CDE Playwright Cohort
CDE Playwright Cohort: A Creative, Do-It-Yourself Opportunity for Femme Playwrights.
Thank you for your interest in the CDE Playwright Cohort!
We’re bringing together eight femme playwrights who are ready to explore new ideas, take creative risks, support one another, and hear their work come to life. This is an active, collaborative, hands-on experience. Selected playwrights will be expected to participate fully, meet program deadlines, share their work, offer feedback, and contribute to the creative community of the cohort.
Application Timeline
Applications Open: September 1, 2026
Application Deadline: September 30, 2026
Acceptance Notifications: October 15, 2026
Please do not contact CDE regarding your application status.
What the Program Includes
1. Kick-Off Meet & Greet: An in-person gathering at CDE where all eight playwrights will meet, connect, and begin the creative process together. November 2026 | Date TBA. All selected playwrights are expected to attend.
2. Two Online Workshops: Playwrights will be divided into two mini-cohorts of four and participate in two facilitated online workshopping sessions. Each session will provide dedicated time to share work and receive thoughtful, constructive feedback from your cohort.
3. Culminating Reading Day: The program concludes with an in-person reading at CDE, where all eight playwrights will hear approximately 10 minutes of their work performed for a live audience.
March 7, 2027 | 2:00–4:00 PM |FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
The Creative Process
Think of this program as a do-it-yourself creative opportunity, with encouragement, structure, and support from CDE.
Do-it-yourself is the art of turning pure imagination and a little everyday magic into reality.
We want you to take real ownership of your play—from the first idea to the final reading—while benefiting from the insight, encouragement, and energy of your cohort. At the beginning of the program, CDE will provide an overarching creative prompt to inspire your work. Think of it as a guide, not a set of instructions. We want to see where your imagination takes you.
What Should I Bring?
Bring a new work, new play, or piece you've been struggling with and are ready to develop in a supportive environment.
This program is designed for fresh exploration. Please do not bring a play that has already been extensively workshopped or developed by another theater or through a formal development process.
Play Requirements
Workshops & Feedback
First Workshop: Come with an idea, new pages, or a piece that's still taking shape.
The goal is to begin with curiosity, openness, and momentum.
Second Workshop: By the second workshop, each playwright must have either:
Date & time: Determined by mini-cohort availability and the cohort director.
The Feedback Process
Workshops will use an adapted version of the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process, designed to encourage thoughtful, constructive, and artist-centered feedback.
Learn more about the Critical Response Process
Each mini-cohort will have four playwrights and will remain together throughout the program.
Deadlines & Preparation
Selected playwrights will receive deadlines from their cohort director and are expected to meet them so the group can move through the process together.
Playwrights will also be asked to provide:
Readers & Rehearsals
Each playwright will also read in another playwright’s work within their mini-cohort during the final reading day.
Everyone contributes. Everyone listens. Everyone helps bring new work into the room.
Have a specific actor or reader you'd love to hear perform your work? Invite them!
CDE may have some volunteer actors available, but we strongly encourage playwrights to invite readers who excite them and understand the spirit of their work.
Playwrights are also welcome to arrange their own rehearsals with readers before Reading Day, either online or in person.
CDE will not facilitate rehearsals. Playwrights are responsible for coordinating directly with their readers if they would like to rehearse beforehand.
The Final Reading Day: March 7, 2027 | 2:00–4:00 PM FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
The final reading is when the work leaves the page and enters the room.
You'll hear the rhythm, energy, humor, tension, and possibility of your new play in front of a live audience.
All eight plays will be presented in CDE's main performance space in a casual, creative “make a play in a day” atmosphere.
What to Expect
CDE will have printed copies of each play ready for readers when they arrive.
Audience members will be invited to provide feedback through a QR code and connect with playwrights during the break between the two mini-cohort readings.
What Is a Stand Reading? A stand reading is a simple, focused presentation where actors read from scripts placed on music stands.
There are no elaborate production elements. The focus is on the words, the voices, and the shared experience of discovering a new play together.
Come for Your Play. Stay for the Cohort. We encourage every playwright to stay for the full Reading Day—not just for their own reading.
Cheering on your fellow playwrights is an important part of this experience. It builds community, honors everyone's creative effort, and transforms the final day into a true celebration of new work, new voices, and the creative process.
Ready to Create?
Applications open September 1, 2026.
Deadline: September 30, 2026.
Join us and bring your next idea to life.
Thank you for your interest in the CDE Playwright Cohort!
We’re bringing together eight femme playwrights who are ready to explore new ideas, take creative risks, support one another, and hear their work come to life. This is an active, collaborative, hands-on experience. Selected playwrights will be expected to participate fully, meet program deadlines, share their work, offer feedback, and contribute to the creative community of the cohort.
Application Timeline
Applications Open: September 1, 2026
Application Deadline: September 30, 2026
Acceptance Notifications: October 15, 2026
Please do not contact CDE regarding your application status.
What the Program Includes
1. Kick-Off Meet & Greet: An in-person gathering at CDE where all eight playwrights will meet, connect, and begin the creative process together. November 2026 | Date TBA. All selected playwrights are expected to attend.
2. Two Online Workshops: Playwrights will be divided into two mini-cohorts of four and participate in two facilitated online workshopping sessions. Each session will provide dedicated time to share work and receive thoughtful, constructive feedback from your cohort.
3. Culminating Reading Day: The program concludes with an in-person reading at CDE, where all eight playwrights will hear approximately 10 minutes of their work performed for a live audience.
March 7, 2027 | 2:00–4:00 PM |FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
The Creative Process
Think of this program as a do-it-yourself creative opportunity, with encouragement, structure, and support from CDE.
Do-it-yourself is the art of turning pure imagination and a little everyday magic into reality.
We want you to take real ownership of your play—from the first idea to the final reading—while benefiting from the insight, encouragement, and energy of your cohort. At the beginning of the program, CDE will provide an overarching creative prompt to inspire your work. Think of it as a guide, not a set of instructions. We want to see where your imagination takes you.
What Should I Bring?
Bring a new work, new play, or piece you've been struggling with and are ready to develop in a supportive environment.
This program is designed for fresh exploration. Please do not bring a play that has already been extensively workshopped or developed by another theater or through a formal development process.
Play Requirements
- No more than four characters
- New or relatively undeveloped work
- Longer works are welcome
- CDE will facilitate feedback on up to 10 pages
- You may share additional pages with your mini-cohort outside of facilitated sessions
Workshops & Feedback
First Workshop: Come with an idea, new pages, or a piece that's still taking shape.
The goal is to begin with curiosity, openness, and momentum.
Second Workshop: By the second workshop, each playwright must have either:
- 10 pages of a new longer work, or
- A complete 10-page play ready to be read aloud and discussed.
Date & time: Determined by mini-cohort availability and the cohort director.
The Feedback Process
Workshops will use an adapted version of the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process, designed to encourage thoughtful, constructive, and artist-centered feedback.
Learn more about the Critical Response Process
Each mini-cohort will have four playwrights and will remain together throughout the program.
- Mini-Cohort 1: Led by the Program Director
- Mini-Cohort 2: Led by the Assistant Program Director
Deadlines & Preparation
Selected playwrights will receive deadlines from their cohort director and are expected to meet them so the group can move through the process together.
Playwrights will also be asked to provide:
- A short synopsis
- A character breakdown
- The 10-page selection for the final reading
Readers & Rehearsals
Each playwright will also read in another playwright’s work within their mini-cohort during the final reading day.
Everyone contributes. Everyone listens. Everyone helps bring new work into the room.
Have a specific actor or reader you'd love to hear perform your work? Invite them!
CDE may have some volunteer actors available, but we strongly encourage playwrights to invite readers who excite them and understand the spirit of their work.
Playwrights are also welcome to arrange their own rehearsals with readers before Reading Day, either online or in person.
CDE will not facilitate rehearsals. Playwrights are responsible for coordinating directly with their readers if they would like to rehearse beforehand.
The Final Reading Day: March 7, 2027 | 2:00–4:00 PM FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
The final reading is when the work leaves the page and enters the room.
You'll hear the rhythm, energy, humor, tension, and possibility of your new play in front of a live audience.
All eight plays will be presented in CDE's main performance space in a casual, creative “make a play in a day” atmosphere.
What to Expect
- 8 playwrights
- 2 mini-cohorts
- 8 stand readings
- Approximately 10 minutes per play
- Live audience feedback
- Food & beverages provided
CDE will have printed copies of each play ready for readers when they arrive.
Audience members will be invited to provide feedback through a QR code and connect with playwrights during the break between the two mini-cohort readings.
What Is a Stand Reading? A stand reading is a simple, focused presentation where actors read from scripts placed on music stands.
There are no elaborate production elements. The focus is on the words, the voices, and the shared experience of discovering a new play together.
Come for Your Play. Stay for the Cohort. We encourage every playwright to stay for the full Reading Day—not just for their own reading.
Cheering on your fellow playwrights is an important part of this experience. It builds community, honors everyone's creative effort, and transforms the final day into a true celebration of new work, new voices, and the creative process.
Ready to Create?
Applications open September 1, 2026.
Deadline: September 30, 2026.
Join us and bring your next idea to life.
Teaching Artist Application
Join the Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Teaching Artist Team.
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (CDE) is seeking multidisciplinary dance, theatre, spoken word, and visual artists to join our part-time, contracted Teaching Artist team for our in-school and after-school programs.
This is an excellent opportunity for creative artists who understand that arts education is about more than dance steps and memorizing lines. Our Teaching Artists use the arts to help students build confidence, develop creative skills, strengthen social-emotional learning, and discover their own voices.
BIPOC and male-identifying artists are strongly encouraged to apply.
Compensation
Lead Teaching Artists: $40–$50/hour, depending on program and experience
Additional paid training and professional development opportunities are available.
Teaching Artists are an integral part of CDE's residency process. Artists participate in curriculum planning and documentation and collaborate with classroom teachers and program coordinators before and throughout each residency.
We are especially interested in artists who want to expand beyond their primary discipline and incorporate multiple art forms into their teaching, while connecting the arts to literacy, academic learning, and social-emotional development.
Who We Serve
CDE programs serve students throughout Chicago, from Pre-K through high school, as well as participants at social service organizations.
Much of our programming serves youth and young adults from communities experiencing barriers to opportunity, and we are committed to creating meaningful, empowering arts experiences for every student.
Teaching Artists should be comfortable working with a wide range of ages, abilities, backgrounds, and learning styles.
About Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble challenges, engages, and inspires audiences both onstage and in the classroom through innovative, multidisciplinary storytelling rooted in Tanztheatre—a genre that brings together multiple art forms to create an all-encompassing artistic experience.
As an ensemble, we collaboratively create thought-provoking performances and educational programs incorporating:
Arts Education Mission
CDE's arts education programs use the visual and performing arts to teach and reinforce math, science, literacy, and social-emotional learning through a progressive education model.
We believe the arts can provide students with the tools to express themselves, collaborate with others, take creative risks, and see projects through to completion.
Our Teaching Philosophy
CDE Teaching Artists develop lessons through a progressive education curriculum and pedagogy that explores themes through music, dance, visual art, drama, and literary text.Our approach emphasizes the creative process rather than simply focusing on a final product.
Through arts-based learning, students are encouraged to:
We believe this approach supports students' artistic, educational, and social-emotional growth, helping them develop skills that extend beyond the classroom.
Teaching Artist Responsibilities
Teaching Artists are expected to:
Skills & Qualifications
Required
Application Procedure
To apply, email the following materials to: [email protected]
Please use “Teaching Artist Application” as the subject line.
No phone calls, please.
Please Include:
1. Resume: Include your teaching experience and three professional references.
2. Teaching Philosophy: Briefly explain how your teaching philosophy aligns with CDE's approach and describe your relevant teaching experience.
3. Preferred Age & Grade Levels: Tell us which age groups and grade levels you prefer to teach.
4. Curriculum Ideas: Share any curriculum or program ideas you have for the CDE school programs you're interested in teaching.
5. SPED Experience: Describe your experience working with special education students and/or youth.
6. Availability & Transportation:
Please include:
Equity Statement
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble strives to create an equitable and empowering space for our artists, administrators, Teaching Artists, audiences, and students of all backgrounds. We aim to build a platform for the diverse voices of the communities we serve and are committed to creating arts education experiences where all are welcome.
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (CDE) is seeking multidisciplinary dance, theatre, spoken word, and visual artists to join our part-time, contracted Teaching Artist team for our in-school and after-school programs.
This is an excellent opportunity for creative artists who understand that arts education is about more than dance steps and memorizing lines. Our Teaching Artists use the arts to help students build confidence, develop creative skills, strengthen social-emotional learning, and discover their own voices.
BIPOC and male-identifying artists are strongly encouraged to apply.
Compensation
Lead Teaching Artists: $40–$50/hour, depending on program and experience
Additional paid training and professional development opportunities are available.
Teaching Artists are an integral part of CDE's residency process. Artists participate in curriculum planning and documentation and collaborate with classroom teachers and program coordinators before and throughout each residency.
We are especially interested in artists who want to expand beyond their primary discipline and incorporate multiple art forms into their teaching, while connecting the arts to literacy, academic learning, and social-emotional development.
Who We Serve
CDE programs serve students throughout Chicago, from Pre-K through high school, as well as participants at social service organizations.
Much of our programming serves youth and young adults from communities experiencing barriers to opportunity, and we are committed to creating meaningful, empowering arts experiences for every student.
Teaching Artists should be comfortable working with a wide range of ages, abilities, backgrounds, and learning styles.
About Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble challenges, engages, and inspires audiences both onstage and in the classroom through innovative, multidisciplinary storytelling rooted in Tanztheatre—a genre that brings together multiple art forms to create an all-encompassing artistic experience.
As an ensemble, we collaboratively create thought-provoking performances and educational programs incorporating:
- Theatre
- Dance and movement
- Music
- Visual art
- Literary text
Arts Education Mission
CDE's arts education programs use the visual and performing arts to teach and reinforce math, science, literacy, and social-emotional learning through a progressive education model.
We believe the arts can provide students with the tools to express themselves, collaborate with others, take creative risks, and see projects through to completion.
Our Teaching Philosophy
CDE Teaching Artists develop lessons through a progressive education curriculum and pedagogy that explores themes through music, dance, visual art, drama, and literary text.Our approach emphasizes the creative process rather than simply focusing on a final product.
Through arts-based learning, students are encouraged to:
- Express their thoughts and opinions
- Develop teamwork and communication skills
- Practice discipline and perseverance
- Give and receive constructive feedback
- Take creative risks
- Build confidence
- Develop social-emotional skills
- Complete projects from beginning to end
We believe this approach supports students' artistic, educational, and social-emotional growth, helping them develop skills that extend beyond the classroom.
Teaching Artist Responsibilities
Teaching Artists are expected to:
- Attend all required Teaching Artist professional development workshops
- Develop, teach, and document arts-integrated curriculum
- Incorporate creative process, literacy, and social-emotional learning into lessons
- Implement assessment tools embedded within programming
- Collaborate with classroom teachers, program directors, and fellow Teaching Artists
- Help create innovative and engaging residency experiences
- Participate in curriculum planning and documentation
- Maintain a professional and supportive classroom environment
Skills & Qualifications
Required
- Minimum 1 year of teaching experience in a school, community center, or similar setting
- Bachelor's degree (BA or BFA required)
- Knowledge of state and national core arts standards
- Experience with arts integration and/or multidisciplinary arts learning
- Ability to improvise and adapt to changing classroom needs
- Understanding of social-emotional learning
- Demonstrated commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion
- Professional demeanor when interacting with students, teachers, administrators, and CDE staff
- Ability to collaborate effectively with administrative staff and classroom teachers
- Ability to travel to various schools and program locations throughout the Chicago area
- Patience and an understanding of childhood and youth development
- Willingness to make a minimum one-year commitment
- Ability to successfully complete a fingerprinted background check
- Spanish-language skills
- Experience working with special education (SPED) students
- Experience teaching multiple artistic disciplines
- Experience developing arts-integrated curriculum
Application Procedure
To apply, email the following materials to: [email protected]
Please use “Teaching Artist Application” as the subject line.
No phone calls, please.
Please Include:
1. Resume: Include your teaching experience and three professional references.
2. Teaching Philosophy: Briefly explain how your teaching philosophy aligns with CDE's approach and describe your relevant teaching experience.
3. Preferred Age & Grade Levels: Tell us which age groups and grade levels you prefer to teach.
4. Curriculum Ideas: Share any curriculum or program ideas you have for the CDE school programs you're interested in teaching.
5. SPED Experience: Describe your experience working with special education students and/or youth.
6. Availability & Transportation:
Please include:
- Your general availability
- Whether you have access to a car
Equity Statement
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble strives to create an equitable and empowering space for our artists, administrators, Teaching Artists, audiences, and students of all backgrounds. We aim to build a platform for the diverse voices of the communities we serve and are committed to creating arts education experiences where all are welcome.
|
1650 W FOSTER AVE
|
|