July 2nd, 2026
By Door County Pulse, Peninsula Pulse

Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) is looking to expand on its mission to produce impactful new work with the WinterWorks New Play Festival in 2027. 

The festival, announced at TAP’s annual gala June 28, builds on the WinterWorks Play Reading Series and will span the month of February with workshop readings of three new plays. 

The festival is sponsored by Joseph and Gwenn Graboyes and will also include two other readings of new and contemporary plays. 

“World premiere productions provide a unique and memorable experience for audiences as they help to shape the play for subsequent productions,” said Jacob Janssen, the Jackie and Steve Kane Artistic Director. “We are excited to support the creative process as well as introduce our audience to new writers. It all begins with the new play process.”

Playwrights from around the country are encouraged to apply to have their work developed as part of the inaugural festival. There is no fee to apply, and submissions are open from July 6 through Aug. 2, 2026. Projects selected for the festival will receive a full professional workshop, and playwrights will be provided with transportation, housing, and a $600 honorarium. A public announcement of the festival plays is planned for November.

The world premiere of Jennifer Blackmer’s I Carry Your Heart with Me at TAP in 2023, went on to receive a Steinberg/America Theatre Critics Association New Play Citation in 2024. Alec Silberblatt’s Ryan’s Pub, Trivia Night premiered at the theatre in 2025.  

“We’ve made a commitment to making new things here and it can really raise the profile of our organization, our region, and the artists who work in it,” Janssen said. 

For more information, full application criteria, and guidelines, visit thirdavenueplayworks.org/winterworks-new-play-festival.