Plays for New Audiences

Mission Statement

Plays for New Audiences (formerly Plays for Young Audiences) licenses high-quality plays and musicals for multigenerational audiences and actors. As a division of Children’s Theatre Company, we champion stories that respect young people as the most important audience in the world while keeping artists’ work alive on stages everywhere.

We believe that investing in theatre for young people today creates the audiences, artists, leaders, and supporters of tomorrow. By making licensing affordable and accessible, we empower theatres of all sizes—whether a community stage, a school auditorium, or a major regional theatre—to share extraordinary stories that might otherwise remain untold.

Our work sustains playwrights and artists beyond the final curtain call, amplifying their voices so they continue to resonate with audiences worldwide. At the heart of our mission is a commitment to equity and inclusion: every child deserves to see themselves reflected onstage in stories that honor their diverse identities, cultures, and experiences.

Through intentional partnerships with theatres and artists across the globe, we advocate for theatre that inspires joy, sparks curiosity, and builds community across generations.

Vision Statement

We imagine a world where the magic of live theatre touches every child and family in their own community. A world where stories reflect the richness and diversity of young people’s lives, where characters mirror their identities, dreams, and experiences.

We envision artistic spaces filled with laughter, wonder, and curiosity where families come together to share unforgettable moments, where imagination ignites, and where the joy of storytelling builds connections across generations. In this future, the young audiences and actors of today grow into the artists, leaders, and champions of theatre tomorrow, carrying forward a legacy of creativity, inclusion, and transformative art.

Core Values

Children and families deserve theatre of the highest quality, created with intention, artistry, and care.

We embrace bold, imaginative stories that push the boundaries of what theatre for young people can be.

We support playwrights and artists beyond the curtain call, ensuring their work continues to thrive through licensing.

By equipping hometown theatres, schools, and regional companies with exceptional plays, we help bring the joy of storytelling to audiences everywhere.

Every child deserves to see themselves reflected on stage through stories that honor their diverse backgrounds, cultures, and identities.

We cultivate future audiences, knowing today's young theatregoers become tomorrow's artists, leaders, and patrons.

We create intentional connections with theatres and artists worldwide to ensure great stories live on.

As a mission-driven licensing organization, we reinvest resources to serve audiences, artists, and the future of the field.

Some of our Partners Include:

Script Submission Policy

Plays for New Audiences primarily represents plays and musicals originally commissioned and/or produced by Children's Theatre Company, our commissioning/presenting partners, or other professional theatres around the world. You are welcome to send us a copy of your manuscript, however, we cannot guarantee a response. Send materials via email to pna@childrenstheatre.org or mail to the address below: 

Plays for New Audiences
c/o Children's Theatre Company
2400 3rd ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Submissions to PNA are not automatically considered for productions at Children's Theatre Company. More information about CTC's script submission policy is available here.