Small town to big time – Colorado New Play Festival celebrates Steamboat-rooted Broadway production, 2025 lineup

by John Camponeschi

As it enters its 27th season, the Colorado New Play Festival continues to build on a legacy that reaches far beyond the Yampa Valley. From its roots in the scenic beauty of Steamboat Springs to the bright lights of Broadway, the festival’s unique role in developing new works for the stage is gaining national recognition.

Since its founding in 1996, the CNPF has supported more than 100 new scripts, many of which have gone on to receive full productions at theaters across the country. The New York Times has recognized it as one of North America’s premier development festivals.

“We got lots going on,” said Jim Steinberg, who is the festival’s founder and board chair. “Our big news right now is that a show that we literally started here in Steamboat Springs, at my house, is on Broadway.”

That show is “Purpose,” which was written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a playwright who Steinberg describes as “pretty amazing.” The play began to take shape during the 2019 festival in Steamboat Springs and was developed in partnership with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company. 

Jacobs-Jenkins arrived early to Steamboat and Steinberg recalled that he had “two bags — a bag of books and a bag of clothes,” and then proceeded to spend a week researching and writing in Steinberg’s guest cottage.

Read more the full article on the Steamboat Pilot.