Playwrights' Center Announces 2020-2023 Core Writers Gives Significant Resources To Further Playwrights' Careers

The Playwrights' Center is continuing its commitment to developing playwrights and new work through their Core Writers program. Seven of the country's most thrilling playwrights are joining the program. The 2020-2023 Core Writers are Sharon Bridgforth, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Andrew Rosendorf, Riti Sachdeva, Charly Evon Simpson, Crystal Skillman, and Jonathan Spector.

"I am so excited to welcome back Andrew and Riti to the Center as well as welcome Deen, Charly, Crystal, Sharon and Jonathan-all of whose work I have deeply admired for a long time" said Producing Artistic Director Jeremy B. Cohen. "They are all incredible writers, and I look forward to seeing each of them grow as artists over the next three years."

Each year, the Playwrights' Center serves as an artistic home for over 40 playwriting fellows and Core Writers, in addition to supporting 2,200+ member playwrights across the globe and partnering with producing theaters to move work from page to stage.

"To be a Core Writer of the Playwrights' Center has been a life-long dream," said Core Writer Crystal Skillman. "As a playwright who is also a musical and TV writer, this allows me a safe haven to have a theatrical home for my new plays. It will also allow me to share these plays with theaters across the country and world, helping me make the work as strong as it can be."

"I am deeply honored to have the privilege of being supported by the Playwrights' Center. To be a Core Writer means that I do not have to work in isolation. That I will be asked, 'what do you need' as the writing shapes itself. And that I will be fiercely championed by an organization that loves playwrights. This is a return home for me. It feels Divine. I am SO grateful!" exclaimed Core Writer Sharon Bridgforth.

Andrew Rosendorf exclaimed, "I'm excited to be returning home to the Playwrights' Center, to be supported for three years by an organization whose sole purpose is to foster and nurture artists, their voices, their work-all something I know firsthand. It's a gift to be part of this community as well as a guiding light in this moment in time when we need nourishment for our souls more than ever."

2020-2023 Core Writers:
Sharon Bridgforth, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Andrew Rosendorf, Riti Sachdeva, Charly Evon Simpson, Crystal Skillman, and Jonathan Spector.

The Core Writer program at the Playwrights' Center supports playwrights who demonstrate a sustained level of accomplishment, commitment, and artistic excellence, giving roughly 25-30 of the most thrilling playwrights from across the United States the time and tools to develop new work for the stage. During their three-year tenure, Core Writers receive play development workshops at the Center, have the opportunity to be part of the PlayLabs festival or the Ruth Easton New Play Series, and connect with an extensive network of producing theaters. Designed to meet the particular needs of both emerging and established writers, the program's significant resources have further developed many playwrights' careers. Joining our Core Writers program are:

a-? Sharon Bridgforth is a New Dramatists alumnae and host of the "Who Yo People Is" podcast series. Sharon has received support from Pillsbury House Theatre, Creative Capital, MAP Fund, the National Performance Network, and the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award.

a-? Mashuq Mushtaq Deen is a resident playwright at New Dramatists and a 2019 Lambda Literary Award Winner. His full-length plays include Flood (upcoming; Kansas City Rep, 2021), The Empty Place (NYU commission), The Betterment Society (upcoming publication), The Shaking Earth (postponed production, National Queer Theater, 2021), and Draw the Circle (productions: PlayMakers, Mosaic, Rattlestick; published: DPS; winner Lambda Literary Award)

a-? Andrew Rosendorf's work has been produced or developed at La Jolla, MCC, Kansas City Rep, Signature Theatre, the National New Play Network, American Theater Company, Nashville Rep, City Theatre, Geva Theatre, Actor's Express, Curious Theatre Company, and Local Theater Company.

a-? Riti Sachdeva is a recipient of the Kennedy Center ACTF Quest for Peace award and Sultan Padamsee award for her play Parts of Parts & Stitches and a Theater Communications Group/Mellon Foundation travel grant to begin adapting her play Suicide Seed to the kathakali dance-theater form. Her play The Rug Dealer made the 2016 Kilroys List.

a-? Charly Evon Simpson's plays include Behind the Sheet, Jump, form of a girl unknown, it's not a trip it's a journey, and more. She has received commissions from MTC/Sloan, The New Group, EST/Sloan, Cleveland Play House, and South Coast Repertory.

a-? Crystal Skillman is an award-winning dramatist whose plays include Open (The Tank/AFO), Geek (Vampire Cowboys), Cut (Theatre Under St. Marks), as well as Pulp Vérité (Kilroys List), and Rain and Zoe Save the World (EMOS Prize). Her new play with music, This Show Is Money (Music/Lyrics Gaby Alter), is currently being developed in The Civilians R & D Group.

a-? Jonathan Spector's plays include Eureka Day (New York Times "Critics' Pick," Glickman Award, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award, Theatre Bay Area Award), This Much I Know, Siesta Key, and Good. Better. Best. Bested. His work has been produced, developed, and commissioned by Colt Coeur, Aurora Theater, Mosaic Theater, InterAct, Roundabout, South Coast Rep, Berkeley Rep, Crowded Fire, Custom Made Theater, San Francisco Playhouse, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, and Just Theater, where he is Co-Artistic Director.

"Because the Core Writer program is a three-year program, I have an opportunity to build and sustain artistic, personal, and professional relationships with the Playwrights' Center community," said Riti Sachdeva. "Continuity with theater professionals is difficult because we all tend to move on to the next residency, cohort, production, workshop, etc. Three years with the Center means an opportunity to create deeper bonds with collaborators and mentors."

Playwrights who have benefited from the Core Writer program include Christina Anderson, Trista Baldwin, Lee Blessing, George Brant, Carlyle Brown, Connie Congdon, Marcus Gardley, Jeffrey Hatcher, Sherry Kramer, Carson Kreitzer, Martyna Majok, Melanie Marnich, Winter Miller, Greg Moss, Qui Nguyen, Kira Obolensky, and Alice Tuan.

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