Photo Flash: Playwrights Realm Celebrates 5th Anniversary at MoMA

The Playwrights Realm, www.playwrightsrealm.org, under the leadership of Artistic Director Katherine Kovner, celebrated its fifth birthday with a Writers Block Party at The Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday, April 17. See photos from the event below!

Writers Block Party's highlights at the museum included private viewing of Cindy Sherman; the premiere of the company's Fifth Anniversary video; the announcement of Playwrights Realm's 2012-2013 Season; and the return of the popular High End Yard Sale and its many surprise goodies.

"It's thrilling to be celebrating our fifth anniversary with our playwrights, artists and audience," said Ms. Kovner, founder of Playwrights Realm, now New York's largest theater dedicated solely to supporting early-career playwrights through Off Broadway productions, new plays and professional development. "I can't think of a better way to celebrate than at this temple to modern artists with a chance to tour the wonderful exhibit of that most theatrical of visual artists, Cindy Sherman."

Playwrights Realm 2012 Writing Fellow Ethan Lipton will performed an early acapella song from his irreverent, jazzy and quirky oeuvre. Mr. Lipton received a New York Voices National Endowment for the Arts grant from Joe's Pub, where he is currently premiering his new musical No Place To Go. Together with his band, Mr. Lipton was named "Best Lounge Act of 2009" by New York Magazine and has performed throughout New York City. He is currently developing his new play, Red Handed Otter, with Playwrights Realm.

All proceeds from the Writers Block Party will go toward Playwrights Realm's programs, including the Writing Fellows, Next Stage Production Fund and Off Broadway production. All year round, Playwrights Realm mentors four playwriting fellows who each receive stipends to work on a new play. During the year, each play moves from draft form to a production-ready state. Not the standard creative development process, each Playwrights Realm fellow will have a customized residency that includes guiding creative development as well as professional development. The entire experience is designed to widen an artist's network of resources and gain a foothold in the New York theater world. Playwrights Realm Fellowship program is funded in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Playwrights Realm produces an Off Broadway play each year. Earlier this season, the company world premiered the acclaimed Crane Story by Jen Silverman and directed by Ms. Kovner. Crane Story was developed over four years with a series of workshops and readings. Previous Playwrights Realm full productions include last season's Gonzalo Rodriguez Risco's Dramatis Personae, Christopher Wall's Dreams of the Washer King (2010), Anna Ziegler's Dov and Ali (2009) and Anton Dudley's Substitution (2008).

Photo credit: Michael Dominic Tedesco