New York Stage and Film (S&F) is a non-profit company dedicated to both emerging and established artists in the development of new works for theater and film. Founded in 1985 by Producing Directors Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer, and Leslie Urdang, and now under the leadership of Artistic Director Ian Belknap, the company is beginning its 41st season. S&F has played a significant role in the development of new plays, provided a home for a diverse group of artists free from critical and commercial pressures, and established itself as a vital cultural institution for more than 9,000 residents of the Hudson Valley and the New York metropolitan region annually.

The cornerstone of S&F’s artistic programming is its Summer Season in Poughkeepsie, NY,  both on the campus of Marist University and in downtown Poughkeepsie at the Bardavon theater. Each summer, more than 250 professional playwrights, directors, actors, artisans, designers, and apprentices live and work together. 

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Through programming designed to take plays in different modes of development and help them move to the next level, there are mainstage productions with full technical support, as well as workshops and readings of works-in-progress, all of which are open to the public. In addition to these programs, S&F hosts residencies for emerging and established writers, which offer them protected time to devote to their writing along with full immersion in an active theatrical community. During the Summer Season, new creative alliances are formed, artists substantially broaden their experience and expertise, plays take giant steps forward, emerging artists are given their first opportunities, knowledge is passed from working professionals to students, and audiences grow to understand and support the process of creating work for the theater.