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 founding, 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.

The wait is over! Our Gala Silent Auction is LIVE!Our amazing items include:• Seats to can't miss shows like Paddington ...
10/12/2026

The wait is over! Our Gala Silent Auction is LIVE!

Our amazing items include:
• Seats to can't miss shows like Paddington and The Heart!
• Framed original drawings from Stephen Schwartz, Bess Wohl, David Lindsay-Abaire, and more!
• Playwright-signed copies of acclaimed plays!
• More to be revealed this week!

Whether you're joining us in person at the Ziegfeld Ballroom or supporting this year's Gala from home, you can browse and bid right now and support DGF's mission to champion theater writers.

Visit: https://buff.ly/lyUgZD4

Link in bio. Auction closes 10.19.2026.

Our writing rooms are a place to work, connect, and create. Whether you're locking in for a solo-writing session or putt...
10/12/2026

Our writing rooms are a place to work, connect, and create. Whether you're locking in for a solo-writing session or putting a whole act on its feet for the first time, you are part of a robust community of dramatists.

The next time you come to DGF, leave a note of encouragement on the board. You never know what kind of ripple effect your words may have on the next writer in the room.

10/10/2026

Get to Know Laura Schein (she/her) and Ben Zeadman (he/him) from Los Angeles, California, two of our 2026 DGF National Fellows!

To learn more about Laura, Ben, and all of our National Fellows, visit dgf.org and stay tuned for more Spotlights in this series!

(Full interviews on YouTube)

Congratulations to Joriah Kwamé, 2026 Stephen Schwartz Award Winner!The Stephen Schwartz Award is a pledge to the future...
10/08/2026

Congratulations to Joriah Kwamé, 2026 Stephen Schwartz Award Winner!

The Stephen Schwartz Award is a pledge to the future of musical theater. Selected by a private committee of composers and industry leaders, the award is given annually to a musical theater writer whose voice is seen as critical to the continued success of the craft.

Of receiving the award, Kwamé said, “The life of an artist is full of peaks and valleys, and both inevitably find their way into the work. Support like this makes it possible to keep creating through all of them. DGF’s belief in me means the world, and I’m deeply honored to be recognized in this way.”

The Stephen Schwartz Award debuted in 2019. Past recipients include:
Madeline Myers, 2025
Daniel Lazour, 2024
Benjamin Velez, 2023
Heather Christian, 2022
Emily Gardner Xu Hall, 2021
Khiyon Hursey, 2020
Oliver Houser, 2019

About this year’s recipient: Kwamé is a New York City–based writer and the creator of Little Miss Perfect, which began as his viral song of the same name and received its world premiere at Olney Theatre Center in 2026. Alongside Pasek and Paul, he co-wrote “Top of the World” for the Sony Pictures film Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, performed by Shawn Mendes. He is currently writing music and lyrics with Siedah Garrett for the Broadway-bound Polly: The Musical, directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen, with a book by Lena Waithe and Michael Benjamin Washington. His credits also include music and lyrics for DreamWorks’ Trolls JR., now licensed through Music Theatre International. A 2022–23 DGF Fellow for Musical Theatre, Kwamé received a 2024 Jonathan Larson Grant and has had work commissioned and developed by Goodspeed Musicals and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. For more information, visit joriahkwame.com.

Get to Know the 2026 DGF Gala Honorees! R. Patrick Morrow is an experienced financial advisor with more than 20 years of...
10/07/2026

Get to Know the 2026 DGF Gala Honorees!

R. Patrick Morrow is an experienced financial advisor with more than 20 years of experience serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. He works closely with clients to develop SMART wealth management plans that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. Recognizing the value of the tax-deferral opportunities available through corporate retirement plans, Patrick completed advanced training through the UCLA Anderson School of Management in collaboration with The Retirement Advisor University, earning the Certified 401(k) Professional designation. He advises businesses on a range of retirement and benefits matters, including defined contribution and defined benefit plan design, investment selection, employee incentive programs, and participant education.

Join us on October 19th, 2026 at Ziegfeld Ballroom for a spectacular evening, where we will honor Pat alongside award-winning theatrical producer Sue Frost and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and DGF Board Member, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

For tables and tickets, please visit DGFgala.com.

DGF’s Gala is generously presented by Creative Partners Productions, with additional support from Concord Theatricals.

Get to Know the 2026 DGF Gala Honorees! Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a writer and theatre artist whose plays include Purpos...
09/30/2026

Get to Know the 2026 DGF Gala Honorees!

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a writer and theatre artist whose plays include Purpose, Appropriate, The Comeuppance, Girls, Everybody, War, Gloria, Appropriate, An Octoroon and Neighbors. He is a Professor in the Practice at Yale University and serves as Vice President of the Dramatists Guild council. He has been the recipient of two Tony awards, a Pulitzer Prize, the MacArthur fellowship, the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama, and the inaugural Tennessee Williams Award.

Join us on October 19th, 2026 at Ziegfeld Ballroom for a spectacular evening, where we will honor Branden alongside award-winning theatrical producer Sue Frost and former DGF Board Member instrumental in the organization’s financial planning, R. Patrick Morrow.

For tables and tickets, please visit DGFgala.com.

DGF’s Gala is generously presented by Creative Partners Productions, with additional support from Concord Theatricals.

Get to Know the 2026 DGF Gala Honorees! Sue Frost is a founding member of Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning Junkyard ...
09/23/2026

Get to Know the 2026 DGF Gala Honorees! Sue Frost is a founding member of Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning Junkyard Dog Productions. Previous Broadway productions include Come From Away; Memphis; First Date; Doctor Zhivago (Executive Producers). Prior to founding Junkyard, Sue was Associate Producer at Goodspeed Musicals for 20 years. A graduate of Smith College, Sue is a member of adjunct faculty at Columbia University School of the Arts, and is the current Chair-Elect of The Broadway League.

Join us on October 19th, 2026 at Ziegfeld Ballroom for a spectacular evening, where we will honor Sue alongside Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-Winning Playwright and DGF Board Member Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; and former DGF Board Member instrumental in the organization’s financial planning, R. Patrick Morrow.

This year's DGF Gala will be hosted by five-time Emmy Award winner and two-time Grammy Award nominee, Wayne Brady!

For tables and tickets, please visit DGFgala.com.

DGF’s Gala is generously presented by Creative Partners Productions, with additional support from Concord Theatricals.

As part of DGF’s Roe Green Visiting Voices program, award-winning playwright York Walker (Covenant, Holcomb & Hart) led ...
09/17/2026

As part of DGF’s Roe Green Visiting Voices program, award-winning playwright York Walker (Covenant, Holcomb & Hart) led workshops for communities at both the Goodman Theater and the Black Alphabet Theater in Chicago. We’re so grateful to York for his insights on inspiration, structure, and the generative process that goes into the spark of a play and to all the dramatists who attended.

About the Program: DGF’s Roe Green Visiting Voices program makes it possible for writers nationwide to learn from luminaries of the modern stage. The program connects dramatists with institutions and organizations across the nation, who are interested in cultivating and amplifying educational opportunities for their community.

For more information, please email Jacquelyn Jordan, DGF Director of Programs at [email protected]

Photo Credit:
Slides 1 and 3, Jacquelyn Jordan
Slide 2, shared by York Walker

09/11/2026

The Dramatists Guild Foundation Gala is a dazzling evening of live performances honoring the legendary writers, industry leaders, and visionaries who have shaped American theater.

Each year, we raise the curtain on an unforgettable evening that spotlights the artistry, imagination, and impact of theater writers, while inviting supporters to take a starring role in sustaining their work.

Last year, we were joined by Anna Zavelson for a moving rendition of “If You’re Lucky” from Double Helix by former DGF Fellow, Madeline Myers.

As DGF’s largest annual fundraiser, proceeds from ticket sales, the silent auction, and paddle raise directly support our vital grants and programs that uplift and empower theater writers across the country.

The DGF Gala is generously presented by Creative Partners Productions, with additional support from Concord Theatricals.

For tickets and tables, please visit dgfgala.com

Cover photo: Rebecca J Michelson

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520 8th Avenue
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Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

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