named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Early-Career Writers’ Group
Development program supporting emerging playwrights through workshops, readings, and community engagement.
New Play Directing Fellowship
Program for early-career directors to develop and present new plays with mentorship from established theater artists.
Summerworks
Annual festival presenting new plays by emerging writers, developed and produced with minimal tech periods to support accessibility for artists.
Winterworks
Festival showcasing new plays developed through the New Play Directing Fellowship, featuring works by early-career directors and playwrights.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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New Play Development Programs 2 activities
- Commissioning and producing new plays by living American writersCommissions, develops, and produces new plays—particularly those that are funny, strange, and provocative—by living American playwrights through annual programs including the Summerworks festival, which presents three fully produced plays each season, and the Winterworks festival, which presents new play developments. The organization has produced over 100 new plays, many of which have gone on to further productions and critical recognition.
- Supporting theatrical development through workshops and staged readingsHosts the Design and Staging Workshop Series and presents a SummerWorks Reading Series featuring plays-in-progress by early-career writers, providing developmental support and exposure for new theatrical works.
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Organizational DEI Capacity Building 1 activity
- Advancing equity and inclusion in theater practiceImplements organizational equity initiatives including anti-racism training for staff, a Statement of Guiding Community Principles reviewed at the start of programs and rehearsals, and increased BIPOC representation on the board. Also revisits project-based pay structures to ensure fair compensation and offers stipends to interns, guest artists, and script readers in previously uncompensated roles.
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Organized Member Social Events 1 activity
- Engaging audiences and building community around new playsOperates the Social Captain Program to enhance audience engagement and community participation in productions, and hosts gatherings and lunches for interns with guest artists to foster peer and professional relationships.
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Mentorship and Professional Development Programs 1 activity
- Funding and supporting early-career theater artists through fellowships and workshopsRuns capacity-building programs including the Clubbed Thumb Directing Fellowship, a five-month program for early-career directors; the New Play Directing Fellowship; and the Early-Career Writers’ Group, an eight-month mentorship program for emerging playwrights. These programs provide professional development, mentorship, rehearsal room experience, and public readings during Summerworks.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Publishing and disseminating new theatrical works and commentaryPublished an anthology titled *Unusual Stories, Unusually Told*, containing seven of its produced plays along with essays and interviews, through Bloomsbury/Methuen, contributing to the broader accessibility and study of its work.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.77M
Contributions & grants$1.44M81%
Program service revenue$312K18%
Investment income$19K1%
Other revenue$4K
expenses
Total expenses$1.49M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$700K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.35M
Cash$219K
Investments$574K
Liabilities$20K
Net assets$1.33M
Liquid reserves6.4 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +45.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Striar | Board member | 40 | $102K |
| Anne Kauffman | Board member | 4 | $3K |
board members · 14
- Brian Herrera — Board member
- David Tecson — Board member
- Erin Courtney — Secretary
- Fred Dassori — Board Chair
- Jason Ferguson — Board member
- Jennifer Allyn — Board member
- Jill Bishop — Board member
- John Bishop Jr — Vice-Chair
- Jonathan Rebell — Board member
- Josh Silverman — Board member
- Kyle Sarausky — Treasurer
- Lillian Osei-Boateng — Board member
- Maheshie Cabraal — Board member
- Nina Hellman — Board member
relationships · 32
Who they work with
- Angela Hanks Partner — Playwright of the production "BODIES THEY RITUAL"
- Anne Kauffman Partner — Co-oversight of the New Play Directing Fellowship
- ArtEquity Partner — Provided anti-racism training for Clubbed Thumb staff titled "Everyday Justice: Antiracism as Daily Practice."
- Bloomsbury/Methuen Partner — Published Clubbed Thumb's anthology Unusual Stories, Unusually Told.
- Bushwick Starr Partner — Associate produces new plays such as Milo Cramer’s Cute Activist and Agnes Borinsky’s Song of Songs
- Christopher Durang Partner — Used the work of Christopher Durang, particularly from the 1980s, as inspiration for the 2024 Biennial Commission prompt.
- Daniel Aukin Partner — Co-oversight of the New Play Directing Fellowship
- David Cromer Partner — Mentor in the New Play Directing Fellowship
- Gab Reisman Partner — Playwright of the production "SPINDLE SHUTTLE NEEDLE"
- Isabella Byrd Partner — Lighting designer for multiple Clubbed Thumb productions in 2023, including "Work Hard Have Fun Make History" and "Deep Blue Sound".
- Knud Adams Partner — Director of the production "BODIES THEY RITUAL"
- Leigh Silverman Partner — Mentor in the New Play Directing Fellowship
- MCC Theater Partner — Co-produced an extended run of Cold War Choir Practice with Clubbed Thumb and Page 73.
- MCC Theater Partner — Co-produced the Off-Broadway play "Cold War Choir Practice"
- Meg MacCary Partner — Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Clubbed Thumb Inc from 1996 to 2009
- Natalie Carney Partner — Props designer for multiple Clubbed Thumb productions in 2023, including "Work Hard Have Fun Make History", "Deep Blue Sound", and "Grief Hotel".
- Page 73 Partner — Co-produced an extended run of Cold War Choir Practice with Clubbed Thumb and MCC Theater.
- Page 73 Partner — Co-produced and developed the play "Cold War Choir Practice" at Summerworks 2025
- Page 73 Partner — Collaborated with Page 73 to present "Cold War Choir Practice" as part of SummerWorks 2025.
- PlayCo Partner — Co-produced Adrian Einspanier’s Lunch Bunch in 2023
- Playwrights Horizons Partner — Hosted Clubbed Thumb’s residency program for new play development.
- Playwrights Horizons Theater School Partner — Collaborates on co-producing and developing new plays, including originating Sarah DeLappe’s The Wolves and Eliza Bent’s Indeed, Friend!
- Sam Pinkleton Partner — Mentor in the New Play Directing Fellowship
- Tamilla Woodard Partner — Director of the production "SPINDLE SHUTTLE NEEDLE"
- The Public Theater Partner — Hosted Clubbed Thumb’s production Deep Blue Sound in residence.
- The Public Theater Partner — Presented Liza Birkenmeier’s Grief Hotel and Abe Koogler’s Deep Blue Sound in residence
- Trish Harnetiaux Partner — Playwright of the production "CALIFORNIA"
- Wild Project Partner — Co-presented the 27th Summerworks season, hosting productions at its venue.
- Wild Project Partner — Venue partner hosting Clubbed Thumb's SummerWorks 2026 productions and reading series.
- Wild Project Partner — Venue partner hosting performances for the Summerworks festival.
+ 2 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Accessible Theater Experience to Broaden Audience Engagementmethodology: accessible-theater-experienceBy creating an informal, low-barrier performance environment, Clubbed Thumb increases audience accessibility and frames theater as a social invitation rather than a formal obligation because reducing perceived cultural gatekeeping encourages broader public participation.
- Development of Experimental, Nonrealistic New Plays through Atypical Processesmethodology: experimental-play-developmentBy focusing on idiosyncratic, absurdist, speculative, and nonrealistic new plays—and using unconventional development methods—Clubbed Thumb cultivates distinctive American theatrical voices because distancing from realism enables fresh explorations of social, psychological, and political themes.
- Equity-Centered Artistic Curation and Organizational Practicemethodology: equity-centered_curationBy prioritizing gender equity, anti-racism, and representation of BIPOC and marginalized voices in play selection, commissioning, and resource allocation—and embedding these values in ongoing learning and policy—Clubbed Thumb produces more inclusive theater and counters systemic inequities because equitable processes yield more diverse narratives and foster belonging in the field.
- Incubation of Early-Career Playwrights through Structured Fellowship and Public Presentationmethodology: artist_incubationBy providing time-limited fellowships, mentorship from established artists, and public presentation opportunities (e.g., Winterworks, SummerWorks), Clubbed Thumb supports the development and professional launch of early-career playwrights and directors because structured artistic support with real-world production experience accelerates artistic growth and career entry.