Playwrights’ Playground | Feb 23, 7 PM
AT HARLEM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
RSVP (FREE)
In this dynamic evening of new theatrical voices, emerging playwrights share their works-in-progress with a live audience. Scenes are read aloud by actors cast on the spot.
Playwrights: Submit your pages to shawnrene@cthnyc.org for consideration.
Actors: Please arrive by 6:30 PM to be cast. Limited spots available.
Playwrights can pre-submit 10-12 pages of a new work in the early stages of development. Actors are cast on the spot and perform a cold reading, followed by a moderated audience feedback session. In addition to serving the development of new work, these readings give audiences a sneak peek into how new plays are created.
READ:
News and Reviews
Catch up on the latest.
The Classical Theatre of Harlem Announces Othello as Its 2026 Uptown Shakespeare in the Park Production
The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH), the award-winning theater company dedicated to bringing accessible, world-class classical theater to diverse audiences, announced today that its 2026 Uptown Shakespeare in the Park production will be William Shakespeare’s Othello, directed by Carl Cofield. The free outdoor production will take place summer 2026 in Marcus Garvey Park, continuing CTH’s…
The Classical Theatre of Harlem Receives $1 Million Grant from the Dale and Deborah Smith Foundation
The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is proud to announce a transformational $1 million grant from the Dale and Deborah Smith Foundation. This major multiyear commitment—$200,000 per year over the next five years—is a restricted grant dedicated to supporting the development of a permanent home for the company. “This $1 million investment is a game-changer…
ICONS 3: PROMINENT FIGURES ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE
The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH), American Theatre Magazine and Venus Radio Theater are teaming up for ICONS 3: Prominent Figures in the Landscape, a series of audio plays produced by CTH and Venus Radio Theater highlighting four leaders and tastemakers whose work was central to the vibrant Harlem Renaissance. For the collection of plays, CTH commissioned Harlem-based playwrights to create monologues performed by Harlem-based actors, honoring the largely unsung voices of fascinating figures who were integral to the cultural movement.
‘Gwendolyn in Paris’: A Short Play About the Legendary Gwendolyn Bennett
As a special offering in our Offscript feed, we offer this monologue by Gethsemane Herron, performed by Candace Boahene, about Harlem Renaissance writer, artist, and journalist Gwendolyn Bennett.
December 11, 2025
November 13, 2025
October 10, 2025
Search Results placeholder
Changing The Face of American Theatre
The Classical Theatre of Harlem provides theatrical productions and theatre-based educational and literary programs at little or no cost to underserved communities in Harlem and beyond.
SHOP:
Shop CTH Merch
Support great theatre and look good while doing it!
EXPLORE:
Behind The Curtain
Exclusive interviews, performances, and more.
WATCH:
Single Petal of a Rose
Jazz virtuosos Jeremy Ajani Jordan and Mark Dover perform the iconic piece and speak about Duke Ellington’s genius inside the newly renovated Dorothy Maynor hall at Harlem School of the Arts.
LISTEN:
THE MUCK | A Radio Play
An idyllic journalist returns to his poverty-stricken hometown of the Muck in the American South to write an article about the forgotten suicide of his childhood friend, but in his quest to honor his friend’s legacy, he discovers he’s not the only one still hurting from this tragedy.
Support CTH with a donation
It’s tax-deductible and is matched by donations from supporting corporations.
WNYC is a media partner of The Classical Theatre of Harlem
