Pacific Playwrights Festival
The Pacific Playwrights Festival, a national forum for playwrights and theatre leaders, is dedicated to developing and producing new American plays. It is held every summer at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California.
Within the American theatre there is an ongoing need for playwrights to have the opportunity to develop new work with the support of a community of artists. In recent years, many programs that did exist have been redirected or ended. The goal of PPF is to provide a gathering place for writers and theatre leaders to meet informally, sharing ideas and interests as new projects emerge.
The Festival includes public play readings that showcase new works by established and emerging writers, as well as two world premiere productions.
Festival history
1998Hurrah at Last by Richard Greenberg †Walking Off the Roof by Anthony Clarvoe Landlocked by Cusi Cram On the Jump by John Glore †Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn The Hollow Lands by Howard Korder †The Mechanics by Chris Van Groningen The Sins of Sor Juana by Karen Zacarias1999On the Jump by John Glore †References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot by Jose Rivera †Illuminating Veronica by Rogelio Martinez Cuchifrito by Eduardo Andino Lupe, Now! by Jonathan Ceniceroz The Beginning of August by Tom Donaghy Everett Beekin by Richard Greenberg †The Mystery of Attraction by Marlane Meyer God of Vengeance by Donald Margulies The Altruists by Nicky Silver
2000
- "The Education of Randy Newman" words and music by Randy Newman conceived by Michael Roth, Jerry Patch and Mr. Newman The End of It All by Cusi Cram †Fighting Words by Sunil Kuruvilla Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams by Nilo Cruz Vieques by Jorge Gonzalez Kimberly Akimbo by David Lindsay-Abaire †The Butterfly Collection by Theresa Rebeck †The Beard of Avon by Amy Freed †Dulce de Leche by Daniel Goldfarb Tom Walker by John Strand
2002Getting Frankie Married — and Afterwards by Horton Foote The Dazzle by Richard Greenberg 99 Histories by Julia Cho Exposed by Beth Henley †Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage †Truth and Beauty by Steven Drukman Our Boy by Julia Jordan †
2003Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage †The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow by Rolin Jones The Hiding Place by Jeff Whitty Safe in Hell by Amy Freed †Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz Sea of Tranquillity by Howard Korder †Brooklyn Boy by Donald Margulies †
2004Safe in Hell by Amy Freed †Mr. Marmalade by Noah Haidle Vesuvius by Lucinda Coxon †The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl Singing Forest by Craig Lucas Safe as Houses by Richard Greenberg
2005A Naked Girl on the Appian Way by Richard Greenberg †Vesuvius by Lucinda Coxon †Tough Titty by Oni Faida Lampley †Bossa Nova by Kirsten Greenidge †The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler by Jeff Whitty †Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire †Ridiculous Fraud by Beth Henley
2006The Studio written, directed and choreographed by Christopher d'Amboise Blue Door by Tanya Barfield Leitmotif by Victoria Stewart †Human Error by Keith Reddin Empty Sky by Sarah Treem System Wonderland by David Wiener †The Piano Teacher by Julia Cho †
2007My Wandering Boy by Julie Marie Myatt System Wonderland by David Wiener †Po' Boy Tango by Kenneth Lin †Shipwrecked! The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) — An Entertainment by Donald Margulies †Boleros for the Disenchanted by José Rivera †Our Mother's Brief Affair by Richard Greenberg †An Italian Straw Hat book and lyrics by John Strand, music by Dennis McCarthy †
2008What They Have by Kate Robin †The Injured Party by Richard Greenberg †Sunlight by Sharr White †By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage †Emilie—La Marquise du Châtelet Defends her Life at the Petit Théâtre at Cirey Tonight by Lauren Gunderson †Goldfish by John Kolvenbach †You, Nero by Amy Freed, †
2009Our Mother's Brief Affair by Richard Greenberg †Emilie—La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends her Life at the Petit Théâtre at Cirey Tonight by Lauren Gunderson †In a Garden by Howard Korder Doctor Cerberus by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa †Extraordinary Chambers by David Wiener *9 Circles by Bill Cain The Language Archive by Julia Cho
2010The Language Archive by Julia Cho Doctor Cerberus by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa †Completeness by Itamar Moses Happy Face by David West Read Between Us Chickens by Sofia Alvarez Right to the Top by Amy Freed Kin by Bathsheba Doran
2011Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson †Completeness by Itamar Moses The Prince of Atlantis by Steven Drukman How the World Began by Catherine Trieschmann The Droll by Meg Miroshnik Annapurna by Sharr White †Cloudlands book by Octavio Solis, music by Adam Gwon, lyrics by Octavio Solis and Adam Gwon †
2012The Prince of Atlantis by Steven Drukman Cloudlands book by Octavio Solis, music by Adam Gwon, lyrics by Octavio Solis and Adam Gwon †Warrior Class by Kenneth Lin You Are Here by Melissa Ross I and You by Lauren Gunderson †The Few by Samuel D. Hunter Smokefall by Noah Haidle
2013Smokefall by Noah Haidle The Parisian Woman by Beau Willimon Trudy and Max in Love by Zoe Kazan †Hope and Gravity by Michael Hollinger Fast Company by Carla Ching Reunion by Gregory S Moss Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison
2014Rest by Samuel D. Hunter Five Mile Lake by Rachel Bonds The Purple Lights of Joppa Illinois by Adam Rapp †Zealot by Theresa Rebeck Future Thinking by Eliza Clark †Mr. Wolf by Rajiv Joseph †Of Good Stock by Melissa Ross †
2015Of Good Stock by Melissa Ross †Mr. Wolf by Rajiv Joseph †Going to a Place where you Already Are by Bekah Brunstetter †The Whistleblower by Itamar Moses *Orange: An Illustrated Play by Aditi Brennan Kapil †Vietgone by Qui Nguyen †
2016Future Thinking by Eliza Clark †Office Hour by Julia Cho †A Perfect Circle by Noah Haidle Little Black Shadows by Kemp Powers Curve of Departure by Rachel Bonds †Lady Tattoo by Meg Miroshnik †Wink by Jen Silverman
2017The Siegel by Michael Mitnick A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath †Yoga Play by Dipika Guha †SHREW! by Amy Freed Anacostia Street Lions by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm Long Lost by Donald Margulies Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee †
2018SHREW! by Amy Freed Little Black Shadows by Kemp Powers Poor Yella Rednecks by Qui Nguyen †Love and Contracts by Julia Doolittle †Sheepdog by Kevin Artigue I Get Restless by Caroline V. McGraw House of Joy by Madhuri Shekar
2019Poor Yella Rednecks by Qui Nguyen †Sheepdog by Kevin Artigue Prelude to a Kiss music by Dan Messé, lyrics by Sean Hartley & Dan Messé, book by Craig Lucas †The Canadians by Adam Bock †Mask Only by Ana Nogueira †Unlikeable Heroine by Melissa Ross †Whitelisted by Chisa Hutchinson †
2020
Note: The 2020 Festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
Note: The 2021 Festival was offered exclusively in digital format, with high-quality video production, professionally filmed with a multi-camera setup.Covenant by York Walker Coleman '72 by Charlie Oh Park-e Lahleh by Shayan Lotfi Clean/Espejos by Christine Quintana Harold & Lillian book and lyrics by Dan Collins, music by Julianne Wick Davis
2022Clean/Espejos by Christine Quintana A Million Tiny Pieces by Spenser Davis †how to roll a blunt by Naomi Lorrain avaaz by Michael Shayan love you long time by Katie Do Bite Me by Eliana Pipes Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life created by Anika & Britta Johnson, music & lyrics by Anika & Britta Johnson, book by Nick Green
2023avaaz by Michael Shayan Coleman '72 by Charlie Oh Dr. Silver created by Anika & Britta Johnson, music & lyrics by Anika & Britta Johnson, book by Nick Green Chapters of a Floating Life by Clarence Coo The Staircase by Noa Gardner †Crasiss by Bleu Beckford-Burrell †Galilee, 34 written & directed by Eleanor Burgess
2024Prelude to a Kiss, The Musical music by Daniel Messé, lyrics by Sean Hartley and Daniel Messé, book by Craig Lucas †Galilee, 34 by Eleanor Burgess Meeting for Worship by Ana Nogueira †The Brothers Play by Arya Shahi Fremont Ave. by Reggie D. White An Oxford Man by Else Went You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! by Keiko Green
2024You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! by Keiko Green The Staircase by Noa Gardner †rachel, nevada by jose sebastian alberdi The Red Man by JuCoby Johnson Ten Grand by Kate Cortesi †Trip Around the Sun by Jake Brasch Eat Me by Talene Monahon
†Commissioned by South Coast Repertory