Dramatists Guild Foundation Announces National Fellows Class

Dramatists Guild Foundation (DGF) announces the first class of National Fellows, expanding the historic program to serve writers across the United States. 

The Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellows Program is highly sought after for its uniquely successful format of uniting playwrights and musical theater writers in the learning process for a year-long intensive. This cohort of emerging dramatists will work under the guidance and leadership of professional playwrights and musical theater dramatists to develop work in pursuit of adding to the cannon of regionally produced and developed work. 

The DGF National Fellows are:

Joe Barsanti (he/him), Musical Theater Fellow from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Nicolette Blount (she/her), Musical Theater Fellow from Amherst, Massachusetts 

Petron Brown (he/him), Playwriting Fellow from Hattiesburg, Mississippi 

Lachrisa Grandberry (she/her), Musical Theater Fellow from Chicago, Illinois 

Beth Kander (she/her), Playwriting Fellow from Skokie, Illinois

Orlando Morales (he/him), Musical Theater Fellow from Seattle, Washington

Nabra Nelson (she/her), Playwriting Fellow from Topanga, California

Alan Stewart (he/him), Playwriting Fellow from Oakland, California

Germaine Shames (she/her), Playwriting Fellow from Tucson, Arizona

Hope Villanueva (she/her), Playwriting Fellow from Rockville, Maryland

Katie Winkler (she/her), Musical Theater Fellow from Fletcher, North Carolina

The Chairs of the first National Fellows curriculum are Christine Toy Johnson (THE NEW DEAL, BROKEN GROUND, Dramatists Guild Treasurer, founding member of AAPAC) and Bernardo Cubría (THE GIANT VOID IN MY SOUL, THE PLAY YOU WANT, 2021 Smith Prize for Political Theater).

Until this year, the program has run exclusively in person in the heart of New York City, but the creation of a program that was accessible to writers across the country has been in process for many years. The challenge in this process was to create the camaraderie and community of in-person through a virtual format. During the pandemic, the program had to pivot to run effectively over digital platforms. This adjusted format became the pilot program for the National Fellows. 

The DGF Fellows program was founded in 2000 by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Janet Neipris, and Susan Miller. They believed it was vital to put playwrights and musical theater writers in the same room, to learn from each other's different perspectives, to see how collaboration creates magic, and to foster community. The success of the program has been proven by the careers of various dramatists and collaborations, including launching the careers of more than 200 writers. 

The program has been championed by numerous generous donors, including support from the Jeffrey Seller Family Foundation. 

For more information on the DGF Fellows program, visit https://dgf.org/programs/fellows.  

Dramatists Guild Foundation (DGF) is a national charity that fuels the future of American theater by supporting the writers who create it. DGF fosters playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists at all stages of their careers. DGF sponsors educational programs; provides awards, grants, and stipends; offers free space to create new works; and gives emergency aid to writers in need of immediate support. DGF distributed more than $3.5 million in immediate financial relief to writers during the nation-wide theatrical shutdown. The needs of theater writers during the shutdown also launched the Housing Assistance Grants to aid with rent payments, moving costs, and other housing challenges, as well as the Bridge Grants to support writers with essential daily life expenses. By supporting and nurturing the creators of today, we protect the stories of tomorrow.