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February 22nd - 28th 2026
Playwriting Workshop
Centra Cultural Collective presents: Weeklong Dramaturgy & Playwright Support with Santiago Guzmán
Phase 1 of our black theatre training program: A paid opportunity offering focused dramaturgical support to shape your play. Collaborate with mentors, refine your script, and showcase your work at our Black Theatre Festival.
❋ What to expect?This is a two-part Black Playwriting Workshop offering support for playwrights at different stages of their practice. Led by Santiago Guzmán, with support from Twiga Collective, the program combines dramaturgical coaching, collaborative readings with paid actors, and public presentations.
Stream 1: Playwriting Foundations (Emerging Playwrights)
Designed for three emerging playwrights working with an idea, a scene, or a partial draft. The first session introduces the fundamentals of writing for the stage. Playwrights then write independently between sessions before working with actors in rehearsal, receiving light direction and dramaturgical guidance, and sharing their work in a public reading with audience feedback.
Stream 2: New Play Development (Developed Plays)
Designed for one playwright with more developed scripts. These workshops focus on reading new drafts with actors, facilitated dramaturgical feedback sessions, and professional dramaturgical support aimed at strengthening structure, themes, and production readiness. Playwrights revise between sessions, leading toward a public reading.
All selected playwrights receive one-on-one dramaturgy, access to paid actors, audience feedback, and a stipend. Following the workshop, playwrights may continue developing their work through set design, directing, production, and stage management as part of our Black Theatre Training Program.
❋ When will the workshop be?Emerging Plays
• Workshop: February 22, 3–7 PM
• Workshop & rehearsal with actors: February 27, 6–9 PM
• Public reading: February 28th, 6 PM at The Black Theatre Festival
Established Play
• Workshop: February 24 & 26, 6–9 PM
• Public reading: February 28th, 6 PM at The Black Theatre Festival
❋ Who should apply?Black-identifying playwrights living in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Emerging playwrights with a complete draft, partial script, or a strong idea or treatment. Applicants should demonstrate a clear sense of the story they wish to develop.
• Playwrights with more developed plays that have been previously workshopped or presented in some form and are ready for dramaturgical support focused on structure, themes, or production readiness.
Notes
All styles, genres, and forms are welcome
• Applicants must be based in Newfoundland and Labrador at the time of application
• A maximum of five actors will be used per play — if this presents a barrier, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate
❋ A Supportive SpaceA supportive space curated specifically for Black playwrights: a place where your voice, history, and imagination are centered. In this workshop you will find intentional artistic care: dramaturgical guidance that understands cultural nuance and a community that protects creative risk-taking.
Santiago Guzmán & Twiga Collective provides cultural dramaturgical support for any unique needs your play might have. That means contextual research, culturally-informed feedback on character, language, ritual, and structure, and sensitive collaboration around themes tied to African, Caribbean and Black diasporic experience. Their role is to strengthen authenticity without policing, to offer resources and perspectives that expand your work while honoring your authority as the creator.