The Civilians Reveal 13th Annual R&D Group and the 2023/24 Inaugural Next Forever

The Civilians  announced the newest members of The R&D Group, as well as the inaugural commissions for The Next Forever, a one-of-a-kind partnership that will create new stories for a changing planet.

Now entering its 13th season, The R&D Group is comprised of playwrights, composers, and directors who work together as a writing group for nine months to develop new plays and musicals. The season culminates in the Findings, a works-in-progress reading series, anticipated to take place in June 2024. The artists were selected from a competitive application process that included 168 submissions.

The members of The Civilians’ 2023-24 R&D Group are Michael Breslin, Dan Caffrey, Zachariah Ezer, Leonardo Gonzalez Dominguez, James La Bella, Elizagrace Madrone, Dominique Rider and Cat Rodriguez.

The Civilians, Princeton University’s High Meadows Environmental Institute and Lewis Center for the Arts also announced today the inaugural commissions for The Next Forever, a one-of-a-kind partnership that will create new stories for a changing planet. This three-year initiative will explore how dynamic storytelling can engage vital environmental subjects and provide the vision and inspiration society needs to navigate the challenges of our planet’s future — the “next forever.”

“The planetary crisis is environmental, to be sure, but it’s also a crisis of imagination,” said Artistic Director Steve Cosson. “The Next Forever brings together bright minds from across disciplines to help equip the movement for environmental action. Through our partnership with HMEI, The Lewis Center and our first two commissioned artists, we’re championing the dynamic storytelling that we need to navigate our planet’s future. We are equally thrilled to support investigatory theatre making through our signature R&D program, now in its 13th year. This year’s R&D group inspired us with their curiosity, the rigor of their inquisition, and the breadth of deeply personal stories and challenging questions posed in their project proposals.”

Later this month The Civilians will present Artificial Flavors, created by Steve Cosson and the company, and directed by Steve Cosson. Artificial Flavors begins previews October 22 in 59E59’s Theater B (59 E 59th Street, New York, NY 10022) and opens October 27 for a run through November 19, 2023. Tickets to Artificial Flavors begin at $40 and are on sale now at 59e59.org/shows/show-detail/artificial-flavors/.

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