2025/26 Season

It’s the start of summer! Now that the school year and the season at NYTW have both ended, we thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on our year of Education & Community Engagement programming. In addition to another successful season of our after-school programs, including Mind the Gap (in NYC and London) and a comedic new work created by our Youth Artistic Instigators, we hosted a range of in-school residencies through our Learning Workshop program, and a variety of community engagement events through our For the Culture series.

June 25, 2026 by Marty Chandler

In just one calendar year, NYTW staff, artists, friends, neighbors, and community partners gathered outside on East 4th Street for a variety of events that each echo the block’s long-standing history of artistry and community-building. Take a look back with us at all the fun we’ve had breaking bread and celebrating together, from last summer to this one!

June 24, 2026 by Marty Chandler

Now that the In the Bricks Festival has wrapped, take a look back at our For the Culture events hosted by the NYTW Education & Community Engagement team in collaboration with our presenting partners, community partners, and artists on stage. Through meaningful conversations to new connections while breaking bread on East 4th St, we had a blast connecting with so many communities surrounding the Festival’s celebration of our shared humanity. Be sure to join us next season for even more talkbacks, community events, and opportunities to gather with one another!

June 16, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement

NYTW’s intergenerational theatre program, Mind the Gap, has been connecting teens and elders through the power of storytelling for over sixteen years. Over the course of several weeks, participants interview one another in intergenerational conversations, getting to hear stories from each other’s lives, as well as their dreams, fears, and ways of seeing the world. From these exchanges, each participant writes a short play inspired by what they learn from their partner, and these plays are performed by professional actors on a day of public readings.

May 21, 2026 by Marty Chandler

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

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

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

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

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 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