What's Happening!
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ANNOUNCING WINTERWORKS 2021: NEW BEGINNINGS
We’ve spent the last four months in conversation with the eight Directing Fellows, discussing craft, process and our industry (among other things). We are thrilled to now introduce you to their work, as they present short performances, each taking different shapes and experienced on different platforms, but working from the same set of prompts.
Some projects will be open to all, and some will be experienced by very few audience members – and everything is free to attend. We hope you’ll be intrigued to join us for one or many. We’ll roll out updates regularly – so stay tuned! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
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EAT YOUR FEELINGS - three short videos about taking care of ourselves and each other
Over the past few months we’ve been commissioning Clubbed Thumb artists to make short videos while we wait for theaters to re-open. We’re pleased to bring you the first installment of this initiative, a series created by Directing Fellowship alumnae Kate Hopkins, Kate Eminger and Caitlin Sullivan.
It began as a chance to check-in with various CT artists during the pandemic – but quickly became a much deeper investigation of our community, of how we rely on one another, and how we might rebuild and reimagine a better future. This first episode features actress, playwright and good friend Crystal Finn cooking with her daughter Delphina (follow along from home with the recipe on the left).
The series also features an organization which started in March to address food insecurity in New York – EV Loves NYC. Their work is crucial and ongoing, and we hope the videos inspire you to spread the word about what they do, volunteer and donate. They need our help.Click here to learn more & donate to EV Loves NYC
And stay tuned for two more episodes, featuring Chinaza Uche & Caitlin Zoz and Mel Ng – as well as more commissioned work from a variety of Clubbed Thumb artists, coming soon to CT/TV!
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Clubbed Thumb & Brown University Virtual Reading Series, December 7th and 9th
We’re proud to partner with Brown University’s MFA Playwriting Program this fall to bring you readings of two recent graduates’ plays:
On the Y-Axis by Lucas Baisch, directed by Josiah Davis
The Executrix by Emma Horwitz, directed by Sarah BlushDecember 7th and 9th at 4pm and 7pm EST – RSVP HERE
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We are pleased to announce the 2020/21 Clubbed Thumb Directing Fellows
We struggled mightily to recalibrate this program in light of the many forces the last 7 months have brought to bear. This year’s iteration will take a very different shape than in years past, and we’re delighted to go on this journey of discovery with an expanded group of eight fellows: Leonie Bell, Nana Dakin, Michaela Escarcega, Estefanía Fadul, Rachel Gita Karp, Arpita Mukherjee, Keenan Oliphant and Joan Sergay and four mentors: Anne Kauffman, Daniel Aukin, Niegel Smith and Laurie Woolery. Read more about them HERE
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Congratulations to the 2020 Clubbed Thumb Biennial Commission winners, finalists and semifinalists
We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Biennial Commission: Francesca Pazniokas and Jacob Perkins and to the 10 finalists and semifinalists also awarded this year. Read more HERE
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What the Constitution Means to Me streaming on Amazon Prime, starting October 16th
Though the national tour is on hold, you can still catch Heidi Schreck’s beloved play (which originated in Summerworks 2017) before the election.
Filmed during their last week on Broadway, and directed for the screen by Marielle Heller, What the Constitution Means to Me will stream on Amazon Prime beginning October 16th.
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Meet the next Early-Career Writers' Group
We’re excited to get to know these eight writers over the course of the coming year, and to welcome them into the Clubbed Thumb fold: Nelson Diaz-Marcano, Allyson Dwyer, Nazareth Hassan, Johnny Lloyd, Cristina Luzárraga, Kathy Ng, Hanna Novak & Ruth Tang.
They’ll be sharing their work (by Zoom for now) over the next eight months (and we hope to share it with you after that). Learn more about them HERE.
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A SUMMERWORKS 2020 UPDATE
Like everyone else right now, we’re in a holding pattern. In the meantime, click HERE to follow along with a fond look back at the last 24 years on our Instagram story, and read a recent Playbill article on the history of Summerworks HERE
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ANNOUNCING THE 2020 CLUBBED THUMB BIENNIAL COMMISSION
Every other year Clubbed Thumb invites playwrights to propose plays inspired by a particular prompt. The application is open to all, and read blind. The winning proposal(s) receive (or split) a $15,000 award and two years of development support. Read the prompt HERE
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TUMACHO IS NOW CLOSED
Dear friends & supporters:
It is with sadness that we announce we will be ending our run of Tumacho ahead of schedule. We believe it is just the responsible thing to do.
We have reached out to ticket holders for cancelled performances – if you have not heard from us, please reach out to michael@clubbedthumb.org
We are so deeply proud of the work everyone has done on this production, and glad that we were able to share it with so many over the last few weeks. Thank you to everyone who made it possible.
Maria, Michael & Quinn
Clubbed Thumb -
ANNOUNCING THE 25TH ANNUAL SUMMERWORKS
We are very excited to share our upcoming Summerworks, featuring new plays by Gab Reisman, Angela Hanks and Rinne Groff – we’re on hold for the moment, but in the meantime you and read more about them HERE
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TUMACHO IS BACK IN TOWN
Our hit production from Summerworks 2016 returns for four weeks at the Connelly Theater – February 17 – March 21, 2020.
When we first produced this play, in the summer of 2016, the question of whether a hopeless citizenry could overcome their despair and band together to fight their oppressor felt like a metaphor, a general moral query about, you know, being a better person. After three long years, we have a very different understanding of the need for communities to come together to resist.
We have always loved Tumacho for its invitation to virtuosic comic performance, and for the slyness of its critique. Now it feels like a joyful way to gird our loins for the coming fight. We’ve wanted to revisit the show since our first short run, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be doing that right now.
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WINTERWORKS 2020
THANK YOU to everyone who attended Winterworks 2020!! We were delighted to introduce you to the work of our 19/20 Directing Fellows: ANDRÉS LÓPEZ-ALICEA, EMMA MILLER and CAITLIN SULLIVAN, directing new plays by MILO CRAMER, T. ADAMSON, and GRACIE GARDNER.
Read more about the directors and the program HERE – and apply to be a part of the 20/21 cohort HERE
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This summer's hit LUNCH BUNCH returns in 2020!
We are very excited to let you know that our production from Summerworks 2019 will return in 2020, as a co-production with our friends at The Play Company.
Lunch Bunch was born of a long, rich collaboration with Sarah, Tara and its other artists. It is very close to our hearts–and one of the most popular shows ever featured in Summerworks. How excellent to partner with PlayCo, whose work we love: two small companies sharing their resources to continue a beloved show’s growth and reach. MORE INFO HERE
Superlab
Superlab is our developmental laboratory co-curated and co-produced with Playwrights Horizons. Initially supported by a grant from the Metlife/Theatre Communications Group’s A-ha! Program, Superlab has since become a regular part of our development work, with between 3 and 6 week-long, process-driven labs each season. To date, 42 plays have been developed…
2018-2019
WE ARE RADIOS
by Chana Porter
music by Ted Hearne
directed by Adam Greenfield
KING PHILIP’S HEAD IS STILL ON THAT PIKE JUST DOWN THE ROAD
by Daniel Glenn
directed by Caitlin Ryan O’Connell
BODIES THEY RITUAL
by Angela Hanks
directed by Jeremy Bloom
2017-2018
THE THANKSGIVING PLAY
by Larissa FastHorse
directed by Moritz von Steulpnagel
EVANSTON SALT COSTS CLIMBING
by Will Arbery
directed by Dustin Wills
CATCH AS CATCH CAN
by Mia Chung
directed by Ken Rus Schmoll
2016-2017
HAMLET: BY MIA FEFFERNAN
by Mara Nelson-Greenberg
directed by Morgan Green
THE DEPARTMENT PARTY
by Sam Marks
directed by Portia Krieger
FRILLY
by Sigrid Gilmer
directed by Sam Pinkleton
TIN CAT SHOES
by Trish Harnetiaux
directed by Knud Adams
THE HISTORY OF WALKING
by James Ijames
directed by Lucie Tiberghien
2015-2016
GOING OUT AND COMING BACK
By Agnes Borinsky
Directed by Ken Rus Schmoll
THE APOCRYPHAL TRAGEDY OF KING MICHAEL
By Eric John Meyer
Directed by Robert O’Hara
ONE OF THE WOMEN
By Mary Hamilton
Directed by Danya Taymor
CUTE ACTIVIST
By Milo Cramer
Directed by Morgan Green
FLOOD CITY
By Gabrielle Reisman
Directed by Will Davis
2014-2015
MEN ON BOATS
By Jaclyn Backhaus
Directed by Will Davis
D DEB DEBBIE DEBORAH
By Jerry Lieblich
Directed by Oliver Butler
DAISY: A STUDY OF AMERICANS ABROAD
By Chiara Atik
Directed by Stella Powell-Jones
EVERY ANGEL IS BRUTAL
By Julia Jarcho
Directed by Carolyn Cantor
BETTER
By Michelle Carter
Directed by Kent Nicholson
2013-2014
DIVERSITY AWARENESS PICNIC
By Leah Nanako Winkler
Directed by Kristan Seemel
TUMACHO
By Ethan Lipton
Directed by Leigh Silverman
ANTLIA PNEUMATICA
By Anne Washburn
Directed by Ken Rus Schmoll
I’M PRETTY FUCKED UP
By Ariel Stess
Directed by Kip Fagan
GOD IS A GOOD GOD
By Miki Johnson
Directed by Liesl Tommy
2012-2013
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
By Deb Stein and Suli Holum
Directed by Suli Holum
YOUR MOTHER’S COPY OF THE KAMA SUTRA
By Kirk Lynn
Directed by Oliver Butler
PHOEBE IN WINTER
By Jen Silverman
Directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt
SEX PLAY
By Sylvan Oswald
Directed by Eric Hoff
SIXTEEN WORDS OR LESS
By Peggy Stafford
Directed by Meghan Finn
2011-2012
UNTITLED BLOOD PLAY
By The Debate Society
STOCKHOLM, PENNSYLVANIA
By Nikole Beckwith
Directed by Jo Bonney
TAKARAZUKA!!!
By Susan Soon He Stanton
Directed by Chay Yew
SOMEWHERE FUN
By Jenny Schwartz
Directed by Anne Kauffman
THE RULES
By Dipika Guha
Directed by Lila Neugebauer
2010-2011
SEVEN HOMELESS MAMMOTHS WANDER NEW ENGLAND
By Madeline George
Directed by Alec Duffy
THE MANY MISTRESSES OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
By Andrew Dolan
Directed by Hal Brooks
ANNIE BOSH IS MISSING
By Janine Nabers
Directed by David McCallum
3C
By David Adjmi
Directed by Jackson Gay
MALA HIERBA
By Tanya Saracho
Directed by Jerry Ruiz
HONEY DROP
By Erin Courtney
Directed by May Adrales