What's Happening!

  • OUR NEXT OPEN APPLICATION COMMISSION IS NOW LIVE!

    Every year Clubbed Thumb invites playwrights to propose plays inspired by a particular prompt. The application is free and open to all; the anonymous proposals are read by a panel of theater artists. The winning proposal(s) receive (or split) a $15,000 award and development support. (Read more about our new approach to play submissions HERE.)

    This year, thanks to the gift of an anonymous sponsor, we are pleased to announce our next submission opportunity: Anthropology of the Workplace – a Margaret Mead Commission.

    READ MORE & SUBMIT HERE

  • THE FAMILY DOG WILL RETURN IN 2027!

    Summerworks 2026’s sold-out, hit production of THE FAMILY DOG by Bailey Williams, directed by Tara Ahmadinejad and starring the original cast will return for FOUR WEEKS ONLY, February 9 – March 6, 2027 at New York Theatre Workshop. Tickets will go on sale in a few weeks – sign up for our EBLAST to get updates, early access and special ticket deals!

  • THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR GALA A GREAT SUCCESS

    Thanks to everyone who joined us to honor Josh Silverman, and to everyone who contributed to make it a truly special night.

    It’s not too late to contribute to the Josh Silverman Fund! DONATE HERE

  • MEET OUR 26/27 GROUP COHORTS!

    A very warm welcome to the incoming writers and directors taking part in Clubbed Thumb’s Early-Career Writers’ Group and New Play Fellowship!

    Directors Cricket Brown, Marissa Joyce Stamps and Jillian Jetton will work on plays by Daniel Holzman, Aaron Ricciardi and Nikhil Mahapatra respectively – stay tuned for a Winterworks announcement.

    And we’re looking forward to getting to know Agyeiwaa Asante, Ida Cutler, Carlin Feck, Fiona Gorry-Hines, Salwa Meghjee, Derick Edgren Otero, Jacob K. Robinson and Amy B. Tiong in this year’s writers’ group!

  • THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SUMMERWORKS 2026

    Whether it was your first Summerworks or your 29th, we are so pleased you could join us. CLICK HERE for photos, essays and press 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!

  • OUR NEW ANTHOLOGY - ON SALE NOW

    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

Read some of our favorite press clips from Summerworks 2026 here!


TITANS

by Jesse Jae Hoon
directed by Tara Elliott

with Julia Brothers, Layan Elwazani, Ben Langhorst, Megan Lomax, Irene Sofia Lucio, Sharina Martin, Reynaldo Piniella, Marvelyn Ramirez and Shannon Tyo

sets Raphael Mishler
costumes Phuong Nguyen
lights Cha See
sound Brendan Aanes
choreography Kelly Bartnik
production stage manager Allison Raynes

In which the ordinary residents of an overrun American city answer the Signal and discover their extraordinary powers. Unfortunately, they must be brave.

MAY 14 – 26

PART OF SUMMERWORKS 2026
at the Wild Project

A note from the playwright

Jesse Jae Hoon

An interview with the author

Jesse Jae Hoon

Resources & organizations

Get involved!

Moral Actors

T. Adamson

A response to Titans

Bailey Williams

A Beloved Theater Festival Is Back. Let the Adventures Begin.

The New York Times


DERANGEMENTS

by Nadja Leonhard-Hooper
directed by Annie Tippe

with Hannah Cabell, Camila Canó-Flaviá, Crystal Finn, Marceline Hugot, Allan K. Washington and Danny Wolohan

sets Cate McCrea
costumes Brenda Abbandandolo
lights Alejandro Fajardo
sound Johnny Gasper
production stage manager Dominique Nadeau

In which two girlfriends catching up over dinner have their lives changed in a flash. Maybe it’s the ‘80s, but it’s probably just gas.

JUNE 1 – 12

PART OF SUMMERWORKS 2026
at the Wild Project

A response to Derangements

Bailey Williams

A conversation between sisters

Eliana and Alicia Theologides Rodriguez

The Cult of Nadja (SPOILER-FREE)

Mona Pirnot

The Cult of Nadja (FULL OF SPOILERS)

Mona Pirnot

A note from the playwright

Nadja Leonhard-Hooper

An interview with the author

Nadja Leonhard-Hooper


THE FAMILY DOG

by Bailey Williams
directed by Tara Ahmadinejad

with Ethan Dubin, Andrew Garman, Brendan George, Bruce McKenzie, Talene Monahon, Sarah Steele, and Jennifer Van Dyck

sets Colleen Murray
costumes Mel Ng
lights Masha Tsimring
sound Ben Vigus
production stage manager Esti Bernstein

In which Whiney returns to her childhood home to say goodbye to the pet who replaced her. Miracles abound, some in meatball form.

JUNE 18 – 30

PART OF SUMMERWORKS 2026
at the Wild Project

An interview with the playwright

Bailey Williams

Here Now There Yeah

T. Adamson

A note from the playwright

Bailey Williams

Miracles Are More Than Meatballs

Ro Reddick

MCC Theater, Clubbed Thumb, & Page 73 present:
COLD WAR CHOIR PRACTICE
a play with music, by Ro Reddick  
directed by Knud Adams 

Dear Santa, for Christmas this year I want a Pound Puppy, a Speak + Spell, and a nuclear radiation detector.

In this celebrated new play with music by RO REDDICK, a young girl is embroiled in intrigue when her estranged uncle, a prominent Black conservative, brings his mysteriously ill wife home for the holidays. An explosion of roller disco, Reagonomics, espionage, and cults—underscored by the cryptic Syracuse, NY chapter of the Seedlings of Peace Children’s Chorus—COLD WAR CHOIR PRACTICE arrives Off-Broadway for 6 WEEKS ONLY!

Co-produced by MCC THEATER, CLUBBED THUMB, and PAGE 73 and directed by Tony Award nominee KNUD ADAMS (ENGLISH), COLD WAR CHOIR PRACTICE was a NEW YORK TIMES Critic’s Pick in 2025 and is among VULTURE’s “can’t wait to see shows” of 2026.

with Alana Raquel Bowers, Will Cobbs, Crystal Finn, Andy Lucien, Grace McLean, Lizan Mitchell, Suzzy Roche, Nina Ross and Ellen Winter.

sets Afsoon Pajoufar
costumes Brenda Abbandandolo
lights Masha Tsimring
sound Kathy Ruvuna
music direction Ellen Winter
movement direction Baye & Asa
production stage manager Christina M. Woolard

Cold War Choir Practice was developed and originally produced by Clubbed Thumb and Page 73 at Summerworks 2025.

WINTERWORKS 2026

The culmination of our New Play Directing Fellowship – featuring:

Liz Peterson directing
MAESTRA
by jose sebastian alberdi
with Arjun Biju, Octavia Chavez-Richmond, Annie Fang, Gibson Frazier, Florencia Lozano and Susannah Perkins
designer Sim Carpenter | stage manager Emilie Osborne

Terrence I Mosley directing 
JONATHAN JOURNALS SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED
by Max Mooney
with Ethan Dubin, Sarina Freda, Yonatan Gebeyehu, Mike Iveson, Sharina Martin, Kelly McAndrew and Frankie Placidi
designer Chen-Wei Liao | stage manager Cara Kienitz

Hanna Yurfest directing 
BUFFIE’S LAST WISH, OR THE BIG ANCHOVY
by Emma Horwitz
with Hannah Cabell, Camila Canó-Flaviá, Mia Katigbak, Susannah Millonzi, Lauren Patten and Constance Shulman
designer Colleen Murray | stage manager Eva Shannon-Dabek 

JANUARY 15 – 18, 2026
at Plawrights Downtown

2026 SUMMERWORKS READING SERIES

featuring plays-in-progress from the 25/26 Early-Career Writers’ Group.

Fri May 22nd @ 3pm
DYLAN GUERRA 

Mon June 8th @ 3pm
JAN ROSENBERG

Tue June 9th @ 3pm
DOUG ROBINSON

Wed June 10th @ 3pm
YULIYA TSUKERMAN

Wed June 24th @ 3pm
JEN DIAMOND

Thu June 25th @ 3pm
SARAH GRACE GOLDMAN

Fri June 26th @ 3pm
ALYSSA HADDAD-CHIN