Soft Focus Theater Group

Soft Focus Theater Group is a new play accelerator that connects playwrights to an engaged audience through real time New York premieres. Led by playwright/producer Matt Kagen, we develop scripts by authors who don’t currently have a mainstream platform (especially those with day jobs in other industries), and make a variety of public-facing work, from Staged Readings to full productions. Our work has been critically-acclaimed (New York Times Critic’s Pick, 2024 Tribeca Film Festival Selection, Audie Award Nomination), seen at NYU’s Studio Tisch and Archival LA, and enjoys a devoted following of artists and art-lovers alike.  

Working with a regular ensemble of in-demand actors, designers, photographers, and filmmakers, Soft Focus produces on a seasonal schedule, with periods of high activity followed by periods of rest. In 2026, we will produce a Staged Reading in Brooklyn, a Staged Reading at NYU’s Studio Tisch, and a duo of new plays in the Fall. We plan to produce 2-3 pieces per year going forward, with a public performance component to each one.