DCPA NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT
Since our first season in 1979/80, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts has been dedicated to fostering new works for the American theatre through readings, fully produced plays, and new immersive experiences.
CHANGING THE THEATRICAL LANDSCAPE
Our Theatre Company performs in intimate theatres that put you no further than 13 rows from the stage. This up-close-and-personal experience allows you to explore the artistry, see the attention to detail and feel the reaction of the crowd all around you. Surround yourself with a full season of shared experiences.
Denver Center Theatre Company
In its inaugural season, the DCPA’s Theatre Company offered a five-play season including the world premiere of Passing Game by Steve Tesich. By season five, the Company’s commitment to new play development was formalized with the launch of Prima Facie, a festival of readings that invited the public to hear as many as 12 works in development in one season. Additionally, the Company started The Playwrights Unit in which a small group of local playwrights met weekly to develop scripts.
Over the years, the Prima Facie program grew in popularity, attracting the attention of then-telecommunications giant as title sponsor and transitioning into U.S. West TheatreFest. This first iteration of the DCPA’s new play development initiative lasted 15 seasons. During a time of transition, it was briefly replaced by a slimmed down approach called Working Stages, which developed three scripts over two seasons.
Soon, under the leadership of former Artistic Director Kent Thompson, the Denver Center Theatre Company recommitted to a robust new play development program. The reconceived Colorado New Play Summit has become a one-week workshop of four plays in development that culminates in a weekend of public readings for local and industry guests. The Summit also features two fully produced plays that were read at a previous Summit.
Additionally, the DCPA founded the Women’s Voices Fund in 2005 to foster the work of female playwrights and directors. This first-of-its-kind fund has led to 45 readings by women playwrights, 50 full productions written by women playwrights, and 52 plays directed by women.
Through the efforts of just one department, the Denver Center Theatre Company has:
- Presented more than 200 readings of new works
- Produced 158 world premieres
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Broadway & Cabaret
Occasionally over the years, the DCPA’s Broadway and Cabaret lines of programming have shared new work with the community, most notably the pre-Broadway engagements of Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Frozen, both of which were developed in Denver before moving to New York.
- DCPA Cabaret produced seven new projects
- DCPA Broadway presented two bound-for-Broadway musicals
Off-Center
In 2010/11, the DCPA began to explore a new programming line. Off-Center was created to develop immersive experiences that place the audience at the center of the story. Because this type of storytelling is relatively new, Off-Center has become a national leader in the artform and roughly two thirds of its offerings have been comprised of wholly original experiences.
- Produced 42 world premieres
- Presented four readings or workshops of works in development
Theatre for Young Audiences
Most recently, DCPA Education launched Theatre for Young Audiences geared at PreK through third grade students. Its 2022/23 production of Little Red was a world premiere that offered an all-new approach to Little Red Riding Hood that focused on the environment and friendship.
- Produced one world premiere
As of the 2025/26 season, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts — through its Broadway, Cabaret, Off-Center, and Theatre Company — has introduced 211 world premiere productions to the American theatre. These productions have gone on to be produced at theatre companies around the globe. Explore our list of these productions and their subsequent productions.
New Play Development History
For more than four decades the Denver Center has been committed to introducing new works to the American theatre. Many of these start as readings and commissions before moving onto fully produced world premieres.
Getting to the Kilstrom, Singleton and Wolf Theatres
The DCPA Theatre Company regularly performs in the newly-renovated Bonfils Theatre Complex at the northwest corner of Denver’s Arts Complex. While the building with our central box office is situated close to Speer & Arapahoe, pedestrians typically arrive on the campus from 14th & Curtis Street or utilize the parking garage with entrances off of Arapahoe Street and 13th Street.
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