New Dramatists is dedicated to the playwright, and pursues a singular mission: To find gifted playwrights and give them the time, space, and tools to develop their craft, so that they may fulfill their potential and make lasting contributions to the theatre. Regarded as a national leader in playwright support and advocacy, New Dramatists has remained a pioneer in the field of new play development since its inception in 1949. We offer our company of 50 playwrights a home base and self-guided laboratory for seven years, free of charge, in the company of their most gifted peers. Our company of emerging and mid-career writers collectively embodies an artistic, cultural, ethnic, and geographic diversity rarely found in the American theatre. The cornerstones of New Dramatists’ dedication to playwrights are: * Sustained Support—a seven-year commitment to the artistry and body of work of each resident playwright; * Peer Community—the challenge and inspiration of a continuous community of playwrights—each with the same seven-year residency—about 50 at a time, more than 600 since our founding; * Creative Authority—each writer leads his or her own years here, selecting what to work on when, choosing collaborators, setting timetables, and designing process. Work at ND is literally writer-led in order to fully empower them artistically and professionally; and * Artistic Home—a building that includes two theatres, a classroom, a manuscript library of our resident playwright and alumni work, a private writing studio, and residence rooms for out-of-town writers.