Playwrights for Change
Two years. One original play. Countless voices amplified.
Playwrights for Change is American Legacy Theatre’s two-year residency program for emerging playwrights ready to turn bold ideas into fully realized productions.
We pair artists with the time, mentorship, and resources to develop their work from first idea to opening night—with the community driving the process every step of the way. From shaping the themes that matter most, to offering feedback through public readings and talkbacks, to championing full productions, the community is not just “along for the journey”; they are at the center of it.
Since its launch, Playwrights for Change has supported multiple artists whose work has gone on to shape both local stages and national conversations.
Quick Facts:
Residency Length: 2 years
Playwrights receive dedicated time, mentorship, and community support to bring an original work from concept to stage.Community Involvement: High
Works-in-progress are shared through public readings, giving audiences a direct role in shaping the final production.Past Spotlight – Higher
A powerful musical tackling the opioid epidemic, but a love story at its core. Written by playwright Mark Levine, Higher premiered in 2021 and was restaged in 2025. Each performance was paired with optional free Narcan training, blending art with life-saving impact and proving that theatre can heal hearts while saving lives.Current Spotlight – Bridge City
Bridge City is a vibrant new musical still in development, described by playwright Kennen Butler as “ like Legally Blonde but for Black folk.” With two public readings to date, it’s a bold, joyful exploration of the Black experience — centering stories of love, hope, and resilience instead of trauma. At its heart, Bridge City reminds us that it takes a village to build a city.Emerging Voices: Always Growing
Each residency cycle introduces fresh playwrights — like Megan Bennett, whose new work is now underway.
Featured Works
Spotlighting original pieces developed through Playwrights for Change
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Mark Levine’s powerful original musical tackling the opioid epidemic through the lens of a love story. Premiered in 2021 and restaged in 2025. Audience members who chose to were trained in Narcan, turning theatre into a life-saving act of community engagement.
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Dubbed “like Legally Blonde but for Black folk” by playwright Kennen Butler, this bold, joyful new musical normalizes the Black experience through stories of love and hope — not just trauma. At its heart, Bridge City shows how it takes a village to build a city. With two public readings already under its belt, the work continues to evolve toward full production.
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Currently in development, this new piece by Megan Bennett will explore the value of community and what happens when it is attacked, broken, or lost. Watch for announcements and first-look readings in the months ahead.
Meet the Current Playwrights in Residence
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Megan Bennett is a New York–born playwright, poet, and labor leader whose work blends personal resilience with a sharp eye for community and social change. A graduate of the University at Buffalo with degrees in English and Theater, she has published multiple books of poetry and written for stage and screen. Megan is developing a new piece that explores the value of community and what happens when it is attacked, broken, or lost.
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Kennen Butler is a NYC-based performer, composer, and storyteller whose career spans musical theatre, commercial music, and international stages. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and a current master’s student at NYU Tisch, Kennen brings a bold, genre-bending voice to American Legacy Theatre. They are currently developing Bridge City, a joyful, unflinching exploration of the Black experience in America.
