About PlayFest

Orlando Shakes PlayFest is a two week long annual festival that provides a place for writers, theater professionals, and audiences to connect and share ideas that promote thought-provoking stories. Audiences experience staged readings of six new works over two weekends and participate in the development of new plays, conversing with playwrights, directors, and actors while absorbing groundbreaking new works.

Over the years, the festival has introduced over 182 new works to regional and nationwide audiences, including LaDarrion William’s Boulevard of Bold Dreams, Rachel Lynett’s Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry (You Too, August Wilson), Eliana Pipe’s Bite Me, Idris Goodwin’s What’s Best For The Children, Inda Craig-Galvan’s Welcome To Matteson!, Greg Lam’s Repossessed, Vincent Terrell Durham’s Polar Bears, Black Boys, and Prairie-Fringed Orchids, Deborah Brevoort’s My Lord, What a Night, Karen Zacarias’ Native Gardens, and Lauren Gunderson’s Ada and the Engine. Out of those readings, we have produced over 20 new plays in our mainstage season. Many PlayFest plays have also received productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. Most PlayFest alumni have since been published, received critical acclaim, and awards for their work.

Orlando Shakes is a core member of the National New Play Network, a nationwide organization devoted to developing new work through the New Play Exchange, rolling world premieres, the Producer-in-Residence Program, and annual conferences. Orlando Shakes prides itself on active participation within the national new play community while engaging its local audiences in the latest and greatest in playwriting.