Ally Varitek
  • ABOUT
  • DRAMATURG
  • NEWS
  • CURRENTLY...

What is Ally up to?

EXPANDING THE CANON

7/12/2026

0 Comments

 
Picture
As someone who has often wondered what and grieved for women's voices we lost to history, I've been a fan of Expand the Canon's work for quite a few years now. Their mission? "To uncover and uplift classic plays by women & underrepresented genders – as well as be a call to action to produce them." As a girl in theatre history courses who always wondered where all the women were, I find their work empowering and necessary. You can learn more about them at expandthecanon.com.

This year, to my immense delight, I had the distinct honor of serving on their Reading Committee! I spent the winter and spring getting to give due attention to plays by femme writers from 1600 onwards – and even discovered some breathtaking new favorites.

Stay tuned for the announcement of this year's Expand the Canon list soon! And be sure to give a smile to all of the other lovely readers below.
Picture
LEARN MORE ABOUT EXPAND THE CANON
0 Comments

SPARKFEST '26 NEW WORKS

3/15/2026

0 Comments

 
Picture
Another year, another stellar group of plays and artists to fall in love with!

Every year, I have the most artistically fulfilling experiences getting to work on Amphibian's annual summer festival, SparkFest. In 2026, SparkFest serves to celebrate and uplift Latine artists from across the country. 

As the New Works Producing Coordinator, I literary manage the festival, running our call for plays and helping to uplift three stellar plays and a shortlist of remarkable finalist plays/playwrights each year.
​
This year, I'm elated to announce that they are:

Picture
Picture
And, of course, I also want to uplift the stellar finalists as well:
Picture
Picture
I can't wait to see these plays come to life! Congrats, all. It is my greatest honor to get to witness your work.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SPARKFEST
0 Comments

OOB FESTIVAL 2025

8/6/2025

0 Comments

 
Picture
If you haven't learned it about me yet, this should tell you just how much I love new works and writers!

I was so glad to work on the Concord Theatricals Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival again this year (three years after first working on it as an intern). Time truly flies!

I got to witness over 30 short plays make theatre happen and innovate with the form as well as hear firsthand from alumni playwrights Rachel Bonds, Miranda Rose Hall and Lauren Yee as part of the 50th anniversary celebration.

A major shoutout to the staff and co-Artistic Directors Casey McLain and Garrett Anderson for all the hard work they've put in elevating artists over the years.
Picture
0 Comments

MUSICAL WRITERS FESTIVAL 2025

7/11/2025

0 Comments

 
Picture

While I didn't get a whole lot of photos (I was too busy being enamored with all the new musicals happening), I was so glad I got to go back to Texas and support the dozens of new musicals and musical writers there for the annual festival. When one new musical wins, we all win!
​

Learn more about the festival at: festival.musicalwriters.com.
0 Comments

SPARKFEST '25 NEW WORKS

5/1/2025

0 Comments

 
Picture
One of the best things that's ever happened to me was falling into the orbit of Amphibian Stage and their work as an emerging professionnal.

Every year, I have the most artistically fulfilling experiences getting to work on their annual summer festival, SparkFest. In 2025, SparkFest served to celebrate and uplift Native American and Indigenous artists from across the country. 
As the New Works Producing Coordinator, I literary manage the festival, running our call for plays and helping to uplift three stellar plays and a shortlist of remarkable finalist plays/playwrights each year.
​
This year, I'm elated to announce that they are:
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
We also had a fabulous group of finalists that I'd love to uplift here:
Picture
Picture
Here's to new works and making theatre happen!
0 Comments

Why so quiet? ATL -> NYC!

3/4/2025

0 Comments

 
Picture
You may have noticed I was awfully quiet between fall of 2024 and winter/spring of 2025... and that's because I got a new job and moved cities!

I now work to help elevate playwrights and musical writers in a whole new way, and doing so meant my partner and I had to make the move from Atlanta to NYC!

If you've got a new work happening in NYC, let me know – I'd love to attend!

With Immense Heart,
​Ally

0 Comments

ETHEL WOOLSON LAB IN REVIEW

9/16/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
Thanks to Ethel Woolson and Working Title Playwrights, I got to spend time expanding my notions of what new work development can look like with Sawyer Estes and Erin O'Connor of Vernal and Sere Theatre company, Jake Guinn and Havoc Movement, and Jacob York's play They Love Violence alongside Working Title Playwright's dramaturg Amber Bradshaw.

By bringing movement into the development project, we were able to take this play about women's wrestling and the sacrifices our bodies make for the love of what we do to a whole new level.
​
Catch some glimpses of the play below, or read it on NPX.

Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

ETHEL WOOLSON LAB AT WORKING TITLE PLAYWRIGHTS

9/9/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
Come support new works in progress with me in Atlanta this weekend!

As part of my New Work Development Apprenticeship at Working Title Playwrights, I'm getting to serve as Assistant Dramaturg to the brilliant Amber Bradshaw on these new works as part of Working Title's Ethel Woolson Lab. These are 29-hour developmental periods for the playwrights with the dramaturgical insights of actors, directors, dramaturgs, and other creatives to offer space for these plays to discover more parts of themselves.

I'm thrilled that this is my introduction to the new works scene in Atlanta and am grateful for the excellent expertise I'm getting to witness firsthand as part of these rehearsals.

Picture
Picture
Picture
​Here's the lineup:
September 14 at 3pm - shadowplay  by Quinn Xavier Hernandez
September 14 at 8pm - Public Wickedness  by Lee Osorio
September 15 at 5pm - They Love Violence  by Jacob York


Each of these are free to attend, just register at the link below:
JOIN ME AT THE FESTIVAL
0 Comments

PLAYSHARE EVOLUTION - Digital Play Lab Dramaturgy!

8/22/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
As a collaborator in the Digital Dramaturgy Project, I spent August on the final digital table read of our digital play lab known as Playshare Evolution! I was so glad to serve as the Developmental Dramaturg on Chuan & Eve by Lyra Nalan. 

In near-future Manhattan, Chuan, a Chinese immigrant, turns to a seemingly perfect therapist, Eve, to help his schizophrenic mother. As their bond deepens, Chuan uncovers a devastating truth that shatters his understanding of trust and the essence of human connection.
READ CHUAN & EVE BY LYRA NALAN ON NPX
I adore new works and loved getting to work with these generous collaborators below! Next up for DDP? A second iteration of our subsidzied dramaturgy program for playwrights known as The Match!
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

2024 MUSICAL WRITERS FESTIVAL

7/11/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
This week, I'm headed back to Texas for the 2024 Musical Writers Festival! 

I'll be leading a session called "You've Got a Friend: Dramaturgs and Musical Writers" with the lovely musical writer Kenady Sean.


In this session, you can join us conversation to learn more about how dramaturgs are a musical writer’s best friend. You may be thinking... what in the world is a dramaturg? How do they help Musical Writers? What does that even look like? Join us to find out all about dramaturgs and consultations for musical writers with the chance to ask your own questions, too!

If you're not headed to the whole festival but are local to DFW, you can join us for the New Works Cabaret on Friday Night or the New Works Spotlight Dinner & Presentation on Saturday night. Ticket links are below.

I'm so excited to support new musicals & their writers this weekend!

​TICKETS:

NEW WORKS CABARET TICKETS
NEW WORKS SPOTLIGHT TICKETS
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    July 2026
    March 2026
    August 2025
    July 2025
    May 2025
    March 2025
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    January 2024
    October 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    November 2022
    September 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • ABOUT
  • DRAMATURG
  • NEWS
  • CURRENTLY...