Playwrights Horizons Names Adam Greenfield New Associate Artistic Director

Playwrights Horizons announced today the promotion of the theater company's Director of New Play Development Adam Greenfield to Associate Artistic Director. This is the first major change to the Artistic leadership of the acclaimed organization since Mr. Sanford was promoted from the same associate position to become Artistic Director in 1996.

Mr. Greenfield has led the Literary Department and New Works Lab of Playwrights Horizons since 2007, first with the title of Literary Manager, and then Director of New Play Development. Additionally, he has been instrumental in launching the theater's newly announced Resident Company Program.

"Since joining Playwrights Horizons in 2007, Adam has opened doors to a wealth of new writers," said Artistic Director Tim Sanford. "Under his leadership, the literary department has expanded and tailored its development efforts in ways that are so rarely seen by the public, but which are always attentive to the particular needs of individual writers. His engagement with new work is fervent, discerning and positive, and writers adore him because of his palpable love for his work and his fierce advocacy of their efforts. By promoting him to Associate Artistic Director, we acknowledge his extraordinary contributions to our organization and open the door for him to make an even greater impact in the future. He is a consummate artist and an extraordinary colleague, and I look forward to working with him more closely than ever before."

"Adam Greenfield is the embodiment of everything this theater stands for," said Playwrights Horizons Board Chair Judith O. Rubin. "He has an unerring sense of quality, an eye, ear and zeal for the new work of gifted playwrights who see the world in singular ways, and his commitment to the nurture of talent extends beyond individual artists to young theater companies as well. He is a leader in the field and a natural as an artistic partner for Tim."

Mr. Greenfield said, "I'm deeply moved by the invitation to extend my relationship with a company and artistic director who I consider unparalleled in their life-long commitment to writers and their work. We're in the middle of a great era in American playwriting. I'm grateful for the chance to spread the word, and I feel incredibly lucky to have found a home at Playwrights Horizons to do so, in the company of so many wonderful, indelible artists and audience members, and such lovely colleagues."

In addition to Mr. Greenfield's promotion, current Associate Literary Manager Sarah Lunnie has been named Literary Manager. Continuing his leadership in the same department, Kent Nicholson serves as Director of Musical Theater Development.

Prior to joining Playwrights Horizons in 2007, Adam Greenfield was Associate Artistic Director of The Empty Space Theatre in Seattle from 1997-2006. In addition to his work within these organizations, he's a director whose recent credits include Courtney Baron's Eat Your Heart Out (Humana Festival), Madeleine George's The Zero Hour (13P) and Greg Moss's La Brea (Clubbed Thumb). Other directing and play development credits include work at La Jolla Playhouse, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Sundance Theater Lab, Seattle Repertory, New Dramatists, ACT Theater, The Playwrights' Center, Printer's Devil Theater Company, Portland Center Stage, Berkeley Repertory and Playwrights' Realm. Adam is an alumnus of Soho Rep's Writer/Director Lab, a member of Clubbed Thumb's Writing Group, and a graduate of University of Michigan. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband, Jordan Harrison.

Playwrights Horizons is a writer's theater dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers and lyricists and to the production of their new work. Under the leadership of artistic director Tim Sanford and managing director Leslie Marcus, the theater company continues to encourage the new work of veteran writers while nurturing an emerging generation of theater artists. In its 44 years, Playwrights Horizons has presented the work of more than 400 writers and has received numerous awards and honors, including a special 2008 Drama Desk Award for "ongoing support to generations of theater artists and undiminished commitment to producing new work." Notable productions include six Pulitzer Prize winners - Annie Baker's The Flick (2013 Obie Award, 2013 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize), Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park (2012 Tony Award, Best Play), Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife (2004 Tony Award, Best Play), Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles (1989 Tony Award, Best Play), Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy and Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George - as well as Ms. Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation (three 2010 Obie Awards including Best New American Play); Lisa D'Amour's Detroit (2013 Obie Award, Best New American Play); Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale (2013 Lortel Award, Best Play); Kirsten Greenidge's Milk Like Sugar (2012 Obie Award); Robert O'Hara's Bootycandy; Anne Washburn's Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, Sarah Ruhl's Stage Kiss and Dead Man's Cell Phone; Gina Gionfriddo's Rapture, Blister, Burn; Dan LeFranc's The Big Meal; Amy Herzog's The Great God Pan and After the Revolution; Bathsheba Doran's Kin; Adam Bock's A Small Fire; Edward Albee's Me, Myself & I; Melissa James Gibson's This (2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist); Doug Wright, Scott Frankel and Michael Korie's Grey Gardens (three 2007 Tony Awards); Craig Lucas's Prayer For My Enemy and Small Tragedy (2004 Obie Award, Best American Play); Adam Rapp's Kindness; Lynn Nottage's Fabulation (2005 Obie Award for Playwriting); Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero; David Greenspan's She Stoops to Comedy (2003 Obie Award); Kirsten Childs's The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (2000 Obie Award); Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey's James Joyce's The Dead (2000 Tony Award, Best Book); Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins; William Finn's March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland; Christopher Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You; Richard Nelson's Goodnight Children Everywhere; Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's Once on This Island; Jon Robin Baitz's The Substance of Fire; Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room; A.R. Gurney's Later Life; Adam Guettel and Tina Landau's Floyd Collins; and Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley's Violet.

The 2014/2015 Playwrights Horizons Season will continue with PLACEBO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Melissa James Gibson, directed by Obie Award winner Daniel Aukin; IOWA, the world premiere of a new musical play by Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Commendation winner (2008) and finalist (2013) Jenny Schwartz, music and lyrics by Todd Almond, oratorio lyrics by Ms. Schwartz, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Ken Rus Schmoll; and conclude with THE QUALMS, the New York premiere of a new play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Bruce Norris, directed by Tony Award and Obie Award winner Pam MacKinnon.

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