On Monday, October 6th 2025 at the Etsy Headquarters in DUMBO, Clubbed Thumb will be honoring Crystal Finn, Susannah Flood and Miriam Silverman.
These three actresses are at the very heart of what we do — as individual artists and as exemplars of their craft. Where would Clubbed Thumb be without actresses like them — and without these actresses specifically?
Crystal, Susannah and Miriam have been integral to our work for the last 15 years, and we are thrilled to announce we’ll be celebrating them at our gala this fall. CLICK FOR MORE
Whether it was your first Summerworks or your 28th, we are so pleased you could join us. CLICK HERE for some photos and essays from this season.
We’ll be spending the summer incubating and planning for the fall, but we have lot of news to share, so watch this space!
In the meantime, we’re pleased to announce that our outgoing board chair will match donations up to a total of $25,000 to support future remounts of Summerworks shows (like this season’s Deep Blue Sound). He wants us to keep it up – and so do we! CLICK HERE TO JOIN THAT EFFORT
Spending the last two months with Deep Blue Sound has been a joy and a balm. We are deeply proud of the work, and humbled by the talent and dedication of this company of artists.
The show played for six sold-out weeks and we added as many shows as we could – but sadly, we closed this weekend. Thank you to the over 4,000 people who came to visit our island. And thank you to all the artists, staff, funders and friends who made it possible. This was a special one.
New play directors who have worked at least three years outside of an educational setting, and who plan to be in NYC September 2025 through January 2026, are welcome to apply for the fellowship by completing the form HERE – applications due April 1st!
Our “devastatingly beautiful” production from Summerworks 2023 returns for a limited engagement, in residence at the Public Theater. Now playing! CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
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
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
by Kate E. Ryan
directed by Anne Kauffman
original music by Mike Iveson
With David Brooks, Kate Hopkins, Birgit Huppuch, Ed Jewett, Lynne McCollough, and Mary Shultz
Sets by Jason Simms
Lights by Garin Marschall
Costumes by Olivera Gajic
Sound by Jessica Paz
In which old Dot and the weird kid from the neighborhood become friends. Set in that kind of Florida town that makes you wonder: is this tv, a book, or maybe even a cabaret?
June 6 – 12, 2010
by Samuel D. Hunter
directed by Davis McCallum
With Charlotte Booker, Crystal Finn, Barret O’Brien, Carmen M. Herlihy, and Edward James Hyland
Sets by Dane Laffrey
Lights by Russell H. Champa
Costumes by Jessica Trejos
Sound by Jill BC Du Boff
In which Katie is determined to finish writing that book – even though she didn’t start it. Lucky she’s got a new friend at the Fashion Bug to help since her in-laws are deluded, drunk and dog-obsessed.
June 13 – 19, 2010
by Anne Washburn
directed by Les Waters
original music by Dave Malloy
With Gideon Banner, Maria Dizzia, Matthew Maher, Dave Malloy, and Susie Pourfar
Sets by Louisa Thompson
Associate Set Designer Chris Morris
Lights by Jane Cox
Costumes by Kirche Leigh Zeile
Sound by Bray Poor
In which a man struggles to assemble a reality from his dreams, the dog very much wants to be taken for a walk, and the Natural Food store isn’t.
June 20 – 26, 2010
by Sheila Callaghan
directed by Kip Fagan
With Danny Mastrogiorgio, Rebecca Henderson, Gregory McFadden, Polly Lee and Alex Anfanger
Sets by Peter Ksander
Costumes by Jessica Pabst
Lights by Jeanette Oi-suk Yew
Sound by Bart Fasbender
Video by Shaun Irons & Lauren Petty
Sculpture Design by Jessica Scott
Props by Miranda King
A possibly rogue g-man stalks a stalled-out artist with a suspicious affinity for accident victims. Traps are set, traps are sprung, and everyone gets caught.
September 7 – 27, 2010
With Hoi Polloi, The Mad Ones, Polybe + Seats, Vampire Cowboys and The Woodshed Collective
We threw ingredients from this year’s plays at groups of artists and let them loose on the pillars.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010