
Aydan Shahd
Aydan Shahd (they/them or he/him) is a trans dramaturg from Singapore based in Brooklyn, and the Artistic Fellow at Playwrights Horizons. They direct Shakespeare and new work, and have a background in ensemble-based and devised theatre. In addition to a love for both classical and new work, they are also interested in the mingling of the two — new work that retells, re-forms, or adapts literary/theatrical traditions. Aydan graduated from Barnard College with a degree in English, concentration in theatre, and served on the executive board of Columbia University’s King’s Crown Shakespeare Troupe for three years. They previously interned with Beehive co-founder Natasha Sinha at Signature Theatre, where they helped develop new dramaturgy-based artistic programming.
RECENT SELECTED WORK
-West, a new play by Antonia Georgieva; director and dramaturg. Production presented by NOMADS at Barnard College/Columbia University.
-The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare; director and dramaturg (with Asya Sagnak). Production presented by King’s Crown Shakespeare Troupe at Barnard College/Columbia University.
-TV projects-in-development with Midwest Livestock Productions (Joan Rater and Tony Phelan), 2020.
RECOMMENDED BY
Natasha Sinha (Associate Artistic Director, Playwrights Horizons)
Joan Rater (Executive Producer and Writer, Midwest Livestock Productions)
A great book I read recently:
“Time Is the Thing a Body Moves Through” by T Fleischmann
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
I find my work in higher education admissions, first at Barnard College and now at Adler University, always interesting: it offers the chance to speak to a huge variety of people with fascinating backgrounds, academic interests, accomplishments, and educational goals, often centering around social justice.
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
I really adored getting to see Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band and Katori Hall's The Hot Wing King at Signature Theatre right before the pandemic!
Some things I like to do in my free time:
I like to ride my bike along Lake Michigan, cook big meals for my household, cuddle with my cats, and play video games :)
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
I moved to Chicago during the pandemic and so haven't gotten the chance to really scope out an ideal script-reading/artist meeting spot here yet (for now, I like to read on my balcony when it's not too cold!); back in NYC, my favorite spot is the Hungarian Pastry Shop.
Lizzie Stern
Lizzie Stern (she/her) is a playwright and the Literary Director at Playwrights Horizons, where she provides dramaturgical support to plays both on and off the stage. She has collaborated with many writers at Playwrights, including Will Arbery, Jaclyn Backhaus, Sylvia Khoury, Tori Sampson, and Sanaz Toossi. As a playwright, she is a member of EST/Youngblood and a Colt Coeur 2021-22 resident artist, and has developed her work with SPACE on Ryder Farm, Clubbed Thumb, The Tank, The Hearth, Dixon Place, Two Headed Rep, and New Brooklyn Theatre in Istanbul. She has a B.A. from Williams College.
RECENT SELECTED WORK
-Wish You Were Here by Sanaz Toossi, directed by G.T. Upchurch (upcoming production at Playwrights Horizons)
-Wives by Jaclyn Backhaus, directed by Margot Bordelon (production at Playwrights Horizons)
-If Pretty Hurts... by Tori Sampson, directed by Leah C. Gardiner (production at Playwrights Horizons)
RECOMMENDED BY
"Lizzie is one of the most brilliant, thoughtful, devoted dramaturgs in our field. I worked with her most recently on my play WISH YOU WERE HERE, during which she helped me unearth discoveries about my play without ever losing sight of the play I was trying to write. I love the way she thinks about art, and how she tirelessly interrogates what our field, our stages, and even our processes could look like. I love that she does not separate the person from the artist but thinks holistically about the two. She is the best listener I know. I treasure her deeply and am a better artist for having worked with her."
—Sanaz Toossi, playwright
"Lizzie Stern possesses all of the qualities one could hope for in a dream dramaturg: she’s smart, patient, incisive, generous, articulate, and thoughtful. We worked together on Jaclyn Backhaus’ Wives at Playwrights Horizons and Lizzie was in the trenches with us from the moment the play was programmed. Her script notes, thoughts on rehearsals, and fantastic dramaturgical design eye were invaluable to the process. She was an instrumental part of the team and I felt grateful every day to have her as my dramaturg/collaborator. I can’t wait until I have the chance to work with her again."
— Margot Bordelon, director
A great book I read recently:
“Why Fish Don't Exist” by Lulu Miller
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
I helped teach English at a Turkish primary school .
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes (The Public UTR); Dana H. (The Vineyard); STEW (Page 73)
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Taking long walks and being outside as much as I can. And quality time with family and friends - baking and cooking for them, hosting cozy dinners in my apartment.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
Prospect Park
Arminda Thomas
Arminda Thomas (she/her) is a dramaturg, director, and archivist. She is a resident dramaturg and producing member of CLASSIX, and a resident dramaturg/curator for New Perspectives Theatre’s On Her Shoulders reading series. She has served as associate artistic director and resident dramaturg for the Going to the River Festival and Writer’s Unit and as archivist and literary manager for Dee-Davis Enterprises, where she was an executive producer for the Grammy-awarded audiobook, “With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together,” and consultant for the film Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee. As a dramaturg, she has worked with various theatres, including New Perspectives, Theatre for a New Audience, Baltimore Center Stage, New Federal Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem, and Signature Theatre.
RECENT SELECTED WORK
- The Renaissance Mixtape by Soul Science Lab; directed by Awoye Timpo; Apollo Victoria Theatre (world premiere production)
- Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress; directed by Christopher Betts; Hartford Stage (production)
- Wedding Band by Alice Childress; directed by Sam White; Stratford Shakespeare Festival (Canadian premiere)
- The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window by Lorraine Hansberry; directed by Anne Kauffman (Broadway and BAM)
-Wedding Band by Alice Childress; directed by Awoye Timpo; Theatre for a New Audience (production)
A great book I read recently:
"The Ghost Walks" by Henry Sampson
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
Archivist for Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee (theater-adjacent but not theater)
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
The last two things I saw were both works by Pearl Cleage: a staged reading of Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous produced by Quicksilver Theatre and the NY premiere of Blues for an Alabama Sky (Keen Theatre Co.)
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Play banjo, create roots and blues playlists
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
Miriam Weiner
Miriam (she/her) is the Literary Manager at the Tony Award–winning off-Broadway company Vineyard Theatre and has over 25 years of experience as a freelance director and dramaturg. Miriam's podcast "Theater Practice" (theaterpractice.com), now in its third season, is a place where guests practice how to be more mindful audience members one show at a time. Under the Weather, a climate-comedy web series that Miriam co-wrote and directed, won Best Screenplay Award at the Brooklyn Web Festival and has screened around the world from Germany to Sicily. Miriam has served as a festival dramaturge at The Great Plains Theatre Commons New Play Festival as well as the Norman Festival of New Work at Juilliard. She has been a reader for The Horton Foote Prize, The Yale Musical Theatre Workshop, The Jewish Plays Project, and The Princess Grace Awards. She holds an MFA in directing from Brooklyn College and a BA from Brandeis University. She is currently a professor at the Tepper Semester, Syracuse University Department of Drama.
RECOMMENDED BY
”I’ve had the great good fortune to lean on the expertise of Miriam Weiner for a range of professional projects. Miriam’s dramaturgical skills are second to none. She is able to mine, with total ease, the structural underpinnings, creative core, and artistic intent of any piece of work placed in front of her. Most importantly she has the ability to bring to the fore the beating heart at the center of a work of art, acting as a reminder as to why it all matters in the first place.”
— Welker White, actor and founder of The Moving Frame
“I had the pleasure to work with Miriam on a digital short project Under the Weather. We were brought together by serendipity and our mutual passion to prevent global climate change. Miriam was the original creator, but she treated me as a full writing partner. Miriam brought her intense passion, enthusiasm for the artistic process, and a galvanizing energy. She welcomed all ideas, willing to go down any creative path to see where it led, while also demonstrating her discerning taste and professional experience, producing a work of which we are both extremely proud. I would welcome the opportunity to work with Miriam again.”
— Katie Sammis, author
A great book I read recently:
“Scraps, Wilt & Weeds: Turning Wasted Food into Plenty” by Mads Refslund
Most interesting non-theater job I've done:
I worked in an actual shipping company, waiting for ships to come in to the New York Harbor.
My favorite shows I saw right before the pandemic:
Girl From the North Country, and Dana H. by Lucas Hnath
Some things I like to do in my free time:
Cook, walk, read aloud to my kids.
Favorite script-reading/artist meeting spot:
Cafe! Cafe! Cafe!
Jenna Ready (business manager)
Jenna Ready is an avid theater enthusiast and Arts Administrator based in New York City. She has been the Associate General Manager of Playwrights Horizons Theater since 2015. Jenna has also worked as a Company Manager, Business Associate, Development Assistant, and Front of House Manager at several other non-profit theaters in New York, including the Atlantic Theater Company and New York Theatre Workshop. She is passionate about supporting artists and their work. The most rewarding aspect of her job is helping playwrights and directors achieve their vision by giving them the tools and space to create. Jenna is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she received two Bachelor of Arts Degrees with honors, one in Theater Studies and the other in English Literature. She currently resides in Brooklyn with her cat, Louise.