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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Vivian won our 2018 open-application commission with the proposal for this play – and we are excited to be working on and sharing it with you this week. RSVP to natalie@clubbedthumb.org to save a seat.
HEAP by Vivian J.O. Barnes
Directed by Colette Robert
with April Matthis, Will Dagger, Danielle Davenport, Marielle Young, Polly Lee, Mikumari Caiyhe, Layla Khoshnoudi and Brian Quijada
A kaleidoscopic imagining of the book of Job seen through the eyes of his nameless wife and the denizens of their suburban cul-de-sac.
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
This play was a finalist for our 2017 Biennial Commission and we’re excited to be working on it this week with Paul and Tara. Join us!
Untitled Dentist Play by Paul Cameron Hardy
directed by Tara Ahmadinejad
featuring: Susanna Guzman, Ellen Maddow, Purva Bedi, Kristin Villanueva, Drita Kabashi, Ned Einsenberg and Agnes Borinsky.
Forced to attend the retirement party of the town’s most-celebrated orthodontist, Dr. Idalia Navas and her staff spin into a mild existential crisis.
Fri, Oct 25th, 3pm at 440 Lafayette St
RSVP to natalie @ clubbedthumb.org
We have a new team of playwrights and we are delighted to introduce you to them: Crystal Finn, Deneen Reynolds, Justice Hehir, Aaron Ricciardi, Julia Izumi, Kori Alston, May Treuhaft-Ali, and Ryan Szelong.
Nominated and mentored by members of our mid-career alumni community, these eight writers will meet over the course of the year to develop their work, culminating in presentations during Summerworks.
Read more about the playwrights and the program HERE.
And say hello to this year’s Producing Fellows: Kathy Ng and Natalie Risk.
Each year, two early-career creative producers assist on all programming, as well as casting, script evaluation, management and marketing under the guidance/mentorship of Clubbed Thumb staff, culminating in hands-on roles in Summerworks.
By Ethan Lipton
Directed by Ken Rus Schmoll
with John Ellison Conlee, Crystal Finn, Gibson Frazier, Kelly Mares, Bobby Moreno, and Pete Simpson
Sets by Arnulfo Maldonado
Costumes by Jessica Pabst
Lights by Lucrecia Briceno
Sound by Brandon Wolcott
Stage Manager Mary Spadoni
June 8 – June 17, 2012
