A Brief History of the BPP

Twenty-five years ago, the Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) was founded by Tom Moseman and Jim Leonard, both of whom shared a vision of creating a venue to workshop and produce local playwrights' works, and provide a place for actors, directors, and theatre technicians to hone their crafts. Jim Leonard's play THE DIVINERS has since seen many productions across the country, and he has gone on to write and produce for television, notably SKIN and most recently CLOSE TO HOME. Tom Moseman is currently Senior Vice President of Envirosell.

The BPP has grown from a handful of people in the beginning to a paid staff and strong constituency of volunteers. The BPP currently employs a staff of four full-time employees: Producing Artistic Director, Education Director, Public Relations Director (all paid positions), and Development Director (currently filled by a full-time volunteer); two part-time employees - Literary Manager and Box Office Manager (both volunteers); an active Board of Directors of fifteen, an Ensemble Of Artists of twenty-two people, and over forty volunteers who serve the BPP on a regular basis.

The Bloomington Playwrights Project offers many performance opportunities in its Mainstage Series, Dark Alley Series, and Ensemble Of Artists productions. The BPP also hosts a weekly writers group meeting in which playwrights critique each others work, and work on re-writing plays. The BPP also hosts readings of plays by local and nationally-recognized playwrights. The BPP has grown into the largest space in its history, currently housing two stages, the Timothy J. Wiles Mainstage and the Lora Shiner Studio, as well as a lobby, art gallery, and offices.

The Bloomington Playwrights Project offers quality theatre education programs to the community via its School Of Dramatic Arts (SODA), Mini Play Festival, summer camps, spring break camp, and outreach into schools including After School Drama Clubs, Touring Mini Plays and Playwriting Workshops. In its 23rd year, the Mini Play Contest is a chance for area students (grades 3-12) to write short plays and see them produced by young actors in BPP’s Mini Play Camp. In 2005, the BPPs Education Director was selected "Theatre Person of the Year" by the Herald Times newspaper.

The BPP is known for producing cutting-edge theatre and taking chances; but ultimately, the staff is dedicated to selecting the BEST plays - well-structured, believable, and in the end, "theatre that matters." The BPP reaches a diverse audience, and produces provocative and thoughtful theatre. In one season, plays dealing with racism, gender roles, aging, cancer, murder, and drug use all found a home on the BPP stages.

Over the years, the number and type of BPP productions have varied, but one thing has remained constant: the immense amount of community involvement, and a shared dedication to theatre.