2027 New Plays Festival | School of the Arts Academic Information

Welcome to the 2027 New Plays Festival!

This handbook is under active revision. A fully revised handbook will be available around August 15, 2026.

This online handbook covers information and guidelines for the News Plays Festival. It is designed to clarify roles and timelines, help each of us understand how we support one another, and present the big picture of the season to all who make it happen.

Please read this information carefully. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our common goal is a well-planned, seamlessly executed production season. It will take constant communication, patience, curiosity, and a passion for excellence from all. We look forward to making it happen, together.

PLEASE NOTE: All guidelines are superseded by any health or safety related protocols that are mandated by the University.

Quick Links and Resources

2027 News Plays Festival Dates and Deadlines Document: This is the primary list of all the important dates, deadlines, and creative team members for the 2026 New Plays Festival. Additionally, on a separate tab you will find: the full tech and performance schedule for the entire festival.

CU Theatre Program Google Drive: This Google Drive contains forms, documents, calendars, inventories, and drawings for the thesis productions at Lenfest, the 1st and 2nd year productions at Schapiro, and the rehearsal spaces at Nash. Not all the forms will be relevant to every production.

Lenfest Flexible Performance Space Drawings and Inventory: This Google Drive Folder contains drafting and photos of the theatre at Lenfest as well as the Lighting, Sound, Scenic, and Video/Projection inventories.

2026-27 SOA Theatre Primary Production Calendar: This calendar outlines all Columbia MFA Theatre productions across all 3 class years.

Columbia Theatre Commitments and Expectations: This document outlines the overarching expectations for students in the Columbia MFA Theatre Program and the commitments the faculty staff, and students make to each other as part of the program.

Please note that non-Columbia collaborators will be given access to those forms, documents, and folders that relate to their position within their production, but will not be able to access all the files in these folders. If you believe you or one of your collaborators needs access to a file they do not have, please reach out to Production Management.