Mind The Gap

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

Mind the Gap, New York Theatre Workshop’s intergenerational theatre program, has been bringing elders and teens together across New York City and the world for now sixteen years. Founded in 2009, Mind the Gap workshops match elders (ages 60 and up) to teens (13-19), and asks them to share with each other their hopes, dreams, and stories from their lives.

To celebrate this “Sweet 16,” we are looking back at where we’ve taken Mind the Gap this year, celebrating our partnerships across the globe, and reflecting on the community cultivated by this program throughout its history.

October 6, 2025 by NYTW Education & Engagement

This past fall, New York Theatre Workshop partnered with Brooklyn Public Library to offer a session of Mind the Gap at BPL’s Central Library at Grand Army Plaza. From October to December, teens and elders participated in intergenerational dialogue and writing workshops led by NYTW Teaching Artist Adam Odsess-Rubin with the assistance of Education Associate Psacoya Guinn and Education and Engagement Fellow Jordan Powell.

January 18, 2023 by New York Theatre Workshop