Playwriting Residency
Corrib Theatre's Playwriting Residency Program will support one writer per year to develop a new play inspired by Irish culture, history, or themes.
Each resident will receive a writing stipend award, two workshops with professional actors, consistent feedback from Corrib Theatre’s Artistic Director and other experienced theatre-makers, and a final public presentation of their new script.
2026-2027 Playwriting Resident Applications Now Open!
Goal of the Program:
To support one writer per year to develop a new play inspired by Irish culture, history, or themes.
Benefits to the Resident:
Each resident will receive a writing stipend of $3500, two workshops with professional actors, consistent feedback from Corrib Theatre’s Artistic Director and other experienced theatre-makers, and a final presentation of their new script.
To Apply:
Please submit the following materials by 11:59pm on June 12th, 2026 via our Application Form:
CV or 2-paragraph biography
5-10 page dramatic writing sample. This can be an excerpt from any play written by you.
A pitch for your new play, no longer than 1 page. The pitch should include intended themes, structure, and cast size, keeping in mind that we know these things are subject to change during the writing process. The pitch should demonstrate your play’s connection to Irish culture, history, folklore, contemporary society, or other Irish themes. We are also interested in seeing a brief plan for research, dramaturgy, and writing prep/process.
Optional: A mood board, playlist, reading list, or other material that inspired your idea.
Corrib is especially interested in script proposals that demonstrate the intersection of identities, multicultural themes, or urgent contemporary issues.
All writers will be contacted with a decision by the end of June 2026.
Email info@corribtheatre.org with any questions!
Past Residents
2025-2026 Ellen Pullen Family Playwriting Resident
Ken Yoshikawa
Ken Yoshikawa is a playwright, poet, actor, and from Portland, Oregon. He’s appeared onstage with Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Corrib Theatre, Oregon Children’s Theatre, NW Children’s Theatre, and Oregon Adventure Theatre. He performed his solo show The Art of Fly Swatting in town and at the Pan Asian Repertory off-broadway in NYC. His play Through Bonavia, or The Simple Truth is being workshopped in collaboration with The Historic Alberta House concurrent to this production. His poems have appeared in Nailed Magazine, Letters from the Void, Hapa Mag, and Discover Nikkei. His first full length poetry book Monster Colored Glasses is out now on Lightship Press, and available to purchase at yoshikawaken.com. He is a Reed College graduate and an alum of PETE’s Institute of Contemporary Performance, which he highly recommends. In his free time he enjoys video games, hanging with trees, and working as an astrologer.
About Ellen Pullen
Lake Oswego resident Ellen Pullen attended many Corrib Theatre productions in the last years of her life. Her grandfather emigrated from Ireland to the USA in the 19th century. When Ellen was in her nineties, she reconnected with her Irish relatives, traveling to Ireland and touring the USA with her Irish cousins. She passed away in June 2024 at 97.
“Our mother loved Corrib Theatre’s intimate performances of plays related to Irish culture,” said her son Mike Pullen of Portland. “Our family is thrilled to sponsor this residency so that a local playwright can create a new play that Corrib Theatre can present. Supporting the arts was important to our mother. We are happy to continue that tradition in her memory.”
Pullen family members contributing to the sponsorship include Ellen’s children Mike, Liz and Bonnie Pullen, and Mike’s wife Saundra Stevens.