Playwrights Foundation

The Bay Area Playwrights Foundation (BAPF) was founded in 1976 as one of the first new play development organizations in the United States. Each year the organization selects six full lengthy plays and four one-acts (from over 400 submissions) to present as part of its annual summer festival. The playwrights are paired with directors, dramaturgs and professional Bay Area actors and perform a ‘staged reading’ of the new work before audiences at San Francisco’s Magic Theatre (a Hewlett grantee). Over the years, Festival alumni have gone on to win every major award in the theater world, including the Tony, the Obie, and the Pulitzer. In addition to the festival BAPF also conducts year round playwriting workshops aimed at both veteran playwrites and novices who participate in a new play bootcamp which promises that "by the end of this 6-Day workout, you’ll finish a 40-page one-act or die trying." BAPF has one full time staff member, director Amy Mueller, and two part –time staff and with organizational effectiveness support from Hewlett is currently undertaking a strategic planning process to determine how it can support its programming without a producing arm. Earned income, primarily from ticket sales to the festival and class tuition, makes up only 25% of BAPF’s revenues. With renewed operating support, PF will hire audience development and marketing staff to increase contributions and provide greater organizational stability.