The New Harmony Project Announces Lineup for Annual Spring Retreat

The 2023 conference includes partnerships with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Indianapolis Shakespeare Company, and more.

The New Harmony Project (Lori Wolter Hudson, artistic director; David Hudson, executive director), an organization dedicated to supporting writers interrogating the complexity of hope, has announced the lineup for their 36th annual spring conference in idyllic New Harmony, Indiana. A group of over 50 participants will gather for residencies May 24-June 4, 2023.

Following an intensive selection process that saw over 400 applications, a diverse, 26-person, paid selection panel made recommendations for the 2023 company. The incredible group of selected artists includes Bleu Beckford Burrell (La Race), Darren Canady (Brothers of the Dust), Jessica Huang (The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin), Cheryl L. Davis (JED, 2021 Maven Screen Media Fellow), Christina Pumariega (Joan Dark), Omer Abbas Salem (Mosque4Mosque), James Still (The House that Jack Built), and Kalean Ung (Letters from Home).

Additionally, after an incredibly successful collaboration with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group in 2019 to develop King James by Rajiv Joseph, The New Harmony Project is thrilled to continue the Production in Residence program. MEXODUS by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson will be in residence ahead of a world-premiere production with Baltimore Center Stage and Mosaic Theater Company. WIPEOUT by Aurora Real de Asua will also be in residence in partnership with Chicago’s Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, and the theatrical adaptation of Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow’s book YOUR NAME IS A SONG by Shavonne Coleman and composer Eugene H. Russell IV, co-commissioned by Seattle Children’s Theatre and Alliance Theatre, will have their first workshop at the 2023 conference.

NHP will continue their multi-year partnerships with Steppenwolf Theatre Company with the development of Nancy García Loza’s new play ASCENT (or the eighth wonder), and the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival with residencies for five Michael Kanin Playwriting Award Winners and a dramaturgy fellow, who will be announced at a later date. The Project will also welcome ML Roberts in collaboration with the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company to support a new commission.

In addition to the numerous writers and partner organizations, NHP will provide on-site dramaturgical support from NHP Resident Dramaturg Phaedra Michelle Scott, in addition to Megan Monaghan Rivas (artistic director, Connecticut Repertory Theatre) and Rebecca Adelsheim (MFA, Yale School of Drama). Also, for the first time, NHP alum christina michelle watkins, LCSW, will be on-site support as the Conference Peer Wellness Consultant.

“Returning to workshopping scripts alongside our classic residencies for the first time since Covid feels fantastic! We had an overwhelming number of applicants and projects to choose from this year, and what a joy to be celebrating the 36th spring conference–David and my final program as senior leaders–with such an outstanding cohort of artists. We look forward to providing a restorative place to work, a nurturing environment to reset, and a supportive community of artists to inspire the development of new work that will change the world” says artistic director, Wolter Hudson. 

The final weekend Celebration of New Plays will run June 2nd & 3rd in New Harmony, IN, and will feature readings and events celebrating the 2023 writers and conference participants. Tickets and hotel accommodations can be purchased at newharmonyproject.org/2023

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Erika Dickerson-Despenza (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner cullud wattah, 2019 Princess Grace Award), Rajiv Joseph (King James, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner), Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet, NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour) Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Last Night and the Night Before), Vichet Chum (Bald Sisters, 2018 Princess Grace Award), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (Break Beat Play, How We Got On), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Dael Orlandersmith (After the Flood), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Matt Williams (Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (Home Improvement, Roseanne) and Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. In early 2022, The New Harmony Project adopted a new mission and strategic vision focused on building a more just, equitable, antiracist, and impactful organization. For more information visit www.newharmonyproject.org/strategic-plan. 

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.   

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David Hudson and Lori Wolter Hudson to step down from The New Harmony Project

After leading The New Harmony Project, one of the nation’s leading incubators of scripts and new works, through a five-year period of exceptional growth and transformation, David Hudson and Lori Wolter Hudson will step down from their respective roles as Executive Director and Artistic Director in June 2023, following NHP’s 36th annual conference.
 
“David and Lori have been the heart and soul of The New Harmony Project for the past five years, and we will miss them dearly as they leave their roles,” said Loui Lord Nelson and Ron Gifford, co-chairs of the board of directors.  “However, our sadness is tempered by tremendous gratitude for their incredible stewardship of The New Harmony Project over the past five years. Because of their dedication, vision, and passion, NHP is as strong and vibrant as it has ever been, and the organization is well-positioned to successfully transition with new leadership into an exciting next phase.”
 
The New Harmony Project Board of Directors has retained Artistic Logistics to conduct a national search, led by Lisa Mount and Tabitha Montgomery. Building on its strategic plan, NHP has reimagined its leadership structure and will be seeking one person to lead the organization as the Executive Artistic Director. The position profile for the Executive Artistic Director and other application information can be found at www.newharmonyproject.org/transition; applications are now being accepted. The Board expects to announce a successor by June 2023.

When David and Lori joined The New Harmony Project five years ago, they brought a combined 33 years of experience in other roles with NHP. “The New Harmony Project shaped my understanding of the creative process,” Lori stated. “I started with NHP as a college intern in 2002 and those early years were so formative to my experience as a young theatre professional. I learned the importance of a supportive, inspiring, creative environment centered on community to anchor the development of new work.” David added, “We grew up with New Harmony, and truly believe in NHP’s mission and in the notion that great writing can change the world, so making this transition is the definition of bittersweet. But as The Project moves to the next phase of implementing its new strategic plan, Lori and I are confident that new leadership will continue NHP’s journey to a bigger, brighter future.”

Under David and Lori’s leadership, The New Harmony Project increased the number of writers and artists it supports, grew annual revenues by 160% to sustain that support, and adopted an equity-centered strategic plan that committed the organization to being an antiracist institution that centers artists at the heart of new program development.
 
Since 2018, writers who have attended the annual conference in New Harmony have had their works produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Goodman Theatre, Writer’s Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, on Broadway, the West End, and at theaters across the country. Writers are also developing and producing feature films, working in writers’ rooms for award-winning television shows, and have received major accolades including the Princess Grace Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and Steinberg Playwright Awards. During this time, NHP has also established meaningful partnerships with arts organizations in Central Indiana, and with national partners including Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
 
Vichet Chum, an award-winning playwright who is also an NHP alumnus and a member of the NHP board of directors, noted that while David and Lori’s formal relationship to The New Harmony Project may be changing, their long-standing commitment to its mission is not. “I’ve known David and Lori for nearly two decades and I know how deeply they care for The New Harmony Project and its mission to nurture writers in the development of new works that interrogate the complexity of hope,” Chum noted. “They will continue to be champions and ambassadors for NHP even as they take on new roles elsewhere.”
 
David is stepping down to take a senior leadership position with Brass Jar Productions, producer of the critically-acclaimed Drunk Shakespeare, the show that David co-created with Scott Griffin, Lori Wolter Hudson and Beth Gardiner. A New York Times Critic’s Pick, Drunk Shakespeare has been running off-Broadway in New York since 2014, and has now expanded to Chicago, Washington D.C., Phoenix, and Houston. At Brass Jar Productions, David will oversee creative direction in addition to strategy and content development.
 
Lori plans to return to her personal creative work with directing and writing projects, and to continue shepherding new work as a director, dramaturg, producer and consultant. “This job has been the dream of my lifetime” she said. “As difficult as it is to step back, it’s been an incredible journey. Every parent-artist with young kids knows that with a full-time position like this there is only so much time to devote to outside projects. I’m excited to work on scripts I have in development and to spend more time in the rehearsal room again.”
 
The couple will continue to reside in Indianapolis with their two daughters, Isabel (7) and Bridget (4).
 
The New Harmony Project is a national arts organization whose mission is to nurture writers in the development of scripts and new works that interrogate the complexity of hope. Through artist-centered programming, we care for writers so they can change the world. To learn more visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

The New Harmony Project Announces Lineup for 35th Annual Spring Conference

Partnerships with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival anchor the annual spring conference

NEW HARMONY, INDIANA

The New Harmony Project (Lori Wolter Hudson, Artistic Director; David Hudson, Executive Director), an organization dedicated to supporting writers interrogating the complexity of hope, has announced that they will continue in-person programming with their 35th annual spring conference in idyllic New Harmony, Indiana. A group of over 40 participants will gather for residencies May 25-June 5, 2022.

Following an intensive selection process that saw hundreds of applications, a diverse, 26-person, paid selection panel made recommendations for the 2022 company. The incredible group of selected artists includes Karina Billini (2144 South St., Faded: A Calypso), Mike Elsherif (The Reel, City Strays), Ramón Esquivel (The Hero Twins: Blood Race, Above Between Below), Kareem Fahmy (American Fast, A Distinct Society), Velina Hasu Houston (Tea, Path of Dreams), jk jk (Catalina La O Presenta: Now With Me, always boy), Garrett David Kim (Are You There Truman? It’s Me, Just Another Guy Who Grew Up Secretly Worshiping Your Chiseled Porn Star Body Online, And Now I Think I Love You), Nancy Ma (Home), and Christina Watkins (kumrads won't). Two writers selected for NHP’s 2020 conference, Amy Evans (Jet Fuel, The Champion) and Dan O’Brien (The Body of an American, The House in Scarsdale), were unable to join for the rescheduled conference in 2021 and will also be in residence this spring. 

In addition to on-site dramaturgical support from Megan Monaghan Rivas (artistic director, Connecticut Repertory Theatre), writers were offered the opportunity to bring a collaborator of their choice to New Harmony for their residency. NHP looks forward to welcoming composer/sound artist Avi Amon, writer/director/cinematographer JohnBen Lacy, director/curator Nicky Maggio, director Marya Mazor, writer John McManus, director/dramaturg Christian Parker, illustrator Juliana Rose, and director Steven Wilson.

“We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 35th conference with such an amazing cohort of artists! We found our way to this fantastic group of writers while we were deep in the strategic planning process and the resulting 2022 company is a gorgeous reflection of our freshly articulated mission and values. We look forward to providing a restorative place to work, a nurturing environment to reset, and a supportive community of artists to inspire the development of new work that will change the world” says artistic director, Wolter Hudson. 

Additionally, following an incredibly successful collaboration with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group in 2019 to develop King James by Rajiv Joseph, The New Harmony Project is thrilled to again partner with Steppenwolf to bring a cohort of commissioned playwrights and ensemble members to New Harmony. The list of writers includes Ngozi Anyanwu (Good Grief, The Homecoming Queen) and Lucy Thurber (The Town Hill Plays), in addition to Steppenwolf Ensemble Members Jon Michael Hill (Elementary, Pass Over), Kate Arrington (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Mare of Easttown), and founding member Terry Kinney (Billions, Inventing Anna). Director of New Play Development Polly Hubbard (King James) will provide dramaturgical support. 

The New Harmony Project is also pleased to announce a continued partnership with the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. They plan to host five Michael Kanin Playwriting Award Winners and a dramaturgy fellow during the conference, who will be announced at a later date. 

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Erika Dickerson-Despenza (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner cullud wattah, 2019 Princess Grace Award), Rajiv Joseph (King James, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner), Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet, NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour) Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Last Night and the Night Before), Vichet Chum (Bald Sisters, 2018 Princess Grace Award), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (Break Beat Play, How We Got On), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Dael Orlandersmith (After the Flood), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Matt Williams (Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (Home Improvement, Roseanne) and Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project expanded its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and just completed a strategic planning process that outlines the organization’s desire to become a more just, equitable, antiracist, and impactful New Harmony Project. For more information visit www.newharmonyproject.org/strategic-plan. To become involved in their upcoming programming development process sign up at www.newharmonyproject.org/program-development. 

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

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The New Harmony Project Announces Bold New Vision for the Future

The New Harmony Project (Lori Wolter Hudson, Artistic Director; David Hudson, Executive Director), an organization dedicated to nurturing writers whose work interrogates the complexity of hope, has unveiled a bold and ambitious new vision for the future. Through an extensive nine-month planning process, the board of directors, staff, and stakeholders crafted a detailed multi-year strategic plan, adopted a new mission, and articulated a set of values focused on the prioritization of people who make up their community.

The planning process, led by Lisa Mount & Sam Morreale of Artistic Logistics and Keryl McCord of Equity Quotient, began in March of 2021 with a series of training sessions focused on dismantling racism. Over the course of the year, board, staff, and stakeholders gathered to brainstorm new and exciting opportunities for The New Harmony Project to grow and expand. 

“For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has supported and nurtured brilliant writers from across the country,” says Executive Director, David Hudson. “We are thrilled to begin our next chapter by embracing the opportunity to build space for writers, artists, and communities that have been systemically excluded. By centering people first and foremost, we have a chance to change the who in order to change the what and how.”

As part of the process, The New Harmony Project adopted a new mission statement that recognizes and celebrates the many ways that hope can manifest in stories for the stage and screen:

The New Harmony Project is a national arts organization whose mission is to nurture writers in the development of scripts and new works that interrogate the complexity of hope. Through artist-centered programming, we care for writers so they can change the world. 

The New Harmony Project has already begun to realize its newly adopted strategic vision through a series of exciting events, including the addition of six new board members, two new full-time staff, a pivot to paid reader opportunities, and programs that provided majority support in 2021 and 2022 to writers and artists from systemically excluded and/or underrepresented communities. More details and the full strategic plan can be found online at newharmonyproject.org/strategic-plan. 

The next phase of The New Harmony Project’s work will center on building responsive, community-centered programs that meet the needs of writers, artists, and audiences in Central Indiana and across the United States. A series of public town halls will launch that process in May of 2022, and anyone with a passion for the development of new works for the stage and screen are invited to participate at newharmonyproject.org/program-development.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Erika Dickerson-Despenza (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner cullud wattah, 2019 Princess Grace Award), Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner), Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet, NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, King James), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Last Night and the Night Before), Vichet Chum (Bald Sisters, 2018 Princess Grace Award), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Dopesick), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (Break Beat Play, How We Got On), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Dael Orlandersmith (After the Flood), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Matt Williams (Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (Home Improvement, Roseanne) and Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project began to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country. 

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

The New Harmony Project Welcomes Six Accomplished New Board Members

February 3, 2022 (Indianapolis, IN) - The New Harmony Project (NHP) is proud to announce the appointment of six new members to its board of directors. Founded in 1986, NHP is a national arts organization that supports writers and artists who strive to make the world a better place through the power of positive storytelling.

“It will be a groundbreaking year ahead,” states David Hudson, NHP Executive Director. “The addition of our six new board members will enhance the implementation of our newly-approved strategic plan that focuses on antiracism, equity and diversity in every aspect of our work.”

“The synergy from the new strategic plan, coupled with our new and current board members will create a deep, transformative experience for our writers, donors and audiences.”

Each new board member is appointed to a three year term, beginning January 2022, and includes the following individuals: 

José Cruz González’s (he/him) plays include Pia’s Wondrous Adventures in Tlaxlandia (in development), If by Chance, (South Coast Repertory commission), The Extraordinary ZLuna Captures the World (Denver Center Theatre Company commission), Under a Baseball Sky (The Old Globe commission), American Mariachi (Arizona Theatre Company, Dallas Theater Center, Denver Center Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory, The Goodman Theatre, The Old Globe), Sunsets & Margaritas (Denver Center Theatre Company, Theatre Works), September Shoes (Geva Theatre), The San Patricios (PCPA), Among the Darkest Shadows (Wharton Center for Performing Arts), The Long Road Today (South Coast Repertory), The Magic Kite (Children’s Theatre of Charlotte), The Sun Serpent (Childsplay), Super Cow Girl and Mighty Miracle (Metro Theater Company).

Mr. González was selected as one of the inaugural 2022 Kennedy Center’s Next 50, a new initiative celebrating cultural leadership with 50 trailblazing leaders and organizations. Mr. González was also a grantee of the 2021 ReImagine: New Plays in TYA, a joint effort of the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America, The Kennedy Center, TYA/USA and Write Now to support in part the development of Pia’s Wondrous Adventures in Tlaxlandia in partnership with In Other People’s Shoes.

He is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Professor Emeritus at California State University Los Angeles, The Dramatists Guild of America and TYA/USA, and a board member of The New Harmony Project, dedicated to a desire to support stories of hope, optimism, and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Donnetta Lavinia Grays (she/her) is a Brooklyn based playwright-actor from Columbia, SC. Plays include Where We Stand, Last Night and the Night Before, Laid to Rest, and The Review or How to Eat Your Opposition among others. She’s received The Whiting Award for Drama, The Helen Merrill Playwright Award, NTC’s Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwright Award, Lilly Award, Todd McNerney National Playwriting Award, and the Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award. She is also a Lucille Lortel, Drama League, and AUDELCO Award Nominee. Commissions include Steppenwolf, Denver Center, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, WP Theater, and True Love Productions. 

Lily Houghton (she/her) is a playwright born and raised in New York City. Her plays have been produced/developed at theaters such as MCC Theater Company, Atlantic Theater Company, The Flea Theater, EST/Youngblood, NYU, Seattle Repertory Theater, Normal Ave, Contemporary American Theater Festival/Shepherd University, The 52nd Street Project and the Jermyn Street Theatre in London. She is currently developing a pilot with Amazon Studios.

Eric Kilbride (he/him) has been working with non-profit leaders, youth workers, young people and their communities across the US and around the world to improve the opportunities and support young people and their families need to thrive for more than 20 years. He developed Community YouthMapping as an international community and youth engagement strategy to collect, analyze and disseminate information in a myriad of subject areas. He also established Youth MakerSpaces as co-design, collaboration spaces within communities, and provided training and technical assistance in Youth Employment and Livelihood, Social Justice, Workforce Development, STEM, Leadership and Civil Society. Eric is a passionate advocate for the Arts, especially locally with involvement in The New Harmony Project, the Indianapolis Arts Center, First Fridays and several theaters.

Daria Miyeko Marinelli (they/she) is a Japanese-Italian playwright who writes about the nearly impossible long-con, outcasts and underdogs trying to honor the wildness of their hearts, and the things we take for fact that are really just cultural mythology. Their plays include Ravenous, A Departure, Beautiful Blessed Child, and This is Not What I Expected When I Imagined a Republic. Mx. Marinelli has developed work with SPACE on Ryder Farm, The Playwright’s Realm, The New Harmony Project, Fault Line Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, and Roundabout Theatre. Based in LA, Daria has helped develop work with Cirque du Soleil and is currently developing a pilot about eco-defenders.

Tlaloc Rivas (he/him) is a writer, director, dramaturg, and producer based in Connecticut (ancestral lands of the Mohegan, Nipmuc, and Pequot people) and has worked extensively as a stage director, teaching artist, and facilitator all over the country. He recently joined the department of Theatre Studies at the University of Connecticut as Associate Professor in Residence. Before UConn, he held a residency with the Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama as the inaugural Presidential Postdoctoral Presidential Fellow.

Tlaloc has more than 25 years of working professionally at various organizations, schools, and institutions. He has extensively trained in the performing arts, EDI, and Antiracist ​practices with a passion for inclusion, justice, and the arts.

As a playwright, Tlaloc has written Johanna: Facing Forward (premiered at Cleveland Public Theatre); Divisadero (developed at The New Harmony Project); Maypearl (premiered at St. Edward’s University), Kaliban: Waterloo, IA (a New Now commission from Lauren Gunderson); Take What You Can Carry (developed at La MaMa Umbria International Playwriting Retreat); Byzantine (10-min play); and Purslane (a commissioned monologue from City Theatre Company).

Now Accepting Applications for the 2022 Spring Conference!

Following an incredibly successful, in-person conference in August of 2021, The New Harmony Project is seeking a diverse cohort of applicants for a two-week residency in May of 2022.

The New Harmony Project announced today that it is accepting applications for the 2022 Spring Conference, to be held May 23 - June 5, 2022. Since 1986, the secluded town of New Harmony, Indiana has hosted artists from around the world for two weeks of dedicated script development. Over the course of the conference, The New Harmony Project offers a retreat from the outside world and space for writers to fully immerse themselves in their work. The peaceful serenity of New Harmony, the site of two former utopian societies, is a world away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

The 2022 conference will provide resident writers with an opportunity to invite a collaborator of their choosing to join the company of artists along the banks of the Wabash River. During the course of the retreat, writers and artists are provided full room, board, transportation, and a modest stipend for their time, and no artist has any out of pocket expense. Writers are provided time and space to reflect and rejuvenate, informal salons to share works in process, and support and care from The New Harmony Project’s staff and team. 2021 participant Erika Dickerson-Despenza describes The New Harmony Project as, “A place and community of love and care where one can simply be, write and be some more!”

Applications are being accepted online through December 3rd at newharmonyproject.org/apply, and interested applicants are encouraged to visit the website for full details and information. There is no application fee. The New Harmony Project recognizes that it is a historically white organization, and is committed to becoming more equitable, just, and antiracist. The 2022 conference will reflect our commitment to create a meaningful community of belonging. To ensure that “no person is an island,” The New Harmony Project will ask writers to provide information about their identity in addition to the full application. 

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy Winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Rajiv Joseph (King James, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), Erika Dickerson-Despenza (cullud wattah), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Danny Strong (Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Manhunt), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Isaac Gómez (I am not your Perfect Mexican Daughter), Vichet Chum (Bald Sisters), Dan O’Brien (The Body of an American), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way the Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), James Still (four-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session), Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar, Bernhardt/Hamlet), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers), Matt Williams (five-time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (three-time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), and numerous others.

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For 36 years, The Project has inspired a community of artists dedicated to this mission, motivated by a desire to support stories of hope, optimism, and the resiliency of the human spirit. The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit newharmonyproject.org, or follow us on social media.

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The New Harmony Project to Receive $20,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

Indianapolis, IN — The New Harmony Project has been approved for a $20,000 Grants for Arts Projects award to support the 2022 Annual Conference. This project will allow writers from across the country to gather in New Harmony, Indiana to develop their hope-filled stories for the stage and screen. NHP’s project is among the more than 1,100 projects across America totaling nearly $27 million that were selected during this second round of Grants for Arts Projects fiscal year 2021 funding.

 “As the country and the arts sector begin to imagine returning to a post-pandemic world, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to announce funding that will help arts organizations such as The New Harmony Project reengage fully with partners and audiences,” said NEA Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “Although the arts have sustained many during the pandemic, the chance to gather with one another and share arts experiences is its own necessity and pleasure.”

“The New Harmony Project is incredibly grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for their continued and sustaining support,” said Executive Director David Hudson. “The public funding provided by the NEA for so many arts organization in this incredibly challenging time is inspiring, and we cannot wait to return to in-person programming thanks to this grant.”

The New Harmony Project is an arts organization that supports and celebrates writers and their work. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has lifted up optimistic, hopeful stories of strength, courage, and the resiliency of the human spirit. We do this because we believe stories driven by hope have the power to grow and uplift communities, transform hearts and minds, and ultimately, change the world.

For more information on the projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

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NHP To Resume In-Person Programming in 2021

NHP will return to utopia for in-person writers’ retreat in New Harmony, Indiana this August, and a partnership with Steppenwolf Theatre Company

NEW HARMONY, INDIANA

The New Harmony Project (Lori Wolter Hudson, Artistic Director; David Hudson, Executive Director), an organization dedicated to supporting writers whose work focuses on the positive aspects of life, has announced that they will return to in-person programming later this summer in idyllic New Harmony, Indiana. The writers who were scheduled to be part of the 2020 conference will gather for week-long residencies August 15-21 & 22-28, 2021.

Following an extremely competitive script selection process that saw nearly 600 applications in 2019, the selected writers include Jonathan Spector (Eureka Day, This Much I Know), Benjamin Benne (National Latinx Playwriting Award for Alma), Lily Houghton (Dear, My Brother is Better at Love Than Me), Dan O’Brien (The Body of an American, The House in Scarsdale), Lina Patel (“Krypton,” The Ragged Claws), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), Sharon Washington (Feeding the Dragon), and Isaac Gómez (La Ruta, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter). Due to scheduling conflicts, Amy Evans and her play Jet Fuel will receive support at a later date. 

Writers have been offered the opportunity to bring a collaborator of their choice to New Harmony for their residency this summer, and we look forward to also welcoming director/actor Jennifer Chang (VIETGONE at East West Players), director Josh Costello (artistic director of Aurora Theatre Company), actor Shannon Purser (Stranger Things, Riverdale), actor Karen Rodriguez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Steppenwolf), among others to be announced.

Additionally, following an incredibly successful collaboration with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group in 2019 to develop King James by Rajiv Joseph, The New Harmony Project is thrilled to again partner with Steppenwolf to bring a cohort of recently commissioned playwrights to enjoy a week in New Harmony where they will begin work on their new plays.

The New Harmony Project is also pleased to announce continued support for a collaboration between Seth Bockley, Angela Tillges, Tanya Palmer, and Liz Nofziger. With support from Platform: An Arts & Humanities Research Laboratory at Indiana University the Indiana University's Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance, the team will continue their development of More Perfect Places, a community engaged pageant that explores the Utopian origins of the town of New Harmony, IN.

“This year’s gathering will feel different than any other in our 35-year history. After a long, hard year of isolation and uncertainty, we’re thrilled to provide this incredible group with a restorative place to work, a nurturing environment to reset, and a small, supportive community of artists. Our hope is that it will be a very special time to recharge personally and professionally” says artistic director, Wolter Hudson. 

Applications will open in the fall for the 2022 conference, which is set to take place May 23-June 4, 2022. Please visit newharmonyproject.org for more information.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Erika Dickerson-Despenza (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner cullud wattah, 2019 Princess Grace Award), Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner), Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet, NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, King James) Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour) Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Last Night and the Night Before), Vichet Chum (Bald Sisters, 2018 Princess Grace Award), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (Break Beat Play, How We Got On), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Dael Orlandersmith (After the Flood), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Matt Williams (Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (Home Improvement, Roseanne) and Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project has begun to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country. 

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

An update on the 2021 Conference

The 2020 Selected Participants

On March 11, 2020 we announced the 12 incredible artists who were slated to join us in New Harmony, IN for what would have been The New Harmony Project's 34th annual spring conference. We were heartbroken when we realized that due to Covid-19 it would not be possible to gather for the traditional NHP experience. While we have pivoted to some virtual programming and are aware of the continuing volatility of our environment, we have invited the writers selected for last year's conference to join us in May of 2021, with high hopes that it will be safe for us to gather in person along the banks of the Wabash. Unfortunately, that means we will not be accepting applications for the 2021 conference. While this news is difficult to share, we remain committed to supporting the writers and artists who were selected out of the nearly 600 applications in the fall of 2019.

It is our ongoing goal to continue building impactful programming beyond the conference. We want to serve and support more writers and artists, and are working tirelessly to make that a reality. We hope that you will continue to keep us in mind as you search for development opportunities, and look forward to receiving applications again in August of 2021.

We Stand in Solidarity

As an organization, The New Harmony Project wants to acknowledge the pain the Black community is feeling. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and Breonna Taylor--the most recent names on a horrific list that grows each year--have been heartbreaking and tragic.

We want to start by recognizing that this statement is overdue. We also want to acknowledge the historic whiteness of The New Harmony Project. We stand with and support our community of Black artists, staff, and supporters. We believe Black Lives Matter and are committed to supporting the Black community protesting the racism and oppression that have been faced for too long.

It also feels important to say, a statement isn’t enough.

With that in mind, we are committing to auditing and examining the artists and work we have supported as an organization over the past 34 years. We are committed to using that information over the next 60 days to develop a clear plan for how we can be better. We are committed to sharing this information publicly with our artists, audiences, and supporters as we search for new ways to use our platform to do more. If you’re interested in joining those conversations, please let us know. We know that our community is The Project’s greatest resource. We are looking inward at what we can DO to keep you safe, supported and telling stories that inspire hope.

The New Harmony Project Announces Participants for 34th Annual Conference

Wally World by Isaac Gómez in association with Steppenwolf Theatre Company part of the 2020 conference.

The New Harmony Project (Lori Wolter Hudson, Artistic Director; David Hudson, Executive Director) an organization dedicated to supporting writers whose work emanates hope, has announced participating writers for its 34th annual spring conference in idyllic New Harmony, Indiana. The 2020 gathering of writers and artists will take place from May 20 - May 31, 2020. 

Following an extremely competitive script selection process that saw nearly 600 applications, the spring conference will feature two full development projects, including Jet Fuel by Amy Evans (The Champion at TheatreSquared) and This Much I Know by Jonathan Spector (NY Times Critic’s Pick for Eureka Day). Full development projects receive support from a director, dramaturg, company of actors and staff to aid in the development of each piece. Recent full development projects include Where We Stand by Donnetta Lavinia Grays, The Homecoming Queen by Ngozi Anyanwu, Marie & Rosetta and Grounded by George Brant, among others.

Joining the 2020 conference as Writers in Residence are Benjamin Benne (National Latinx Playwriting Award for Alma), Lily Houghton (Dear, My Brother is Better at Love Than Me), Dan O’Brien (The Body of an American, The House in Scarsdale), Lina Patel (“Krypton,” The Ragged Claws), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), and Sharon Washington (Feeding the Dragon). 

Following an incredibly successful collaboration with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group in 2019 to develop King James by Rajiv Joseph, The New Harmony Project is thrilled to again welcome Steppenwolf to the conference with Wally World by Isaac Gómez (La Ruta, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter). Isaac will be joined by Obie-winning director Jo Bonney, and Steppenwolf’s Director of New Play Development Polly Hubbard.

Additionally, The New Harmony Project is pleased to announce support for a collaboration between Seth Bockley, Tanya Palmer, and Liz Nofziger. With a grant from Platform: An Arts & Humanities Research Laboratory at Indiana University, the team will be working on the research phase of a new project that explores planned communities and the Utopian origins of the town of New Harmony, IN.

The 2020 Celebration of New Plays will take place on May 29 & 30 and will provide guests of The Project an immersive, insider’s look at New Harmony’s new work development process. A full schedule will be announced shortly, featuring readings, conversations with the writers and creative teams, and a Saturday evening dinner to celebrate the 2020 company. Ticket packages are available for purchase at newharmonyproject.org/2020.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner), Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet, NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, King James) Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour) Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Last Night and the Night Before), Vichet Chum (Bald Sisters, High School Play), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (Break Beat Play, How We Got On), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Dael Orlandersmith (After the Flood), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), and Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project has begun to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country. 

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

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September 2019 Newsletter: A Fall Full of New Harmony

The New Harmony Project Now Accepting Applications for 2020 Spring Conference

THE 34TH ANNUAL SPRING CONFERENCE WILL TAKE PLACE IN MAY 2020 AS THE NEW HARMONY PROJECT CONTINUES TO CHAMPION ITS MISSION OF SERVING WRITERS WHOSE WORK EMANATES HOPE, OPTIMISM, AND THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.

The New Harmony Project announced today that it is now accepting applications for the 34th annual conference to be held May 17 – 31, 2020. Since 1986, the secluded town of New Harmony, Indiana has hosted artists from around the world for two weeks of dedicated script development. Over the course of the conference, The New Harmony Project offers a retreat from the outside world and space for writers to fully immerse themselves in their work. The peaceful serenity of New Harmony, the site of two former utopian societies, is a world away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The conference offers two types of residency. Writers in Full Development are joined by a full cast and creative team, and spend their time working on one specific project, hand-picked following a rigorous selection process. Writers in Residence are offered support to work on multiple projects, and afforded the freedom and flexibility to immerse themselves in their own personal process. Additionally, The Project is pleased to build upon its commitment to parent writers through the Parent Residency program. Applicants can denote their eligibility for this program on the conference application, and selected participants will receive additional support in an effort to recognize the unique circumstances that parent artists face.

Applications are being accepted online through October 1, 2019 at newharmonyproject.org/apply, and interested applicants are encouraged to visit the website for full details and information. The New Harmony Project is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Great Society, The Kentucky Cycle), Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar, Bernhardt/Hamlet), Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Gruesome Playground Injuries), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Erika Dickerson-Despenza (cullud wattah), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), James Still (four-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy Winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two-time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Where We Stand, Manhunt), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Dan O’Brien (The Body of an American), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way the Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session), Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers), Matt Williams (five-time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (three-time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), and numerous others.

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For 32 years, The Project has inspired a community of artists dedicated to this mission, motivated by a desire to support stories of hope, optimism, and the resiliency of the human spirit. The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit newharmonyproject.org, or follow us on social media.

The New Harmony Project to Receive $20,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

Indianapolis, Indiana — National Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019.  Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $20,000 to The New Harmony Project for the 34th annual spring conference to be held in May of 2020. Art Works is the Arts Endowment’s principal grantmaking program. The agency received 1,592 Art Works applications for this round of grantmaking, and will award 977 grants in this category.

“These awards, reaching every corner of the United States, are a testament to the artistic richness and diversity in our country,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Organizations such as The New Harmony Project are giving people in their community the opportunity to learn, create, and be inspired.”

“The New Harmony Project is thrilled to have been selected to receive this grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts,” said David Hudson, Executive Director of The New Harmony Project. “For more than three decades, The Project has been serving writers and this funding will allow us to continue to bring world-class artists and writers to the midwest.”

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Kentucky Cycle), Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way The Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers), and Matt Williams (five time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project has begun to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country.

For more information on this National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

The New Harmony Project Announces Participants for 33rd Annual Spring Conference

The New Harmony Project (Lori Wolter Hudson, Artistic Director; David Hudson, Executive Director) an organization dedicated to supporting writers whose work emanates hope, has announced 11 participating writers for its 33rd annual spring conference in idyllic New Harmony, Indiana. The 2019 gathering of writers and artists, among the largest in the organization’s history, will take place from May 20 - June 2, 2019.

Following an extremely competitive script selection process that saw nearly 500 applications, the spring conference will feature three full development projects, including Divisadero by Tlaloc Rivas, The Shakers of Mount Lebanon Will Hold a Peace Conference This Month by Arlene Hutton in association with the Big Bridge Theatre Consortium, and Where We Stand by Donnetta Lavinia Grays. Full development projects receive support from a company of actors, a director, dramaturg, and staff to aid in the development of each piece.

Joining the 2019 conference as Writers in Residence are Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner, Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, Building the Wall), founding board member Matt Williams (Home Improvement, Roseanne, The Cosby Show), Erika Dickerson-Despenza (Cullud Wattah at the Public Theatre), Peter Gil-Sheridan, and Parent Residency recipients, Jennifer Barclay, Diana Grisanti, and Steve Moulds.

The New Harmony Project recognizes the need to support writers in all stages of development, and, as such, is thrilled to announce the launch of a new residency slot designed to support unproduced scripts going directly into production at nationally recognized theaters. The first ever Production in Residence will be King James by Rajiv Joseph (Pulitzer Prize finalist for Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and Steppenwolf Ensemble Member) in association with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group. King James will receive its world premiere at Steppenwolf in spring 2020 followed by a production in CTG’s 2020-2021 season. Rajiv and his creative team, which includes Anna D. Shapiro (Steppenwolf Artistic Director), Neel Keller (Center Theatre Group Associate Artistic Director), Polly Hubbard (Steppenwolf Director of New Play Development), actor Glenn Davis (Steppenwolf Ensemble Member) along with another actor yet to be named, will join The Project for full development support during the second week of the conference. We envision this new residency opportunity as an ongoing resource for theatres and creative teams seeking additional collaborative time before launching a world premiere production.

The Final Weekend Festival will take place on May 31 & June 1 and will provide guests of The Project an immersive, insider’s look at New Harmony’s new work development process. A full schedule will be announced shortly, and will feature readings, conversations with the writers and creative teams, and a Saturday evening dinner to celebrate the 2019 company. Ticket packages will be available for purchase at newharmonyproject.org/2019-conference.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour) Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way The Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Dael Orlandersmith (After the Flood), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), and Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project has begun to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country.

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

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The New Harmony Project Announces Major Expansion of Programming

The New Harmony Project (Lori Wolter Hudson, Artistic Director; David Hudson, Executive Director) an organization dedicated to supporting writers whose work emanates hope, is pleased to announce a major expansion of programming beginning in 2019. In addition to the 33rd annual spring conference in idyllic New Harmony, Indiana, The Project is formally launching The Legacy Program in New Harmony and The First Look Workshop Series in Indianapolis.

The Legacy Program builds upon 33 years of support for writers by providing additional residencies for past participants of the conference throughout the year. Writers are invited to return to New Harmony, where they enjoy an independent experience, unencumbered by the outside world. Throughout the spring of 2019, we are thrilled to be hosting Emily Feldman with collaborator Will Davis, Allison Gregory, Mfoniso Udofia, and Ken Weitzman.

In partnership with local and regional producing organizations, we’re also thrilled to begin welcoming writers to Indianapolis through The First Look Workshop Series. Modeled after our full development process at the conference, writers are provided with a cast and creative team, and supported through their development process. This initiative is designed to aid writers in their path to production, while simultaneously introducing audiences in Central Indiana to new and diverse voices. Following a workshop of a super-secret new play by James Still in collaboration with Indiana Repertory Theatre, we’re pleased to be offering two additional workshops in early 2019. From March 10-13, we will welcome Mashuq Mushtaq Deen and his play The Betterment Society, in collaboration with Phoenix Theatre Indianapolis. From June 5-15, we will be concluding more than a year of support for a new musical entitled Q2 by James Lecesne and Ryan Amador.

Additionally, the 33rd annual spring conference will be held from May 20 – June 1 in New Harmony, Indiana. The full slate of writers and projects will be announced in mid-February.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Kentucky Cycle), Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way The Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers), and Matt Williams (five time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project has begun to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country.

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit www.newharmonyproject.org.

The New Harmony Project Now Accepting Applications

THE 33RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE WILL TAKE PLACE IN MAY OF 2019 AS THE NEW HARMONY PROJECT CONTINUES TO CHAMPION ITS MISSION OF SERVING WRITERS WHOSE WORK EMANATES HOPE, OPTIMISM, AND THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.

The New Harmony Project announced today that it is now accepting applications for the 33rd annual conference to be held May 20 – June 1, 2019. Since 1986, the secluded town of New Harmony, Indiana has hosted artists from around the world for two-weeks of dedicated script development. Over the course of the conference, The New Harmony Project offers a retreat from the outside world and space for writers to fully immerse themselves in their work. The peaceful serenity of New Harmony, the site of two former utopian societies, is a world away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The conference offers two types of residency. Writers in Full Development are joined by a full cast and creative team, and spend their time working on one specific project, hand-picked following a rigorous selection process. Writers in Residence are offered support to work on multiple projects, and afforded the freedom and flexibility to immerse themselves in their own personal process.

Applications are being accepted through October 1, 2018 at newharmonyproject.org/apply-conference. Finalists will be notified by the beginning of 2019.

Additionally, The New Harmony Project has committed to expanding its support of parent artists thanks to generous support from the Sustainable Arts Foundation and the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation. Beginning in the fall and winter of 2018/19, selected parent writers will be given a one-week residency in the town of New Harmony. Participants will receive additional financial support in an effort to recognize the unique circumstances that parent artists face. Applications will be accepted through September 14, 2018 at newharmonyproject.org/apply-parents, and selected writers will be notified and scheduled beginning in late September.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Kentucky Cycle), Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), James Still (four-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy Winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two-time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief), Dan O’Brien (The Body of an American), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way the Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers), Matt Williams (five-time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (three-time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), and numerous others.

Applications are being accepted online at newharmonyproject.org, and interested applicants are encouraged to visit the website for full details and information. The New Harmony Project is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law.

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For 32 years, The Project has inspired a community of artists dedicated to this mission, motivated by a desire to support stories of hope, optimism, and the resiliency of the human spirit. The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit newharmonyproject.org, or follow us on social media.

The New Harmony Project Awarded 2018 Sustainable Arts Foundation Residency Grant

The New Harmony Project is thrilled to announce that they have been awarded a 2018 Sustainable Arts Foundation Residency Grant for parent artists. Throughout its history, The New Harmony Project has provided an open, welcoming, and supportive environment for parent artists. The annual spring conference has historically provided child care, family friendly housing, and flexibility to parent writers and artists. This funding award from the Sustainable Arts Foundation will aid in the expansion of that support, and will help The New Harmony Project to formalize that support throughout the year. 

"As The Project begins to expand and offer year-round support for writers," says executive director David Hudson, "this grant from the Sustainable Arts Foundation will allow us to make a formal commitment to supporting parent artists. As the father of a two and a half year old little girl, I understand the flexibility and support needed in order to work in this profession. It is my hope that The New Harmony Project will continue to build on its reputation as a family friendly environment, and become a place that parent writers and artists can count on for support."

Funding from the Sustainable Arts Foundation will support multiple residencies beginning in the fall of 2018, with a soon to be announced application process. Parent writers are encouraged to express interest in the program via The New Harmony Project's website, and will be notified once the application process is formalized. The New Harmony Project is incredibly grateful to Tony & Caroline Grant at the Sustainable Arts Foundation for their support. 

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project has begun to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country.

The New Harmony Project Announces Artists for 2018 Spring Conference

The New Harmony Project (Mead Hunter, Artistic Director; David Hudson, Executive Director; Lori Wolter Hudson, Incoming Artistic Director) an organization dedicated to supporting writers whose work emanates hope, is pleased to announce that ten writers will be in residence for their 2018 annual conference, which will take place from May 21-June 2 in the idyllic town of New Harmony, Indiana.

Each spring since 1986, The New Harmony Project has brought together writers whose works sensitively and truthfully explore the positive aspects of life. Over the course of the conference, The New Harmony Project offers a retreat from the outside world, and space for writers to fully immerse themselves in their work. The peaceful serenity of New Harmony, the site of two former utopian societies, is a world away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Writers in full development are joined by a full cast and creative team, and spend the conference working on one specific project, hand-picked following a rigorous selection process that saw nearly 500 submissions this year! Writers in residence are offered support to work on multiple projects, and afforded the freedom to immerse themselves into their personal process.

This season The New Harmony Project is thrilled to welcome Kennedy Award-winning playwright Dan O’Brien as a writer in full development. New Life concludes the trilogy of O’Brien’s poetic memoir-for-the-stage, with The Body of an American (Primary Stages, NHP 2011) and The House in Scarsdale (Theatre @ Boston Court, NHP 2016), and dares to dream of healing after trauma, and of telling the truth of war as entertainment. Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Paul Watson, who served as an inspiration for and character in the trilogy, will also join the company.

In addition, The New Harmony Project will welcome David McFadzean (Roseanne, Home Improvement), Vichet Chum (Knyum at Merrimack Rep), Emily Feldman (Shank Playwright-in-Residence at Playwright’s Horizons), José Cruz González (2016 PEN Center USA Literary Award Finalist), Arlene Hutton (The Nibroc Trilogy), Daria Miyeko Marinelli (Weston Award in Playwriting), and James Still (Four-time Pulitzer Prize Nominee, Indiana Repertory Theatre Playwright-in-Residence) as writers in residence.

As part of the 2018 conference, The New Harmony Project is also excited to announce the beginning of its year-long support of a new musical project by James Lecense, writer of the 1994 Academy Award-winning short film Trevor and co-founder of The Trevor Project, and Ryan Amador, a singer, songwriter, and theater director best known for his queer-related music videos “Define Me” and “Spectrum.” In addition to a residency at the 2018 conference, their project will be further supported with two additional workshops in the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019. This represents a drastic expansion of programming for The New Harmony Project, and an enhanced commitment to creating, nurturing, and promoting groundbreaking, life-affirming work.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Kentucky Cycle), Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), John Pielmeier (Agnes of God, The Exorcist), James Still (four time Pulitzer Prize nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (two time Emmy winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), George Brant (Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way The Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers), and Matt Williams (five time Emmy nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne).

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has been serving writers whose work emanates hope, courage, and the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. We elevate stories for theater, television, and film that inspire, enlighten, and endeavor to make the world a better place. Following a leadership transition in the fall of 2017, The New Harmony Project has begun to drastically expand its programming in Central and Southwestern Indiana, and is working tirelessly to expand its impact across the state and around the country.

Lori Wolter Hudson Named Artistic Director of The New Harmony Project

The New Harmony Project, which has been faithfully serving writers for more than three decades, announces that Lori Wolter Hudson will succeed Mead Hunter as artistic director following the annual spring conference in June of 2018.

Lori Wolter Hudson will assume artistic leadership of the organization following fifteen years of dedicated involvement with The New Harmony Project in various capacities, including her current role as associate artistic director. She moves into her new position following a successful tenure in NYC as a director, adapter, and producer, most recently as the director / adapter of the off-Broadway hit Drunkle Vanya. As an assistant director, she has worked on numerous Broadway productions, including the Tony award-winning revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of VirginiaWoolf?, in addition to productions at Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club,  Atlantic Theater Company, American Conservatory Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory, and Pittsburgh Public Theater. She previously served as artistic assistant of Signature Theatre Company in NYC.

Mead K. Hunter, who has successfully led the organization as artistic director for the past seven years, will step down following the 2018 conference as a newly tenured professor at the University of Portland. “Lori’s accession to artistic directorship,” Hunter says, “means that NHP now has two resident Hoosier leaders with the proximity and the vision to invest in the regional community as well the national. It heralds a bright new era for The Project.”

Jane Herndon, chair of the board of directors, says, "The board is thrilled to have Lori join The New Harmony Project as its next artistic director. We look forward to her inspirational vision as she leads us into the next phase of artistic excellence."

“I’m thrilled to be stepping up to artistically helm an organization I love, and believe in so much,” says Wolter Hudson of her appointment. “The New Harmony Project has enriched my life and career in ways I didn’t imagine possible when I first arrived to New Harmony over fifteen years ago. I have had the privilege of working under artistic directors including Anna Shapiro, Paul Walsh and Mead Hunter, long-time project director Joel Grynheim, and many of the founding board members, and have learned so much from their leadership, vision and guidance. There is truly no other organization I know of committed to serving writers and supporting positive, hope-filled stories that celebrate humanity and the resiliency of the human spirit. Especially today, I think The New Harmony Project mission is more vital and necessary than ever, and I am deeply committed to making the world a better place through the work we support, the writers we lift up, and the artists we inspire to make a difference.”

Lori Wolter Hudson is a director, producer, and administrator who has dedicated her professional career to new work development and creating exciting, daring theatre. She has developed plays and musicals by writers including Jessica Dickey, Andrea Stolowitz, Arlene Hutton, Crystal Skillman, Katie Bender, Susan Bernfield, Joel B. New, and Suzanne Bradbeer, among others. She is a co-founder of Three Day Hangover, a New York City-based theater company that reimagines classic stories for a contemporary audience, most famously responsible for the NY TimesCritic’s Pick Drunk Shakespeare, which has been running off-Broadway for almost four years. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Brooklyn Magazine and more.

She recently relocated from NYC to Indianapolis, IN, her home state, and in 2017 directed Stuart Little at Indiana Repertory Theatre. Lori holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Evansville and studied at the Moscow Art Theater. She was the inaugural recipient of the SDCF Charles Abbott Fellowship, is a member of Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and an associate member of SDC.

 ABOUT THE NEW HARMONY PROJECT

In April of 1986, a group of theater, film, and television professionals gathered in Indianapolis to explore the trend in the entertainment arts toward exploitative and sensational material. They concluded there was a need to engage and support writers whose work sought a goal beyond mere entertainment, work that sought to empower and uplift. It was out of this meeting that The New Harmony Project was created. For 32 years, The Project has inspired a community of artists dedicated to this mission, motivated by a desire to support stories of hope, optimism, and the resiliency of the human spirit.

The New Harmony Project boasts an impressive roster of past participants including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Robert Schenkkan(All the Way, The Kentucky Cycle), Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Seminar), Lee Blessing (Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee, A Walk in the Woods), Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet), Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Actually), John Pielmeier (The Exorcist, Agnes of God), James Still (Four Time Pulitzer Prize Nominee, The Velocity of Gary), Meredith Stiehm (Emmy Winner, Homeland, Cold Case), Danny Strong (Two Time Emmy Winner, Empire, Lee Daniels’ The Butler), Ngozi Anyanwu (The Homecoming Queen), Dan O’Brien (The Body of an American), George Brant(Grounded, Marie and Rosetta), Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, The Way The Mountain Moved), Regina Taylor (Drowning Crow, Crowns), Jim Leonard (Major Crimes, Dexter), Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session, The Cosby Show), Angelo Pizzo (Rudy, Hoosiers), Matt Williams(Five Time Emmy Nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), David McFadzean (Three Time Emmy Nominee, Home Improvement, Roseanne), and numerous others.

The New Harmony Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For information on how to support this unique and worthwhile organization, please visit newharmonyproject.org, or follow us on social media.