Welcome to the NYTW Blog—a resource for behind-the-scenes insights on our productions, share-outs from the classroom penned by teaching artists, community partner spotlights, and a peek behind the curtain to see how work gets made at NYTW.

The Peculiar Patriot Study Guide

Students from NYTW’s partner schools are attending a matinee performance of The Peculiar Patriot this week, and you can join them in reflecting on the themes of the play with this edition of “The Brief” Study Guide! Learn about Liza Jessie Peterson’s development of the play and its production history, unpack the prison industrial complex, and understand the historical significance of the play’s title and the importance of community. Then, join us at the Workshop and see Liza’s final run of the play, concluding her 25 years of work with this piece.

May 18, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement


In the Bricks For the Culture Community Partners

Surrounding the In the Bricks Festival, NYTW Education & Engagement has curated a variety of events for our For the Culture series in collaboration with community partners and the Festival’s presenting partners, as well as an event for our Mind the Gap program alumni. We invite you to join us and get to know these organizations during a post-show conversation or community gathering, and to learn more about them below in the meantime!

April 23, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement


My Joy Is Heavy FTC Events

Now that MY JOY IS HEAVY has taken its final bows, take a look back at our line-up of For the Culture events that NYTW Education & Engagement hosted throughout the run of the show. From meaningful post-show conversations with our partners to joyous events including our Arts & Community Day, we had a blast connecting with so many communities to celebrate the themes of the show.

April 13, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement


My Joy is Heavy Study Guide

As you dive into this edition of “The Brief” Study Guide, we invite you to reflect on the themes of MY JOY IS HEAVY. What do you remember from your time in the pandemic? What do you do to get through hard times? Learn about The Bengsons and their story of grief and joy, the role of music in resilience, how access is woven into the production, and more. And then, join us at the Workshop to see the show and celebrate our joy and community!

March 24, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement


Access Dramaturgy and My Joy is Heavy: A Conversation with Alison Kopit

For MY JOY IS HEAVY here at NYTW, access has been woven into both the fabric of the piece itself and the audience experience of the production. From open captions projected onto a dedicated section of the set design to various affinity nights and to technical choices to make every show a relaxed performance, these intentional decisions are the result of many conversations between The Bengsons, the creative team, NYTW staff, and access dramaturg Alison Kopit.

Alison took some time a couple weeks before tech rehearsals began to tell me about her story of developing the practice of access dramaturgy, as well as her work on My Joy is Heavy.

March 11, 2026 by Marty Chandler


My Joy is Heavy For the Culture Community Partners

MY JOY IS HEAVY is just around the corner here at the Workshop, and our Education & Engagement team has partnered with nine organizations to reflect on the conversations around love, joy, and care that The Bengsons open up through their piece. These themes of the show are embodied in the impacts our partner organizations have on families, caregivers, and artists. From groups working at the intersection of the arts and healing, to health service and advocacy organizations, to performance groups for artists of all backgrounds and identities, we are honored to be working with these partners. We invite you to join us for a post-show conversation or community gathering to get to know them more, and read more below in the meantime.

February 12, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement


Tartuffe FTC Events

All the fun of TARTUFFE didn’t just happen onstage! Look back at our line-up of For the Culture events that NYTW Education & Engagement hosted throughout the nine week run of the show. From seven meaningful post-show conversations to four large events and collaborations with eight community partners, we had a blast connecting with artists and community members around the show.

January 26, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement


In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat FTC Events

NYTW celebrated IN HONOR OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT with a few For the Culture events amidst the show’s sold-out run for the Under the Radar Festival. Take a look back at the events below!

January 21, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement


Class is in Session: Casebook Participants on the Making of TARTUFFE

Our Casebook program pulls back the curtain on one show in the Workshop’s season each year, and this year, participants spent eight weeks taking a behind-the-scenes look at the making of TARTUFFE. From conversations with the generative artists to sitting in on tech rehearsal, Casebook participants (or “Casebookers”) learned all about what goes into taking a new work from page to stage at an Off-Broadway theatre company. NYTW Education & Engagement Associate Marty Chandler chatted with a few Casebookers to recap what Casebook covered this year and hear about their experience in the program. Let’s hear what they had to say!

December 22, 2025 by Marty Chandler


Tartuffe Study Guide

Before seeing TARTUFFE at the Workshop, we recommend that you pop
over to “The Brief” Study Guide, where you’ll learn from all that’s inside
about topics like comedy and farce, themes of hypocrisy, and even could parse
through the difference between rhymes made by Lucas Hnath and Moliére.
Whether a student or curious theatregoer, we’re excited to share
this knowledge about the show—and then see you there!

December 5, 2025 by NYTW Education & Engagement