Playwrights’ Theatre

About Playwrights’ Theatre

Playwrights Theatre, now in its 14th season, is a program of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service, which maintains Tao House as a National Historic Site. The theatre features new works as well as those by O’Neill or by playwrights who were influenced by the legendary dramatist.

In 1996, the Eugene O’Neill foundation initiated the Playwrights Theatre, a series of staged readings of plays in the Old Barn at Tao House. Prominent Bay Area directors and actors take part. The name of the series honors O’Neill Playwrights Theatre, formed in 1916 in New York City by the Provincetown Players who committed themselves to fostering American playwrights.

Past Playwrights’ Theatre

Spring, 2011
Short Scenes from PlayGround, SF., dir. Joel Roster and Ken Sonkin
Where the Cross is Made (O’Neill), dir. Josy Miller
GOLD (O’Neill), dir. Daren Carollo

January, 2011
Bound East for Cardiff (O’Neill) dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes
In the Zone (O’Neill) dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes
The Long Voyage Home (O’Neill), dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes

Spring, 2010
Desire Under the Elms (O’Neill), dir. Soren Oliver
Track of the Cat (Graeme Maley), dir. Graeme Maley

Spring, 2010
“Inspired by O’Neill”(8 new, short plays), dir. Josy Miller & Eric Fraisher Hayes
Desire Under the Elms, dir. Soren Oliver

January, 2010
A Touch of the Poet (O’Neill), dir. Eric Frasher Hayes

Spring, 2009
Born Tired (new play) Bevin Lew, dir. Bevin Lew
The Sniper (O’Neill) dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes
The Movie Man (O’Neill), dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes
Shell Shock (O’Neill), dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes

Spring, 2008
Blood Mirage (new play) Jeremy Hargraves, dir. Michael Ward
Revelations (scenes from Anna Christie, Mourning Becomes Electra), dir. Michael Ward
Welded (O’Neill), dir. Josy Miller

Spring, 2007
This Is Not My Life (new play), Adam Sandel, dir. Michael Ward
Now I Ask You (O’Neill), dir. Daren A. Carollo

Spring, 2006
Pear Slices, (8 brief original plays) Pear Avenue Theatre, dir. Diane Tasca
The Typographer’s Dream (Bock), Encore Theatre Company, dir. Lisa Steindler

Spring, 2005
Overtures (Gerstenberg), dir. M. O’Neill
Before Breakfast (Eugene O’Neill), dir. M. O’Neill
Enemies (Boyce/Hapgood), dir. M. O’Neill
E.G.O: The Passions of Eugene Gladstone O’Neill (Morello), dir. Dan Cawthon

Spring, 2004
The Lonesome West (McDonagh), Namaste Theatre Company, dir. M. Uppendahl
Fog (O’Neill) dir. Lois Grandi
Thirst (O’Neill), dir. Lois Grandi
Recklessness (O’Neill), dir. Dan Cawthon
Suppressed Desires (Glaspell and Cook), dir. Dan Cawthon

Spring, 2003
Into the Wake of the Moon—written and performed by Kurt Gravenhorst
The Great God Brown—Oakland Public Theatre, dir. Norman Gee

Spring, 2002
Hairy Ape (O’Neill)—Marin Theatre Company, dir. Lee Sankowich
Where the Cross is Made (O’Neill) - Namaste Theatre Company, dir. Mike Uppendahl
’Ile (O’Neill) -Namaste Theatre Company, dir. Mike Uppendahl
The Rope (O’Neill) -Namaste Theatre Company, dir. Mike Uppendahl

Spring, 2001
Servitude (O’Neill), dir. Tom Ross
Abortion (O’Neill), dir. Lois Grandi
Red Carnations (Hughes), dir. Lois Grandi
Bound East for Cardiff (Eugene O’Neill), dir. Andrea Gordon
In the Zone (O’Neill), dir. Andrea Gordon

Spring, 2000
Riders to the Sea (Synge), dir. Joy Carlin
Overtures (Gerstenberg), dir. Joy Carlin
Diff’rent (O’Neill), dir. Dan Cawthon
Freedom (Reed), dir. Alan McElvey
Shell Shock (O’Neill), dir. Alan McElvey

Spring, 1999
Recklessness (O’Neill), dir. Jan Erlendson
Another Way Out (Langer), dir. Jan Erlendson
A Wife for a Life (O’Neill), dir. Nancy Carlin
Lovers—Winners (Friel), dir. Nancy Carlin
Welded (O’Neill), dir. Dan Cawthon

Spring, 1998
’Ile (O’Neill), dir. Dan Cawthon
Aria Da Capo (St. Vincent Millay), dir. Dan Cawthon
The Web (O’Neill), dir. Ed Hastings
Hello Out There (Saroyan), dir. Ed Hastings
Miss Julie (Strindberg), dir. Barbara Oliver

Spring, 1997
The Outside (Glaspell), dir. Joy Carlin
Trifles (Glaspell), dir. Joy Carlin
Fog (O’Neill), dir. Dan Cawthon
Thirst (O’Neill), dir. Dan Cawthon
The Emperor Jones (O’Neill), dir. Ed Hastings

Spring, 1996
Constancy (Neith Boyce), dir. Joy Carlin
Suppressed Desires (Glaspell and Cook), dir. Joy Carlin
Before Breakfast (O’Neill), dir. Barbara Oliver
My Heart’s in the Highlands (Saroyan), dir. Barbara Oliver
The Rope (O’Neill), dir. Ed Hastings
Where the Cross is Made (O’Neill), dir. Ed Hastings

Past Fall Festival Productions

2011 - Mourning Becomes Electra, dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes(details)
2010 - The Hairy Ape (O’Neill), dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes (details)
2009 - Designated Mourner (Wallace Shawn), Namaste Theatre Company, dir. Mike Uppendahl (details)
2008 - All Gold’s Chillun Got Wings (O’Neill), dir. Eric Fraisher Hayes
2007 - “Tomorrow” short story by O’Neill adapted by Word for Word, dir. JoAnne Winter (details)
         - O’Neill : The Genius in His Soul (poems/songs), dir. Daren A. Carollo (details)
2006 - Long Day’s Journey into Night (O’Neill), Pear Avenue Theatre Co., dir. Jeanne Forte
2004 - New Girl in Town (Abbot/Merrill), dir. Dan Cawthon, Village Theatre
2005 - Hughie (O’Neill) - Namaste Theatre Company, dir. M. Uppendahl
2003 - O’Neill: The Rhythms of His Soul (Cawthon), dir. Dan Cawthon
2002 - Beyond the Horizon (O’Neill), dir. Andrea Gordon
2001 - A Moon for the MisBegotten (O’Neill), dir. Andrea Gordon
2000 -
1999 - Molly Sweeney (Friel) Cal State, Stanislaus (Jack Souza, P. & J. O'Donnell)
1998 - My Gene (Barbara Gelb), dir. Ed Hastings
1997 - New Girl in Town (Abbot/Merrill), dir. Dan Cawthon
1996 - Mabel (Dillen), dir. Ed Hastings
1995 - Faith Healer (Friel) Cal State, Stanislaus (Jack Souza, Pat and Jere O’Donnell)