Pegasus PlayLab is a new play festival hosted every summer at the University of Central Florida. This festival is dedicated to developing new works by emerging playwrights from across the country. Two full-length plays are selected for workshops on campus, one piece brings together participants with and without disabilities to devise a completely original work, and one play is selected to receive a full developmental production on campus in UCF’s Black Box Theatre.
Workshops | Studio 1
Offshoot
Playwright: Drew Paryzer | Director: Rina Gjoka
Offshoot is a play about what human-to-human connection might look like in a near-future world saturated with optimized AI relationships. In a dusty, abandoned classroom, a Teacher strives to connect with his new Pupil — a brilliant yet troubled seventeen-year-old who spends most of his time with his AI companion Paul, and the various “offshoot” entities Paul creates. Teacher and Pupil’s struggle to see each other as part of the same world leads to revelation, betrayal, and the painful possibilities of new ways of living…which is brought into deeper, more complex focus with the appearance of another Student. Offshoot is a sci-fi tinged psychological drama about what happens when people dare to be inconvenient to one another.
Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30
Each performance will be followed by a talkback with the audience
Eight-Hand Jig
Playwright: MC Crosby | Director: David Sterritt
Imagine square dancing, but much better. That is an Irish Céilí (pronounced kaylee), a folk art in which an emcee calls out the names of dances and the crowd performs the partner work arm-in-arm, and solo moves in circles and sways. Within this framework of many Irish dances, including the titular Eight-Hand Jig, we learn the history of the O’Malley family, both in Chicago 2036, and in Dublin 1701. The play switches swiftly from movement to dialogue, and each physical number moves the plot forward as we see past and future collide. Mel O’Malley has three B-eautiful children: Brigid, Bree, and enby Brenda. Of Irish heritage, Mel is constantly straddling the worlds between the motherland and her daughters’ childhood home in the U.S. When all four family members gather for Bree’s baby shower in 2036, a heartbreaking secret is revealed. The family’s experiences parallel that of their Irish ancestors, accused of witchcraft. These O’Malley women, separated by generations, have been subject to the same pain and injustices of womanhood. This play examines the nature of women’s rights through the quirky lens of dance and the misfit O’Malley family.
Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6
Each performance will be followed by a talkback with the audience
Between Shadows and Lightness
Directors: Sage Tokach and Ralph Krumins
A devised theatre project that brings together artists with and without disabilities to create a theatrical piece about mental health, inspired by participants’ personal stories as well as collages and sculptures created by visual artists with and without disabilities.
Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13
Each performance will be followed by a talkback with the audience
Developmental Production
Raccoon Play
Playwright: SMJ | Director: Nick Bazo
On Election Night, the six young Millennials who make up the Danville, OH Lions Club eagerly await the results. However, the inner drama within the group, a missing member, a conspiracy theory about a school shooting not too far away, and the lack of resources for the 79th Annual Raccoon Dinner threaten to ruin more than just the positive vibe. Meanwhile, President Sly Cooper, a literal Raccoon, addresses the Danville, OH Raccoon Club after declaring martial law due to dubious election results. Facing an insurrection and a mole in their camp, Sly and her minions must find a way to bring their population to heel. Raccoon Play is a satire examining how conspiracy theories threaten to destroy small town America.
June 11 – 14
Talkbacks with the audience: June 11 and 12
Play Submissions
All submissions are due by 11:59 pm on September 12, 2025.No late submissions will be accepted. Playwrights may only submit ONE play, and playwrights CANNOT submit scripts that have previously been submitted to Pegasus PlayLab in years prior.
We will close submissions after receiving 300 applicants – so the sooner you submit, the better! UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.
FAQ
What is Pegasus PlayLab?
Pegasus PlayLab is a festival dedicated to developing plays by emerging playwrights. Playwrights are invited to UCF's campus for a two-week residency to develop their new play with students and faculty. Audiences are to hear staged readings and experience a full production of a new play first workshopped at Orlando Shakes’ PlayFest. Follow these plays into the next stage of development and be part of the creative process with playwrights, casts and artistic teams!
When is Pegasus PlayLab?
Pegasus PlayLab spans six weeks starting mid-May through the end of June. Selected playwrights are expected to commit to a two-week residency within that timeframe.
What Should I Expect at a Workshop?
What you will see on stage is the culmination of 8 days of rehearsals, script changes and discussions between the actors, playwright, director, dramaturg, and designers. Actors will bring the new work to life in front of the audience with scripts in-hand and minimal staging.
After the performance, discuss what you saw and heard with the playwright, director, cast and the rest of the creative team. You play a crucial role in the work’s development through your feedback.
What Should I Expect at a Full Developmental Production?
This is a play that has already been through workshops and readings and is ready for a fully-staged production with a set, costumes, lighting and a full rehearsal schedule.
This does not mean that this is the final version of the script. After developmental productions, the playwright will use what they saw and the feedback you give to continue to revise the script.
How do I get involved as a UCF student?
All UCF students can audition to be in the readings and workshops. Auditions for Pegasus PlayLab are typically held in March. Check the Theatre UCF Production Audition page for the most up to date audition information. Design, technology and stage management students may also be assigned roles on the performances.
How Do I Submit My Play?
Please upload a draft of a full-length play and complete the required questions on the Pegasus PlayLab Google Form.
We are seeking four full-length plays, including devised works and Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) pieces, which we will rehearse for two weeks in collaboration with the playwright and subsequently present as workshop productions. There is a possibility that one play will be fully mounted into a production.
As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.
If you have any questions, please email ucfpegasusplaylab@gmail.com.
Contact
If you have questions, email ucfpegasusplaylab@gmail.com.
Phone: 407.823.2862 • Fax: 407.823.6446