Most Produced Plays and Playwrights of 2016-17, According to American Theatre

A play starring a demonic hand puppet tops American Theatre Magazine’s annual survey of the most popular plays that will be produced by non-profit theaters throughout the country in the 2016-2017 season.”Hand to God” by Robert Askins will be presented in 13 theaters this season.

August Wilson will be  the most produced playwright.

Below are the two lists compiled by American Theatre. With the first list, of the top produced shows, I include photographs and links to my reviews of the original (or latest) New York productions where available. The number next to each title is how many productions are planned for this season.

A few caveats: The American Theatre Magazine survey is only of some 400 theaters that are members of TCG, a national service organization for non-profit theaters that is also the publisher of American Theatre Magazine. Its list does not include the perennially most popular shows  — A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, The Santaland Diaries, adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris, and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night.

Hand to God
Hand to God

Hand to God by Robert Askins: 13

ConstellationsSamuel J. Friedman Theatre
Constellations by Nick Payne: 10

Disgraced
Disgraced

Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar: 10


Million Dollar Quartet by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott: 10

The Christians
The Christians

The Christians by Lucas Hnath: 8

Peter and the StarcatcherNew York Theatre Workshop
Peter and the Starcatcher, adapted by Rick Elice from Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson: 8

TheLegendofGeorgiaMcBrideforcalendar_wayne_duvall__matt_mcgrath__dave_thomas_brown_in_the_legend_of_georgia_mcbride_(photo_by_joan_marcus)
The Legend of Georgia McBride by Matthew Lopez: 7

Sex With Strangers with Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) and Billy Magnussen (Spike)
Sex With Strangers with Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) and Billy Magnussen (Spike)

Sex With Strangers by Laura Eason: 7

intimate-apparel
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage: 6

Oliver Chris as Prince William and Lydia Wilson as his wife Kate Middleton
Oliver Chris as Prince William and Lydia Wilson as his wife Kate Middleton

King Charles III by Mike Bartlett: 6

Denzel Washington and Sophie Okonedo in Raisin in the Sun
Denzel Washington and Sophie Okonedo in Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: 6

Sister Act
Sister Act, with book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Glenn Slater: 6

Most Produced Playwrights in 2016-17 Season

August Wilson: 17
Lauren Gunderson: 16
(including 4 cowriting credits)
Arthur Miller: 15
Ayad Akhtar: 14
Tennessee Williams: 14
Robert Askins: 13
Annie Baker: 12
Quiara Alegría Hudes: 11
(including 6 cowriting credits)
Ken Ludwig: 11
(including 1 cowriting credit)
Tony Kushner: 10
(including 2 cowriting credits)
Suzan-Lori Parks: 10
Nick Payne: 10
Karen Zacarías: 10
Rick Elice: 9
(including 1 cowriting credit)
Lucas Hnath: 9
Matthew Lopez: 9
Lynn Nottage: 9
Mark St. Germain: 9
(including 1 cowriting credit)
Mike Bartlett: 8
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins: 8
Molière: 8

Author: New York Theater

Jonathan Mandell is a 3rd generation NYC journalist, who sees shows, reads plays, writes reviews and sometimes talks with people.

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