STURGEON BAY, Wis. - TelAve -- At its annual gala at Stone Harbor Resort on Sunday evening, Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) announced the expansion of their annual WinterWorks Play Reading Series in 2027 to the WinterWorks New Play Festival.

The expanded festival, which is sponsored by Joseph and Gwenn Graboyes, spans the entire month of February and features free workshop readings on Saturdays of three new plays, as well as two other readings of new and contemporary plays.

"World premiere productions provide a unique and memorable experience for audiences as they help to shape the play for subsequent productions," says Jackie and Steve Kane Artistic Director Jacob Janssen. "We are excited to support the creative process as well as introduce our audience to new writers. It all begins with the new play process."

Playwrights from around the country are encouraged to apply to have their work developed as part of the inaugural WinterWorks New Play Festival. There is no fee to apply, and submissions are open from July 6 through August 2, 2026. Projects selected for the festival will receive a full professional workshop, and playwrights will be provided with transportation, housing, and a $600 honorarium. A public announcement of the festival plays is planned for November.

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Third Avenue PlayWorks has a history of producing impactful new work. The world premiere of Jennifer Blackmer's I Carry Your Heart with Me at TAP in 2023, went on to receive a Steinberg/America Theatre Critics Association New Play Citation in 2024. Alec Silberblatt's Ryan's Pub, Trivia Night premiered at the theatre in 2025.

"We've made a commitment to making new things here and it can really raise the profile of our organization, our region, and the artists who work in it," says Janssen. "And we can't wait for our audience can see the world premiere full-stage production of Brian James Polak's The Call List this season," Janssen went on to say.

For more information about the 2027 WinterWorks New Play Festival, full application criteria, and guidelines, visit https://thirdavenueplayworks.org/winterworks-new-play-festival (https://thirdavenueplayworks.org/project/winterworks-new-play-festival).