About Commissions
Since 1983, SCR has awarded 339 commissions to 231 playwrights, composers and lyricists, with more than 50 active commissions. These are the theatre’s most effective means of supporting and developing long-term relationships with writers. Vietgone by Qui Nguyen, Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee, Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg, Brooklyn Boy by Donald Margulies, Golden Child by David Henry Hwang, The Beard of Avon by Amy Freed and A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath were all successful products of SCR commissions.
New commissions given in 2019-20 as part of The Lab@SCR include a musical project from Jane Bruce (singer/songwriter/actor; Elf: The Musical, Jagged Little Pill), a collaboration between playwright Kate Hamill (The Scarlet Letter, SCR world premiere, March 28-April 25, 2020) and composer-performers, The Bengsons (The Lucky Ones; Hundred Days), and plays from Kate Cortesi (Love) and Ana Nogueira (Mask Only). SCR’s commitment to emerging writers continues with three commissions awarded to Spenser Davis (Plainclothes), Shayan Lotfi (Park-e Laleh) and Charly Evon Simpson (Behind the Sheet).
The theatre is also currently developing Threshold by Amy Brenneman; Beatrice by Lauren Gunderson, Dory Fantasmagory (a theatre for young audiences play) by John Glore; and Prelude to a Kiss (musical adaptation) with book by Craig Lucas, music by Daniel Messé and lyrics by Sean Hartley.
The theatre has produced 155 world premieres; and, since its founding in 1998, the Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF), an annual, national showcase of new work, has presented 141 new plays. Ninety percent of PPF works have gone on to productions at SCR and/or other theatres.
Writers With Current Commissions
Luis Alfaro • Jane Bruce • Bekah Brunstetter • Julia Cho • Mia Chung • Kate Cortesi • Evelina Fernandez • Lindsey Ferrentino • Selina Fillinger • Amy Freed • Michael Golamco • Isaac Gomez • Richard Greenberg • Dipika Guha • Lauren Gunderson • Adam Gwon • Jennifer Haley • Kate Hamill and The Bengsons • Ike Holter • Chisa Hutchinson • Naomi Iizuka • David Jacobi • Rajiv Joseph • Claire Kiechel • Kimber Lee • Mike Lew • Matthew Lopez • Alex Lubischer • Martyna Majok • Laura Marks • Dan Messé & Sean Hartley • Molly Smith Metzler • Michael Mitnick • Dominique Morisseau • Jessica Moss • Ana Nogueira • liliana padilla • Jonathan Payne • Brendon Pelsue • Max Posner • Kemp Powers • Heidi Schreck • Madhuri Shekar • Jen Silverman • Charise Castro Smith • Octavio Solis • Jonathan Spector • Susan Soon-He Stanton • Sanaz Toossi • Sarah Treem • Mfoniso Udofia • Caroline V. McGraw • Lauren Yee • Karen Zacarías