Top 10 Most-Produced Plays and Playwrights in America 2017-2018

Below is the list of the most-produced plays compiled by American Theatre Magazine of member theaters of Theatre Communications Group (in other words, non-profit theaters throughout the United States) — excluding Shakespeare’s plays and A Christmas Carol, (which are always first.)

The links are to my reviews of New York productions.

  1. Shakespeare in Love, adapted for the stage by Lee Hall, based on the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard:
  2. Fun Home, adapted by Lisa Kron, based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, lyrics by Kron, and music by Jeanine Tesori:
  3. Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau:
  4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, adapted by Simon Stephens from the novel by Mark Haddon
  5. Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison
  6. The Humans by Stephen Karam
  7. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
  8. Heisenberg by Simon Stephens
  9. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon:
  10. Sense and Sensibility 
    adapted by Kate Hamill from Jane Austen:
    adapted by Emma Whipday and Brian McMahon:

Here are the most produced playwrights (again not including Shakespeare):

  1. Lauren Gunderson
  2. Simon Stephens
  3. Lee Hall
  4. Lisa Kron
  5. Dominique Morisseau
  6. Arthur Miller
  7. Ayad Akhtar
  8. Quiara Alegría Hudes
  9. Jordan Harrison
  10. Ken Ludwig
  11. Tennessee Williams
  12. August Wilson
  13. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
  14. Kate Hamill
  15. Lucas Hnath
  16. Aaron Posner
  17. Eugene O’Neill
  18. Lorraine Hansberry
  19. Mark St. Germain:
  20. Oscar Wilde

Methodology from American Theatre: “This year American Theatre received a total of 380 season submissions from TCG member theatres, which is made up of some of the largest non-profit theatres in the country. From a total of 2,270 production entries they submitted, we excluded any readings and workshops, only counting full productions with at least a week’s worth of performances, for a final tally that numbered 1,917.”

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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