Concord Theatricals is proud to play a role in the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival. The festival honors new American plays that provide dynamic performance opportunities for college-aged actors. Each year, the festival features staged readings of five Official Selection full-length plays and ten Official Selection short plays, as well as workshops and seminars on playwriting and new play development. After the festival, one full-length play is selected for the festival’s top prize, receiving its world premiere in the Dobbins Conservatory Mainstage Season, and is considered for publication by Concord Theatricals. Previous final selections published by Concord include The Winter Guard Play (US/UK) by Avery Deutsch and Our Play (US/UK) by Jessica Moss.
Playwright Peighton Robinson, who participated in LWNAPF’s inaugural festival in 2021, recalls her experience and the benefits it afforded her.
Walking out in front of a live audience. No set, no props, no costumes. It’s just you, a stand and the script. Sounds terrifying, right? It most definitely is when you’re doing a staged reading for the first time. This is exactly how I felt when I attended the inaugural Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival in 2021. I was coming out of my freshman year at Southeast Missouri State University’s Dobbins Conservatory and emerging into the “new world” after Covid.
The Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival (LWNAPF) is a weeklong event filled with workshops and seminars on playwriting and new play development. College-aged students are given opportunities to collaborate and build connections with professional playwrights, directors, and producers who focus on new work. Each night features a staged reading of one of the five official selected full-length plays as well as the 10 official selected short plays on the opening and closing of the festival week.
Comparing the LWNAPF to Christmas is not an exaggeration. In my eyes, it is the most joyous time of the year. Everywhere you look, there are smiles on people’s faces, and the spaces are filled with laughter and stimulating conversations. It is uplifting to witness my peers thriving as they come together to discuss new work. By the end of the week strangers develop friendships, rooting for one another and offering support. New students and transfers also gain an early opportunity to form connections and establish a sense of community. Participating in a staged reading is an unparalleled experience. It is both terrifying and thrilling. It offers a unique opportunity to witness and contribute to the foundational stages of a new work, where the creative process is at its most raw and unrefined. The energy and uncertainty of bringing a script to life for the first time can create a powerful connection between the actors, the text, and the audience, making the experience challenging yet deeply rewarding.
I come from a family with a strong musical background which has made the arts an integral part of my upbringing. By the age of ten, I had been introduced to a variety of classic musicals, such as Annie, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Sound of Music, through my grandmother’s collection of VHS tapes. However, I did not begin my acting journey until the seventh grade and as I approached high school I began to already form a perception of what my role would be as a black woman in theatre. The majority of the characters available to me were significantly older non-people of color or the stereotypical “black” narratives. I never knew, or even imagined, that there could be more—more possibilities, more to discover, more to who I am. The festival opened doors and revealed paths I never thought possible for someone like me.
The Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival is a weeklong event filled with workshops and seminars on playwriting and new play development. College-aged students are given opportunities to collaborate and build connections with professional playwrights, directors, and producers who focus on new work.
During one of the workshops in my first year, we did a five-minute exercise where we made a list of things we’d want to write about. This consisted of real-life events that we’ve experienced or what we as individuals would like to see on stage. Following this, for the next 10 minutes we chose one of our topics and wrote either a scene or monologue. I chose to write a brief monologue reflecting on my childhood experience of not having a Christmas tree. After the timer, participants had the opportunity to share their work and receive feedback from the room. The atmosphere was distinct from a traditional classroom setting, as participation was driven by genuine interest and enthusiasm. These workshops create an engaging, liberating environment where you don’t feel alone because there are people willing to listen to what you have to say. By the end of this particular workshop, I thought to myself, “Maybe I can write.”
At the conclusion of the festival week, I purchased a journal that I still have to this day. I was so motivated that I had begun to turn my monologue into a short play. Being greatly inspired by the LWNAPF, I wanted to create my own evening of short plays for the students at Dobbins Conservatory. Unfortunately, my initial attempt did not yield the desired results. I quickly realized that it’s not as easy as it looks to put together a production, let alone a night of multiple new works. As I entered my junior year, I was invited to join the Senior Organizing Staff of the festival. During the fall semester of 2023, I along with my peers worked side by side together with the Artistic Director, Kitt Lavoie. This process involved a range of tasks, including casting, brainstorming workshop ideas, possible guest speakers, program making, QR codes, and even signage taping. My experience behind the scenes deepened my appreciation for the festival and its purpose even more. I gained insight into the extensive effort required to plan and construct such an event. I recognized that even the smallest details that you may look over, matter because somebody will always notice.
My time working on the staff inspired me once again to pursue the production of my own evening of new works. With the leadership, organizational, and time management skills I acquired, I can proudly say that I achieved this accomplishment. The experiences from the Senior Organizing Staff provided me with essential skills while also enhancing my interests for bringing new creative works to life. Throughout my time at Dobbins Conservatory with the LWNAPF, I have grown immensely. Initially, I entered this field believing I was “just an actor” with limited options, and when Covid surprised us all, I became even more defeated. I was convinced there was no hope or future for me, which unfortunately led to my depression. Despite struggling with my own personal mental health, I was also discovering new versions of myself that I’m glad I’ve met. I have evolved into a playwright, director, and producer.
The festival opens up new possibilities and perspectives, encouraging individuals to break free from their boundaries and explore their creative capabilities.
The Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival serves as a source of inspiration and a transformative experience for those who perceive themselves as limited by their existing situations. By presenting innovative and thought-provoking new works, the festival opens up new possibilities and perspectives, encouraging individuals to break free from their boundaries and explore their creative capabilities. Its impact extends beyond the stage, empowering attendees and participants to envision new paths and embrace opportunities they might not have previously considered.
For more information about The Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival, visit the LWNAPF Festival website. For more great plays and musicals, visit Concord Theatricals in the US or UK.
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