THE NATIONAL PLAYWRIGHTS SYMPOSIUM AT CAPE MAY STAGE
Shawn Fisher, Director
Founded and led with Producing Artistic Director of Cape May Stage, Roy Steinberg
The National Playwrights Symposium brings emerging playwrights to beautiful Cape May, NJ to work closely with many of the great American playwrights of our time. The event has featured Christopher Durang (VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, Tony winner), Terrence McNally (MOTHERS AND SONS, LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION!, 4 Tony Awards), Stephen Adly Guirgis (BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY, Pulitzer Winner), David Auburn (PROOF, Pulitzer Winner), Lee Blessing (A WALK IN THE WOODS, Pulitzer Nominee), Amy Herzog (4000 MILES, Pulitzer Nominee), Israel Horovitz (THE INDIAN WANTS THE BRONX, Pulitzer Nominee), Ken Ludwig (LEND ME A TENOR, Olivier Award Winner), and many others. Professional actors participate as script readers for the five-day workshop and every participant has their work staged in order to receive personal one-on-one feedback from the featured guest playwrights.
Founded in 2012, the National Symposium at Cape May Stage has already made its mark nationally. With the involvement of some of the most renowned Broadway guest artists, it has established itself as a premiere event for emerging playwrights. Aspiring participants must submit samples of their work and twenty promising writers are selected for participation. One will eventually be selected to have a full staged-reading of their work as part of Cape May Stage's Second Stage Series during the following year's Symposium.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE OFFICIAL SYMPOSIUM WEBSITE HERE.
Ken Ludwig with the 2014 NPS writers
David and Halley give feedback to the writers.
Broadway playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis gives his personal response to a participant's script.
Pulitzer finalist Amy Herzog with Shawn and Roy at the 2014 Symposium
Four-time Tony winner Terrence McNally speaks with our emerging playwrights about character and authenticity.
Shawn and Roy welcome David Ives, author of Venus in Fur.
Nicky hates to have his picture taken.
Ken Ludwig, one of the wold's most produced playwrights and a remarkable scholar of classical drama, shares his approach to writing comedy to the 2014 participants.
Broadway playwright and Pulitzer nominee Lee Blessing teaches about the art and business of playwriting.
Broadway playwright William Mastrosimone gives personal feedback about the work.
Shawn and Roy are joined by Broadway playwright John Pielmeier, author of AGNES OF GOD.
Broadway and Hollywood actor Lynn Cohen (Hunger Games, Munich, Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery) sits with Shawn. Lynn also starred in Shawn's play How To Make a Rope Swing.
Amy Herzog, author of the Pulitzer nominated 4000 Miles, listens to the thoughts of one of our participating playwrights.
Mr. Guirgis talks about the art of playwriting and his recent Broadway hit THE MOTHERF**CKER WITH THE HAT starring Chris Rock.
Pulitzer winner David Auburn (Proof) and Halley Feiffer (I'm Gonna Pray for You So Hard) join Roy and Shawn
Broadway playwright Nicky Silver chats with Roy, Chris, and Shawn.
Broadway playwright Israel Horovitz, one of the worlds most prolific writers, discusses his body of work that includes over 70 produced plays and thousands of individual productions.
David addresses the writers in 2015.
Mr. Pielmeier teaches about adaptation and the art of playwriting.
Four-time Tony winner Terrence McNally and Artistic Director Roy Steinberg listen to the work of one of our playwrights in 2014.
Israel Horovitz addresses our playwrights.
Producing Artistic Director Roy Steinberg (right) introduces Broadway playwright and Pulitzer nominee Lee Blessing (bottom left).
New York Equity Actor Ron Cohen reads monologues from the symposium participants.
Broadway playwright William Mastrosimone listens to professional actors' reading of a participants' playwriting assignment.
Mr. Mastrosimone addresses the participants.
Lee Blessing, Shawn Fisher and Roy Steinberg pose with several participants of the Symposium.
Broadway playwright John Pielmeier joins the participants for a late-night reading and feedback session at the local coffee house.
The beautifully restored Robert Shackleton Playhouse, home of Cape May Stage.
Participants discuss the development of a script.
Participants share scenes and feedback during a late-night reading session.