Steppenwolf’s New Plays Initiative is the play developing and commissioning program that fulfills the theater’s mission to nurture artists and contribute new works to the national canon. Now in its tenth year, the program supports playwrights through a series of commissions and a full schedule of workshops, readings and productions of new plays. As a leader in American theater, Steppenwolf is proud to be a source for new play innovation and is grateful to the following organizations for their visionary support of this work:
The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, a New Plays Initiative funder since 1995, has sponsored such groundbreaking Steppenwolf productions as The Ballad of Little Jo, Purple Heart, and Man from Nebraska. The Zell Family Foundation, a Steppenwolf donor since 2000, has provided consistent support for our play development processes, from readings to workshops to productions. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation gave its first gift to the New Plays Initiative as part of its arts and culture giving program in 1996 and later made a leadership endowment gift to the program. The Vince Club Family Foundation’s gift has done much to secure the program in perpetuity. The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation has provided invaluable support for many years, including the play development workshops and extended rehearsals for Lost Land. Also, special thanks to the members of Steppenwolf’s Directors Circle for their generous support of this initiative.