Epilogue: Moving Forward

How did we arrive at the current model of new play development? When did it begin? Who were the theatre artists and companies responsible? Who were the visionaries? Traditionally, new plays premiered on Broadway. This was followed by the Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway movements in the 1950s and 1960s. That rich and fascinating phase of theatre history gave way to one in which a small number of nonprofit theatres and labs became the leaders in new play development and pioneered our current model.

The transitional period from Off-Off-Broadway to the early nonprofits is underexplored and eminently worthy of study. Many of the people who created theatre during that time, some of whom I interviewed for this book, are eager ...

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