American Theatre Releases “50 Plays/25 Years” List Of Influential Works

New York, NY 

American Theatre magazine, published by Theatre Communications Group (TCG), has released results from a survey of hundreds of theatre workers, leaders, and observers, including dramaturgs, scholars, critics, designers, writers, actors, artistic directors, and administrators from all over the country on what they believe are the most influential plays performed in the U.S. in the 21st century so far. 

Said editor-in-chief Rob Weinert-Kendt, “As we reach a quarter-century mark, we thought it would be a fascinating exercise to ask the theatre folks we cover, as well as some of our colleagues who also cover the theatre, to look back on the first 25 years of the 21st century and name the plays and musicals that have had the most impact on our field and our culture. The survey results are indeed fascinating and illuminating in what they lift up—it’s a great list of memorable titles—and interesting in what they leave out. We and the field have a lot to consider, and reconsider, as we explore and unpack these results.”

American Theatre received 363 responses to a survey asking for the titles of 10 works that premiered in the U.S. since 2000.

Respondents did not rank their results, and no distinction was made between plays and musicals, or between U.S.-originated work and work that originated abroad. The rankings were determined by how many respondents included a particular title in their responses. A few metrics worth noting:

1. There are 37 plays and 13 musicals on the list (we did not count Cambodian Rock Band and Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play as musicals, though we did count Taylor Mac’s A 24-Decade History of American Popular Music as one).
2. The list has gender parity, roughly speaking—i.e., 25 of the 50 titles have female authors (including co-writers and the ensemble-created The Laramie Project). Two of the titles, Oh, Mary! and A 24-Decade History of American Popular Music, have genderqueer or non-binary authors.
3. 28 titles have white authors, and 22 have authors of color (defined broadly to include MENA writers).
4. The list includes 13 Black writers, 4 Middle East/North African writers, 3 Latine writers, 2 Asian American authors, and zero Native American writers.

Respondents commented that they used different metric systems, with some opting for what was, as they put it, shows that were “memorable” or “broke barriers,” and others featuring more “personal” or “idiosyncratic” choices.

“We by no means see this list as comprehensive and we expect there to be some strong reactions to the titles that have been included as well as those that have been excluded,” said Kelundra Smith, TCG’s Director of Publications. “We had some spirited debate among American Theatre staff, but our ultimate goal is to uplift our beloved artform. We want to celebrate the cultural gravitas of theatre, not only on U.S. stages, but also on stages and screens around the world.”

This list appears online with other editorial content at: https://www.americantheatre.org/2025/12/17/50-plays-25-years/

50 Influential Plays for the First 25 Years of the Century

1. Hamilton, music/lyrics/book by Lin-Manuel Miranda
2. August: Osage County by Tracy Letts
3. Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks
4. Fun Home, book/lyrics by Lisa Kron, music by Jeanine Tesori, based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir
5. An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
6. A Strange Loop, book/music/lyrics by Michael R. Jackson
7. Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play by Anne Washburn
8. Sweat by Lynn Nottage
9. What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck
10. Fairview by Jackie Sibblies Drury
11. The Flick by Annie Baker
12. Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris
13. Doubt by John Patrick Shanley
14. Wicked, music/lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, adapted from novel by Gregory Maguire
15. Indecent by Paula Vogel
16. Spring Awakening, book/lyrics by Steven Sater, music by Duncan Sheik, based on the play by Frank Wedekind
17. Ruined by Lynn Nottage
18. Next to Normal, book/lyrics by Brian Yorkey, music by Tom Kitt
19. Come From Away, book/music/lyrics by David Hein and Irene Sankoff
20. English by Sanaz Toossi
21. The Brother/Sister Plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney (including In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, and Marcus; of The Secret of Sweet)
22. The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe
23. Caroline, or Change, book/lyrics by Tony Kushner, music by Jeanine Tesori
24. Fat Ham by James Ijames, reimagination of Shakespeare’s Hamlet
25. Oh, Mary! by Cole Escola
26. Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
27. Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris
28. The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project
29. Stereophonic by David Adjmi, music by Will Butler
30. Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker
31. A 24-Decade History of American Popular Music by Taylor Mac
32. Hadestown, music/lyrics/book by Anaïs Mitchell
33. Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar
34. John Proctor Is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower
35. Passing Strange, book/music/lyrics by Stew, additional music by Heidi Rodewald
36. Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl
37. In the Heights, concept/music/lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes
38. Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang
39. Avenue Q, music/lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty
40. Proof by David Auburn
41. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? by Edward Albee
42. The Inheritance by Matthew López
43. The Humans by Stephen Karam
44. Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee
45. Dance Nation by Clare Barron
46. Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery
47. Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, music/lyrics by Dave Malloy, based on book excerpt by Leo Tolstoy
48. Primary Trust by Eboni Booth
49. Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau
50. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Simon Stephens

American Theatre magazine is published daily online and quarterly in print by Theatre Communications Group. As the nation’s essential magazine for professional not-for-profit theatre, American Theatre has been providing theatre professionals, students, advocates, and audiences a comprehensive journal for almost 40 years. Quarterly print editions are published every October, January, April, and July, and include play scripts as well as special issues like the Season Preview and Training edition. American Theatre is available online, at selected newsstands nationwide or through TCG Individual Membership. Learn more about American Theatre magazine: http://www.americantheatre.org.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, leads for a just and thriving theatre ecology. Since its founding in 1961, TCG’s constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to over 750 organizations (including member theatres, affiliates, universities) and over 3,000 individual members. Through its programs and services, TCG reaches over one million students, audience members, and theatre professionals each year. TCG offers networking and knowledge-building opportunities through research, communications, and events, including the annual TCG National Conference, one of the largest nationwide gatherings of theatre people; awards grants and scholarships to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level; and through the Global Theater Initiative, TCG’s partnership with the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, serves as the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute. TCG is North America’s largest independent trade publisher of dramatic literature, with 21 Pulitzer Prizes for Drama on the TCG booklist. It also publishes the award-winning American Theatre magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. TCG believes its vision of “a better world for theatre, and a better world because of theatre” can be achieved through individual and collective action, adaptive and responsive leadership, and equitable representation in all areas of practice. TCG is led by co-Executive Directors, Emilya Cachapero, LaTeshia Ellerson, and Alisha Tonsic. www.tcg.org.