New Voices Project

Grades 4-12
The New Voices Project is a 13-week in-school residency program in which students develop the skills that enable them to write original plays.  The program includes classroom visits by a Theatre for a New Audience-trained teaching artist in which the elements of playwriting are taught and readings of students’ original plays are presented by professional actors.  The program can be tailored to meet specific school needs.All lessons are hands-on and address the New York City Department of Education’s Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in Theatre and the New York State Common Core Learning Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy.  
Program Components:

  • 11 artist visits in the classroom.
    A Theatre for a New Audience-trained teaching artist teaches the elements of playwriting through hands-on lessons to students who in turn write their own short plays.
  • Four hours of professional development workshops for teachers.
    The teaching artist and education staff meet with the school administration and teachers to plan the residency. Theatre for a New Audience believes that it is of the utmost importance to design the residency around the school’s needs. Professional development provides an opportunity to learn new skills and to discover ways for the teaching artist and classroom teacher(s) to partner.
  • An Actor Workshop with professional actors.
    Professional actors help develop the plays by visiting classrooms to read students’ first drafts aloud. Students then make revisions with the help of the teaching artist and classroom teacher.
  • Culminating Event.
    To validate students’ work, the actors return and perform staged readings of completed scripts for an audience of parents, administration, and peers.
  • A Reflection Session.
    The teaching artist, students, and teachers reflect on the experience of the residency and culminating event.

by Milton Glaser

Thanks to the support of various private and public funds, we are able to offer a select number of NYC public schools a subsidy that will cover approximately 70% of the program cost.  

For further information regarding our programs, please contact:

Lindsay Tanner
Education Director
T: 212-229-2819 ext. 18
E: education@tfana.org

Theatre for a New Audience is currently seeking Partner Schools interested in advancing their students’ learning in English Language Arts and Theatre. Thanks to the support of various private and public funds, we are able to offer a select number of NYC public schools a subsidy that will cover up to 65% of the program cost. Interested schools are invited to apply for their choice of the New Voices Project and/or the World Theatre Project by submitting this application.
Pictured above: Students of P.S. 235, photo by Gerry Goodstein.