For more than six decades, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park has believed that great American theatre begins with a blank page. That belief has led to 90 world premieres and 29 commissioned plays, many of which have gone on to productions across the country.

Since 2006, the Jerome Fey Endowment for New Plays has provided the foundation for this work, allowing playwrights the time, resources, and artistic collaboration needed to develop bold new stories. Those commissions could then come to life on our stages as world premieres with support from The Rosenthal Family Foundation and The Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. Together, these dedicated partners have helped establish the Playhouse as one of the nation's leading homes for new play development.

Today, that commitment is expanding once again through Made in Cincy: New Works Festival, an annual celebration that invites audiences into the creative process itself. The festival gives theatre lovers a rare opportunity to experience new plays and musicals in development, engage directly with playwrights and artists, and help shape the future of American theatre before these works travel to stages across the country.

Stairs (2024)

This next chapter is made possible through the generous leadership of Nancy and Mark Dawes, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation, and Digi and Mike Schueler, whose investment is helping transform Cincinnati into a destination for the creation of new work. Their support builds upon decades of visionary philanthropy. It ensures that the Playhouse remains a place where artists can take creative risks, and audiences can experience the excitement of discovering tomorrow's great plays today.

The festival's pilot in May demonstrated just how enthusiastically our community embraces that mission, with every public reading selling out and audiences actively engaging with playwrights during the development process. Made in Cincy officially launches this fall alongside the world premiere of Talk by nationally acclaimed playwright and Cincinnati native Theresa Rebeck.

As we continue to build Made in Cincy, we invite you to join us. Together, we have the opportunity to create something truly special. With your partnership, we will continue nurturing the next generation of American theatre — one new story at a time.