Thank you to the hundreds of people who joined as at Playwrights Downtown for the 10th annual Winterworks. We were so proud of the work these amazing artists made — and we managed to cram everyone in to share it. Congratulations especially to Directing Fellows Iris McCloughan, NJ Agwuna and Laura Dupper – read more HERE
This year we lost one of our great comic dramatists: Christopher Durang. We’ve been reflecting on how powerful and much-needed savage humor like his is in a world like ours today. So, for the 10th Biennial Commission, please consider his work, especially from the 1980’s. Applications are due March 20th, 2025. Read more and submit yours HERE
We are thrilled to announce that Deep Blue Sound – which ran to sold-out houses at Summerworks 2023 – will return for five weeks this winter. After a wildly successful run of Grief Hotel earlier this season, we are excited to return to The Public Theater with another Summerworks hit. CLICK FOR TICKETS & INFO
Monday night’s Gala, celebrating our dear friends and collaborators dots, was beautiful, moving and very fun. Thank you to everyone who attended, performed, volunteered, donated and otherwise supported this very special night.
See photos from the event on our Instagram (and tag @clubbedthumb if you’re posting your own)!
At the event, we raised funds in honor of dots to help us better support the designers in our community – and we happily exceeded our goal. But there’s no such thing as a late donation! If you’d like to contribute to the fund, click HERE
The last six months were the busiest in our history. We started with Winterworks at Houghton Hall in January, followed by six weeks of Grief Hotel at the Public in the spring, and we rounded it all out with Summerworks at the Wild Project, where we managed to cram in 47 performances over seven weeks.
Some of you saw it all, some just a piece, and some met our work for the first time. We were thrilled to share it with all of you.
Here are some photos and essays from the season, to tide you over until we have work to share again in the fall (or when we see you at our gala honoring dots!)
Lastly: We had our most successful season at the box office ever. If you were there, you know it was full to overflowing. And you might remember that your ticket was pretty affordable—maybe even free. That’s important to us.
But what that means is, even when we sell out all the time, tickets only cover a fraction (about 1/7th) of what it all costs, especially considering we pay people better every year (That’s important to us too!)
Throughout the year, we support hundreds of artists, mostly early in their careers, whether in our writers or directors groups, readings, workshops, commissions, retreats, or in production. So, if you can, make a donation today and be a part of our effort to pay artists, to make beautiful, affordable work, and to do it even better next year!
We’ll be back at the Wild Project May 16th through June 29th with the 27th iteration of SUMMERWORKS, featuring: Usus by T. Adamson, directed by Emma Miller; Coach Coach by Bailey Williams, directed by Sarah Blush; and Find Me Here by Crystal Finn, directed by Caitlin Sullivan. Tickets on sale now! Learn more & get yours here
We were thrilled to bring Summerworks 2023’s Obie-winning hit production Grief Hotel back for a six-week run at The Public Theater, in partnership with our friends New Georges. It was very special to dig back into the play and production with the exceptional group of artists who made it, and such a joy to share it with so many more people. We had a tremendous run – sold out, extended and beloved by critics and audiences – thank you to all who attended and to all who made it possible. CLICK HERE TO READ ESSAYS AND MORE ABOUT THE SHOW
We’ve been eager to put out a second anthology since Funny, Strange, Provocative was published in 2007, and the last year finally provided us with the time to take on this long-awaited project. We are thrilled to announce that Unusual Stories, Unusually Told, published by Bloomsbury/Methuen, is now available!
In it you’ll find seven Clubbed Thumb plays that span 18 years of our history, as well as essays and interviews about the work, and the often atypical processes that led to their productions.
Read more about the book and get your discounted copy (and our first anthology) HERE
at The Wild Project 195 E. 3rd St. (between Ave. A & B)
Tickets $25 | Students: $20 | Festival Pass $60
written by Trish Harnetiaux
directed by Knud Adams
With Kyle Beltran, Donnetta Lavinia Grays, David Greenspan, Emily Cass McDonnell and Pete Simpson
sets by Kimie Nishikawa
costumes by Sydney Maresca
lights by Oona Curley
sound by Peter Mills Weiss
production stage manager Corinn Moreno
Blessed with the can-do American spirit, a troop of dedicated shoe store workers embarks on a madcap odyssey of personal (employer-mandated) expansion.
May 19 – May 29, 2018
written by Angela Hanks
directed by Margot Bordelon
with Toni Ann DeNoble, Crystal Dickinson, Washington Kirk, Nicole Lewis, Christopher Livingston, Hubert Point-Du Jour and Markita Prescott
sets by Reid Thompson
costumes by Beth Goldenberg
lights by Marie Yokoyama
sound by Kate Marvin
production stage manager Rick V. Moreno
Mabel, Thalia and Peanut Brittle have ambitions (some of a spiritual nature), a few secrets, and some unfinished business. Whose vision, for the land uncultivated, will prevail?
June 4 – June 14, 2018
written by Will Arbery
directed by Taylor Reynolds
with Brendan Dalton, Crystal Finn, Susannah Flood, Ryan King, Cesar J. Rosado, Mary Shultz and Miriam Silverman
sets by Daniel Zimmerman
costumes by Stephanie Levin
lights by Isabella Byrd
sound by Mark Van Hare
choreography by Kelly Bartnik
production stage manager Kristy Bodall
Tonight, and later, and earlier, three sisters (no, not those ones) are stricken with a series of strange plagues. Let’s talk about family nightmares. I mean, uh, memories.
June 20 – June 30, 2018
The Bushwick Starr Presents:
Cute Activist
by Milo Cramer
directed by Morgan Green
produced by New Saloon, in association with Clubbed Thumb
with David Greenspan, Deepali Gupta, Annie Henk, Elizabeth Kenny, Ronald Peet and Madeline Wise.
Original Music Composition and Vocal Arrangement by Deepali Gupta
In a spoOoOoky town in mythical Connecticut where inequality reigns, a shadowy ring of part-time activists battle a baroque, tyrannical Landlorde.
Set Design by Meredith Ries; Costume Design by Sabrina Bianca Guillaume; Lighting Design by Cha See; Sound Design, Instrumental Arrangement and Orchestrations by John Gasper; Video Design by Stivo Arnoczy; Puppet Design by Amanda Villalobos; Prop Design by Cheyanne Williams; Lyrics by Milo Cramer; Producer for New Saloon: Caroline Gart; Stage Manager: Sam McCann; Production Manager: Russell Maclin; Technical Director: Drew Francis; Master Electrician: Megan Lang; Assistant Producer: Ryan Gedrich; ASM: Priscilla Villanueva
January 10 – February 3, 2018
by Eliza Bent
directed by Knud Adams
with Arjun Biju, Misha Brooks, Guillermo Contreras, Tori Khalil, Allegra Leal and Sangi Varsano
featuring April Matthis
set & props by Andrew Moerdyk
costumes by Avery Reed
lights by Abigail Wang
sound by Renee Yeong
stage manager Lauren Fitzgerald Veit
asst director Jack Serio
September 12 – 15, 2018
at The Robert Moss Theater, Playwrights Downtown
440 Lafayette Street, Third Floor