Community Engagement

At Playwrights Horizons, we pride ourselves as a writer’s theater. But who is a writer without their audience? Community participation is crucial to ensuring each new play is the best version of itself. Much like our work, our audience is risk-taking and adventurous. Join us this season to participate in workshops, enjoy great food, be in amazing company, and experience one of our new plays. Dare to be a pillar of the playwriting process!

We’re so excited to meet you!

Community Workshops

We believe in breaking down barriers and creating equity in live theater, and we invite you to be part of this important work.

By joining our Playwrights Horizons Community Engagement initiatives, you'll gain access to free and discounted tickets to special events, workshops, and performances, all while supporting our mission to advance bold and visionary contemporary playwrights by increasing representation and uplifting artists and audiences representative of the people of New York City.

Through our program, your organization can become a community partner and join the growing network of organizations that share our vision. Partners are recognized for their ongoing support and collaboration, contributing to the future of live theater in our community. You'll be proud to share the stage alongside organizations that believe in the power of live theater to inspire change.

Up Next

Playwriting Workshops Series

While our other initiatives work to bring folks to our Manhattan theater, our playwriting workshops do the inverse–span NYC’s boroughs, bringing theater directly to the community.

We host FREE playwriting workshops throughout New York City in Queens, The Bronx, Brooklyn and two in Manhattan (Canal Street and Harlem 125th), partnering with The World’s Borough Bookshop, The Bronx Music Hall, Brooklyn Community Pride Center, Sinergia, MAI House Studio, and more! Playwrights have included Arturo Luíz Soria, Christin Eve Cato, Ungrateful Black Artist, and more.

How to Get Involved

To become part of our Community Engagement Program, email us at community@phnyc.org to express your interest and learn more about how we can collaborate. Whether you are an individual artist, an individual theater lover, an arts organization, or a community-based group, we welcome you to join us in creating a more accessible, inclusive, and representative off-broadway ecosystem.

Why Join Us?

• Free and Discount Tickets: We are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to experience and participate in live theater. Through our Community Engagement program, we aim to make live theater affordable for all, breaking down financial and systemic barriers that often prevent people from engaging with cultural experiences.

• Diversity & Accessibility in Live Theater: Nothing About Us Without Us: Our program centers the voices, realities and lived experiences of, but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and d/Disabled people, both on stage and in our audiences. By becoming part of our community, you will have the opportunity to build community across cultures, social identities and more…

• Reciprocity: Our program isn’t just about short-term collaboration; it’s about building meaningful, long-term partnerships. By participating as an individual, or by becoming a community partner as an organization, you’ll help us create sustainable, reciprocal relationships that benefit theater artists, audiences, and organizations alike. Together, we will shape a more inclusive and vibrant theater community.