The La Jolla Playhouse team is passionate about creating a place where new American plays and musicals come to life. To this end, the Playhouse runs a robust commissioning program that provides both emerging and established playwrights resources to draft a new play.
These commissions may evolve at the Playhouse in the shape of readings, workshops and full productions. Some notable Playhouse Commissioned works that went on to full productions include:
The Coast Starlight
Commissioned Artist: Keith Bunin
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse, 2019
What Happens Next
A Without Walls Production, in association with Cornerstone Theater Company
Commissioned Artist: Naomi Iizuka
World Premiere: Challenged Athletes Foundation, 2018
Model Home
Commissioned Artist: Mimi Lien
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse Without Walls Festival, 2017
Miss You Like Hell
Commissioned Artists: Quiara Alegría Hudes and Erin McKeown
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse, 2016
Off-Broadway: Public Theatre, 2018
The Bitter Game
Commissioned Artist: Keith Wallace
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse Without Walls Festival, 2015
New York: Under the Radar Festival, 2017
Seafoam Sleepwalk
Commissioned Artist: Basil Twist
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse Without Walls Festival, 2013
Hands on a Hardbody
Commissioned Artists: Doug Wright, Amanda Green, Trey Anastasio
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse, 2012
Broadway: Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 2013
Milk Like Sugar
Commissioned Artist: Kirsten Greenidge
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse, 2011
Off-Broadway: Playwrights Horizons 2012
Regional: Huntington Theatre Company, 2016
Restoration
Commissioned Artist: Claudia Shear
World Premiere: La Jolla Playhouse, 2009
Off-Broadway: New York Theatre Workshop, 2010
The Playhouse is honored to have the following award-winning artists currently under commission:
Photo credit: Playwright Jeff Augustin and Director Joshua Kahan Brody during a reading of The Last Tiger in Haiti; photo by Jim Carmody.
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