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New Work Development & Submissions

For over 25 years, Geva Theatre has been committed to developing new American plays and musicals. Since 1997, Geva has produced more than 30 world premieres, 1 North American premiere, and 2 commercial Off-Broadway transfers. There have been more than 145 subsequent productions around the country and the globe of Geva-born plays and musicals. More than 380 full-length or short works have received readings and/or workshops as part of Geva’s new work development programs.

In Season 50, Geva began the Artist in Residence program, wherein Geva engages a BIPOC artist for a two-year residency. In the first year, Geva features their work onstage, commissions a new work, and supports the development of a work-in-process. This program is an essential part of Geva’s vision. Our Artist in Residence program firmly centers BIPOC artists in the decision-making process at Geva by including them in Senior Leadership, Strategic Planning, and in Season Planning. The Artists in Residence at Geva will overlap with each other for a year during their residencies, which encourages long-term collaboration between Geva’s staff, community, and the artists themselves.

Current Artists in Residence include Harrison David Rivers (2022-2024) and Baron Vaughn (2023-2025). Harrison David Rivers’ first production at Geva was we are continuous, online as part of Recognition Radio in the 2020-2021 season and in-person in the 2022-2023 season; Baron Vaughn will perform and curate his comedy series, The Work Out Room, throughout the 2023-2024 season. 

Geva’s new play programming has received financial support from local, regional, and national funders including the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, AT&T, The Flanders Group, the Mary S. Mulligan Charitable Trust, the Dramatists Guild Fund and the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.

New Work Development at Geva is led by Fiona Kyle, Literary Manager and Artistic Associate. At Geva, she has dramaturged Jane Eyre, Dial M for Murder, and Newtown, and was the associate dramaturg for Russian Troll Farm

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa: Based on a Totally True Story

Christina Anderson+

Tanya Barfield: Chat (co-commission with Primary Stages in NYC)

John Belluso: Pyretown

Gregg Coffin & Bookwriter TBA: Maggie, A Girl of the Streets

Eisa Davis: The History of Light

Gabriel Jason Dean: Heartland

David Dabbon: TBA

Keith Glover: Revival: The Resurrection of Son House

Prince Gomolvilas: Panorama

Kirsten Greenidge+

Rickerby Hinds: One Size Fits All

Chisa Hutchinson+

Naomi Iizuka: Garuda’s Wing

Julie Jensen: Cheat

Bob Devin Jones: Clarissa Street Reunion

Julia Jordan: A Good Year for Begonias

Carter Lewis: The One-Eyed Man Is King, Women Who Steal

Michele Lowe: Good on Paper

Kira Obolensky: Russian Soul and All is Well in the Kingdom of Nice

Dan O’Brien: The House at Hydesville, based on the story of the Fox Sisters, early celebrities of the Modern Spiritualist Movement

Brian Quijada+

Harrison David Rivers+*: TBA

Mat Smart: The Agitators: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass

Catherine Trieschmann: Dangerous Dress

Universes: Africantic

Baron Vaughn*: TBA

Elyzabeth Wilder: Looks Like Pretty

* Indicates Artist in Residence

+ Indicates Commission via Recognition Radio: An Audio Play Festival Celebrating Black Voices

Creative Producer Esther Winter

The Resurrection of Michelle Morgan (Christina Anderson)

Feeding Beatrice (Kirsten Greenidge)

The Bleeding Class (Chisa Hutchinson)

we are continuous (Harrison David Rivers)

2023-2024

Newtown by Dan O’Brien

2022-2023

Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy by Sarah Gancher

2021-2022

Somewhere Over the Border by Brian Quijada

2018-2019

Hard Cell by Brent Askari

The Magician’s Daughter by Lila Rose Kaplan

Revival: The Resurrection of Son House by Keith Glover

2017-2018

The Agitators: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass by Mat Smart

Heartland by Gabriel Jason Dean

One House Over by Catherine Treischmann (co-production with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre)

2016-2017

Other than Honorable by Jamie Pachino

2014-2015

Women in Jeopardy! by Wendy MacLeod

Katherine’s Colored Lieutenant by Nora Cole

The Road to Where by Cass Morgan

2013-2014

All Your Questions Answered by Greg Kotis

Informed Consent by Deborah Zoe Laufer

Tinker to Evers to Chance by Mat Smart

2010-2011

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted by Mark Cuddy and Gregg Coffin

2008-2009

The House In Hydesville by Dan O’Brien

2007-2008

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, adapted by Marge Betley and Mark Cuddy

2006-2007

Lost and Foundling by Eric R. Pfeffinger

2005-2006

A Marvelous Party, The Noel Coward Celebration, devised by David Ira Goldstein, Carl J. Danielsen, Mark Anders and Patricia Wilcox

The Road Home: Re-Membering America by Marc Wolf

Iron Kisses by James Still

Splitting Infinity by Jamie Pachino

2004-2005

Key West by Dan O’Brien

That Was Then by Gerard Stembridge (*American premiere)

2003-2004

Pyretown by John Belluso

All Is Well in the Kingdom of Nice by Kira Obolensky

Five Course Love by Gregg Coffin

2002-2003

Theophilus North by Matthew Burnett, based on the novel by Thornton Wilder; co-production with Arena Stage in Washington, DC

September Shoes by José Cruz González

2000-2001

Convenience by Gregg Coffin

1998-1999

The One-Eyed Man is King by Carter W. Lewis

1997-1998

Famous Orpheus by OyamO, collaboration with Garth Fagan Dance

Submissions at Geva Theatre

Producing and Developing Singular Theatrical Experiences

We are looking for bold, theatrical voices and are passionate about supporting the craft of both emerging and established writers in service of our commitment to developing new work for the American theatre.

Geva Theatre Submissions

Geva Theatre accepts submissions of full-length plays, musicals, translations, and adaptations for production on our stages. Currently, we are not accepting unsolicited submissions for these opportunities from unrepresented writers. Playwrights with professional representation may have their agents send full manuscripts at any time. Please note that lawyers and law firms do not qualify as professional representation.

All writers from (currently living or having lived in) the Rochester area, regardless of professional representation, are welcome to submit work.

The purpose and power of the theatrical event has always been to come together in the theatre and discover a new understanding of ourselves. By developing and producing work that explores and celebrates the human experience, we engage in a dialogue about what it means to be human, what it means to be an American and what it means to be a global citizen, in the 21st century.

We try to stay open to a diversity of aesthetic, topic, and approach, but submissions that we are interested in frequently share some of the following characteristics: 

  • Strength and depth of writing which would indicate that this is not the first draft of the play
  • Strong. interesting characters that offer actors something to explore, and rich relationships between the characters onstage
  • A compelling narrative which presents a new story, or a new take on a familiar tale
  • Smart, compelling use of language
  • Action which befits a story told onstage, rather than on film or in print

Before submitting a title for consideration, you may wish to consider the list of shows we have commissioned or produced, as an indication of the kind of work we are likely to produce. 

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How to Submit

We are currently only able to accept scripts from agents or literary representatives and we request that those submissions be sent to
literary@gevatheatre.org.

If you have any questions about our current policies, please email literary@gevatheatre.org. We are constantly reading submissions at Geva Theatre, but due to staff capacity it may take several months before we’re able to respond to your submission. We are grateful for your patience as we endeavor to give our full attention to every title that has been submitted to us!