Ma-Yi Writer’s Lab now accepting applications for Fall session
Ma-Yi Writer’s Lab is accepting applications for new members to participate in its fall 2026 Playground Series.
The Writer’s Lab anticipates accepting 4 or 5 new members to 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 p.m. ET.
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 p.m. 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.
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. Whatever is in the room will be used as props/furniture/etc — like kids do when they are pretending. And though there will be some professional actors on hand, other playwrights can 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.”
The Lab recommends 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.
Playground 2026 will run from October 5 – November 30, 2026. All sessions will take place on Monday, from 6:30-10:00 p.m. in Midtown Manhattan. You will be expected to attend in-person, though you will not share every session.
Application
To apply, please submit:
- The application form by clicking here.
- A 15-20 page excerpt of work you’re interested in working on
- 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
- A resume
