National New Play Network
Performing ArtsDistrict of Columbia, United States11-50 Employees
National New Play Network is a performing arts organization based in Washington, DC, that serves as a collaborative alliance of nonprofit professional theaters. Its work centers on developing, producing, and sustaining new plays through programs like the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, which supports playwrights and productions across member theaters. The network also offers residencies, conferences, showcases, and competitions, along with collaborative resources and information-sharing platforms that help theaters and artists advance contemporary American theater. The NNPN serves member theaters and affiliated artists, with a broader ecosystem of playwrights, producers, and audiences engaged in new play development. Since its founding in 1998, the organization has expanded its reach to support hundreds of productions nationwide and to pioneer models of collaboration within the theater field, including access to a large catalog of plays on its New Play Exchange platform. The organization operates within the nonprofit theater sector, pursuing programming and partnerships that foster the creation and life of new plays for diverse audiences.