The National New Play Network is the country’s alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production and continued life of new plays. NNPN strives to pioneer, implement and disseminate ideas and programs that revolutionize the way theaters collaborate to support new plays and playwrights.

Since its founding in 1998, the National New Play Network has supported nearly 150 productions nationwide through its innovative Continued Life of New Plays Fund, which creates NNPN Rolling World Premieres of new plays; granted more than a million dollars to its Member theaters, their staffs and affiliated artists; and provided hundreds of playwrights and other theater-makers with developmental workshops, commissions and paid residencies. Now, after 17 seasons, hundreds of thousands of audience members around the world have seen plays that were created and honed with support from NNPN.

NNPN’s Four Core Values

• New plays are vital to the cultural health of our communities and our nation.
• Playwrights who speak with unique, essential and influential voices deserve to be championed.
• Diversity across all definitions, throughout our Network and its members, strengthens us and the field.
• Collaboration at all levels and among all parties is indispensable to the creation of new plays.

NNPN’s CLNPF has championed the Rolling World Premiere of 50 new plays with more than one million dollars in support. With a minimum of three productions in a single year, these plays attain the momentum needed to join the repertoire of frequently-produced new American works. Plays that have completed their Rolling World Premieres have received more than 250 subsequent productions and hundreds of citations in their local markets, been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and have recently won the Steinberg/ATCA, Stavis, Pen Center and Blackburn Awards.