Thrown Stone took a hiatus last year to do some deep reflection, and we enter 2025 reenergized and with new purpose. We even updated our mission to state more clearly than ever our role in the cultural ecosystem: To make new theatre. Through commissions, development, and production, we empower audiences to engage on the important questions of our time.

This is not only the culmination of years of passionate work — it is a commitment, unique in the state of Connecticut, to nurture new plays at every stage of their development, to create a space for all participants to engage on contemporary concerns, and to celebrate our shared humanity. As we expand into a year-round season in South Norwalk, we’re scaling this mission to serve a larger regional audience with bold new productions and programs.

A History OF New Work

Since our founding, Thrown Stone has been committed to original storytelling. In 2021, we presented The Suburbs season, featuring Should We Dance Instead? by Phanésia Pharel, which explored Ridgefield’s hidden history as a stop on the Underground Railroad, shedding light on the courageous actions of local residents Ned and Betsy Armstrong. Since then, Phanésia has been a constant collaborator, as our first playwriting fellow, as the assistant director for our 2022 #GrlPwr season, and through the development of her new play, The Waterfall. Later this year, we look forward to sharing more news about what’s in store for this important new voice on the world stage.

In 2023, Tammy Ryan’s Seven Cousins for a Horse was the first play we nurtured from commission to development to production. Through partnerships with the Daniel Offutt, III Charitable Trust, New Dramatists, and numerous museums and historical societies, we told a bracingly contemporary story derived from the cultural and political history of our own region. These examples underscore what is possible when we commit wholly to new work.

Expanding To SoNo

With a newly-honed mission, it’s time to expand our reach. After years of success in Ridgefield, we’ve partnered with the Crystal Theatre in South Norwalk to serve a larger regional audience. Located steps from the SoNo Train Station and surrounded by vibrant dining and nightlife, the Crystal Theatre offers an inviting destination for audiences across the region.

This move allows us to offer a year-round season, scaling our mission to connect more people across Connecticut and beyond. South Norwalk’s location at the crossroads of New York and New Haven opens doors for audiences who might not have experienced our work before, and it’s only a short drive away for our devoted Ridgefield audience.

A Year-Round Season of New Theatre

Our 2025 season represents a bold step forward with an ambitious lineup:

• Two World Premieres
  • Fools’ Paradise by Jonathan Winn is a sharp satire of of indulgence and escapism, set in a luxury resort on the Caribbean.
    After 25 dynamic years as a performer, director, and producer, Thrown Stone Co-Artistic Director Jonathan Winn brings his creative vision to playwriting.
  • The Good District by Tony Meneses is a play about making something wondrous, even in the most unexpected and challenging of circumstances.
    Thrown Stone audiences will remember Tony Meneses as the author of The Caterers, which performed at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in The Suburbs season in 2021. His celebrated works include Guadalupe in the Guest Room, twenty50, The Hombres, and many more.
• CT Short Play Fest
  Launching in August, this festival invites playwrights to create 10-minute plays that align with our mission. The format cultivates mentorship and discovery, bringing together teen, early-career, and seasoned writers in an exciting showcase of emerging talent.
• Persuasion: Thrown Stone’s 2025 New Play Commission
  Continuing our tradition of supporting playwrights from concept to completion, we’ll commission another groundbreaking work in 2025. Our RFP is live through February 3, and a playwright will be selected by March.

Our Unique Role

As the only professional theatre company in Connecticut solely focused on new works, Thrown Stone plays an essential role in the cultural landscape. Playwrights rely on companies like ours to take risks on their ideas, giving them the resources and support to refine their visions. At the same time, audiences benefit from the immediacy and relevance that new plays provide, exploring contemporary issues through stories that speak to their concerns.

This dual responsibility — to artists and to our fellow citizens — is one we embrace wholeheartedly. By focusing on questions rather than answers, we create a space where audiences can connect, reflect, and shape their own perspectives.

MAKING SPACE FOR BIG QUESTIONS

Theatre uniquely brings artists and audiences together in collective inquiry. Whether exploring themes of survival and self-discovery in Fools’ Paradise or examining family and opportunity in The Good District, our plays encourage thoughtful reflection on the challenges that shape our lives. In a world dominated by doomscrolling and demagoguery, the chance to gather for a meaningful story and reflect together is a rare and restorative gift.

Scaling Our Vision

Our expansion into South Norwalk and our year-round programming represent more than just growth; they signify a commitment to scaling our mission to a broader audience. By creating a regional hub for new plays, we aim to position Connecticut as a leader in contemporary theatre, where artists and audiences alike can engage with the big questions of our time.

We’re excited to invite more people than ever before into this conversation. Whether you’re a lifelong theatre enthusiast or seeing a live performance for the first time, Thrown Stone offers a place to connect, reflect, and discover something new.

See A New Play in SoNo

Discover what’s next. Visit our Season Announcement to learn more about the upcoming productions and how you can join us in shaping the future of theatre.