Monday, June 17, 3pm
by Meghan Endres Brown
A darkly funny high-stakes suspense play about sibling rivalry, quantum physics, and the terrifying power of a good story.
Meghan Endres Brown writes plays and screenplays about dangerous women. She does not believe in Bigfoot. Or does she? Check out www.MeghanBrown.net to find out.
Thursday, June 13, 3pm
by Karina Billini
When a humble neighbor, Andrea, and a high-strung influencer, Belinda, arrive as patients for their post-BBL recovery, Apple Bottom Spa struggles to keep both women afloat.
Karina Billini is a Dominican-American playwright, poet, and educator from Brooklyn. She is a first-year playwright in the Juilliard School's Lila Acheson Wallace American playwriting program. She is a current member of the Public Theater's 2023-2025 Emerging Writers Group. She is a proud alum of the New Harmony Project Conference, Ensemble Studio Theatre's Youngblood, Pipeline PlayLab, Gingold Theatrical Group's Speaker's Corner, among others. Her plays have been workshopped and/or produced at La Jolla Playhouse, Alliance Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, New Harmony Project, Fault Line Theatre, Teatro Vivo, among others. Her play, Apple Bottom, is a recipient of the Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation commission. MFA: The New School for Drama, BA: Marymount Manhattan College.
Thursday, June 6, 3pm
by Sandra A. Daley-Sharif
A homage to the "Granny" midwives.
Sandra Daley-Sharif is an Afro-Caribbean writer for Theater and TV living in Savannah, GA. She is a Professor of Dramatic Writing at SCAD University. Sandra is also a highly sought after dramaturg and collaborative deviser of new works. She is an OBIE Award winner and a recipient of the Josephine Abady Award, commending her for her contribution, as a producer, of Diversity to the American theater landscape. Two of her plays made it to the Kilroys List.
https://www.americantheatre.org/2023/12/06/a-harlem-renaissance/
Ensemble Studio Theatre presents
It’s hard setting off into the unknown, whether it’s fighting off the dastardly French, or trying to make your way in the world as a writer. It’s that bittersweet part of the year where we celebrate the sending off and graduation of another year of Youngblood writers.
Join us the first Sunday in June for new short plays by graduated Youngblood members Jake Brasch, AJ Clauss, Gracie Gardner, & Mona Pirnot, served alongside our classic Brunch buffet and open bar.
Thursday, May 16, 3pm
by Melisa Tien
In the male-dominated tech arena, two women join forces to create a brand-new app—one that tracks the menstrual cycle—and form a partnership that is tested to its limits.
Melisa Tien is a playwright and librettist invested in making formally unconventional, socially relevant, and emotionally evocative work. A resident of New Dramatists, she is the author of the plays Best Life (JACK, 2021), Yellow Card, Red Card (Ice Factory, 2017), Refrain (Wild Project, 2011), The Boyd Show, and Familium Vulgare; librettist of the operas Forever (Washington National Opera, 2024), The Big Swim (Houston Grand Opera/Asia Society Texas Center, 2024), Family Heirloom (Experiments in Opera, 2024), Song of the Nightingale (On Site Opera/Arts Brookfield, 2023), and The Beehive (University of Northern Iowa, 2023), lyricist for the song cycles Swell (HERE, 2021) and Daylight Saving, co-creator of the podcast/auditory experience Active Listening, and creator of the theatrical experiences Untitled Landscape and Community Forest. She has been published in the anthologies Theater Artists Making Theatre With No Theater (Tripwire Harlot Press, 2020) and Modern Music for New Singers: 21st Century American Art Songs (North Star Music, 2021), and has authored essays for New Music USA and Innovations in Socially Distant Performance. She is currently a librettist for the American Opera Project’s Composers & the Voice program, and a recent member of Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative, Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Ground Floor Residency Lab, Experiments in Opera’s Writers’ Room, and The Assembly Theater Project’s Deceleration Lab. She earned a BA in English from UCLA, and an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University. More at www.melisatien.com.
Thursday, May 16, 3pm
by Jacquelyn Reingold
When a woman with no fear, meets a neuroscientist studying fear, an investigation begins. Fear, fearlessness, friendship, and the crazy struggle to survive.
Jacquelyn Reingold is a playwright, TV writer, teacher, and advocate. Her plays have been seen in New York at EST, MCC, Naked Angels, at Actors Theater Louisville, Portland Center Stage, PlayLabs Minneapolis, at other theaters across the country, and in London, Dublin, Berlin, Belgrade, and Lima. Honors include: a Lilly Award, the Kennedy Center‘s Fund for New American Plays, EST/Sloan Foundation Commissions, MacDowell Fellowships, and a Susan Smith Blackburn finalist. She’s published in Women Playwrights: Best Plays, several Best American Short Plays, by DPS, French, Smith & Kraus, and a collection of her one-acts called Things Between Us. Several short plays have been recorded for podcast/radio by Playing-on-Air. TV credits include "The Good Fight," "Grace and Frankie" and "In Treatment." Jacquelyn is a member of EST, an alum of New Dramatists, and a founding member of Honor Roll, an advocacy group for women+ playwrights over 40, whose goal is inclusion in theater. She developed this play in the EST Playwrights Unit, and worked on it at The Hermitage Artists Retreat. www.jacquelynreingold.com
Thursday, April 25, 3pm
by Jacob Marx Rice
Four high schoolers trapped in a study group quickly discover that science is the least of their problems as they fight to survive the emotional hurricane of being seventeen.
Jacob Marx Rice is a playwright and screenwriter based in Queens, New York, whose plays have been seen at theaters around the world in over a dozen cities on three continents. He has been produced and developed by theaters including Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Finborough Theatre in London, The New Ohio, The Flea Theater, Atlantic Theatre Stage 2, and others. He has won the Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center, the Faculty Award from NYU/Tisch, and a Sloan Commission from the Ensemble Studio Theatre. Jacob was a Playwright Observer at the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and the Tennessee Williams Scholar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. He has also been a finalist for the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, The Lark Playwrights Week, and the Princess Grace Award and his plays have been nominated for four of London’s prestigious Off-West End Awards.
Ensemble Studio Theatre presents
featuring new short plays by Miz Hashimoto, Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, Hanna Novak, May Treuhaft-Ali, & Susan Yassky
If you want to learn more about science, you don’t need to rely on the biggest dad movie of 2023. We admit, we aren’t able to create a multi-million faux-atomic explosion onstage, but… well, you never know. In the meantime, we’re cooking up five new plays highlighting the human side of science and the people who practice it for this month’s Brunch.
Join us for the EST/Sloan Project brunch with new short plays by Miz Hashimoto, Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, Hanna Novak, May Treuhaft-Ali, & Susan Yassky, served alongside our classic Brunch buffet and open bar.
Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in collaboration with the Latinx Playwrights Circle & Boundless Theatre Company present
a new play by Nelson Diaz-Marcano , directed by Rebecca Aparicio
featuring Nicole Betancourt, Hanna Cheek*, Helen Coxe*, Guadalís Del Carmen, Maricelis Galanes, Maribel Martinez, Paul Niebanck, Ashley Marie Ortiz, & Mike Smith Rivera*
It’s the 1950's in Puerto Rico and María, Fernanda, Yolanda, Rosa, and Chavela are fighting to live full lives in a changing country with crushing societal rules for women. In the United States, Dr. Gregory Pincus is on the verge of perfecting a miracle that could give them freedom - if only he could find test subjects to participate in preliminary trials. This is the story of the birth control pill and the women who risked everything for the chance to live free.
Set Design: Gerardo Diáz Sánchez | Costume Design: Tina McCartney | Lighting Design: María Cristina Fusté | Sound Design: Daniela Hart, Bailey Trierweiler, Noel Nichols & Uptown Works | Props Master: Caitlyn Murphy | Projection Design: Milton M. Cordero | Production Stage Manager: Alejandra Maldonado Morales | Assistant Stage Manager: Clarissa Mota
*denotes EST Member Artist
Nelson Diaz-Marcano (Playwright) is a Puerto Rican NYC-based theater maker, advocate, and community leader whose mission is to create work that challenges and builds community. He currently serves as the Literary Director for the Latinx Playwright Circle where he has helped develop over a 100 plays in the past three years. His plays have been developed by the Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Road Theatre Company, Pipeline Theatre Company, Clubbed Thumb, The Lark, Vision Latino Theater Company, The Orchard Project, The William Inge Theatre Festival, Classical Theatre of Harlem, and The Parsnip Ship, among others. Recent credits include: World Classic (Bishop Theatre Arts Center), Y Tu Abuela, Where is She? Part 1 (CLATA), When the Earth Moves, We Dance (Clubbed Thumb, Teatro Vivo), The Diplomats (Random Acts Chicago), Paper Towels (INTAR), Misfit, America (Hunter Theatre Company), I Saw Jesus in Toa Baja (Conch Shell Productions), and Revolt! (Vision Latino Theatre Company).
Rebecca Aparicio (Director) is a Cuban American, New York-based, bilingual director and writer. Recent directing: Jardin Salvaje by Karen Zacarias (GALA Hispanic Theatre, Helen Hayes recommended), Beastgirl, based on the chapbook by Elizabeth Acevedo, book by C. Quintana and music by Janelle Lawrence (Kennedy Center, Helen Hayes nominated); The House on the Lagoon by Caridad Svich (Gala Hispanic Theatre, Winner Best Direction Broadway World-DC), Sarita by Maria Irene Fornes (Roundabout Theatre Refocus Series), and Siluetas, book by Erlina Ortiz and music by Robi Hager (Powerstreet Theatre Company). As a director, she’s developed new work with American Repertory Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, McCarter Theatre, O'Neill Theatre Center, Playwrights Center, Powerstreet Theatre Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Musical Theatre Factory, The Flea Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem, National Black Theatre, and more. Past Fellowships include: Roundabout Theatre’s Inaugural Directing Group, MTC Jonathan Alper Directing Fellow, The COOP’s Clusterf**k Writing Cohort, and a two-time SDCF Observership Award recipient. As a writer, her work includes the award-winning musical Pedro Pan (New York Musical Festival, Musical Theatre Factory, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, FringeNYC), Tree Tales (Prospect Theatre), Hindsight 2020 (Live & In Color), Legacy (Prospect Theatre), and The Garcia Sisters (Red Mountain Theatre. Rebecca is a CRNY artist-in-residence with the Latinx Playwrights Circle, a steering committee member of the Latinx Theatre Commons, and is a founding member of Magic Forest Theatre (dedicated to creating new musicals for young audiences). She also serves as a board member at The Flea and Rhinebeck Writers Retreat.
Ensemble Studio Theatre presents
featuring new short plays by Miz Hashimoto, Sam Mueller, Charlie Oh, Ife Olujobi, & Susan Yassky
The sun still sets at 4pm, the honeymoon phase of the new year is gone, and the longing for Summer begins to set in. Lets shake it off together gather in the warmth of the theatre to celebrate plays about hitting rock bottom, because it's only up from here.
Join us Sunday, February 4th for new short plays from Youngblood writers Miz Hashimoto, Sam Mueller, Charlie Oh, Ife Olujobi, & Susan Yassky, served alongside our classic Brunch buffet and drinks.
join us Monday, January 30th at 7pm for a virtual
Join us to learn more about Youngblood, EST's OBIE-winning collective of emerging professional playwrights. Youngblood provides artistic guidance, peer support, regular feedback, and a fertile production environment which allows playwrights to hone their skills and explore their craft, with exposure to the public and the press, professional outreach to the industry, and opportunities for production and publication. The panel will feature an open discussion with Youngblood playwrights Ava Geyer, Miz Hashimoto, Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, Danny Tejera, May Treuhaft-Ali, and Susan Yassky.
Applications for the 2024/2025 season are now open through February 26th, so join a virtual panel of five current members who are here to answer any questions and encourage any early career playwrights to apply!
Ensemble Studio Theatre presents
featuring new short plays by jose sebastian alberdi, Libby Carr, Hanna Novak, Graham Techler, & May Treuhaft-Ali
We don’t know about you, but we’re ready to bid 2023 adieu. 2024 arrives to sweep us off our feet, ready for rebirth, renewal, and a brand new BRUNCH to start it all off!
Join us the first Sunday of the new year for new plays from brand new Youngblood writers jose sebastian alberdi, Libby Carr, Hanna Novak, Graham Techler, & May Treuhaft-Ali, served alongside our classic Brunch buffet and drinks.
Ensemble Studio Theatre presents
featuring new short plays by Brysen Boyd, Ava Geyer, Dylan Guerra, Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, & Holly Settoon
Do you feel the chill of Winter setting in? As the twinkle lights go up and you start to hear that jingle in the air, cozy up with us for five new plays full of Holiday cheer!
Join us in the warm glow of BRUNCH with new Holiday-themed plays by Brysen Boyd, Ava Geyer, Dylan Guerra, Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, & Holly Settoon, served alongside our classic Brunch buffet and drinks.
A free-wheeling, far-ranging discussion between scientists and playwrights about science, story-telling, and what makes plays work. Our annual Artist Cultivation Event is a great opportunity for any playwright interested in developing a play about science & technology.
This year's panelists include Nelson Diaz-Marcano, Mandë Holford, Daniela Schiller, and Anna Ziegler, and will be moderated by Naomi Lorrain.
When Steve Durbin goes down the rabbit hole of charting his family's genealogy, he makes an unwelcome discovery that throws the entire Durbin clan into turmoil. Chiefly: his niece, Meg, who's forced to reconsider her relationship with Drew, a white physicist. With acid wit, love, and dance, Redwood ponders the project of interracial family-making in a haunted country.
Ensemble Studio Theatre presents
featuring new short plays by Michael Feldman, Jahna Ferron-Smith, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Andrew Massey, Megan Chan Meinero, & Julia Specht
It helps to have somewhere to go home to, somewhere to feel like you belong, somewhere where people cry with your losses and cheer your successes. Well, this is a Brunch for belonging, crying, and cheering, as we finally celebrate the Youngblood classes that graduated during the pandemic.
Join us in sending them off with the final Brunch plays from Michael Feldman, Jahna Ferron-Smith, Dan Giles, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Andrew Massey, Megan Chan Meinero, & Julia Specht, served alongside our classic Brunch buffet and drinks.
