Br!nk
12th Annual Br!NK New Play Festival
May 16 & 17, 2026
at the Baumgartner Center for Dance
Sponsored by
Sue & Tim Frautschi
Walk-ups welcome. Suggested minimum $20 Donation
Care
By Kristen Field
May 16 at 7:00pm
Rebecca, an agoraphobic woman with rheumatoid arthritis, has to confront her own fears and insecurities when Amy, a college dropout living with her parents, starts bringing her groceries (at the behest of her mother). When faced with the choice of what to do with their lives, both women test the limits of their own vulnerability and their desire to change.
Kristen Field is a queer, non-binary playwright who hails from Melbourne, Australia. She is a graduate of Northwestern’s Dramatic Writing program and has worked with Chicago Dramatists, Facility Theatre, and Three Cat Productions, among other collectives. Kristen participated in Theatre Masters' National MFA Playwrights Conference in 2017, was a finalist for the KCACTF Region 3 Conference in 2025, and her full-length play, sex/work, recently premiered at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, Tennessee. She has helped to coordinate short play festivals and readings in the past, including a showcase last November at the Dormouse Theatre in Kalamazoo, and her scripts have been published by Concord Theatricals, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Qu Literary Magazine, and Feels Blind Literary. Kristen is currently pursuing a PhD at Western Michigan University and working as the Drama Editor at Third Coast Magazine.
The Bill
By Caroline Norton
May 17 at 7:00pm
A harrowing secret revealed by her stepfather’s will forces Amy to question everything she knows: THE BILL is a new Southern family tragicomedy that explores the ties that bind, the bonds we break and the wounds that bleed us dry.
Caroline Norton (She/Her) is a multidisciplinary artist from Alabama who has made her home here in Milwaukee. She is a freelance actor and director, the Education Director of Summit Players Theatre, and the Administrative and Artistic Manager of Next Act Theatre. Caroline has also worked as a guest lecturer with her alma mater, Marquette University, and serves as a mentor and private audition coach to many students. This is the first play Caroline has written, and she is excited to work with the Renaissance team to explore her newfound voice as a playwright. Caroline would like to thank her family for their support and encouragement from down South, especially her mom for trusting her to share this story. She would also like to thank Andrew Hobgood, without whom this play would still exist as a 30-page entry in her iPhone Notes app. Love always to A.J.
Br!NK Br!EFS
The Br!NK New Play Festival weekend also includes performances of Br!NK Br!EFS — a collection of fully staged ten-minute plays.
The themes for this year's Br!NK Br!EFS are
"If you see a fork in the road, take it!"
"Come live with me and be my love".
The Br!NK Br!EFS will be performed on May 16 & 17 at 3:00pm. (new time)
This year's Br!NK Br!EFS
Goddess of the Drowned by Karissa Murrell Myers
Wine DNA by Erin Osgood
Getaway by Katherine Swan
Ground Fork Possibilities by Rachel Zake
MotherPeace by Honore Schiro
What is Br!NK?
Each year, Renaissance Theaterworks puts a call out to Midwestern women playwrights to submit their work.
- Two playwrights are selected to receive the Br!NK Playwright Residency — the opportunity to develop and advance their scripts during a week-long workshop with a director, cast and dramaturg.
- This dedicated team partners with the Br!NK Resident Playwrights, researching and pondering the script from every angle.
- Following the workshop week, the plays are presented as staged-readings for the public at the week-long Br!NK New Play Festival in May!
Br!NK New Play Festival Gives Milwaukee Audiences a Voice in the Creative Process
-BY Carmella D'Acquisto, Milwaukee Magazine
The Br!NK New Play Festival is unlike a traditional theatrical evening. These staged-readings are focused on the playwright’s work and audience members are encouraged to provide feedback during guided talk-back sessions. Playwrights have the opportunity to meet the actors and directors and mingle with a community passionate about creating and enjoying theatrical works.
Br!NK New Play Festival weekend includes performances of Br!NK Br!efs — a collection of fully-staged ten-minute plays.
Next Submission window for Br!NK 2027: June 1st - July 31st