Apply for the new stages Residency
New Stages Residency
Goodman Theatre’s New Stages Residency is a year-long program for Chicago-area generative artists. Established in 2010, the program supports multiple writers each season, offering tailored developmental support for works-in-progress and fostering close connections between Goodman staff and Chicago artists.
2025-26 New Stages Residency Call for Applications
The 2025-26 New Stages Residency will support two Chicago-based playwrights or teams of generative artists for a yearlong residency at Goodman Theatre. Each artist/team will receive a stipend of $10,000 as well as up to $10,000 to put towards their creative work-in-progress and professional development. Residents will be embedded in the Goodman’s artistic staff for the season, with writing space at the theatre and invitations to Goodman artistic meetings, events, rehearsals, and more.
Application:
Artistic statement – one paragraph
- What drives you as an artist? What’s exciting about the work that you make? This should be brief – think elevator pitch, not essay.
Residency proposal
- Prompt: How can we best support your artistic development and work over the course of the season? Assume that you have one year, up to $10,000 in development funds, and the support of the Goodman in casting, contracting, networking, producing, etc. See the Q&A for more details on the scope of proposals.
Budget
- Please include a rough budget for your proposal. We understand that the numbers will be estimates and that plans may shift—but we want to see how you’d think about allocating funding for the projects described in your proposal.
Writing sample – 2 full length scripts
- These can be completed scripts or works in progress. If your proposal includes development of scripts-in-progress, those scripts should be included in your writing sample.
- The scripts submitted should give us a good idea of your writing. Scripts previously submitted to the Goodman can be re-sent if they best illustrate the quality of your work and potential to carry out the projects you pitch.
- PLEASE do not write new scripts for this application. If you do not have two scripts ready to go, this is likely not the right opportunity for you at this time.
- If your work is not best reflected in written form, please feel free to send videos, tracks, or whatever media best captures your creations.
Writing/creative resume
This Residency is intended to help Chicago writers take a big step forward in their art and careers and is not intended for very early-career artists. Writers or generative artists across theatrical genres are encouraged to apply; but applicants should have had at least two full-length works produced (school productions count) or equivalent professional experience. If applying as part of a team, please submit a joint proposal and budget, with separate artistic statements, resumes, and 1-2 scripts from each applicant.
All applicants should be based in the Chicago area and able to travel to the Goodman at least once a month for meetings. (Secondary collaborators on your project proposals may be based anywhere; but all artists applying to be New Stages Residents should be in or near Chicago.)
We are considering proposals from alums of the Playwrights Unit, New Stages Residency, and Future Labs. Women, writers of color, trans and non-binary writers, and writers with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications are due by 5pm on Friday, July 11. Please send materials to literary@goodmantheatre.org with “New Stages Residency 2025” in the subject line.
Q&A
Why is the New Stages Residency changing?
Chicago’s theatre landscape—and the needs of its writers—are always evolving. We’ve asked New Stages alums and playwrights across Chicago what kind of support they would value most. A clear takeaway was that there’s a need for more expansive support of each writer’s artistic growth, coupled with development processes that are tailored to the specific needs and timelines of each project. This reworked Residency reflects how we feel we can best meet those needs.
What can the Residency’s $10,000 in development funds be used for?
A substantive portion of the funding should go towards developing or workshopping new theatre pieces. This could involve multiple workshops of one brand new piece, readings of multiple extant pieces, extended generative time with a group of collaborators, etc. A successful proposal will be specific about the projects in development and the potential needs of each and allocate budgetary resources accordingly.
Development funds can also be used for compensating collaborators, research, travel, theatre tickets, and conference fees (this list is non-exhaustive). All $10,000 of the funding does not need to be used, and none of it may go directly towards paying yourself.
Ultimately, we’re interested in what the Goodman can provide that will best foster the development of your artistic work and career, and we’ll work with you to craft a plan. Residency projects and final budgets will be based on your proposal and decided in conversation with the Director of New Works.
Can you give me a few examples of possible projects?
Sure! With the disclaimer that these are non-exhaustive starting points…
Example 1: I’m writing a musical with an out-of-town collaborator. I want to bring them to Chicago for two workshops: one table read (plus a few days of conversation) and one longer workshop in which we can stage a few numbers to learn how movement/choreography works in this piece. I’d like the Goodman video team to capture those numbers so that I can share them when I’m pitching this piece in the future. If the Goodman is producing a new musical during the season, I would like to have a formal observership in the room so that I can learn how new musical development works in a LORT space.
Example 2: I have three plays in progress that could use finishing workshops. PLAY 1: I’d like a series of one-day workshops to try out a few different endings to my newest piece. Getting to read each version in front of a small audience would be helpful. PLAY 2: There’s a specific actor I’ve imagined as the lead and I’d love to hear the piece with her in that role—and to get her feedback on the character. PLAY 3: This piece is a stylistic departure for me and needs a weeklong workshop with a director to help me figure out whether my approach is working.
Example 3: I’m starting a new play this year and would like a monthly deadline and check-in about my progress. This piece requires some very specific research. I will hire a part-time research assistant and devote part of my funding towards research-related travel. I also plan to set aside payments for interview subjects, as well as an expert consultant in a relevant subject area. I will want to hear the play periodically throughout the year but may not be ready for a formal workshop.
Example 4: My collaborator and I have an idea for a Theatre for the Very Young piece. We want to work with a group of teaching artists and children in the target age group (2-5 years of age) at intervals throughout the year to develop the piece and see how the children interact with the material we have. We would also like to attend a Theatre for the Very Young conference to deepen our awareness of current trends in the field.
What does a workshop cost?
That depends on the contract used, the host institution, and many other details. For the purposes of this proposal here is a sample budget for a three-day workshop:
SAMPLE THREE-DAY WORKSHOP BUDGET
| ROLE |
# |
TOTAL |
| Director |
1 |
$500 |
| Actors |
6 |
$2,640 |
| Stage Directions |
1 |
$440 |
| Production Assistant |
1 |
$440 |
| Travel for out-of-town artist |
1 |
$860 |
| Housing for four nights |
1 |
$500 |
| TOTAL |
|
$5,380 |
We understand that your budget will be a very rough draft and will work with Residents to craft a project budget.
Can I propose workshopping a piece that is under commission or being developed by another theatre?
The primary goal of this Residency is to embed Chicago writers at the Goodman and support them and their work wholistically, rather than to develop work specifically for Goodman stages. With that said, the Goodman will ask for a right of first refusal for pieces developed during the Residency.
Do I have to be a playwright?
This Residency is open to generative artists, meaning that you should be someone leading the process of creating material for new, story-based theatrical work. This often means that you’re a playwright; but you might also be a composer, a choreographer with a strong narrative impulse, the head of a devising company, or a teaching artist who works with young people to create stories drawn from their experiences.
Can I apply as part of a team?
One Residency slot can be split among multiple collaborators if you are jointly developing the proposed project and all parties are actively involved in shaping the material (e.g. a writer/composer or a writer/director team working together on a piece from its inception). You may decide how to allocate the $10,000 stipend between you.
What are the expectations of Residents’ time?
Residents will be invited to weekly Artistic staff meetings, production meet & greets, Goodman opening nights, and various events throughout the year. They will take part in the selection process for the following season’s New Stages Residents.
Residents are invited to serve as artistic ambassadors of the Goodman to the Chicago theatre community, including seeing work on the Goodman’s behalf, reading and pitching scripts, and taking on paid artistic work at the Goodman as desired—but this is an invitation, not a requirement.
What if I have a day job?
We ask that you are able to come to the Goodman in person at least one day a month for a few hours, as in-person fellowship remains an important part of being in community. However, we understand that you’re a busy human with many commitments and are therefore making our support as flexible and customized as possible.
What counts as “based in Chicago”?
This Residency is intended for Chicago-area writers. Ask yourself: are you currently a part of Chicago’s theatrical ecosystem (however much or little you’re working in it)? Residents are not required to be in Chicago year-round (we see you, “bicoastal” artists), but should call Chicago home for substantive amounts of time throughout the year. See the note above about monthly presence at the Goodman.
Who will be evaluating my application?
Applications will be read by a team of Goodman’s artistic staff members and artistic affiliates. If you are a New Stages Residency or Playwrights Unit alum and are NOT interested in applying this year but want to serve as a paid evaluator for this, please reach out to Kat for more details.
