Eugene O'Neill Theater Center - National Playwrights Conference

National Playwrights Conference

The National Playwrights Conference (NPC) is one of the premiere play developmental programs in America. Since its founding in 1965, NPC has developed over 1,200 new plays for the stage, launching the careers of many notable writers including: August Wilson, Wendy Wasserstein, Adam Rapp, John Patrick Shanley, Lee Blessing, John Guare, Gina Gionfriddo, and hundreds more. Each year, the Conference accepts scripts under an open-submissions policy, receiving nearly 1000 for consideration for the 2011 and 2012 Conferences. A team of over 125 readers made up of theater professionals, dramaturgs, college department chairs and past participants help to read the scripts and select the most promising. Of the 8 plays developed in each of the past 5 years, at least 7 are from the open-submissions process, with one writer typically being invited to participate.

NPC offers writers a four week residency at the O'Neill's campus, with strong dramaturgical and professional support. Professional actors, directors, designers, and technicians assist the writer in creating and shaping the play, culminating in two, script-in-hand readings for an audience. Sets, costumes, lights, sounds, and other design elements are only suggested with simple props and cues, to allow the writer the time and space necessary, should they wish to adapt or rewrite the script. First and foremost, NPC is focused on the writer and adapts to serve his or her needs in the development of the play.

The National Playwrights Conference (and the O'Neill itself) has served as a model for several other developmental programs, including the Sundance Institute, Actors Theater of Lousiville's Humana Festival; Ojai Festival; the Shelykova Institute in Russia, and more.

Lloyd Richards was the first Artistic Director of the National Playwrights Conference, appointed in 1969 by the O'Neill's founder, George C. White. Mr. Richards was one of the very first African Americans to lead a major theater program in the United States, and ten years later was named the Dean of the Yale School of Drama. He continued to hold both positions before retiring from Yale in 1991 and the O'Neill in 1999. Jim Houghton then led the NPC from 2000-2003, the program was then led by J Ranelli from 2003-2004, then Richard Kuranda from 2004-2005 and currently the program is now led by Wendy C. Goldberg.