Playwright

The Baillie Working Group is hosting a free online public reading and discussion of Joanna Baillie's 1810 play The Family Legend on 21 November. The drama, often called Baillie's 'Highland play', is regarded as an early example of the Scottish National Drama and explores themes of clan loyalty and conflict in the Scottish Highlands. Scholars and theatre enthusiasts are invited to join the virtual event.

Hudson Hall, the historic arts venue in Hudson, New York, has published an open letter addressed to performer and playwright Taylor Mac, written in the form of a love letter. The piece, featured in Chronogram's arts and music coverage, celebrates Mac's work and the venue's connection to the queer artist. It reads as both a public tribute and a signal of admiration ahead of Mac's ongoing performing career.

Quebec playwright Michel Tremblay is the subject of a McGill News Magazine feature examining how his work became a fixture of Scottish theatre. The piece calls him contemporary theatre's great melancholy realist and says he "fits Scotland like a glove," reflecting the playwright's long-standing resonance with Scottish audiences and translators of his working-class dramas.

A collection of eight Scots translations of Michel Tremblay's plays is drawing attention, with critic Mark Fisher arguing that hearing the Québécois playwright's work in Scots has given English-speaking audiences an insight into his writing that standard English versions never quite achieved. The translations, featured in the journal Critical Stages, suggest Scots and Quebec French share a similar colloquial texture.

A programme called "Vietnam en Scène" is bringing Vietnamese theatre to Paris, presenting Vietnamese stage works to French audiences. The event highlights cultural exchange between Vietnam and France and gives Vietnamese playwrights and performers a platform in the French capital. Coverage so far is limited to cultural media, with details of specific productions not yet widely reported.

Playwright Lynn Nottage has joined the Pulitzer Prize Board. Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama for 'Ruined' and 'Sweat', will now help decide future winners of the prestigious awards. Her appointment has drawn attention in theatre circles given her standing as one of America's most celebrated playwrights.

Theatre Odyssey's One-Act Play Festival is returning to Sarasota, bringing short-form theatre back to the Florida city. The festival, known for staging new one-act works, gives local playwrights and actors a platform and draws audiences interested in original regional theatre. Further details about dates, venues, or this year's lineup have not been reported.

Arkansas State University's theatre program is presenting a production of Shakespeare reworked as a comedy, drawing coverage from local outlets including Jonesboro Right Now and NEA Report. The staging puts a humorous spin on the classic playwright's material, giving students a chance to perform updated interpretations of his work for Jonesboro audiences.

A 95-year-old woman has written her first play, which is being staged in the Dayton, Ohio region. The production draws on her personal experience of immigration and celebrates the role of community in starting a new life in America. Local outlets including the Dayton Daily News and Springfield News-Sun are covering the story, highlighting both the playwright's remarkable age and the timely subject matter.

A two-volume edition of Michel Tremblay's plays in Scots has been published, gathering eight of the Quebec playwright's works translated by Martin Bowman and the late Bill Findlay, and edited by Bowman. The collection highlights the energy and versatility of Tremblay's drama as rendered in Scots, and is available through booksellers.

A passage from Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot is being shared among French-speaking readers and the wider book community. The exchanged lines between characters Vladimir and Estragon, about endlessly beginning again and needing to decide, are paired with photography by Andrej Šafhalter. Readers are engaging with the playwright's stark meditation on waiting, repetition and indecision.

James Graham's play 'The Standard of Living' is drawing attention in London, with reviewers highlighting its intellectual, witty style reminiscent of Tom Stoppard. The drama centres on economist John Maynard Keynes, and early commentary frames it as a playful, idea-driven piece exploring the economist's life and thinking, giving Graham another well-received stage work in the capital.

A French theatre production is drawing attention for portraying the world of farming. Its creator says the show offers 'a range of what is done today: organic, intensive, organic-intensive', presenting farm operators who are committed and passionate about their work despite differing constraints. The playwright adds that they could easily have become one of these farmers themselves, underlining the production's personal connection to agricultural life.

Hampstead Theatre has extended the run of its production of Tom Stoppard's play The Invention of Love, adding more performances due to demand. The revival of Stoppard's 1997 work, which explores the life of poet and classicist A.E. Housman, will now play to audiences for longer than originally scheduled at the London venue.

Theatre Awards Update reports on the latest round of honorees for the Ming Cho Lee Award and the Terrence McNally Award, alongside other recognitions. The awards celebrate sustained contributions to American theatre, honoring designers, playwrights, and other artists who have shaped the field. Readers are discussing who received this year's honors and what the selections say about the state of the theatre community.

Playwright and actor Dani Stoller is the author of 'Beatrice Likes the Dark', a work she says she wrote for 'the little weirdos' — children who feel different or out of step with the world. The DC Theater Arts piece highlights her intent to create a story that embraces oddity and quiet kids rather than correcting them, drawing attention to the show in the Washington theatre scene.

Playwright Sarah Ruhl has an article titled 'First Person' published in collaboration with The Arts Desk, with Hampstead Theatre highlighting the piece. The article is connected to Ruhl's theatrical work, and the theatre is sharing it to draw attention to her writing and current interest in her plays.

The classic Japanese medical drama 'Furikaereba Yatsu ga Iru', starring Yoji Oda and Ken Ishiguro and written by renowned playwright Koki Mitani, will begin broadcasting on October 14. The 1993 series, famous for portraying the rivalry between two doctors, is considered a landmark of Japanese television drama, and its rerun is drawing attention from fans of retro hits and Mitani's work.

The University of Idaho is hosting free virtual play readings throughout fall 2026, opening the theatre department's season to online audiences at no cost. The readings give students and community members a chance to experience new and classic works remotely. Little detail has been released yet about specific titles, dates or participating playwrights.

Town Hall Theatre has opened submissions for its Young Playwrights Festival, inviting young writers to submit their plays for consideration. The festival gives emerging playwrights a chance to see their work staged, and the call for entries has been picked up by regional theatre news outlets. Details on deadlines and eligibility have not been widely reported yet.