The Ojai Playwrights Conference continues to move boldly forward in its mission to develop plays and artists committed to building a better, more just, more equitable future.

Having developed eight extraordinary plays which we presented in this past summer's online New Works Festival, we are now hard at work on the second annual Foundry Project developing new plays by five new-to-OPC playwrights: RUNNING WHILE BLACK by Jahna Ferron-Smith, THE JUNGLE PROJECT by Kate Hamill, that drive through monterey by Matthew Paul Olmos, TOMORROW WILL BE SUNDAY by Heather Raffo and an untitled one-person play by Zakiya Young. Read more

We are also pleased to share the ongoing achievements of our alumnae artists as they continue with the plays they developed with OPC and embark on new ventures. Read on...

OPC PLAYWRIGHT NEWS

CHARLAYNE WOODARD: THE GARDEN

Tony nominated artist and frequent OPC playwright, Charlayne Woodard recently co-starred in the La Jolla Playhouse world premiere of her intimate and moving play THE GARDEN, which she developed at OPC in 2016. Pictured above: Charlayne (left) as “Cassandra” and Stephanie Berry as “Claire Rose." Photo by Rich Soublet II.

"If there was ever an argument to be made about the value of live theater after more than 18 months of dark stages and streaming shows, “The Garden” is the best evidence." San Diego Union-Tribune Read review

KRISTINA WONG: OFF-BROADWAY DEBUT

Congratulations to Kristina Wong, who just made her Off-Broadway debut with her pandemic-inspired performance piece, KRISTINA WONG, SWEATSHOP OVERLORD. Directed by Chay Yew (who directed GOOD ENEMY in this past summer's New Works Festival), Kristina's play has received rave reviews and runs through November 21 at the New York Theatre Worksho p. Kristina's ATTENTION PLEASE! was developed at OPC in 2016. Read review

DAVE HARRIS: TAMBO & BONES

Dave Harris' imaginative and provocative TAMBO & BONES, developed at OPC in 2019, is set to have its world premiere in January at Playwrights Horizon in New York, followed by a run at CTG's Kirk Douglas Theatre in May. Both productions will be directed by Taylor Reynolds, who worked with Dave on this play in Ojai.

WILL ARBERY: CORSICANA

CORSICANA -- also developed at OPC -- will have its world premiere at Playwrights Horizon, opening in June 2022. OPC was thrilled to work with Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Arbery and director Sam Gold this past summer as part of the New Works Festival.

JON ROBIN BAITZ: I'LL BE SEEIN' YA

The world premiere of two-time Pulitzer finalist Jon Robin Baitz's I'LL BE SEEIN' YA will be presented on the Center Theatre Group's Digital Stage in early 2022. Directed by Robert Egan, with dramaturgy by Jeff Liu, this timely and searing new play by Robbie was developed last fall in OPC's inaugural Foundry Project. Read announcement

FRANKY D. GONZALEZ: SLOAN COMMISSION

Franky Gonzalez, whose play, EVEN FLOWERS BLOOM IN HELL, SOMETIMES, was developed in OPC's Foundry Project in 2020, recently received one of Manhattan Theatre Club’s 2021 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Initiative commissions. OPC playwrights Will Arbery, Eboni Booth and Dave Harris have also recently been commissioned by MTC.

LUIS ALFARO: L.A. THEATRE LEADER

Renowned Chicano theatre artist and activist and longtime OPC partner Luis Alfaro was named an Associate Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group, where he oversees the L.A. Writers’ Workshop and plays a key role in expanding CTG's new play development. Over the last nineteen years, Luis has developed four of his plays at OPC and he is currently OPC's Associate Producer. Read LA Times story

CAIN, KRON, MANSOUR, PARK: SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL COMMISSIONS

OPC alumnae Bill Cain, Lisa Kron, Mona Mansour and Jiehae Park are among the 40+ artists the Oregon Shakespeare Festival has commissioned for American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, a multi-decade program of commissioning and developing 37 new plays inspired by moments of change in United States history. Read More

ZORA HOWARD: PULITZER FINALIST

Harlem-bred writer and performer Zora Howard was honored as a Pulitzer Prize finalist in Drama earlier this year for her play, STEW. Zora first came to OPC last year to develop her play BUST, and then profoundly moved us in this past summer's OPC New Works Festival with her newest play, HANG TIME.

KIMBER LEE & JIEHAE PARK: BLACKBURN FINALISTS

A belated congrats to OPC alumane Kimber Lee (left) and Jiehae Park who were named as finalists for the prestigious 2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize - the English-speaking theatre's oldest and largest prize award to women playwrights. Kimber was at OPC in 2019 with her play, UNTITLED F*CK M**SS S**GON PLAY, and Jiehae developed PEERLESS with us in 2015 and HANNAH AND THE DREAD GAZEBO in 2013.

OPC INTERN NEWS

AGYEIWAA ASANTE

Two-time OPC intern scholarship recipient Agyeiwaa Asante was one of two winners of the Bret Adams and Paul Reisch Foundation's 2021 Ollie New Play Award honoring adventurous new voices in playwriting and musical theatre. This fall Agyeiwaa entered the MFA Playwriting program at the University of California, San Diego.

DENIZ HIMMETOGLU

This fall, two-time intern and recent OPC production assistant Deniz Himmetoglu entered the MFA Acting Program at USC, due it large part by the generous support of OPC board members, artists and others who have enthusiastically assisted him with scholarships, tuition, housing, employment and recommendations.

OPC News and Announcements: Fall 2021