Colorado New Play Summit - Denver Center for the Performing Arts

FEB 24 & 25, 2024 HELEN BONFILS THEATRE COMPLEX MAP

THE COLORADO NEW PLAY SUMMIT

Subscriptions are now on sale! Individual tickets go on sale at a later date. Enter your email address below to be notified!

“Arguably local theater’s premiere event” – The Denver Post

Our stories start with you… Watching a play spring to life on stage might make you believe in magic. But before a story can sweep you off into another world, it takes a whole lot of humanity to make it possible. After coaxing an idea into a script, playwrights can rely on the expertise of dramaturgs, directors, and other writers to guide them through the editing process. But nothing compares to presenting a piece to a live audience, where the real-time reactions of a crowd elevate words into something more.

At the Colorado New Play Summit, it’s your time to shine as you meet some of theatre’s most promising writers while helping them fine-tune their work. Listen to play readings by fabulous actors, give your feedback on where you think the story should go, and enjoy two fully produced Theatre Company productions: the world premieres of Cebollas and Rubicon, both of which were featured readings at the 2022 Summit.

The inspiration doesn’t stop with the plays. Get to know the featured playwrights, directors, actors, and other creatives over delicious meals and at special events like the Summit Wrap Party. It’s your chance to meet the brightest minds in the craft and play an integral role in the future of Colorado theatre.

Premiere Sponsor:
Robert & Carole Slosky

Spotlight Sponsor:

VIEW PROGRAM>

MEET THE CASTS>

Watch spotlights from the 2023 Summit

PACKAGE OPTIONS

Packages grant you access to all of the readings and plays featured in the Summit, plus two luncheons, the Summit Dinner, the Summit Party, and the Playwright’s Slam. If you’d prefer to only participate in one or a handful of readings, you can also purchase $10 A La Carte tickets for each.

General Admission, Subscribers $171 – SOLD OUT

General Admission $286 – SOLD OUT

General Admission, Students $163 – SOLD OUT

General Admission, 35 & Under $177 – SOLD OUT

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Please feel free to contact us with any other questions not answered here.

About the Summit TRAVEL

What is a reading?
New play readings are how we showcase the essence of a story without production elements like scenery, staging, lights and costumes. Think of it like watching a live radio program being recorded. Our actors stand on stage, scripts handy, and perform the lines with all of the passion of a final production. The audience gets all of the emotion of a fully-produced performance, just stripped down. This allows the playwright, director and audience to focus entirely on the language and story.

Who are the industry attendees?
Every year the Colorado New Play Summit attracts theatre industry leaders and artists from over 20 states. This includes playwrights, directors, actors, dramaturgs, artistic directors, literary managers, casting directors, managers, agents and other representatives from theatre companies throughout the country. View the 2023 industry attendee list

How can I submit a play to be considered for the future?

The DCPA Theatre Company is currently taking a pause from reading new submissions, as we reimagine both our literary department and submissions process. We will update our Play Submissions page once a new process is determined.

In regards to former submissions, due to the number of submissions we receive, we will only respond if we are interested in a particular script or playwright.

How do I get to the Summit?
All of our events will be located in the Denver Performing Arts Complex in downtown Denver. The intersection of 14th and Curtis streets is a good pick-up and drop-off location for all venues. Most Summit events take place in the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex.

Using a map app? Our exact address is 1400 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80204.

Where should I stay for the Summit?
As a Summit attendee, you get exclusive Summit discount rates at nearby partner hotels. Check back here in the months leading up to the Summit for partner rates.

How can I get around Denver?
Avoid the cost and hassle of parking downtown with these options:

CAR TRANSPORTATION:

Ride-sharing Services: Both Lyft and Uber operate in Denver.
Taxis: A taxi stand is available just across 14th Street at The Curtis Hotel. Or, our staff is happy to call a cab from the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
Bus: RTD offers more than 15 bus routes that pick up and drop off within one block of the Denver Performing Arts Complex. When planning your route to the Complex, put in “Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Street” as your cross streets to get the best results. Light Rail: RTD Light Rail lines D, F and H all make stops at 14th & Champa, beneath the Colorado Convention Center. When planning your route to the Complex, put in “Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Street” as your cross streets to get the best results. Airport Train: If you’re traveling to Denver and arrive at Denver International Airport, you can take RTD’s A Line Train straight to Union Station in downtown Denver, which is within walking distance of the Arts Complex and many area hotels.

BIKE & SCOOTER TRANSPORTATION:

Lyft and Lime offer e-bike and scooter sharing.

About the Summit Tickets SCHEDULE TRAVEL

How can I submit a play to be considered for the future?

In regards to former submissions, due to the number of submissions we receive, we will only respond if we are interested in a particular script or playwright.

Do I get to choose a seat?
Readings, meals and events are general admission, so you will get to choose your seat when you arrive. Our theatres are intimate enough that every seat will give you a great view of the action, but if you’d like to find somewhere to sit with a group, we recommend arriving at the reading at least 15 minutes early. The world premieres will have assigned seats; all of the tickets in your order will be seated together.

Will I get physical tickets or is there Will Call?
A La Carte Summit Weekend buyers may opt-in to receive a name badge, but will still receive individual tickets for their events.

Those with all-inclusive passes may pick up their badges and world premiere tickets at registration upon arrival. Please wear your badge to gain entry to all events. Registration will be located inside the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex. If you are arriving late for Summit Weekend or have any questions during the Summit, please see a box office agent. The main ticket counter is located inside the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex, and we also have a counter in The Jones Theatre.

What are the Orange and Blue Tracks? Which should I choose?

Summit Weekend offers two tracks — orange and blue — which are simply the order in which you’ll see the readings. Both tracks include all readings and events, but due to the sizes of our theatres, we have to split the size of our audience into two groups that see different plays concurrently. If you’re attending the Summit with a group, make sure you buy tickets to the same track.

Using a map app? Our exact address is 1400 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80204.

How can I get around Denver?
Avoid the cost and hassle of parking downtown with these options:

CAR TRANSPORTATION:

BIKE & SCOOTER TRANSPORTATION:

Lyft and Lime offer e-bike and scooter sharing.

News and media
See photos and read more about the Colorado New Play Summit from local and national writers who have experienced it.

NEWS AND MEDIA

History of readings
Learn who has been commissioned, who has contributed and which readings have gone on to full productions here and around the country.

VIEW HISTORY

Summit Successes Keep Coming

Over more than 40 years, our Theatre Company season has produced over 400 plays from scratch, including many that got their start as a reading. By commissioning new plays and presenting the Colorado New Play Summit, we underwrite the important work required of playwrights, invest in the future of the American Theatre and keep our finger on the pulse of contemporary writing.

A young woman in Western wear stands in front of a glowing circle in Rattlesnake Kate.

Leana Rae Concepcion in Rattlesnake Kate. Music and Lyrics by Neyla Pekarek. Book by Karen Hartman. Photo by andrewkellyphotography.com

A woman surrounded by family strikes a pose as she dances in In the Upper Room.

Monnae Michaell and the cast of In the Upper Room by Beaufield Berry. Photo by Adams VisCom

A man and woman are seated surrounded by books in You Lost Me.

Tara Falk and Gareth Saxe in You Lost Me by Bonnie Metzgar. Photo by Adams VisCom

A group of people sit at a dinner table onstage in twenty50

(l-r) Blanca Camacho, Frankie J. Alvarez, Valentina Guerra and Zeus Mendoza in twenty50 by Tony Meneses. Photo by Adams VisCom

Bob Ari and Linden Tailor in The Great Leap. Photo by Adams VisCom

A group of people listen to a doctor in Human Error.

The company of Human Error by Eric Pfeffinger. Photo by Adams VisCom

Two women embrace while one is seated in a chair in Last Night and the Night Before.

Erin Cherry and Bianca LaVerne Jones in Last Night and the Night Before by Donnetta Lavinia Grays. Photo by Adams VisCom

A man wearing a snowsuit argues with a woman in Two Degrees.

Robert Montano and Kathleen McCall in Two Degrees by Tira Palmquist. Photo by Adams VisCom

Lauren Gunderson (commissioned for The Book of Will) is the most-produced playwright in the country this season, with a whopping 33 productions, including 12 co-writing credits. The company of The Book of Will. Photo by Adams VisCom.

The company of The Book of Will. Photo by Adams VisCom

The company of American Mariachi. Photo by Adams VisCom

A woman throws herself over a couch as she grabs onto a man’s hand in FADE.

Eddie Martinez and Mariana Fernández in FADE by Tanya Saracho. Photo by Adams Visual Communication

A group of people stand at a bar waiting for drinks while one person speaks to the rest in The Nest.

(l-r) David Mason, Carly Street, Andrea Syglowski and Kevin Berntson in The Nest by Theresa Rebeck. Photo by Adams Visual Communication

Two women sit with their legs crossed and hands clasped in excitement in Appoggiatura

(l-r) Darrie Lawrence and Lenne Klingaman in Appoggiatura by James Still. Photo by Jennifer M. Koskinen

Two women and two children play in a small pool, splashing water high into the air in Benediction.

(l-r) Nance Williamson, Zoe Delaney Stahlhut, Kathleen McCall and Billie McBride in Benediction. Adapted by Eric Schmiedl from the novel by Kent Haruf. Photo by Jennifer M. Koskinen

A teenager looks at a photo frame while a friend smiles in Just Like Us.

Casey Predovic and Cynthia Bastidas in Just Like Us by Karen Zacarías. Based on the book by Helen Thrope. Photo by Jennifer M Koskinen

An older woman in a robe and hair curlers drinks from a bottle while a younger woman watches in The Most Deserving.

(l-r) Jeanne Paulsen and Judith Hawking in The Most Deserving by Catherine Trischmann. Photo by Jennifer M. Koskinen

Two men observe a floating white chess board in black odyssey

(l-r) Cleavant Derricks and Tony Todd in black odyssey by Marcus Gardley. Photo by Jennifer M Koskinen

Ben Huber and Jamie Ann Romero in the Denver Center Theatre Company’s world premiere production of The Legend of Georgia McBride. Photo by Jennifer M Koskinen

A young woman kneels while a man stands over her, speaking in Sense and Sensibility The Musical.

Mary Michael Patterson and Jeremiah James in Sense and Sensibility The Musical. Book and Lyrics by Jeffrey Haddow. Music by Neal Hampton. Based on the novel by Jane Austen. Photo by Jennifer M Koskinen

A man and a woman in climbing gear hang on to a rock wall in Grace, Or the Art of Climbing.

John Hutton and Julie Jesneck in Grace, Or the Art of Climbing by Lauren Feldman. Photo by Jennifer M. Koskinen

A woman sits in a chair surrounded by equipment, wires, and technology in Ed, Downloaded.

Annie Purcell in Ed, Downloaded by Michael Mitnick. Photo by Jennifer M Koskinen

An overweight man is seated in a chair in The Whale.

Tom Alan Robbins in The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter. Photo by Terry Shapiro

Two women stand at the head of a table filled with guests in a heated argument in Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner.

(l-r) Mimi Lieber, Catherine E. Coulson and the cast of Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner by Lisa Loomer. Photo by Terry Shapiro

Three men huddle around a bar deep in discussion in Great Wall Story

(l-r) Christopher Kelly, Jacob Knoll and Mike Hartman in Great Wall Story by Lloyd Suh

Two women look at each other in an apartment in Map of Heaven.

(l-r) Stephanie Janssen and Jessica Love in Map of Heaven by Michele Lowe

Two men sit on a couch gesturing to something in front of them in The Catch.

(l-r) Mike Hartman and Ian Merrill Peakes in The Catch. By Ken Weitzman

An older man and woman embrace while seated on a couch in Eventide.

Lauren Klein and Mike Hartman in Eventide. Adapted by Eric Schmiedl from the novel by Kent Haruf.

A woman in a red dress smiles as men in black tie reach for her in The Unsinkable Molly Brown

(l-r) Beth Malone, John Scherer, Michael Halling and Gregg Goodbrod in The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Lyrics and music by Meredith Willson. Book by Dick Scanlon. Based on the original book by Richard Morris. Photo by Jennifer M. Koskinen

A man and a woman dressed in space suits pinky swear with each other in When Tang Met Laika.

Ian Merrill Peakes and Jessica Love in When Tang Met Laika by Rogelio Martinez

A man stands outside a bathroom where a woman is seated looking at herself in the mirror in Inana.

Piter Marek and Mahira Kakkar in Inana by Michele Lowe

A young girl confronts a professional woman seated at a desk in Dusty and the Big Bad World

(l-r) Chloe Nosan and Charlotte Booker in Dusty and the Big Bad World by Cusi Cram.

A woman wearing scrubs sits at a table with a beer in Our House.

Suzy Jane Hunt in Our House by Theresa Rebeck. Photo by Terry Shapiro

Two older men and a woman sit at a small table in a kitchen in Plainsong.

(l-r) Philip Pleasants, Mike Hartman and Kathleen McCall in Plainsong. Adapted by Eric Schmiedl from the novel by Kent Haruf

An older man sits in a chair with a large book in 1001.

John Livingstone Rolle in 1001 by Jason Grote. Photo by Terry Shapiro

Contact Us

Have a question about the Summit that’s not answered here? First-timer and not sure where to start? We’re here to help. Let us know what’s on your mind and we will get back to you soon.

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THE COLORADO NEW PLAY SUMMIT

PACKAGE OPTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Summit Successes Keep Coming

Contact Us

TICKETS & EVENTS

PLAN YOUR VISIT

THEATRES & SEATING

EVENT RENTALS

EDUCATION

SUPPORT US

ABOUT US

GET IN TOUCH

BOX OFFICE: 303-893-4100

SHOWS BY TYPE

TICKETS & EVENTS

ACCOUNT SIGN IN

RESTAURANT PARTNERS

THEATRES & SEATING

MAPS, DIRECTIONS & PARKING

BOX OFFICE & WILL CALL

ADULT CLASSES

CHILD & TEEN CLASSES

FOR SCHOOLS

THE SEAWELL BALLROOM & DIRECTORS ROOM

DCPA EVENT SERVICES

DRAMATIC VENUES

OUR THEATRE WORK

OUR COMMUNITY WORK

OUR ORGANIZATION

SUPPORT OUR NON-PROFIT MISSION

THE COLORADO NEW PLAY SUMMIT

Share

PACKAGE OPTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Summit Successes Keep Coming

Contact Us

TICKETS & EVENTS

PLAN YOUR VISIT

THEATRES & SEATING

EVENT RENTALS

EDUCATION

SUPPORT US

ABOUT US

GET IN TOUCH

BOX OFFICE: 303-893-4100