Welcome to the News Archive: Ohio University MFA Playwriting
Bookmark this page for the latest news and information on the projects, productions, awards, and honors of our Ohio University MFA playwrights. For specific program information other than news related items about the graduate playwriting program (such as curriculum), please visit the Ohio University School of Theater page or call the Ohio University School of Theater at 740-593-4818.
To apply, email us for application instructions at ohioplaywriting@gmail.com — we begin reviewing application materials in January. NOTE: Applications are due no later than March 1st each year.
— Gregg Henry, Artistic Director, Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. (The Post, 4/13/10)
Awards
OU graduate playwrights have been awarded many honors such as: the Kendeda Prize (2010), Kendeda Top Five (2007, 2009), the Wasserstein Prize (2008), New Dramatists' Joe Callaway Award, The Gilman/New Dramatists Playwriting Fellowship, Whitfield Cook Award, Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, New York Innovative Theatre Awards, Kennedy Center's Fund for New American Plays' Roger Stevens Award, Drama-Logue Awards, commissions from the Jerome Foundation and Théâtre du Soleil Levant in Switzerland, a Hugo Award nomination and numerous Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Awards.Publishing
Works published by current and recent MFA playwriting students are available from Smith and Kraus, Dramatists Play Service, Heinemann, Northwestern University Press, Samuel French, and Playscripts, Inc.Film & Television
Alums in the last five years have also gone on to write for film and television, including such shows as the Emmy Award-winning 24, the Emmy Award-nominated Battlestar Galactica, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC's spy dramedy Chuck, and HBO's In Treatment with Gabriel Byrne.Commissions & Funding
In addition, since 2005 current Ohio University MFA playwrights have earned more than $82,000 in commissions, grants and fellowships to research and write their new plays.
Pictured: 2011-2012 Playwrights. (L-R) Mark Chrisler, Jeremy Sony, Rebecca Abaffy, Leean Kim Torske, Andrew Black, Bianca Sams, Anthony Ellison, Chanel Glover, Greg Aldrich, Ira Gamerman, Jacob Juntunen, and Sarah Bowden. Photo by: Hannah Van Brunt.
High Profile Productions
OU MFA playwrights consistently sustain a high level of achievement. Tony Award-winning theatres that have developed or are slated to produce former and current OU graduate playwriting program students include: Victory Gardens Theater, Steppenwolf, The Mark Taper Forum, The Goodman, Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Alliance Theater and New Dramatists. Other major theatres developing OU MFA plays recently include Ensemble Studio Theatre, Magic Theatre, The New Group, Pan Asian Rep, Foundry Theatre Works, Theatre J, Collaboraction, Perishable Theatre, Edge Theatre, Prop Theatre, MPAACT, Chicago Dramatists, Contemporary American Theater Festival, the O'Neill Center and The Playwright's Center in Minneapolis, to name a few.
Highlights
Jacqmin Featured at Roundabout Theatre and 36th Humana FestivalAlumna Laura Jacqmin will see her 10-minute play Hero Dad staged at this year's Humana Festival at the Actors Theatre of Louisville along with two other plays selected through the National 10-Minute Playwriting Contest. You can read more about the new play festival at Broadway.com. Before she heads to Louisville, Jacqmin will have a reading of her full-length play "Two Lakes, Two Rivers" in Roundabout Underground's spring reading series on February 7, 2012. Learn more about Roundabout Theatre, Jacqmin, and this exciting five night series by visiting Roundabout's website.
Chicago Dramatists Saturday Series to Feature OU Play
SOUTHBRIDGE by Reginald Edmund (MFA '09), originally developed in the Ohio Playwriting workshop, will be read Saturday, February 4 at Chicago Dramatists. Edmund is a resident playwright at the Windy City's new play development house and you can read more by visiting their website.
Ryan Dowler talks about The Gratifications
In conjunction with Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Youngblood's 2012 Unfiltered festival presented four new plays in studio production, including The Gratifications by Ryan Dowler (MFA '10), initially developed in the Ohio Playwriting workshop. Here is a YouTube video from Ensemble Studio Theatre about the project.
Read more about our playwrights' latest projects...
