The Playwright’s Lab at Hollins
A Hybrid Low-Residency MFA
Transforming the Future of Theatre
Rooted in a philosophy of rigor, revision, and relentless curiosity, the Playwright’s Lab provides a uniquely immersive environment where writers develop their craft through hands-on collaboration with faculty, visiting artists, theatres, and community-based partners. We believe playwrights aren’t just writers; they’re architects of experience, facilitators of dialogue, and culture-shapers. Our program is built to support the full artistic and professional life of the modern theatre-maker.
Our hybrid structure offers flexibility without sacrificing depth. Writers work intensely during in-person 4-week summer residencies, then continue developing their projects in the Fall and Spring semesters in online readings and workshops.
Craft. Discipline. Transformation.
At Hollins, plays are not simply written; they are tested, stretched, broken open, and reborn. This is a space where writers learn to trust their instincts, sharpen their voices, and embrace the discipline required to create work that resonates.
The Playwright’s Lab emphasizes:
- Rigorous craft training grounded in structure, language, and character development
- Fierce commitment to revision, with multiple opportunities to rewrite, rethink, and reimagine
- A supportive-yet-demanding environment where students push their aesthetic boundaries
- Mentorship with nationally recognized artists across playwriting, directing, new play development and production dramaturgy, and producing
- Hybrid flexibility, combining intensive summer residencies with year-round individual virtual synchronous and asynchronous coursework
New Works Initiative
The Playwright’s Lab is deeply embedded in both professional and community ecosystems. Collaboration here isn’t an accessory; it’s the heart of the program. Through long-standing partnerships with theaters, festivals, and grassroots cultural organizations, students gain experience in:
The New Works Initiative helps cover the cost of student readings/productions in legitimate theatres. If you wish to support the New Works Initiative of the Playwright’s Lab, you may do so online. Be sure to select “other” and designate that the gift is for the New Works Initiative.
- New play development processes, including table work, development workshops and readings, and workshop productions
- Cross-disciplinary creation, collaborating with dance, film, music, and performance artists
- Community-engaged theatre, partnering with organizations that center local stories and social impact
Costs
Tuition
- $915 per credit hour for 2026-2027
Fees
- New students must pay a nonrefundable deposit of $300 within two weeks of their acceptance. Returning students must pay $300 annually each April 1 thereafter.
- Technology Fees:
- $175 (part time, fall/spring term)
- $350 (full time, fall/spring term)
- $180 (summer)
- Summer housing: $165 per week when classes are in session
- Summer Health services: $50 (students in housing only)
Student scholarships are available. To apply for these, students must complete the FAFSA annually.
Training Playwrights to Self-Produce
Whether building a one-person show, managing a developmental workshop, or launching a community-centered performance series, one of the Playwright’s Lab’s core commitments is to train playwrights not just to wait for permission, but to make their own theatre happen. Hollins playwrights learn to shepherd their work from page to stage with autonomy, integrity, and creative control. Students graduate with concrete skills in:
- Producing and self-producing theatre at a variety of scales
- Budgeting, fundraising, and grant-writing, with real-world applications
- Marketing, audience development, and community engagement
- Season and festival planning, including how to curate and manage events
- Navigating contracts, unions, rights, and production logistics
A Community of Artists Who Champion Each Other
At the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University, you’ll join a lineage of writers who experiment fearlessly, revise relentlessly, collaborate expansively, and create theatre that matters.
Why Hollins?
- Because your work deserves an artistic home
- Because you want an education that is equal parts art, craft, labor, and daring.
- Because you want to engage in a culture of generosity and accountability.
- Because you want faculty who work one-on-one with students.
- Because you want the agency to forge a professional life that is sustainable.
- Because you’re ready to go deeper.
