Supporting New Play Development Initiatives
at the Huntington

The Huntington Theatre Company has produced nearly 50 New England, American, or world premieres during the past 26 years. Our endeavors to develop new works and plays for the American theatre have expanded considerably since 2004 with the opening of our second stage — the Virginia Wimberly Theatre — at the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion. This 360-seat proscenium stage serves as the venue for the presentation of new works and provides an intimate, warm environment in which to nurture them.

The Huntington's new play development initiatives also include:

• Huntington Playwriting Fellows Program: the Huntington Playwriting Fellows — a group of local playwrights to whom we dedicate financial and artistic resources to help them in the writing of new plays — participate in the daily life of the theatre with events as varied as mainstage audience discussions, and guest-speaking at programs, special events and board meetings. Every two years, four local playwrights are chosen to participate and are allowed to focus on honing their craft.
• Breaking Ground Play Reading Series: The Huntington's Breaking Ground Festival, a four-day public event, gives our audiences the opportunity to participate in the Huntington's artistic activities by attending play readings featuring professional actors from the Boston area and beyond. These readings can be vital tools for artists as they shape their work in advance of full productions.
• Huntington Commissions: Plays commissioned under the auspices of the Calderwood Fund receive developmental support from the Huntington's artistic staff. Many of these plays have gone on to be produced on other stages across the country.

Our new play development programs are supported by many generous donors and also through the named endowed funds listed below.

• The Stanford Calderwood Fund For New American Plays

  Established in 2001 as an endowment dedicated to fostering the work of American playwrights at all stages of their careers, the fund has awarded commissions to the following playwrights:

  • Jon Robin Baitz
  • Christopher Denham
  • Stephen Belber
  • Lydia Diamond
  • John Shea
  • Rebekah Maggor
  • Kate Snodgrass

  The Huntington has become a home to these and many other area playwrights, providing them with the resources and artistic support they need to bring a new work from its earliest draft through to readings, workshops and on to premiere productions.

  This fund also helps to underwrite our Huntington Playwriting Fellows program, as well as our other new play development efforts.

• The Harry Kondoleon Playwriting Fund

  We are proud to announce the recent creation of The Harry Kondoleon Playwriting Fund. Created by Huntington Overseer Christine Kondoleon and her husband Fred Wittmann, this fund will serve as a permanent tribute to Christine's brother Harry Kondoleon, a talented playwright and author who died in 1994 at the age of 39. This endowed fund will generate income that will help to support the Huntington's outstanding new play development initiatives, including the Huntington Playwriting Fellows program and the Breaking Ground Festival of new play readings.

  To date, more than $200,000 has been contributed, and we gratefully acknowledge the following donors to The Harry Fund for their generosity:

  • Nicholas Cola
  • Linda Collins
  • William Finn
  • Robyn Goodman
  • Wayne Kabak
  • Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc.
  • Christine Kondoleon and Frederic Wittmann
  • Emmanuel Kondoleon
  • Sophocles and Athena Kondoleon
  • Dorothy Lichtenstein
  • Mitchell Lichtenstein and Victor Sanchez
  • The Grace R. and Alan D. Marcus Foundation
  • Bill and Linda McQuillan
  • Mark O'Donnell
  • Marian Seldes

• The Altman Fund

  

  In recognition of the remarkable contribution that Peter Altman has made to the diversification of theatre in Boston and to his 18 years of artistic achievements at the highest level‚ the Huntington Theatre Company has created the Altman Fund for Artistic Diversity, in honor of its founding Producing Director.

  This fund reflects Peter Altman's deeply held commitment to exploring the rich diversity of the American landscape on stage. Its resources are used to support and nurture theatre artists of color at the Huntington‚ providing enhanced professional development and ongoing opportunities to realize their creative talents.

For more information on supporting the Huntington's New Play Development initiatives, please contact Howard L. Breslau at 617 273-1547 or hbreslau@huntingtontheatre.bu.edu.

The Huntington Theatre Company is a Charity Navigator–rated charitable organization.