Highlights from the 2023 New Play Conference

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The GPTC New Play Festival

Save the Date for the 21st New Play Festival! May 24th-30th, 2026

Below are some links to give you an idea of what’s in store for 2026 –

Click here to see the 2025 New Play Festival Schedule.

Click here for details about the 2025 New Play Festival.

Click here to see the official program of the 2025 New Play Festival.

The New Play Festival was founded in 2006 by Metropolitan Community College, and continues, now that the GPTC is its own nonprofit, as a vibrant community partnership between the two organizations. The Festival takes place each spring at the Swanson Conference Center on MCC’s historic Fort Omaha Campus. (Map)

Each year, the Festival helps to develop a group of new plays that are selected from a pool of around 1000 submissions. During the Festival, local and national playwrights, actors, directors, dramaturgs, designers and Omaha community members, share a week of stories, workshops, readings, meals, performances and celebrations. All public festival events are free to attend.

  • Theatre Workshops, Luncheon Panels and daily PlayLab Series readings comprise the foundation of the Festival.
  • National dramaturgs are provided for each playwright, providing support before, during, and after the Festival
  • The Commons Season presents the final production of the season of new works during Festival week, providing an example of the quality of script that emerges from GPTC’s unique process.
  • Design Wing brings five emerging designers from across the country to become immersed in the play development from a visual perspective.
  • Young Dramatists Fellowship Program provides local high school playwrights with access to some of the country’s top plays and playwrights.

GPTC invites and welcomes a number of distinguished and nationally known playwrights, directors and actors each year. These guest artists are in place to nurture and mentor new and emerging playwrights and Festival attendees through various workshops, PlayLab feedback sessions and seminars.

Want to connect with the most complete information on the 2026 New Play Festival? We will be updating this link in the coming months to register for the online guide to the Festival week (it’s free!). This site will have the most up to date Festival information, schedules, and live streaming links – just check back later in the year.

 

Click here for information on past years.