What is the Playwrights’ GYM?

The Playwrights’ GYM is Dobama Theatre's professional playwriting unit. Members of the Playwrights’ GYM meet monthly throughout the season to share new pages and offer helpful feedback on new works early in their development. Dobama Theatre also provides GYM members with resources that may include rehearsal space, full-length readings that are open to the public, social media marketing, and our annual GYM Shorts event. The goal of the Playwrights’ GYM is to nurture new work in a safe environment and provide some of the “exercise” equipment needed to develop new plays by these Cleveland-area writers.

How to join

The Playwrights' GYM will open submissions for new members on November 15, 2024. Prospective members are asked to submit the following:

· A short bio and/or resume

· Two to five pages of an original play

Submitting playwrights must reside in Northeast Ohio. Playwrights of color, playwrights who identify as LGBTQ+, and playwrights from other underrepresented communities are especially encouraged to submit.

Please send submission materials to playwrights.gym@dobama.org.

Submissions are due by December 31, 2024.

Submissions will be reviewed by the current members of the Playwrights’ GYM during the months of January and February. Based on this review, a select group of prospective members will be invited to the Playwrights’ GYM meeting on March 18, 2025, after which prospective members may receive an invitation to join the Playwrights’ GYM.