Ma-Yi Writer’s Lab is accepting applications for new members to participate in our fall 2026 Playground Series. We anticipate accepting 4 or 5 new members to the Writer’s Lab who will participate in Playground alongside 3 or 4 returning Lab members. Applications open July 1, 2026 and will close on July 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET or until we hit our 100-application cap — whichever comes first.
Playground is modeled on the program of the same name that existed at the Lark New Play Development Center. 8 playwrights, 2 directors, and 6 actors will meet in-person in NYC once a week for 8 weeks. Each session will be on Monday from 6:30-10:00 PM and facilitated by co-coordinators, Kalina Ko and Gaven Trinidad. Playground is meant to provide a low-stakes, highly playful environment where Playwrights can use each session to explore 8-10 pages of writing on its feet, to get a sense of the embodied shape of the writing.
More about Playground:
Playground is a low-stakes, curiosity-first, playful way of exploring the work. The director will put a sketch staging on the pages so the playwrights can see it moving around. We use whatever is in the room as props/furniture/etc — like kids do when they are pretending. And though we will have some professional actors on hand, we also ask other playwrights to jump in if more actors are needed.
In this process, the playwright’s voice leads the work. As the playwright, you can feel free to switch around actors, ask the director to do something different, you can ask for feedback at the end of your session or see one staging and say “I’ve seen enough.” We’re really handing you the reins for your 40 minutes!
We recommend that playwrights bring in about 8-10 pages every month of anything that you want to see on its feet (we find that anything more than 10 pages is really hard to stage in 40 minutes). These pages can be from the same play throughout the whole process, or it can be radically different from month to month. It doesn’t have to be brand new! It should just be something you’re curious about.
When it’s not your 40 minutes, we just ask that you stay a good colleague in the room. Stay engaged even when it’s not your pages being worked on. It’s so important that the energy in the room is focused and positive.
Dates of Playground:
Playground 2026 will run from Oct 5 – Nov 30, 2026. All sessions will take place on Monday, from 6:30-10 PM in Midtown Manhattan. You will be expected to attend in-person, though you will not share every session. A more detail scheduled is as follows:
Monday, Oct 5, 6:30 – 10 PM
Monday, Oct 12: NO SESSION – Indigenous People’s Day
Monday, Oct 19, 6:30-10 PM
Monday, Oct 26, 6:30-10 PM
Monday, Nov 2, 6:30 – 10 PM
Monday, Nov 9, 6:30 – 10 PM
Monday, Nov 16, 6:30 – 10 PM
Monday, Nov 23, 6:30 – 10 PM
Monday, Nov 30, 6:30 – 10 PM
Application:
To apply, please submit:
1. The application form, which can be found here.
2. A 15-20 page excerpt of work you’re interested in working on in Playground
3. A full length play that is a sample of your writing – this allows us to get to know your craft and aesthetic so we can curate a group of writers that complement each other
4. A resume
FAQ:
Who is your ideal candidate?
We’re looking for a playful collaborator! You should be interested in working on drafts of plays on their feet. You will not share every session, so we’re also looking for someone who is interested in supporting their peer artists through being a good audience, offering useful feedback, and perhaps even acting in someone’s scene (even if you’re not an actor)!
Do I have to work on the same piece all Playground?
Not necessarily! We’ve had people bring in 10-15 pages of the same play every week and we’ve had people bring in excerpts from different plays. Our only ask is that you don’t bring in the exact same pages every session.
Will there be a public sharing of work at the end?
Not as planned right now!