Born from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's challenge grant and created in 2001, the Jonathan Larson Lab is a memorial to the creator of Rent that gives emerging and established theatre artists essential resources, a nurturing creative environment, and an open canvas for exploring their ideas and developing their work. Some of the production-oriented works have developed into full productions at NYTW and other theatres around the country.

The works developed over at the Jonathan Larson Lab Studio over the past few seasons have included Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen's Aftermath, Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare's An Iliad, Lameece Issaq and Jacob Kader's Food and Fadwa, Will Power's The Seven, Martha Clarke's KAOS, Beckett Shorts with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Elevator Repair Service's The Select (The Sun Also Rises) & The Sound and the Fury (April Seventh, 1928) and Kate Moira Ryan and Linda Chapman's The Beebo Brinker Chronicles.

Current Larson Lab Studio projects in the 2011/12 Season include the Process in Performance conversation series with actors moderated by Usual Suspect Nick Westrate; the Founders Project, created by Laura Flanders and Alex Lewin, which reclaims texts from American History; and a collaboration with the French director Joel Pommerat.

History of NYTW Larson Labs to date include:

2010-2011

PIECE OF MY HEART by Daniel Goldfarb with Brett and Cassandra Burns; directed by Leigh Silverman (12/16 & 17)
SHAPESHIFTING: Veteran Voices An evening of readings and discussions with theatre makers and their recent works about lives transformed by war. Works by Kia Corthron, Bryan Doerries, Ellen McClaughlin & Rachel Dickstein, Sarah Ruhl and KJ Sanchez & Emily Ackerman; presented by RipeTime. (1/10)
NOTHING HUMAN by Marie Ndiaye; directed by Christophe Perton & Theatre de la Colline
RECYCLING: WASHI TALES with Elise Thoron; Karen Kandel; Kyoko Ibe (3/27, 28 & 29 -7pm)
A MOVEMENT OF THE SOUL by Carol Schneider; directed by Joe Cacaci (4/1-4/9)
CANARY by Molly Rice and Ray Rizzo; directed by Rachel Chavkin (5/20)
THE LAST DAYS OF MANKIND excerpts by Karl Kraus; directed by Alex Duffy (6/1)

2009-2010

THE PRINCESS AND THE BLACK-EYED PEA by Kirsten Childs
THE HUMAN VOICE by Jean Cocteau; directed by Ivo Van Hove & Toneelgroep Amsterdam with NEW ISLAND FESTIVAL on Governor's Island
PATAPHYSICS PENYEACH written & directed by Lee Breuer with Mabou Mines
PALESTINE by Najla Said; directed by Sturgis Warner
PROPHECY written & directed by Karen Malpede

2007-2008

THE SOUND AND THE FURY by Elevator Repair Service; directed by John Collins
THE BEEBO BRINKER CHRONICLES by Kate Moira Ryan and Linda S. Chapman; directed by Leigh Silverman; presented by The Hourglass Group as AEA Showcase
THE CAMINO REAL PROJECT directed by David Herskovits
SMALL FISH by Susan Vitucci
TAP THE LEOPARD by Kia Corthron; directed by Tim Bond
THE OKLAHOMA QUARTET by Nathalie Handal – A project of NIBRAS
THE WHITMAN PROJECT directed by Karin Coonrod
THE APOSTLES PROJECT by MITU, directed by Ruben Polendo

2006-2007

BECKETT SHORTS (ACT WITHOUT WORDS I; ACT WITHOUT WORDS II; ROUGH FOR THEATRE I; EH JOE) directed by JoAnne Akalaitis with Mikhail Baryshnikov (09/18-26)
NEW WORK NOW/ARAB ISRAELI FESTIVAL NYTW and NIBRAS at The Public Theater (10/27-10/28)
SLIDING INTO THE BEAST: a collaborative project of New York University Graduate School of Drama students in their second year, based on the book “Beast of No Nation” by Uzodinma Iweala (04/30)
ASWAT: VOICES OF PALESTINE by NIBRAS w/NYTW at NYU (05/06)

2005-2006

Rene Pollesch conversations with actors, etc.(07/24-29)
columbinas Workshop by united states theatre project; directed by PJ Paparelli (11/1-7)
Theater Mitu, Company in Residence presentation (12/07 -12/13)
EL CONQUISTADOR! by Thaddeus Philips – Workshop and APAP Presentations (01/10- 2/12)
FAUST Workshop with Target Margin Theatre (02/14- 2/26)
SMALL FISH by Susan Vitucci and Henry Krieger; directed by Jen Childs (04/10 - 4/17)
THE PIRANDELLO PROJECT directed by Martha Clarke (06)

2004-2005

THE SEVEN by Will Power; directed by Jo Bonney (07/22)
ISSUES & IDEAS: ONLY WE WHO GUARD THE MYSTERY SHALL BE UNHAPPY, excerpts of Tony Kushner’s work-in-progress; directed by Michael Sexton IMAGINE FESTIVAL OF ARTS (08/30-9/1)
PATRIOT ACT by Mark Crispin Miller; directed by Gregory Keller IMAGINE FESTIVAL OF ARTS (08/30-9/1)
SMALL FISH by Susan Vitucci; music by Henry Krieger (9/7-30)
UNBOXING: Artist Fellows Projects THE LOYAL OPPOSITION by Jorge Ignacio Cortinas; directed by Anne Kauffman GLOW by Edward Bok Lee; directed by Will Pomeranz A THOUSAND ABU GHRAIBIASN NIGHTS conceived and directed by Monica Henderson (10/20-24)
THE PIRANDELLO PROJECT by Martha Clarke (11/29-12/3)
COAST TO COAST written and performed by Marc Wolf; directed by Emily Mann (12/06-11)
OEDIPUS AT PALM SPRINGS by The Five Lesbian Brothers (01/05 -10)
THE SEVEN by Will Power; directed by Jo Bonney (02/28-3/4)
HARD TIMES by Mark Crispin Miller; directed by Gregory Keller (03/15, 3/22, 4/5)
THE PIRANDELLO PROJECT by Martha Clarke (04/25 - 5/6)
THEATER MITU work directed by Ruben Polendo (05/27 - 5/29)
NEW YORK HIP HOP FESTIVAL at NYTW (06/11 -16)

2003-2004

PATRIOT ACT by Mark Crispin Miller; directed by Gregory Keller
THE SEVEN by Will Power; directed by Jo Bonney(12/09)
DRAWN TO DEATH a musical by Art Spiegelman; music by Philip Johnston; directed by Matt Wilder (12/15)
KAOS a dance/theatre/music piece by Martha Clarke (02/09)
THE POLYGRAPH LOUNGE directed by Marshall Brickman (03/10)
DHAMMASHOK by Theater Mitu; directed by Ruben Polendo (05/21)

2002-2003

FLOW by Will Power; directed by Danny Hoch (09/17 & 19, 7:30pm)
SAIL AWAY by Noel Coward; directed by Chris Ashley with Claudia Shear (10/25)
VALHALLA by Paul Rudnick; directed by Chris Ashley (11/07)