Announcing the Inkwell Development LAB 2027 Season!

Check Back Soon for Tickets!

In the Everglades, politics and grief are about to make landfall. Determined to keep her python hunt alive, Diamond strikes a bargain with a charismatic, free-thinking media personality, but his support comes with contentious conditions. When a gathering storm traps them and a mysterious contestant in America's smallest post office, a livestream turns into a reckoning.

Hilarious, haunting, and unexpectedly tender, The Great Florida Python Challenge confronts ecological collapse and the cost of compromise.

February 2027

No Loitering is a fast-paced, wickedly funny workplace comedy about stalled dreams and the indignities of selling sweaters for a living. When four disgruntled employees converge on their store after hours, their competing plans for rebellion collide with two spectacularly unprepared robbers. A malfunctioning security system traps them all inside, where petty grievances give way to bruised ambitions, shared desperation, and the uncomfortable discovery that nobody’s life has gone according to plan.

Irreverent, bighearted, and defiantly hopeful, No Loitering takes on burnout, debt, and the fear of being left behind, asking how we measure failure and what it takes to give ourselves another chance.

March 2027

Hold On is a candid, sharply funny drama about old attachments and the lives we build around unfinished business. Escaping their twenty-fifth high school reunion, a guarded math teacher and a once-promising rock singer reconnect in a classroom, far from the festivities down the hall. But beneath their familiar banter lie conflicting memories of a friendship that shaped them both. As the night unfolds, long-held resentments and painful revelations challenge what each believes about the one who left and the one who stayed.

Searching, prickly, and quietly moving, Hold On explores regret, loyalty, and the persistence of first wounds, asking whether revisiting the past can make room for a different future.

April 2027

For a Brighter Tomorrow is a tense, darkly funny Cold War thriller set aboard a secret Soviet space station in 1974. When a possible American missile launch puts two cosmonauts on alert, a fiercely patriotic commander and his questioning engineer must determine what to report to Moscow before fear becomes retaliation. As old betrayals surface and their friendship fractures, the danger outside the capsule becomes inseparable from the struggle for control within it.

Claustrophobic, relentless, and unexpectedly poignant, For a Brighter Tomorrow explores the collision of patriotism, complicity, and personal responsibility, asking when obedience becomes a threat to the very people it promises to protect.

May 2027

Fostering New Voices in Theater

The Inkwell Theater is dedicated to the development and support of new plays and playwrights within the vibrant Los Angeles community. Our mission is to provide a collaborative environment where writers, directors, and actors can experiment and grow. Through our unique Playwrights Development LAB, we offer a space for creative exploration, allowing artists to refine their craft and bring innovative stories to life. We believe in the power of collaboration to transform scripts into compelling stage productions, fostering a supportive network for emerging talent.

Last Season From Inkwell

Paper Walls

a new play by Elliot Shoenman

Directed by Darin Anthony

Featuring: Derek Manson, Casey J. Adler, Dana Schwartz, Warren Davis

Paper Walls tells the story of the Goldman family, profoundly affected by Hitler’s rise to power, who find themselves desperately fleeing persecution while awaiting entry into the United States. Restrictive U.S. immigration policies and antisemitism intensified their struggle, and this poignant drama explores themes strikingly relevant to contemporary times.

Our Journey Through the Years

Since our inception in 2004, The Inkwell Theater has been at the forefront of nurturing new theatrical works.

Founding and First Production (2004)

The Inkwell Theater was Co-founded by Artistic Director Elliot Shoenman and Producing Director Daniel Shoenman, debuting with Peter Lefcourt's 'Only The Dead Know Burbank' at The Hudson Theatre.

Launch of the Development LAB (2012)

Under fresh leadership by new Artistic Director Daniel Shoenman and Associate Artistic Director Annie McVey, the Inkwell Development LAB was established, focusing on collaborative play development.

Expansion of the LAB Program (2020)

The LAB program expanded, moving to the Broadwater Black Box, having developed over 35 new plays, many of which transitioned to full productions and film adaptations.

New Leadership and Continued Growth (2024)

Daniel Shoenman and Annie McVey became Co-Artistic Directors, growing the LAB, building an incusive network of LA artists, and continuing to foster a dynamic environment for playwrights and artists.

Innovative Collaboration

Playwrights' Workshop

Our LAB brings playwrights into the rehearsal room, fostering a dynamic environment for script development.

Directors' Insight

Directors provide unique perspectives, enhancing the storytelling and structure of new plays.

Actors' Contribution

Actors bring scripts to life, offering invaluable feedback through performance and interpretation.

Collaborative Process

We emphasize teamwork, allowing artists to experiment and refine their work collectively.

Max K. Lerner Fellowship

Supporting playwrights with financial and artistic resources to advance their creative projects.

Successful Productions

Our LAB has led to numerous successful stage productions and film adaptations.

Join Us in Shaping the Future of Theater

Become a vital part of The Inkwell Theater's journey by supporting the creation of groundbreaking new plays. Your involvement, whether through donations, volunteering, or attending our performances, fuels the artistic spirit that drives our mission. Together, we can nurture the voices of emerging playwrights and bring their stories to life. Join us in this collaborative endeavor and help us continue to innovate and inspire the Los Angeles theater community.