About us

Created in Fall 2006 through a partnership between the UW-Madison Continuing Studies in Theatre, UW-Madison University Theatre/Department of Theatre and Drama, Madison Repertory Theatre, and Edenfred/Terry Family Foundation, Wisconsin Wrights fosters the development of new works by Wisconsin playwrights. Joining us as a producing partner in Fall 2007 was Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and in 2009 was Forward Theater Company. The first three Wisconsin Wrights Residencies were generously supported by the UW-Madison Anonymous Fund, the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission, the Madison Arts Commission, and Edenfred/Terry Family Foundation.

In even years, Wisconsin Wrights will offer a four day Playwriting Intensive focused on the craft of writing with daily feedback, reading sessions with actors, and individual tutorials. Limited to 15 participants, the Playwriting Intensive is a wonderful opportunity to expand your craft while working on a new play. Learn more.

In odd years, Wisconsin Wrights will offer a one week Residency to three Wisconsin Playwrights. The three playwrights who are selected for a Residency will participate in an extensive one week workshop with a director, cast, and dramaturg for each play. The week culminates with each play receiving a full public reading. Learn more.

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Producing Partners | Advisory Committee & Final Panel

2013 Producing Partners

The 2013 Wisconsin Wrights New Play Development Project May 25-30 workshops are produced in partnership by UW-Madison Continuing Studies and University Theatre/UW-Madison Theatre and Drama Department.

The mission of the UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies is to foster professional and personal development by sharing the knowledge and expertise of the university, and by making its resources available to individuals of all ages. We offer educational programs and services grounded in the rich intellectual and professional resources of UW-Madison's faculty and staff, and facilitate outreach educational opportunities in the schools and colleges. While the Division plays many roles in offering and supporting outreach opportunities, the overarching purpose of our activity is connecting the campus and our community of lifelong learners.

University Theatre, the producing component of UW-Madison’s Department of Theatre and Drama, will share their facilities and staff during the Summer 2013 workshop and production portion of the Wisconsin Wrights Project. Upon determination of the final three pieces, playwrights will be partnered with a stage director and dramaturge who, along with the chosen cast members, will work together to develop each piece through several days of “workshops.” These workshops provide an extraordinary opportunity for the expansion and exercise of the playwriting craft, exploration of characters, and constructive critique by caring, invested artists. Three of the plays will move from a weeklong workshop into a public staged reading in University Theatre’s 150-seat Hemsley Theatre.

The mission of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) is to produce intimate, high-quality, professional theatrical works of literary merit that engage and challenge the audience, while employing and nurturing principally local theatre artists.

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s deep commitment to theatre as a collaborative art is evidenced in Producing Artistic Director C. Michael Wright’s passion for nurturing writers, providing opportunities for literary exploration and creativity, and interacting with educational institutions and other arts groups. Our New Works Program exemplifies this commitment to developing new theatrical works and showcasing emerging literary voices. It includes a Montgomery Davis Play Development Series, with workshop productions of two new scripts by adult playwrights who have ties to Wisconsin. This initiative offers undiscovered, adult playwrights the chance to develop and revise their work for possible future production and gives audiences an inside look at the intricate process of play development. As part of the New Works Program, MCT also produces a Young Playwrights Festival, featuring fully-staged productions of the work of three adolescent winners of a high school playwriting competition.

Forward Theater Company, formed in March 2009, is a not-for-profit professional theater company based in south-central Wisconsin. Founded by a group of local artists who have made a commitment to their community and the pursuit of theatrical excellence, Forward Theater Company will serve as a strong cultural and economic partner to other governmental, artistic and educational organizations in the region. Please visit their website at www.forwardtheater.com for more information.

Founding Partner:
Edenfred/Terry Family Foundation supported the Wisconsin Wrights New Play Development Project by providing a one-week residency to each of the three finalists. Established by the Terry Family Foundation in 2004, Edenfred is dedicated to the development of arts and culture by providing time and space to artists for the creation of new work. The Cooperative Residency program collaborates with arts organizations on projects involving the creation of new art works; the Resident Fellows and Day Fellows programs support individuals. Please visit www.edenfred.org for more information.

2013 Advisory Comittee & Final Panel

Sarah Marty is the Director of the UW-Madison Continuing Studies in Theatre Programs.  She has a Master's Degree in Business from the Bolz Center for Arts Administration, an MS in Curriculum & Instruction, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from UW–Madison.  Sarah was the 2008 recipient of the Bartell Award for Excellence in the Arts.  She works with a number of arts organizations in Madison including Four Seasons Theatre Company, the Madison Early Music Festival, Forward Theater Company, and Madison Theatre Guild. In addition, she is the Production Manager and Director for the UW Varsity Band Spring Concert.

Jennifer Uphoff Gray is the Artistic Director of Forward Theater Company and directed In the Next Room and Moonlight & Magnolias for their 2010-2011 season.  Other recent projects include directing a staged reading of A Thousand Words, by Gwendolyn Rice, for Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Love’s Labour’s Lost for Milwaukee Shakespeare (“Best of 2008”) and The Diary of Anne Frank for Madison Repertory Theatre (“Best of 2008”). She produced (and directed for) the Madison Rep’s 2007 New Play Festival. Other credits include: the National Tour of Copenhagen, Associate Director of Copenhagen, Cabaret, The Blue Room (starring Nicole Kidman) and The Life on Broadway. Off-Broadway, she directed the world premiere of the musical Suburb. Her work has also been seen at Second Stage, Musical Theater Works, Ensemble Studio Theater, HERE (all in New York City) and the Chunchon International Theater Festival in South Korea. She holds a degree in Dramatic Literature and Stage History from Harvard College.

Manon van de Water joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin in 1998 and teaches courses in theatre for youth, theatre research, and directs and supervises the theatre for young audience’s productions. She currently serves as the Department of Theatre and Drama’s Director of Theatre Production for University Theatre. Her research interests have a strong international focus, and include the interdependence of meaning and material conditions in theatre for adults and youth, Russian theatre, international theatre for youth, and theatre and drama in volatile regions. Professor van de Water is the liaison of the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) with AATE and ITYARN, and chair of ITYARN, the International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network of ASSITEJ. Aside from research activities, she has also given numerous national and international workshops on theatre/drama education, and has been invited as a jury member to international TYA festivals. Manon holds a Ph.D. in Theatre from Arizona State University and Doctorandus in Slavic Languages and Literature, University of Leiden, The Netherlands.

David Wells served as Executive Director of Edenfred, the creative residency program of the Terry Family Foundation, from 2004 through 2010. In this capacity he developed the arts residency programs, a statewide forum for arts curators, and a Day Fellows program which is popular with local writers. Through David Wells Creative Services LLC, he continues his work with Edenfred and as an independent curator and consultant. He has pursued interdisciplinary interests as an exhibiting artist, independent curator and arts administrator for over 30 years. He has exhibited across the United States as well as in Mexico, Japan and Czech Republic, with numerous solo installation exhibits in Southern California and Wisconsin. Wells has served on numerous jury panels including National Endowment for the Arts, WI Arts Board grant awards, the James Watrous Gallery of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, Overture Center for the Arts, and Art Fair on the Square. Wells currently serves as Board President of the Wormfarm Institute in Reedsburg, WI and on the board of OPEN (Out Professional & Executive Network) Madison.

Michael C. Wright became Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's Producing Artistic Director in the fall of 2005. Since then, he's directed many of their production including two original works, THE DALY NEWS and DICKENS IN AMERICA (a collaboration with American Players Theatre). From 1997-2005, he served as Associate Artistic Director of Next Act Theatre. Since moving to Wisconsin in 1988, Michael has been responsible for over 60 productions, fifteen of which have been named on "Best of" lists in Milwaukee and Madison. Other favorites have been THE SYRINGA TREE for American Players Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks and Delaware Theatre Company, LOBBY HERO for Madison Repertory Theatre, 110 IN THE SHADE for Skylight Opera Theatre, AUGUST SNOW for American Inside Theatre and WAITING FOR VERN for Collision Theatre Ensemble. Michael has taught theatre privately and at UW-Whitewater, Marquette University, Carroll College, First Stage Academy, Alverno College, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and Theatre for a New Audience (New York, NY). In 2009, Michael was honored with an "Artist of the Year" award by the City of Milwaukee Arts Board.