Seven Devils New Play Foundry supports the development of plays that embrace the diverse landscape of the American experience. By offering work for free and asking audiences to participate in the development process, Seven Devils empowers artists and audiences to have a greater stake in each other’s success; creates opportunities for dialogue that broadens our understanding of ourselves and others; and fuels the creation of work that reflects, challenges, and celebrates us.
Our largest project...
Seven Devils New Play Foundry supports the development of plays that embrace the diverse landscape of the American experience. By offering work for free and asking audiences to participate in the development process, Seven Devils empowers artists and audiences to have a greater stake in each other’s success; creates opportunities for dialogue that broadens our understanding of ourselves and others; and fuels the creation of work that reflects, challenges, and celebrates us.
Our largest project is Seven Devils Playwrights Conference.
History: The Seven Devils New Play Foundry is a 26-year-old play development organization that has developed 260+ new plays, by Pulitzer Prize-winners, emerging writers, high school students and everything in between, through a variety of programs aimed at supporting and empowering playwrights to do their best work free from the pressures and concerns of full production.
Founded in 1997 by Sheila McDevitt as id Theatre, the company began to shift its focus from production to play development in 2001 when it joined forces with Jeni Mahoney and Paula Marchiel to launch Seven Devils Playwrights Conference. For more than a decade, Mahoney, McDevitt and Marchiel led the company which expanded to include a number of projects in support of new work, including: the Sit In NYC! reading series at Jimmy’s No. 43 in New York City, Bridgeworks (direct support to playwrights producing their own work), the idIOTS-at-Play writers group, and Private Idaho and Private New Hampshire retreats.
In 2020, id started doing business as Seven Devils New Play Foundry; a name that is in clearer alignment with its efforts.
More than 50% of the plays developed as Seven Devils have gone on to full production on Broadway and at venues around the country and overseas, and its high school program has developed and presented the work of over 100 McCall, Idaho high school students.