Where New Plays & Musicals Begin Their Professional Journey
CreateTheater® is a developmental theater company for new plays and musicals
supporting writers and musical theatre writers through the process of
Create → Develop → Produce.
Where New Work Develops Over Time
CreateTheater was founded to bridge the gap between artistic creation and professional development.
Our pipeline is designed to support artists at different stages of development — from writers building foundational craft and industry knowledge to projects preparing for advanced dramaturgical development, readings, workshops, and professional presentation opportunities.
CREATE
Refine the Work. Understand the Industry.
Tier 1 — Programs & Community
Our Tier 1 programs provide accessible opportunities for theater-makers developing new work.
Programs Include:
- Production-Ready Writers Groups
- The CreateTheater Musical Writing Lab
- NYC Musical Development Workshops
- The 90-Day Cabaret Lab
- Off-Broadway Producing: The 13-Week Intensive
- CreateTheater Workshops
- Seasonal Songwriting Seminars
DEVELOP
Develop the Work
Tier 2 — Advanced Developmental Labs
Selected projects may advance into CreateTheater’s developmental track for more focused dramaturgical collaboration and professional development support.
Developmental Programs Include:
- NYC Producer Lab
- 2-Day Script Development Workshops
Application or invitation required for select programs.
PRODUCE
Curated Festival Presentations, Showcases and more
Tier 3 — CreateTheater New Works Festival and the CreateTheater New Works Studio
The CreateTheater New Works Studio is a curated producing track for selected projects preparing for production opportunities.
Projects within Tier 3 may receive:
- ongoing dramaturgical support
- developmental producing guidance
- workshop development
- curated readings
- industry-facing presentations
- festival opportunities
Presentation Opportunities Include:
- CreateTheater New Works Festival Reading Series
- CreateTheater Cabaret Series
- Curated Industry Readings & Showcases
- Select Production Opportunities with the CreateTheater New Works Studio.
This track is designed for projects demonstrating strong artistic potential, collaborative readiness, and developmental momentum.
Projects are selected through CreateTheater’s developmental pipeline.
Current Opportunities
Production-Ready Writers Groups
Ongoing weekly and bi-weekly groups for writers developing new plays and musicals.
CreateTheater New Works Festival Reading Series
Opportunities to hear new plays and musicals performed by actors. Is yours ready?
The CreateTheater Musical Writing Lab
Writing a new musical? Check out our new 12-month Musical Theater Writing Intensive starting June 1st
The Experts Theater Company (ETC)
The Artistic Home for Theatermakers
CreateTheater’s Writers Residency
Upcoming Events
Write a Producible Play Webinar with Producer Patrick Blake
Sunday, May 30th 12 noon ET
CreateTheater’s Musical Writing Lab
The Lab starts June 1st
Producing Workshop: Raising Money for Your Show
Sunday, June 7th at 12 noon ET
Recent Blog Posts
Why Most Plays Don’t Get Produced (And What To Do About It)
Why Most Plays Don’t Get Produced (And What To Do About It) There’s a persistent myth in the theater world: that good work rises to the top. It’s comforting. It’s also incomplete. Because if you’ve spent any time developing new work, you already know the truth: plenty...
What a Producer Looks For in a Script
What a Producer Looks For in a Script Most writers think producers are looking for “great writing.”They’re not. They’re looking for a show they can actually produce. There’s a painful truth most playwrights don’t hear early enough: A script can be brilliant—and still...
The World & the Want: Why Many Musicals Fail in the First 15 Minutes
The World & The Want: Why Many Musicals Fail in the First 15 Minutes Many musicals don’t fail in Act Two. They fail in the first 10–15 minutes. Not because the writers aren’t talented—but because the foundation isn’t clear. If your audience doesn’t understand the...
Stay True to Yourself
Stay True to Yourself (Or Watch Your Play Disappear) I’ve been telling our writers something over and over the past few weeks: Stay true to yourself. Yes, it sounds generic. It’s not. I mean it in a very specific way: knowing exactly where your play lands....