Ars Nova Now Accepting Applications For Play Group 2010

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jon Steingart and Jenny Wiener Steingart, Executive Producers) is now accepting applications for Play Group 2010. Play Group is a vibrant and eclectic group of emerging writers who gather twice a month at Ars Nova to share new work and get peer feedback. The group offers members the chance to develop their plays with peer support, to be inspired by each other's work, to form collaborative relationships, and to build a strong sense of community within Ars Nova. All emerging writers are eligible for membership.

New members will be invited to join for a period of two years beginning in January of 2010. Each year culminates in a group-created production at Ars Nova, offering Play Group members the opportunity to showcase their work and to collaborate with Ars Nova directors and designers.

Director of Artistic Development Emily Shooltz said, "Play Group members are at the heart of our community of artists. Charting the achievements of this year's tight-knit group has been incredibly rewarding, and though we'll miss the graduating playwrights, it's always a joy to welcome new members into the mix. After the success of last year's group production, Playlist, we look forward to celebrating Play Group 09 with their culminating showcase, as well as to greeting the new members in January.

Play Group 2009 members include: Annie Baker, Bekah Brunstetter, Dylan Dawson, Kristoffer Diaz, Zayd Dohrn, Tasha Gordon-Solmon, Amy Herzog, Samuel D. Hunter, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Steven Levenson, Matthew Lopez, Janine Nabers and Samuel Brett Williams.

To download an application form, please visit http://arsnovanyc.com/play_group/. Applications require one full-length play, a resume, two professional references and a personal statement describing what the playwright hopes to gain from membership. Applications for Play Group 2010 will be accepted beginning August 10 and must be postmarked by September 14 to be eligible for consideration. Applications cannot be accepted via email.

As New York's premier hub for emerging artists and new work, Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing eclectic theatre, comedy and music to feed today's popular culture. To that end, Ars Nova strives to create daring collaborations, meld disciplines and give voice to a new generation of artists. Past productions include Sax & Dixon: We Thee Wed, Mel & El: Show & Tell, Two Girls for Five Bucks and the Ten Dollar Heartbreakers, Playlist, Jollyship the Whiz-Bang, Boom, From Up Here, Dixie's Tupperware Party, At Least It's Pink, 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, Holy Cross Sucks!, Freestyle Love Supreme and The Wau Wau Sisters. In addition to its featured productions, Ars Nova supports and develops new work from the most promising emerging artists through its alternative comedy series (Tragedy Tomorrow), music series (Uncharted), public play-reading series (Out Loud), writer's group (Play Group), artist-in-residence program, and ANT FEST, a five-week festival of craziness showcasing fresh material from today's most exciting emerging artists. Ars Nova was founded in memory of Gabe Wiener.