Bench
by 2025-26 ATC playwriting competition winner
Matthew Snoding
​directed by Maja Lay

In Bench, a chance encounter between two women turns into an unexpectedly intimate conversation. Claire, an exhausted working mother, is stealing a rare moment of peace when she is approached by Emma, an awkward sociology student conducting an experiment that requires her to talk to strangers. What begins as an irritating interruption becomes a candid exchange about work, family, regret, and the fraught realities of adulthood. As Claire and Emma open up about their lives, their conversation is at turns embarrassing, hilarious, and cathartic. This brief, random meeting of two strangers on a park bench reveals how the simple act of listening can take life in a whole new direction.
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Together
by American playwright
Willie Fitzgerald

directed by Jace Jasper

Together is a contemporary "dramedy" that explores the complexities of love and friendship, and the messy work of maintaining relationships in today's uncertain world. Lucas and Patty, a couple in their thirties, are on the verge of registering a domestic partnership when unresolved frustrations begin to surface. As Lucas struggles with unemployment and depression, Patty pushes for stability and commitment. Their relationship is tested by old feelings, secrets, and the presence of Lucas’ best friend Ines and Patty's artist friend Star. Revelations, betrayals, and difficult truths provoke questions about whether love is enough — or whether staying together requires more.