Welcome to OPC's 25th Anniversary Season
What began in 1998 as a local community effort to provide a forum for new plays has grown into one the nation's preeminent play development programs.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director/Producer, Robert Egan, since 2002, the Ojai Playwrights Conference has grown steadily in the number of artists served and the diversity of its artists and programming -- all with an unwavering commitment to developing socially, politically and culturally challenging new plays for the American theatre.
To date, OPC has supported 142 playwrights in the development of 180 new works, with more to come in 2022. Many of the plays developed with OPC have enjoyed full productions on stages from Los Angeles to New York to London and beyond. Some have even become Pulitzer finalists and Tony Award winners!
OPC's 25th Anniversary Season will feature an in-person Gala Celebration in L.A. (June 4), the New Works Festival in Ojai (August 7-14), and other special programs to be announced!
Join us as we celebrate OPC's accomplished history and move boldly into a bright and innovative future for new play development.
OPC PLAYWRIGHT NEWS
DAVE HARRIS: TAMBO & BONES PREMIERE
Dave Harris’ rags-to-riches hip-hop comedy about race relations in America -- directed by Taylor Reynolds -- is captivating audiences in its world premiere production at Playwrights Horizon in New York, running now through the end of February. This production will be coming to CTG's Kirk Douglas Theatre in May. Dave developed TAMBO & BONES with OPC in 2019.
ZORA HOWARD: BLACKBURN PRIZE FINALIST
Pulitzer finalist and Harlem-bred writer/performer, Zora Howard was selected as a finalist for the 2022 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the largest international prize awarded to women playwrights. Zora first came to OPC in 2020 to develop BUST, and then profoundly moved us in this past summer's online New Works Festival with her newest play, HANG TIME.
This is the third time in seven years that a play/playwright nominated for the Blackburn Prize by OPC has been chosen a finalist.
FOUR OPC PLAYWRIGHTS: STEINBERG AWARD WINNERS
Jeff Augustin, Eboni Booth, Mike Lew and Jiehae Park are among the 10 outstanding playwrights selected for the 2021 Steinberg Playwright Awards. The “Mimi” Awards are presented annually to playwrights in early and middle stages of their careers who have distinctive and compelling voices, and whose work exhibits exceptional talent and artistic excellence. Jeff developed THE NEW ENGLANDERS in OPC 2018, Eboni developed PRIMARY TRUST in OPC 2020, Mike developed TINY FATHER in OPC 2021, and Jiehae has developed two plays at OPC: PEERLESS (2015) and HANNAH AND THE DREAD GAZEBO (2013).
KIMBER LEE: HERB ALPERT PRIZE RECIPEINT
Playwright Kimber Lee, who developed UNTITLED F*CK M*SS S**GON PLAY in OPC 2019, has been selected for the prestigious Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, an unrestricted prize of $75,000 given annually to five risk-taking mid-career artists working in the fields of dance, film/video, music, theatre and the visual arts.
MIKE LEW: WORLD PREMIERE
BHANGIN' IT: A BANGIN' NEW MUSICAL
OPC Playwright (TINY FATHER, 2021) and former OPC associate artist for multiple years, Mike Lew is in rehearsal for his new musical BANGIN' IT, co-written with Rehana Lew Mirza. The world premiere is slated for La Jolla Playhouse, March 8 - April 18. Another one of Mike's plays - TEENAGE DICK - is streaming ON DEMAND through February 27 with the Pasadena Playhouse.
JON ROBIN BAITZ: WORLD PREMIERE
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 on March 15. Directed by Robert Egan, with dramaturgy by Jeff Liu, this timely and searing new play was developed during OPC's inaugural online Foundry Project in 2020. Robbie has developed several other plays with OPC including: FARAWAY FRIENDS (2018); VICUÑA: THE EPILOGUE (2017); VICUÑA (2016); OTHER DESERT CITIES (2010); CHINESE FRIENDS (2003); and THE PARIS LETTER (2002).
SAMUEL D. HUNTER: WORLD PREMIERE
A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Developed online in 2020 in OPC's inaugural Foundry Project, Samuel D. Hunter's A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD -- a thoughtful meditation on human resilience -- is slated for its world premiere production at Signature Theatre in New York. This play marked Sam's fourth time working with OPC, where he also developed GREATER CLEMENTS (2017), REST (2013) and I AM MONTANA (2008).
OPC ANNOUNCEMENTS
We are thrilled to announce that the Ojai Playwrights Conference has been approved for a $15,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. OPC is among 1,248 projects across America that were selected to receive this first round of fiscal year 2022 funding in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
ROB HOLLMAN: OPC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
OPC is pleased to introduce Rob Hollman as our new Development Director, spearheading fundraising, grant writing and major gifts for the organization. Rob’s consulting company, Rosinante Group Advisors, serves local and national clients, and his previous fundraising work included positions with UCLA Live and the American Institute of Architecture’s Los Angeles chapter. To discuss giving opportunities with OPC, please contact Rob at [email protected].