Cut Edge Collective

The Cut Edge Collective meets at ART-NY on 8th Avenue in the heart of midtown Manhattan to hear new work and discuss the plays. After hearing the new work, read by professional actors from our Collective of actors, we ask what people were warm about; what they might have been about, or which parts they “fell out”; then we ask rhetorical questions of the playwright (who is not invited to respond, just note down the questions) and finally, we ask the writer if he/she/they has any questions for the audience.

Then, we head into the night to find a welcoming locale to share a drink and bite, and continue the conversation.

 

 

Cut Edge actors prepare to read a new play

 

 

 

 

 

Cut Edge playwrights prepare to hear a new play

 

 

 

Cut Edge Collective 10-minute Play Festival

Every year in February, we hold a ten-minute play festival at The Tank, 312 W. 36th Street, to highlight what our writers have been thinking about and working on. We present the work over three evenings, with each playwright getting two productions of their plays.

Who We Are and What We Do

Founded by playwrights Tom Block and Kevin Kautzman in New York City in 2020, Cut Edge opens a space for non-traditional theater — theater which departs from and challenges historical conventions and contemporary aesthetics in some manner.

We are a yearly collective of experimental theatre writers in New York City, chosen from a growing number of interested writers looking for a home to work on and present their non-traditional work. Our writers create work that pushes at the boundaries of normative theater in some way.

We meet twice monthly: once in person to workshop freshly-minted plays, and once via Zoom for a salon on subjects pertaining to experimental writing for performance. Subject matter for salons has included the fungibility of time; what is “cutting edge” in an era which seems to offer no creative boundaries; mysticism in the theater; novel gender roles onstage; non-linear narrative structure; building theater without any narrative at all and many other issues of concern to the non-traditional playwright.

MEET SOME OF THE PLAYWRIGHTS AND ACTORS HERE

Welcome to our 2023 Playwriting Cohort

Tom Block

Lauren D’Errico

Sarah Feingold

David Hanson

Paul Hufker

Nathaniel Johnson

Ben Jones

Lisa Kimball

Al Lefcowitz

Monte Monteleagre

Elise Wein

From Our Writers

Quick question – is this the best group ever? 🙂 Thanks, again, for yesterday’s reading. Actors, you are all fantastic and brought so much life and humor to my words. And everyone, you gave me so many notes and ideas to consider. My producer friend [producer of Sweeney Todd on Broadway] wrote me the nicest email. She’s going to make some introductions. Eee :)”

– Sarah Feingold

“Being a part of a group interested in stretching the fabric of theater to the near breaking point has helped me grow as an artist as well as introduce me to new theories and approaches to playwriting.”

– Libby Heily

“Our cohort of writers leaves me continually inspired to think critically about the many containers available to tell stories. The work we do at Cut/Edge brings together artists with wildly different goals and lived experiences, but always brings me back to the joys and practicalities of experimental performance work.”

– Sophia Valera Heinecke

“I thank you for your hard work. I woke this morning thinking that’s one of the best cold readings I have ever had for any of my plays. A key reason for my satisfaction was that, after you settled into the language, I forgot that it was my play and I just traveled with it.”

– Al Lefcowitz

Past NYC Playwrights have included:

Tom Block, Founder, 2020-present

Kevin Kautzman, Founder, 2020, 2021

Zizi Azah 2020, 2021

James Bosley 2022

Brynn Hambley 2021, 2022

Libby Heily 2021, 2022

Sophia Heinecke 2020, 2021

William Hugel 2020

Nick Jonczak 2021, 2022

Matthew Macca 2020

Grayson May 2021

Monte Monteleagre 2020 – present

Gregg Nanni 2022

Serena Norr 2021, 2022

Judah Skoff 2020, 2021, 2022

Brett Wolfe 2022

John Zoitos 2021