New Play Development

Commission

What We Look Like

Dobama Theatre is proud to announce the development of BJ Tindal’s new play WHAT WE LOOK LIKE. Both hilarious and poignant, this is the story of a black family that moves to a suburban white neighborhood. When the youngest son draws a family portrait at school of the imaginary white family he’s created, the family is thrown into a spiral. Playwright BJ Tindal says, “It’s about images of family and how race intersects with that and the pressures it puts on family units.” Tindal is one of America’s most promising playwrights whose play GOODNIGHT, TYLER won the top prize in the Alliance/Kandeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, premiered at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, and is published by Samuel French. WHAT WE LOOK LIKE, originally conceived while Tindal was a student at Oberlin College, will be further developed over the coming year and will receive its first professional public performance from Dobama in the very near future. Check back often for more information!

THE LAND OF OZ: DEVELOPING A NEW MUSICAL

Get an inside look at the upcoming World Premiere music THE LAND OF OZ. Based on the second book in L. Frank Baum’s Oz series, young Tip escapes an evil with then ventures to the Emerald City meeting the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, and more new friends along the way. With book and lyrics by George Brant and music by Dobama Artistic Director Nathan Motta, be one of the first to hear a virtual reading of the script and snippets from each of the songs from the show. This show will be Dobama Theatre’s holiday production in December 2022.

A COMMISSION: TBA

Dobama Theatre is closing in on finalizing the agreements for the commission of a brand new play and we can’t wait to share the news with you. Here’s a hint: it will be a new play by a renowned playwright adapted from an extraordinary new book. Stay tuned to hear more about this thrilling project as details are confirmed.

To be announced Spring 2021.

PLAYWRIGHTS’ GYM

The Playwrights’ GYM is Dobama Theatre's professional playwriting unit. GYM playwrights are given various resources to help further their work. Throughout the season, have the opportunity to watch zoom readings of works in progress and engage with these professional Cleveland playwrights.