By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–Cygnet Theatre has announced Christopher Lysik as the recipient of the 2026 Dee Silver, M.D. Commission.
The commission, in partnership with the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, reinforces Cygnet’s ongoing commitment to developing new theatrical works. A free public reading of Lysik’s new musical is scheduled for January 17 at Cygnet Theatre.
Established in 2023, Dee Silver, M.D. Commission provides a platform for narratives that convey strength and hope, aiming to enrich the national theatrical landscape with stories that foster empathy. The partnership with the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, one of the oldest and most distinguished MFA playwriting programs, offers a current MFA fellow the opportunity to further develop a new piece for the stage under this commission.
Lysik, a 2024 graduate of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop MFA program, was chosen to develop and refine a new work that aligned with the mission of the commission. The play was first developed during a post-graduate fellowship and received a staged reading at the University of Iowa. The next phase brings the playwright to San Diego for a three-day workshop, culminating in a public reading at Cygnet Theatre.
A New England native, Lysik writes plays, music and works that blend the two. He is a recipient of the Kennedy Center’s National Playwriting Award for American Rusałki and Jean Kennedy Smith Award for Pierogi Play. His work has been recognized by SPACE on Ryder Farm, the O’Neill National Music Theater Conference, New Harmony Project, Williamstown Theatre Festival and others. At Iowa, he held both the Marcus Bach and Dee Silver, M.D. Fellowships.
Lysik’s commissioned piece, “Songs for the Anthropocene,” follows a small group of singers confronting the emotional toll of a changing planet. Part play and part concert, the work explores the climate crisis and the uncertainty of the future through a music-driven lens.
“With the generous support and vision of Dr. Dee Silver, we are thrilled to partner with Cygnet Theatre again to uplift new voices as they graduate from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop and bring their artistry to a national audience,” said Lisa Schlesinger, co-head of the program. “Cygnet is known for adventurous, thought-provoking work. Their commitment to developing our writers affirms our graduates’ readiness to enter the industry as emerging theatre artists.”
The commission is made possible thanks to the contribution of Dee Silver, M.D.
“I am honored to be able to help make possible the performance of the musical Songs for the Anthropocene written by a very talented playwright and musician from the University of Iowa’s Playwrights Workshop, one of the best academic programs in the country. He has carefully and enjoyably combined current issues, memorable lyrical music, entertaining dialogue and mythology into a thoughtful journey for the audience,” Silver stated.
The reading and reception are free to the public. Seats may be reserved online at CygnetTheatre.org, in person at the box office located at 2880 Roosevelt Road in the Arts District Liberty Station in San Diego, by calling (619) 337-1525, or by emailing Box Office at CygnetTheatre.org.
