TheatreSquared Awarded American Theatre Wing Grant

TheatreSquared has received a $100,000 grant from the American Theatre Wing's National Theatre Company Grants program.

"In recognition of the critical importance regional theatres play in the American theatre ecology and how the work of American Playwrights advances the artform and culture, five grants of $100,000 have been awarded to regional theatre companies that have demonstrated innovative new strategies to successfully present the work of American Playwrights," read a press release from the organization on January 15, 2025.

Along with TheatreSquared, four other theater companies were recognized. They include Mixed Blood Theatre, The Latino Theater Company, Camden Repertory Theater, and Baltimore Center Stage.

"While the eligibility structure was purposely expansive to encourage innovation and create space for theatres to tailor the grant to their specific needs, the only requirement was for the grants to be awarded to regional theatres that will put the funds towards producing an American playwright’s work," noted the ATW in their statement. "Examples of eligible projects included: co-productions of world premieres, national not-for-profit tours of new work, regional or local debuts of work, fresh approaches to audience development and community outreach around new work, and educational or low-cost ticket initiatives that introduce younger and diverse audiences to new work."

TheatreSquared's Arkansas New Play Festival launched in 2009 and has since helped incubate the development of more than 60 plays. The playwright-focused festival links authors with a director, dramaturg, and professional cast for an intensive two- to three-week laboratory process, culminating in staged reading performances. Staged readings have been held in venues throughout Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Little Rock, and—in 2020—streamed online. Through the Arkansas New Play Festival, TheatreSquared seeks to give voice to playwrights whose timely and relevant stories resonate with the moment we live in—in Arkansas, in mid-America, and as a nation.

"In the last several seasons in particular, many of the plays featured at ANPF have gone on to major productions and award recognition," said Dexter J. Singleton, T2’s director of new play development. "Including ‘At the Wedding’ by Bryna Turner, which opened at the Lincoln Center in  Spring of 2023; ‘Weightless’ by the Kilbanes, which was nominated for for a Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Award in its WP Theatre debut two seasons ago; ‘Russian Troll Farm’ by Sarah Gancher, a New York Times Critic’s Pick that received a 2023 Obie Award; and ‘FLEX’ by Candrice Jones, which opened at Lincoln Center in the summer of 2023 with an all star cast after co-premiering at T2 and being developed at ANPF a few summers ago."

In addition to the Arkansas New Play Festival, T2 announced in 2023 an ambitious commissioning project featuring three distinguished playwrights: Satya Chavez, Candrice Jones, and Jonathan Norton. With this project, TheatreSquared forges  important relationships while working toward the goal of bringing diverse stories to the forefront of American theater. As part of this project, each playwright will embark on a creative journey to craft a brand-new, original play that will explore a diverse array of themes, perspectives, and experiences.

"Theaters like T2, which center new work, are always looking for the next Death of a Salesman, or the next brilliant comedy, or soaring musical, that captures some essential aspect of now," says T2 Artistic Director Robert Ford. "Because, deep down, we know that's the very best thing we can offer to our world. Commissioning allows us to get in on the ground floor of that ‘offer to our world.’ Absolutely no one can predict the impact of a particular play or playwright — but what an amazing privilege it is to send the invitation, take the risk, and spark the telling of a story that no one has told before, that no one has seen."

"We are incredibly honored and grateful to the American Theater Wing for their generous support of our company's goal to amplify bold, diverse voices in contemporary theater," said T2's Executive Director, Shannon A. Jones. "This $100,000 grant will allow us to support emerging and established playwrights and expand our reach to engage even more audiences. With this transformative funding, we are energized to continue nurturing stories that inspire, challenge, and reflect the complexities of our shared human experience."