We are thrilled to present the newest members of The Civilians’ eleventh annual R&D Group. These artists were selected from a pool of nearly 200 project proposals by a committee of Civilians staff and readers, including your Extended Play team.
The R&D Group is designed to support and develop new investigative theater by gathering a group of writers, composers, and directors as they embark on the creative process. Led by Resident Dramaturg Phoebe Corde, the group meets regularly to discuss their findings and offer their own perspectives on each other’s projects. The process culminates in the FINDINGS Series, a works-in-progress reading series.
The members of The Civilians’ 2021-21 R&D Group are Calley N. Anderson, Lila Rachel Becker, Phillip Gregory Burke, Aeneas Sagar Hemphill, Denmo Ibrahim, Eric Marlin, and Liba Vaynberg. Liba Vaynberg’s project, MIRIAM, is conceived and supported by previous R&D Group member, director Dina Vovsi.
These seven artists and the six projects they bring to The Civilians contain a spark, question, and voice that particularly inspired us. They possess a unique talent for approaching our world with an inquisitive, eager eye, and we are thrilled to provide the space and support for them to use it. You can find out more about these artists and the projects they’ll be developing this season on The Civilians R&D Group page.
FINALISTS & SEMIFINALISTS
This year’s submission pool was flooded with talent and projects that we were thrilled to uncover. In honor of their excellent work, The Civilians are pleased to share the exceptional finalist and semifinalist artists considered for this season’s R&D Group. We encourage you to get to know their work.
Finalist Projects were proposed by Matthew Barbot & Julián Mesri, Lyndsey Bourne, Alanna Coby, Aaron Coleman, Danilo Rocha Gambini & Francisco Mendoza, Kate Moore Heaney & Divya Mangwani, Daria Kent, Gordon Leary & Julia Meinwald, Katt Lissard, and Eli Nixon.
Semifinalist Projects were proposed by Stephen Bennett & Dominic M. Finocchiaro, Hunter Bird & Angela Sclafani, Cris Eli Blak, Marc Atkinson Borrull, Ben Hoover, & Rachel Gita Karp, Andy Boyd, Syd Island, & Philip Santos Schaffer, Dan Caffrey, Nicole Denise Anderson Cobb, Moses H.M., Lisa Huberman, Jessica Kahkoska, Catherine Meringolo, Erin Reifler & Zonia Tsang, Dylan Schifrin, and SMJ.
To learn more about The Civilians and to access exclusive discounts to shows, visit our website TheCivilians.org.
