Overview
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Theater Program commissions and produces new plays in which science, technology, or mathematics is central to the drama. Since 1998, the program has commissioned over 400 new science plays, staged more than 60 productions in New York City alone, and received over 2,000 submissions. The program operates through four partner organizations: Ensemble Studio Theatre (NYC), Manhattan Theatre Club (NYC), the National Theatre (London), and LA Theatre Works. In 2025, the Foundation awarded Ensemble Studio Theatre a $2,242,000 grant to fund three more years of the EST/Sloan Project - commissioning 30-40 new plays at $10,000 each, producing three mainstage productions, and providing seed grants to regional theaters. If you are a playwright with a science-themed project, the EST/Sloan Project accepts commission applications from September 15 to November 5 each year at estnyc.org.
What It Funds
The Theater Program funds three types of activity:
Commissions: Playwrights receive $10,000 stipends to develop new science-themed plays. The EST/Sloan Project commissions 10-12 new plays per year. Manhattan Theatre Club awards additional commissions - its 2025-26 recipients are Waleed Akhtar, Chris Bush, and Christina Pumariega.
Development and readings: Commissioned plays receive workshop support, readings, and dramaturgical feedback. EST produces an annual festival of readings and workshops for works in progress. The program also hosts Artist Cultivation Events - virtual panels where scientists and playwrights discuss science and storytelling. The 2025 cultivation event on September 30 featured neuroscientist Dr. Heather Berlin, science historian Dr. Evelynn Hammonds, and playwrights Jake Brasch and Carla Ching.
Production grants: The program funds full productions of completed Sloan-commissioned plays at EST and at regional theaters nationwide. The 2025-26 regional development and production grants went to Lantern Theater Company, Media Art Xploration, Miners Alley Playhouse, Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, and Seattle Rep. Over 100 Sloan-supported productions have been staged at more than 75 theaters across the country.
Distribution: Through a partnership with LA Theatre Works, the best Sloan-supported plays are recorded with A-list actors, broadcast on public radio, and distributed to schools and libraries.
Partner Organizations
The program operates through four partners, each with a distinct role:
Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST), New York
EST is the primary commissioning partner. The EST/Sloan Project has run since 1998 and has developed over 300 plays involving more than 1,000 playwrights, actors, choreographers, and composers. The 2025 grant of $2,242,000 funds three years of activity: 30-40 new commissions at $10,000 each, three mainstage productions, an annual festival, and regional seed grants. Commission applications open September 15 and close November 5 at estnyc.org. Contact: sloan@ensemblestudiotheatre.org.
Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC), New York
MTC commissions playwrights through its Sloan Initiative. The 2025-26 commissioned writers are Waleed Akhtar (Olivier Award winner for The P Word), Chris Bush (Olivier Award winner), and Christina Pumariega. MTC's Sloan-commissioned play "Eureka Day" was nominated for two Tony Awards. Contact: sloan@manhattantheatreclub.com. Visit the MTC Sloan Initiative page for details.
National Theatre, London
The Foundation recently awarded a pilot grant to the National Theatre to extend the science-play model to the UK. This partnership is in its early stages.
LA Theatre Works
LA Theatre Works records Sloan-supported plays with professional actors for radio broadcast and educational distribution through its Relativity Series, extending the reach of commissioned plays beyond live theater audiences.
Notable Commissioned Works
The Sloan Theater Program has backed works that have gone on to major recognition:
- Proof by David Auburn - Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for Drama
- Copenhagen by Michael Frayn - Tony Award for Best Play
- Eureka Day (MTC/Sloan) - Nominated for two Tony Awards
- Dr Semmelweis - West End production starring Mark Rylance
- Las Borinqueñas - World premiere at EST, April 2024
- What You Are Now - Available to stream for free from EST
The 2025-26 EST/Sloan commissions include "Room 407" by Lily Akerman (math teachers at a math-science high school), "IO" by Milo Cramer (a romantic comedy about NASA and the U.S. poet laureate), and "I Believe in the Night" by Annalisa Dias (humanity's relationship with cosmic darkness). The 2026 commissions were announced in June 2026, with ten new playwrights selected.
Eligibility
Eligibility is determined by each partner organization:
EST/Sloan Project: Open to playwrights submitting new play proposals with a science, technology, or mathematics dimension. Applications are accepted annually from September 15 to November 5. Plays must have a science subject that is central to the drama and characters - not incidental or metaphorical. Historical plays about scientists, near-future speculative works, and contemporary plays about scientific research are all within scope.
MTC Sloan Initiative: MTC identifies and invites playwrights for commissions; the initiative does not run an open submission process. Playwrights interested in MTC's program should contact the literary office.
Regional grants: Regional theaters are selected by EST/Sloan for seed grants to produce Sloan-commissioned plays. Playwrights whose work has been commissioned through EST/Sloan may have their plays picked up by regional partners.
Most partner programs focus on US-based playwrights and theater companies, particularly those working in the nonprofit regional and off-Broadway theater spaces. The National Theatre partnership extends the program to UK-based writers.
Application Process (EST/Sloan)
- Check the timeline: Applications open September 15 and close November 5 each year.
- Prepare a proposal: Include a play synopsis, description of the scientific content, and a writing sample. The science must be specific enough that a scientist would recognize the accuracy of the portrayal.
- Submit through EST: Apply at estnyc.org or contact sloan@ensemblestudiotheatre.org.
- Review: EST and Sloan Foundation staff review proposals. Selected playwrights receive a $10,000 commission and development support.
- Cultivation event: Attend the annual Artist Cultivation Event in September for context on science-and-theater integration.
Who Should Apply
Playwrights developing new work in which scientific or technological subjects are central to the characters and story. The program is relevant for:
- Playwrights with a strong dramatic concept rooted in a specific science, technology, or mathematics field
- Writers who want both development funding ($10,000 commission) and access to scientific expertise through the Foundation's advisor network
- Theater companies seeking to produce science-themed plays with institutional backing
- Playwrights at any career stage - emerging and established writers are both eligible
The program does not fund revivals, adaptations of existing non-science works, or plays where science is used only metaphorically. The Foundation looks for projects where the scientific content is specific, accurate, and integral to the dramatic conflict.
Program Staff
The Theater Program is administered by Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director, Public Understanding of Science and Technology. Program staff contacts for each partner organization are listed on the Sloan Foundation Theater Program page.
See Also
For the Foundation's broader science-in-storytelling mission, see the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Film Program and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Television Program. For understanding how development funding fits into the broader landscape, see Film Grants and the Development Pathway. For planning production timelines for staged works that may transfer to screen, use the Post Production Timeline Calculator.
Grant Writing Resources
The Art of the Grant Proposal
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Winning Grants
Tori O'Neal's practical workbook covering grant research, narrative development, and budget preparation for film and media projects.
Documentary Filmmaking Books
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