Apply for the new stages Residency

New Stages Residency

Goodman Theatre’s New Stages Residency is a year-long program for Chicago-area generative theater artists. Established in 2010, the program supports up to three theatrical projects each season, with selected artists meeting bi-monthly with the Goodman’s artistic staff and other cohort artists. Each project is awarded $7,000 and receives mid-point and final readings at the Goodman, as part of its development journey. Cohort members are also considered artists-in-residence at the theater: they are invited to opening nights, meetings, rehearsals and special events as available.

The New Stages Residency has expanded guidelines from the Playwrights Unit, and will consider any of the following types of project proposals:

• Single-author works and multiple-author works
• Non-musical and musical works (including both traditional musicals and plays with music)
• Works of different generative modalities
• Works in progress

Additionally, we are considering proposals from former members of the Playwrights Unit or New Stages Residency.

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

• be based, at least in part, in the Chicagoland area.
• be available to meet at the theater in person twice a month during business hours.
• be available for a workshop and reading of their piece in June 2025.
• have had at least one fully-produced play and/or have substantial experience in the development of new theatrical work.

If submitting a multi-author proposal, at least one member of the writing team must meet each of the above qualifications.

Women, writers of color, trans and non-binary writers, and writers with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

In response to artist feedback, the New Stages Residency is taking a new form this year! Applications for the 2025-26 New Stages Residency will be posted shortly (around June 15, 2025). Please check back for details; there will be a one-month window between posting and deadline.  

In the meantime, here’s a prompt to think over. If you had the resources of a Goodman New Stages Residency at your disposal, how would you design a yearlong process that best supports your working style and creative needs?