Great Plains Theatre Common's official New Play Festival playwright announcement for 2026. Image sourced from Great Plains Theatre Commons.
By Kaydon Webber
From Page to Stage: GPTC Hosts 2026 New Play Festival
May 22nd, 2026
The Great Plains Theatre Commons (GPTC) is hosting its 21st annual New Play Festival. This festival provides an opportunity for playwrights across the country to workshop their shows and gain newfound visibility in the theatre world. This year’s festival saw the submission of nearly 800 original plays, with the final roster consisting of 10 exceptional pieces. Managing Director of GPTC, Quinn Corbin, says, “Our major areas are New York City and the LA area, but we also have a lot of people from Chicago, Minneapolis, and sometimes the hubs where there’s grad programs like Austin.”
With a wide variety of perspectives, this year’s New Play Festival is featuring shows that are distinctly theatre-based, with one script even featuring onstage magic. Throughout the week of May 24, GPTC will conduct play readings and design showcases that flesh out and expand upon the concepts within the selected scripts. “If there’s a moment that’s particularly touching, seeing if it’s landing with the audience is a really helpful part of the process for them,” says Corbin. “As soon as it gets out of the page, it becomes a very communal experience.”
This festival is also providing opportunities for local talent to collaborate on new work. Corbin says, “And we hire approximately 100 [actors] a year. And that’s not even scratching the surface of everyone who is a talent in town.” Many shows that have been featured at the Great Plains Theatre Commons have eventually been acquired by local theatres such as the Shelterbelt Theatre and BlueBarn Theatre for official productions. Shows such as Men on Boats and You Will Get Sick are recent examples of past GPTC New Play Festival productions that were later staged locally.
The Great Plains Theatre Commons’ 2026 New Play Festival will take place from May 24 to May 30. More information can be found at gptcplays.com.
Ten Selected Playwrights / Shows
- Aster Aguilar – Transition (or The Electrolysis Play)
- Claire Crowley – The Scouts of America Don’t Sell Cookies, B*tch
- Brynne Frauenhoffer – Disillusioned
- Chandler Hubbard – Headless Nebraska
- Kandace James – This Is How You Capture the Light
- Alexis Elisa Macedo – Untitled Superhero Play
- Daaria Miyeko Marinelli – Beautiful Blessed Child
- Eric Schabla – Escape Velocity
- Megan Tabaque – The Rink at the End of the World
- Sharifa Yazmeen – Bone by Bone
