CRUSHING Cast Announced Ahead of San Francisco Return Engagement

Producers Megan Calfas and Carly Steyer has announced the cast for the return of Crushing—the genre-defiant live show where interdisciplinary writers explore transformative experiences in romantic love—coming to A.C.T.'s Strand Theater (1127 Market St., San Francisco) September 10, 11, and 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM following sold-out runs in New York City and San Francisco. Actress Rosario Dawson (RENT, The Mandalorian) returns as an Executive Producer on the project. Tickets are available now at www.act-sf.org/crushing.

Bringing together a dynamic ensemble of artists across disciplines, Crushing explores the pivotal moments—both profound and unexpected—that shape how we connect with one another, inviting audiences into a singular theatrical experience centered on vulnerability, intimacy, and our shared humanity.

The 2026 cast will feature (in alphabetical order):

• Gerald Cypert – Company member of the Formerly Incarcerated Peoples Performance Project (FIPPP), former addiction counselor & youth mentor, TEDx talker
• Nora Gomperts – Berkeley-based LGBTQ+ writer, performer, & therapist
• Dr. Harriett Jernigan – Moth Radio Hour-featured writer/performer, and creator of renowned Bay Area live storytelling show, First Person Story; teaches writing at Stanford University
• Dr. Paul Loper – San Francisco-based international professional dancer and theater-artist of 20+ years
• Karan Menon – Los Angeles-based comedian and TikTok personality; featured in The New York Times, TIME, CNN, NowThis, and more
• Tomas Moniz – Oakland-based novelist whose debut novel, Big Familia, was a finalist for the LAMBA and PEN/Hemingway awards
• Jake Montano a.k.a. Imelda Glucose – San Francisco-based educator and drag queen, featured in leading LGBTQ culture mag, Them, and Beacon Press' 2026 Anthology, Living, Together
• Danielle Stagger – Decorated playwright, MacDowell fellow, and Stanford alumna
• Isabella Tagliati – Actress and filmmaker featured in Amazon Prime's “Cruel Intentions”
• Daisy Tichenor – Los Angeles-based comedian and improviser

The show's NYC run at Dixon Place Theater earned critical acclaim, with Arianna Huffington calling it “beautifully honest.” The 2023 run featured a decorated playwright, an NAACP Image Award-winning podcaster, a Washington Post contributor, and more. The 2025 show in SF was a sold-out hit, featuring a decorated recording artist, a National Book Award-nominated poet, and an Oakland high school freshman, among others.

In addition to the 80-minute performance, the evening will feature a bespoke art installation and multimedia elements, all developed in collaboration with local artists and establishments.