Dramatists Guild Foundation

Dramatists Guild Foundation Recipient of a Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. By supporting and nurturing the creators of today, we protect the stories of tomorrow.

Dramatists Guild Foundation (DGF) is a national charity that fuels the future of American theater by supporting playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists at all stages of their careers. Founded under the leadership of lyricist/composer Alan Jay Lerner (My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, Camelot), the Dramatists Guild Foundation was formed to aid and nurture writers for the theater. Since its foundi

ng, DGF has maintained guidance from a dynamic and influential Board of Directors, and has grown to serve hundreds of writers and theaters across the United States. DGF continues to fuel the future of American theater through its dedication to aiding those who create the works we know and love. We sponsor educational programs; provide awards, grants, and stipends; offer free space to create new works; and give emergency aid to writers in need. Dramatists Guild Foundation acknowledges that our office is located in ancestral Lenape homelands. We are conscious that our work in New York City, and across the United States, occurs on the stolen land of many Indigenous people. We stand in solidarity with the Indigenous people and recognize the longstanding significance of these lands for Indigenous nations, past and present.

06/18/2026

Larry Kramer reflects on “The Normal Heart” in conversation with George C. Wolfe as part of The Legacy Project.

Enjoy the full episode on YouTube

Check out the Writing Rooms in action! These spaces are here to support your process, whether that means brainstorming w...
06/16/2026

Check out the Writing Rooms in action! These spaces are here to support your process, whether that means brainstorming with collaborators, working through a tricky scene by getting it on its feet, or finding a quiet place to focus.

If you’re creating here, tag so we can cheer you on and share what you’re building.

06/15/2026

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty discuss the opening number lyrics of Ragtime: “[it’s] a panorama of the country.”

Enjoy Ahrens and Flaherty’s whole conversation with Andrew Lippa as part of The Legacy Project on YouTube.

In partnership with The Lillys, we are thrilled to announce graduate students Brittany K. Allen and Anterior Leverett as...
06/11/2026

In partnership with The Lillys, we are thrilled to announce graduate students Brittany K. Allen and Anterior Leverett as the 2026 recipients for the Hansberry-Lilly Fellowship.

The Fellowship was created under the leadership and vision of Julia Jordan and Lynn Nottage in honor of the playwright Lorraine Hansberry, as part of the Lillys’ mission of celebrating, funding, and fighting for women by promoting gender and racial parity in the American theater. This year’s recipients were selected by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and actress Eboni Booth.

Congratulations, Brittany and Anterior! Read more about their work below ⬇️

Brittany K. Allen is a Brooklyn-based writer and actor. Her plays have been produced and developed by Manhattan Theatre Club, Clubbed Thumb, Ensemble Studio Theatre, WPLab, Portland Center Stage, Jungle Theater, Studio Theatre, and KC Rep, among other places, and her radio plays and podcasts have been produced by Audible/Fresh Produce Media and Playing On Air. She currently holds commissions from Playwrights Horizons, The Civilians/NYSCA, and Portland Center Stage, and is an alumna of EST/Youngblood, the Emerging Writers Group at The Public Theater, and the Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group at Primary Stages. Her writing life has been supported by fellowships to Hedgebrook, MacDowell, and Ucross, as well as scholarships to Bread Loaf and the Sewanee Writers Conference. She is a resident playwright with C**t Coeur.

Anterior Leverett is a playwright, performer, and scholar-artist based in New York. Hailing from Savannah, GA, she received her B.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University and an M.A. in Africana Studies from Georgia State University. She is a Working Title Playwright Rosalind Ayers-Williams Scholarship Recipient for 2023-2025, a member of the 2023/2024 Alliance Theatre Lead Reiser Artist Lab, and a 2024 SheATL Finalist. Her play Yanni Stone & the Honeypot Trap was selected for the 2022/2023 Synchronicity Theatre Stripped Bare New Play Incubator Project, a Hush Harbor Lab Workshop Development, and a National Black Theatre Micro Development Lab. Anterior is a current member of the 2028 Columbia University Playwriting cohort.

06/09/2026

“My design students said, ‘you should direct a play.’” James Lapine (recipient of the 2026 Lifetime Achievement !) reflects on the unexpected early career trajectory that led to becoming a director.

Hear Lapine’s full conversation with Lisa Kron as part of The Legacy Project on the DGF YouTube Channel!

Did you know that DGF was the recipient of a 2024 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre? ✨ Awards Season is in full ...
06/03/2026

Did you know that DGF was the recipient of a 2024 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre? ✨ Awards Season is in full swing, but you can celebrate your favorite artist's favorite non-profit year round with our special edition Tony Honors tote bag, on sale now for a limited time!

Whether you shop our bags, notebooks, coasters, or pins, all proceeds from your purchase go directly towards our mission of supporting theatrical writers at all stages of their careers. Shop now at dgfshop.square.site

05/29/2026

“Yellow Face” by David Henry Hwang, performed by Francis Jue and Daniel Day Kim at the 2024 DGF Gala.

Enjoy the full excerpted performance on DGF’s YouTube Channel or watch the full production of Yellow Face on Broadway, available to stream on PBS Great Performances.

05/26/2026

Philip Kan Gotanda (2020-2021 Legacy Playwrights Initiative Award Winner) sat down with Todd London for an interview about his creativity, “feeling alive,” and his sustained influence on American Theater.

Enjoy their full conversation on YouTube!

The Legacy Playwrights Initiative honors playwrights for their sustained influence on the American theater and gives renewed attention to their body of work.

In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we assembled a selection of artists and stories to see, read, and hear. Join us in cele...
05/21/2026

In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we assembled a selection of artists and stories to see, read, and hear. Join us in celebrating these works and more by amplifying your favorites in the comments!

We recently held an intimate salon featuring the creative team behind the new musical Galileo at the residence of Brisa ...
05/19/2026

We recently held an intimate salon featuring the creative team behind the new musical Galileo at the residence of Brisa Carleton. The evening brought together artists, supporters, and theater lovers for a conversation with writers Zoe Sarnak, Michael Weiner, and Danny Strong, moderated by DGF Executive Director Rachel Routh, alongside performances by Jeremy Kushnier, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Adam Halpin, Michael Mainwaring, and Madeleine Spacapan.

Inspired by one of history’s great questioners and innovators, Galileo explores the thrill of discovery and the courage to challenge the way we see the world — themes reflected throughout the evening’s conversation about the development of new musical theater work and the importance of supporting writers throughout the creative process.

Thank you to all involved for an inspiring evening, celebrating new works and the spirit of collaboration.

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520 8th Avenue
New York, NY
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Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

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