Director Nina Goodheart (Walking With Ghosts, before the flood) and playwright Sophie McIntosh (macbitches) have co-founded Good Apples Collective, "a developmental orchard for new theatrical works."
The pair created the collective to provide more opportunities for emerging theatre professionals of marginalized genders, with a focus on supporting works that challenge oppression. As the theatre community begins the process of acknowledging and changing unsustainable and problematic practices, the Good Apples Collective is committed to ensuring "equitable compensation and healthy workloads." As part of the work of creating a supportive environment, it also hopes to build an archive of information and resources for ease in navigating independent theatre in New York City.
“I quickly discovered that working with Nina makes my plays much richer and led us into a deeper interrogation of the work,” said McIntosh in a statement about her creative partnership with Goodheart. “We were convinced that the authenticity and electricity of our collaboration was worth preserving, and so we decided that the only option was to take—or rather, make—our own chances, and create a platform where we could build a new professional community with other emerging artists.”
“I’ve long envied directors who speak of having an ‘artistic home,’ but it wasn’t until I met Sophie that I realized my artistic home was one we could build together,” said Goodheart. “Having worked at practically every level within the theatrical industry, from coffee grabber to director, I’m so excited to have the chance to build a space rooted in kindness, curiosity, and inclusion — and to prove that those qualities don’t exist in opposition to high-level artistry, but rather are vital ingredients to the creative process.”
The collective will launch its inaugural season in May with the world premiere of a new play penned by McIntosh and directed by Goodheart, with plans in place to present a reading of a new play this fall.
Visit GoodApplesCollective.com.
