AlterTheater Ensemble

AlterLab—New Plays Developed

AlterLab is a yearlong playwright residency that supports three to five playwrights as they each write a new play. A playwright-empowered residency, AlterLab requires simply that each writer take risks, try something they haven’t done before, challenge themselves... and that they support their fellow writers. The structure of the residency is determined by the writers each year, based on what they need to accomplish their creative goals. AlterTheater commissions one playwright in each AlterLab cohort to write specifically for AlterTheater—for our ensemble of artists, for our non-traditional performance locations, for our community—and we then premiere the play they write for us.

New Plays Produced

We produce the plays we commission—our commissions include a guaranteed production. While non-commissioned Alter Lab writers are not required to write for AlterTheater, AlterTheater has first right
of refusal for the world premiere. We produce about 75% of the plays created and developed within AlterLab. And, AlterTheater has always had a commitment to new plays: we’ve produced more than 20 world premieres, and also given 2nd, 3rd, 4th productions to new plays, as well as first look productions, or workshop productions.

Mission:
AlterTheater seeks to create a more just, more equitable community by:
 supporting the creative growth of theater artists from historically underrepresented communities;
 telling stories that reflect the full complexity and diversity of our community; and
 sharing stories with our full community, in places where people are.
Founded on the principles of ensemble collaboration and artistic risk, AlterTheater is committed to new works and local artists.