The three-year program will support two commissions per year — one for an established playwright and one for an up-and-coming playwright. Commissions will be issued each June beginning this year. The program will be overseen by Lynne Meadow and MTC's new director of artistic development, Jerry Patch.

"Our sincere thanks to Bank of America in helping us achieve our mission," said artistic director Lynne Meadow and executive producer Barry Grove in a joint statement. "MTC has a long tradition of bringing new voices to the American theatre. With these Bank of America commissions, we will be able to continue to support contemporary playwrights by providing the resources needed to create new work — work that will be nurtured and developed and hopefully be presented on one of our three stages."

First drafts of all commissioned plays will be given an in-house reading at MTC's Creative Center, to be followed by feedback sessions between artistic development staff and the playwright. All final scripts will be evaluated for potential production at either MTC's Broadway house, the Biltmore Theatre, or on one of their Off-Broadway stages at City Center.

The not-for-profit MTC produces on three stages — Stage I and Stage II at New York City Center, and Broadway's Biltmore Theatre.

Visit www.manhattantheatreclub.com for more information.