Nan’s FY26 Highlights

Written By Kate Langsdorf

A Fiscal Year-In-Review from NNPN Executive Director, Nan Barnett

Happy New NNPN Year from Nan!

FY26 was a banner year for us. Here are few fun, fiscal year facts:

Last fiscal year, NNPN provided...

  • Direct financial support of more than $225,000 to Member Theaters.

  • Staff education, information, and support services to more than 125 theaters.

  • Travel funds to over 100 new playmakers.

We placed rising new-works leaders in residencies in...

  • Alaska

  • D.C. 

  • Cleveland

  • San Francisco

... and we supported the collaborative efforts of dozens of theaters as they worked to make new work for their audiences.

We contracted 6 new Rolling World Premieres, showing soon on stages in...

  • Indianapolis, IN

  • Austin, TX

  • Shepherdstown, WV

  • Eugene, OR

  • Pittsburg, PA

  • Los Angeles, CA

  • Lincoln, NE

  • Richmond, VA

  • Minneapolis, MN

  • Juneau, AK

  • Atlanta, GA

  • London, UK

... plus more to be announced. And we had the pleasure of watching the plays and artists we've long supported receive productions all over the U.S. and beyond. 

We brought together more than 200 theater-makers for the 2026 National Convening in Sacramento, where we saw new works in development from B Street Theatre (our hosts and a Core Member), Crowded Fire (Associate Member), and Playwrights Foundation (Partner Organization). We also “worked out” together at a special, one-night-only performance of Ken Weitzman’s The Happiness Gym (NNPN’s first interactive Rolling World Premiere), and we “Pitched,” “Slammed,” or “Shared” 150+ plays by living writers. Oh! And we set a new course for the future by approving NNPN’s FY27-30 Strategic Plan.

An outdoor group shot of the NNPN Board

The NNPN FY26 Board in attendance at our National Convening at B Street Theatre, Sacramento

This year, we added 50 new individual donors and increased the support of corporations by 131% through our convening sponsorship program. New Play Exchange® users now can show their support directly through the NPX site. And speaking of NPX, its amazing growth continues – we added more than 6800 subscribers in the last year, and there are now 7,250+ monologues and almost 70K scripts to choose from.

On a personal note, I finished my quest to see all four NNPN Rolling World Premiere productions of the 2025 Goldman Prize for New American Plays, Bad Books by Sharyn Rothstein, which I had the pleasure of seeing rolls at:

I was delighted to watch it grow and morph as it journeyed across the country. I spoke with Boards and supporters and new play makers and advocates in each city, as well as many others, and continue to be amazed by the curiosity, creativity and collegiality of those in this field.

Thank you for all you are doing to make a robust, sustainable, diverse, equitable new play ecosystem. NNPN is humbled by your support and honored to serve as the provider of these services to our members, the artists they work with, and the field. 

Nan Barnett

NNPN Executive Director

Kate Langsdorf
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NNPN in Los Angeles: The Fountain Theatre & IAMA Theatre Company