With a goal to become a home for new play development, Atlanta's Actor's Express has launched The Commission Project, a play commissioning program for Atlanta-based playwrights. 

Playwright Quinn Xavier Hernandez is the first commission recipient and will be provided with resources to develop a full-length play at Actor's Express over the course of the year, including workshops and public and private readings. 

"I believe one of the best ways to support the local playwriting community is to invest directly in it. This is why all of our commission projects will center Atlanta-based writers," said Artistic Director Freddie Ashley. "Commissioning offers a way to pay writers directly to create new stories and bring them to life."

The play commissioning program will seek out works from People of the Global Majority, women, and LGBTQIA+ playwrights, with a focus on early to mid-career writers.

In addition to The Commission Project, the company recently created a series of short audio plays, Amplify: Podcast Plays from Actor’s Express, also commissioned from local Atlanta playwrights including Hernandez. 

These new initiatives join an existing annual commission for a new play written for the theatre's resident Apprentice Company. Previous playwrights tapped for new work include Steve Yockey, Joshua Harmon, Michael Lew and Amy E. Witting. Moving forward, this commission will also be awarded to an Atlanta-based writer.