SPARKFEST26 Hosted By Amphibian Stage Announces Programming

Amphibian Stage has announced the full lineup for SparkFest'26, its annual celebration of live entertainment in Fort Worth's Near Southside. This year, SparkFest proudly shines a spotlight on the Latine community, offering a vibrant array of events including theatre, live music, stand-up comedy, storytelling, poetry, and a free outdoor vendor market.

Running from June 5 to June 13, 2026, the festival promises unforgettable experiences for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

SPECIAL EVENTS & EXPERIENCES

IGNITE: SparkFest'26 Opening Event

Friday, June 5 | 6:30PM

6:30PM — Lobby Opens | Venezuelan Cuisine Catered by Big Yummy
7:30PM — Mural Reveal by Mariel Guzman | Welcome Remarks by Nydia Cardenas
8:00PM — Preview Set by Comedian Martin Urbano | Concert by OKAN
SparkFest kicks off with a night that has something for everyone. Doors open at 6:30pm
with free food in the lobby. Before the music starts, we unveil the official SparkFest’26 mural
by Fort Worth visual artist Mariel Guzman, and hear welcome remarks from Nydia Cardenas,
candidate for Tarrant County Precinct 4 Commissioner. Comedian Martin Urbano, who will
headline the following night, delivers a preview set before Grammy and Latin

Grammy-nominated duo OKAN takes the stage, bringing Afro-Cuban jazz woven from violin,
batá drums, and voices singing in Spanish, Yoruba, and Spanglish. Come hungry. Come
ready. Come together.

Mamá Goose

by Beth Murray & Irania Macias
based on Mamá Goose:a Latino Nursery Treasury by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy
Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 | 10:00AM

Presented with UTA Department of Theatre Arts & Dance
A joyful trilingual children's musical — performed in Spanish, English, and ASL — loosely
based on the beloved children’s story Mamá Goose: A Latino Nursery Treasury / Un Tesoro
de rimas infantiles. Four actors sing, play, and go on a wild adventure centered around one
very extraordinary egg. When each child wants to keep it for themselves, their Abuela steps
in with a lesson that sticks: Compartimos. We share. It's ours. Es nuestro. Perfect for little
ones ages 3-7, plus the grown ups who love them!

The Power of Change in the Latine Community

Saturday, June 6 | 6:00PM
A lecture by Alex Montalvo
Free Admission

Alex Montalvo has spent years showing up at City Hall, in Northside neighborhoods, and
wherever Fort Worth's Latine community needs a voice. As the founder of The Catalyst
Project, he works at the intersection of economic development and community impact,
helping communities recognize and activate the power they already have. In this lecture, he
turns that lens on the Latine community specifically: who we are, what we have built, and
where we go from here.

Stand-Up Comedy feat. Martin Urbano

Saturday, June 6 | 8:00PM

Rio Grande Valley native Martin Urbano has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy
Central, Howie Mandel's Comedy Gala on The CW, and as a writer for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. This UNT alum returns to DFW for one night only! The night opens with sets from local comic talent before Urbano takes the stage.

Latine Vendor Market with Cultura Markets

Sunday, June 7 | 10AM-3PM
Free Admission
In partnership with Cultura Markets, our Latine Vendor Market fills SOMA Micro Park (right
across South Main Street from Amphibian Stage) with the work of talented Latine artisans
and makers from across DFW. Browse handmade goods, original art, and one-of-a-kind
finds, knowing that every dollar you spend goes directly to the seller. Also in the parking lot, don't miss out on some stunning lowriders from Duke's Car Club, in collaboration with Sarah Ayala from Cars & Culture show. And keep an eye out for performances by Ballet Folklorico de Fort Worth! Drop in between other SparkFest events, grab a wine slushie from the lobby, and keep the festival going! Free and open to everyone.

This Is My Story: Storytelling Event

Sunday, June 7 | 2:00PM
Led by Dr. Marta M. Torres
Some of the most powerful performances come straight from the heart. This Is My Story is
a beloved SparkFest tradition-an evening where Latine community members step into the
spotlight to share personal stories of identity, perseverance, and what it means to belong.
This year's storytellers are Roger Calderon, Ale Checka, Josselin Garibo Pendleton, and
Daismar Santos.

Mujeres Sin Miedo: Poetry Event

Tuesday, June 9 | 7:00PM
Hosted by Tammy Gomez

Tammy Gomez doesn't write poetry to be polite. The Fort Worth-raised, award-winning
spoken-word poet (a fixture in Texas literary life for over thirty years) has assembled a
company of Latine women to take the stage together for an evening of bold truth. Her work
has taken her from Fort Worth to Nepal, from the Texas Book Festival to PBS documentaries.
Tonight, she brings it home.

NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT

SparkFest'26 presents three new plays in development, each by a Latine playwright. These
readings are your first look at works that may go on to stages across the country and your
response as an audience is part of what shapes them.

Ama. Egg. Oyá.

By Lori Felipe-Barkin | Directed by Laurie Woolery
Wednesday, June 10 | 8:00PM
Saturday, June 13 | 3:00PM
Ama is thirty-five. She lives in Hialeah. She wants a baby, and she is running out of time.
Guided by the Orishas of Santería (Oyá, goddess of storms; Yemayá, goddess of the sea;
Ochún, goddess of love) Ama. Egg. Oyá. unfolds like a sacred fable as Ama moves through
fertility treatments, spiritual consultations, and the grief of wanting something your body
won't give you. It is raw, funny, earthy, and messy.

Los Feliz, or the live-in nanny play

By Benjamin Benne | Directed by Cat Rodriguez
Thursday, June 11 | 8:00PM
Saturday, June 13 | 11:00AM
Two Latina mothers share a kitchen in Los Angeles. One owns the house. One works in it.
Irene is an OB-GYN with a baby on the way. Emilia is her new live-in nanny, navigating her
own immigration situation with Irene's help. As their lives intertwine under one roof, Los Feliz asks whether two women who genuinely like each other can transcend the divergent
realities they were born into and now face. Funny, warm, and honest.

Escobar's Hippo

By Franky D. Gonzalez | Directed by Rebecca Aparicio
Friday, June 12 | 8:00PM
Sunday, June 14 | 2:00PM
Somewhere along the Magdalena River, a hippo descended from Pablo Escobar's private zoo arrives in a Colombian town, and nobody has any idea what to do about it. Told in the style of a David Attenborough nature documentary with a twist, Escobar's Hippo follows a
hapless playwright, his long-suffering Best Friend, and a waitress who is frankly the only
competent person in the story, as the town dissolves into civic chaos, political debate, and
something terribly strange. Wildly funny and surprisingly sharp.
 

ACTING COMPETITION

The 4th Annual SparkFest Acting Competition celebrates Latine artists from across the
country. Ten actors, selected through a nationwide search, compete across three rounds
for cash prizes and your cheers!

Round 1: Monologues

Thursday, June 11 | 5:30PM
Ten actors take the stage to deliver monologues before a panel of esteemed judges. Come
cheer them on and experience an evening of bold performances from rising talent. Come
back for Round 2!

Round 2: Scenes

Friday, June 12 | 5:30PM
The stakes go up. This time, actors face a brand-new challenge: cold reads (meaning they'll
see the script for the very first time when they step onstage). Instincts and spontaneity are
on full display here!

Final Round + Award Ceremony

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Original Score - Top 3

1. The Rescues , The Rescues - The Lost Boys

37.6% of votes

2. Cinco Paul - Schmigadoon!

25.7% of votes

3. Jim Barne, Kit Buchan - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

25.4% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats