Across the country, NNPN is investing directly in Member Theaters and the artists they champion, providing resources and opportunities to develop new plays and bring them to audiences.
Throughout our year-end campaign, we'll be spotlighting Member Theaters that have recently received NNPN programmatic awards, sharing firsthand how these investments are supporting their work and making an impact in their communities.
Through December 31, 2026, all gifts will be matched up to $15,000 thanks to the generosity of NNPN founder David Goldman and Carol Dweck, helping us continue investing in new plays and the theaters that bring them to life.
This week, we’re excited to feature Associate Member, Oregon Contemporary Theatre!
What was the most recent programmatic award your theater received from NNPN?
NNPN Rolling World Premiere of “Dog Mom”!
Tell us about the project, production, artist, or work that this NNPN support is helping make possible.
Producing Tate Hanyok's “Dog Mom” was a highlight of our season, and NNPN’s support made it possible. The touching comedy captured something truly universal about love and connection, and it was an immediate hit with our audiences.
NNPN funded the Rolling World Premiere of the show and sent a representative out to see the show. The support allowed us to highlight Tate Hanyok's incredible writing and story, as well as end our season on such a high note.
What has NNPN’s support allowed your theater and/or the artists involved to do that might not otherwise have been possible?
Championing an unfamiliar playwright or producing an new title audiences might not know is always a risk for any theatre. Having the backing of NNPN gave “Dog Mom” and Tate Hanyok that stamp of credibility. The endorsement and financial support gave us the opportunity to take bold artistic risks, execute an exceptional production (maybe we're biased), and draw in new audiences.
What impact do you hope this work will have beyond this particular project or production?
Beyond the unanimously glowing reviews, we hope “Dog Mom” resonated deeply enough to turn first-time attendees into lifelong OCT patrons.
Being part of a Rolling World Premiere carries a different kind of prestige that attracts both new theatergoers and existing patrons who might want something new and different. Ultimately, we hope this production proves to our community that taking a chance on new plays is always worth it!
What does being part of National New Play Network make possible for your organization?
Being part of NNPN expands our artistic horizon, allowing us to connect with new playwrights and work with unique scripts or playwrights of a background completely different from our audience base. Having NNPN’s endorsement reassures our audiences that these new works are compelling and high-quality, enabling us to platform artists and perspectives that might not have otherwise reached our stage.
If you could tell an NNPN donor one thing about why supporting this work matters, what would you want them to know?
Every art form relies on supporting new ideas, but early-career playwrights need that advocacy most. NNPN’s support creates vital opportunities for different perspectives and lived experiences to reach audiences. By giving to NNPN, donors directly invest in the artists who bring these essential new works to life.
-Lexy Menjivar-Grueskin, Marketing & Communications Manager
