The O'Neill Festival of New Works returns for its fourth year, once again devoted to the development of new dramatic works by Cape Cod playwrights.

The festival is produced by Margaret Van Sant, Producing Artistic Director of Provincetown Dramatic Arts, and named after Eugene O'Neill, the Nobel Prize–winning dramatist who launched his career in Provincetown with the original Provincetown Players.

A New Theatrical Approach on the Outer Cape

Inspired by the creative community that fueled O'Neill more than a century ago, this year's festival will workshop new works by four Outer Cape playwrights. Each playwright works with a director and dramaturge throughout the process, and all public presentations are followed by audience discussions led by the dramaturges.

Staged Readings with Talkbacks

All performances are staged readings — actors perform with scripts in hand and minimal blocking, bringing the plays to life while keeping the focus on the writing. Each reading is followed by an audience discussion led by the dramaturge, giving audiences a rare chance to participate in the development of new work. Between weekends, playwrights incorporate audience feedback and present revised versions at their second reading the second weekend.

• MARGARET VAN SANT is a playwright, theater director, festival organizer, educator, and the Artistic Director of Provincetown Dramatic Arts (PDA). The O’Neill Festival of New Works is the most recent production of PDA.

She also wrote: Goody: The Witch of Eastham, part of the O’Neill Festival of New Works 2024; “Pulse”, one of four plays in “Quickies”, which performed in Provincetown and International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival; Wartime in Provincetown, commissioned by Tennessee Williams Festival 2009; The Test, read at Theater J, Washington, DC, 5X5 program in response to The Disputation; The Pennimans, historical play about Cape Cod whaling family developed for radio broadcast on WOMR; and Cha-Cha-Changes, environmental play about monarch butterflies presented at Cape Cod National Seashore.

She has directed at Virginia Stage Company, Long Wharf Theater, Arena Stage, Yale University (National Conference on Portuguese Theater), Yale Cabaret, Berkshire Theater Festival, University of Massachusetts/ Dartmouth, City Studio Theater, Payomet Center for the Performing Arts, and Provincetown Theater.

She is a member of the Stage Directors and Chorographers Society and a proud Trustee of Helltown Players.