Chicago Cultural Center New Play Residency Funding New Play Readings in Time for Chicago Theatre Week

Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) has announced the 4 awardees of the Chicago Cultural Center New Play Residency. The selected works will be showcased with free public readings during Chicago Theatre Week, February 15-16, and February 22-23, 2025, at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Studio Theater (78 E. Washington St.).  

All readings are free and open to the public; all are encouraged to RSVP here. A full schedule is available at ChicagoCulturalCenter.org. 

The New Play Residency supports local dramatists and producers of new plays and musicals with time, space, and funding (up to $12,000 for a play, $16,000 for a musical). The goal of the project is to help bring new projects to life and provide resources for their development. The 2024-2025 awardees are: The Last Senior Home in Bronzeville (Nikki Carpenter, produced by Quenna Lené Barrett) – A comedy/drama about gentrification and senior citizens’ fight to stay in their community; Las Fantasmas y Frida Kahlo (Spencer Diaz Tootle, produced by The Story Theatre) – A dark comedy exploring historical legacy and identity in Frida Kahlo’s haunted home; frikiNation (Krystal Ortiz, produced by UrbanTheater Company) – A bilingual jukebox musical about rebellious youth in 90s Cuba confronting political oppression; Your Hands Are Like Mine (Kiara Rivera, produced by Victor Hugo Jaimes) – A magical realism play about eating disorders and body dysmorphia as a form of generational coping mechanisms. 

“The residency was developed to provide necessary funding and support for the development of new plays and musicals,” said DCASE Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth. “One of the beautiful things about Chicago’s cultural landscape is the commitment to taking risks and nurturing innovation in the performing arts. By supporting diverse voices and providing the resources needed for creativity, we ensure that both emerging and established artists have the freedom to shape the future of theater.” 

The New Play Residency, and the culminating readings, build on DCASE’s successful Dance Studio Residency program, now in its third year, and are part of the department’s ongoing efforts to foster innovation in the performing arts. 

“The Chicago Cultural Center New Play Residency provides generous support for the development and creation of brand new plays,” shared the Governing Ensemble at The Story Theatre. “This residency directly aligns with The Story’s mission and history of producing world-premieres by thrilling new voices at the beginnings of exciting careers. Because of DCASE, we are able to elevate our work even higher.” 

Additionally, the Dance Studio Residency Open Studio Series will feature work-in-progress events from current Chicago Cultural Center Dance Studio Residency artists. For a full schedule, visit ChicagoCulturalCenter.org. 

The Dance Studio Residency program is supported in part by grants from the Walder Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.   The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) maintains a mission to support artists and cultural organizations, invest in the creative economy, and expand access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. DCASE produces some of the city’s most iconic festivals, markets, events, and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, and in communities across the city — serving a local and global audience of 25 million people. For more details about DCASE and its programming, visit Chicago.gov/DCASE.