Since its founding in 1981, Capital Repertory Theatre has produced over 30 world premieres. Various readings and productions at theREP have helped launch the future life of new plays, musicals, and theatre for young audiences, supporting playwrights, and composers across the country.
At theREP’s sister venue Proctors, new work has also been developed via Stageworks Play by Play and a new play festival spearheaded by associate artist Kevin McGuire. From 2012-25, theREP produced the annual Next Act New Play Summit, a reading series which invited audiences to review plays and help select a winner to be produced in a subsequent season. Participants in the Summit included playwrights Susan Bradbeer, Sherry Kramer, Bob Morris, Steven Peterson, Kareem Fahmy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy.
theREP’s new work development is currently supported by a generous legacy gift from Samson O.A. Ullmann, a professor of English at Union College from 1957 to 1992. theREP continues to work closely with professional playwrights to commission and develop work for our MainStage and our theatre for young audiences — often in collaboration with community partners. Most recently, scenes and songs from a brand-new draft of “The Magi” by Helen R. Murray and Eli Pafumi were shared with the public as part of the “Hopeless Romantics” Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion. A full production of “The Magi” will run on the MainStage at theREP’s from Dec. 1-4.
Although theREP does not currently accept unsolicited scripts, playwrights who are local to the Capital Region are invited to submit a ten-page sample of their work to theREP’s Dramaturg Neena Arndt: narndt@attherep.org.
“The Magi” from the Ten Broeck to the MainStage
Eli Pafumi, composer of “The Magi”, performs during a reading from the play during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond, Brittain Ashford, and Eli Pafumi perform a reading from “The Magi” during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Helen Murray, playwright rehearses for “The Magi” in the studio at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond, Brittain Ashford, and Eli Pafumi perform a reading from “The Magi” during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Helen Murray, playwright of “The Magi”, speaks before a reading of her play during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Eli Pafumi, lyricist and composer, rehearses for “The Magi” in the studio at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond and Madeleine Anne Fraser rehearse for “The Magi” in the studio at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond and Madeleine Anne Fraser listen during the first rehearsal for “The Magi” in the studio at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Eli Pafumi, composer of “The Magi”, performs during a reading from the play during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond performs a reading from “The Magi” during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond and Brittain Ashford perform a reading from “The Magi” during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond, Brittain Ashford, and Eli Pafumi perform a reading from “The Magi” during the Hopeless Romantics Arts & Culture Festival at Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY on Saturday, August 22, 2026. “The Magi” is the second show in theREP’s 2026-2027 season, with performances running from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond and Madeleine Anne Fraser rehearse for “The Magi” in the studio at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Eli Pafumi, lyricist and composer, speaks during the first rehearsal for “The Magi” in the studio at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Scott Redmond and Madeleine Anne Fraser rehearse for “The Magi” in the studio at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.
“The Last American Newspaper” by Ken Tingley
William Oliver Watkins performs during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Christopher Innvar performs during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.David Girard performs during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Beth Pietrangelo, Nicholas Baroudi, Lise Bruneau, and Christopher Innvar performs during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Christopher Innvar performs during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.David Girard, William Oliver Watkins, Christopher Innvar, and Lise Bruneau perform during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Christopher Innvar, William Oliver Watkins, Nicholas Baroudi, and Lise Bruneau perform during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Christopher Innvar performs during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.David Girard, William Oliver Watkinsm and Lise Bruneau perform during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Nicholas Baroudi (center), Lise Bruneau, Beth Pietrangelo, and David Girard perform during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.Lise Bruneau, William Oliver Watkins, and David Girard perform during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.David Girard and Lise Bruneau perform during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.William Oliver Watkins, Christopher Innvar, and Lise Bruneau perform during a rehearsal for “The Last American Newspaper” at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Photo by Kevin Montano for Proctors Collaborative.
