Episodes – National Playwrights Conference 2026
Episodes is a new play featured in the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s 2026 National Playwrights Conference, offering audiences an early look at a work in development during one of the country’s premier incubators for new American theater. Presented on Saturday, July 4, in the Dina Merrill Theater, the staged reading follows two lifelong friends as they navigate childhood, adolescence, and adulthood against the backdrop of changing decades and evolving family relationships.
The story begins in the 1970s, when neighbors Kelly and Maggie are reluctantly brought together by their mothers. As the years pass and one family moves away, the girls must figure out how to preserve their friendship despite distance and the changes that come with growing up. Blending humor with heartfelt moments, the play explores the enduring bonds between mothers and daughters, the friendships that shape our lives, and the role television plays in marking the passage of time and shared memories.
As part of the National Playwrights Conference, Episodes gives theatergoers the opportunity to experience a new work before its final production, offering insight into the creative process that has made the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center internationally recognized for developing groundbreaking plays and launching the careers of influential playwrights.
Event Details
- Event: Episodes – National Playwrights Conference 2026
- Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026
- Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- Venue: Dina Merrill Theater
- Location: Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, CT
- Performance Type: Staged reading
- Indoor event
About the Play
Episodes follows:
- Kelly
- Maggie
The play explores themes including:
- Mothers and daughters
- Lifelong friendship
- Growing up across changing decades
- Family relationships
- Nostalgia and television culture
About the National Playwrights Conference
The National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is one of the nation’s leading programs for developing new plays. Selected playwrights collaborate with professional directors, actors, and dramaturgs to refine works before they move on to regional theaters, Broadway, and stages around the world.
Why Attend
Attendees will have the opportunity to:
- Experience a new play in development
- Support emerging playwrights
- See the creative process behind contemporary theater
- Visit one of America’s most respected centers for new play development
