Alley Theatre Reveals Programming for the 2025 Alley All New Festival

Alley Theatre’s All New Festival will return this fall as it features a three-day festival of staged readings on October 24-26. The Festival welcomes five of the boldest voices in American playwriting: Mark Bedard & John Tufts, Lisa D’Amour, Chisa Hutchinson, and Marisela Treviño Orta.

Since its inception in 2016, Alley All New Festival has become an incubator for American theatre as 30 of 42 plays represented have gone on to world premiere productions. This season, Born with Teeth by Liz Duffy Adams will be produced in London’s West End and Torera by Monet Hurst-Mendoza and Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium will be produced off-Broadway, all developed through the Alley All New Festival. In addition to productions at the Alley, the Festival has consistently seen its plays move on to Broadway and off-Broadway, as well as Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Dallas.

All readings are free and open to the public, with weekend packages offering VIP treatment – priority seating, artist access, and a celebratory dinner with Alley artists and more.

2025 ALLEY ALL NEW FESTIVAL

DATING COMPREHENSION

By Chisa Hutchison
Directed by Amber D. Gray

One eligible bachelorette. Five sexy singles. Like, a million possible endings.

Meet Bliss, a perpetually single thirty-something looking for her soul mate. So far, she hasn’t had much luck. But that’s where you come in. Make your opinion known, while helping Bliss to navigate a sea of scrubs, duds, and potential true loves. It’s like those dating shows you secretly love to watch, but LIVE and in person.

Sunday, October 26 at 10:30AM

A LOCO-MOTIVE FOR MURDER

By Mark Bedard and John Tufts
Directed by Rob Melrose

All aboard for murder, mystery, and mayhem! Newspaper tycoon Edmand Blablüt is dead, and one of his fellow passengers pulled the trigger. There’s only one man brilliant enough to solve the crime. What’s that? There are two? Okay, there are two detectives, and one of them may or may not be brilliant enough to catch the killer. Get ready, because A Loco-Motive for Murder is pulling into the station!

Saturday, October 25 at 10:00 AM

THE SMOKER

By Lisa D’Amour
Directed by Shelley Butler

Remember smoke breaks? Somewhere on the neutral ground between private apartments and public streets, four humans' bond in three-to-five-minute intervals. The cigs bring pleasure and calm nerves, even as each drag brings them closer to death. But then again, can you really stay healthy in a country that's trying to kill you?

Saturday, October 25 at 4:30 PM

WOMB 2.0

By Marisela Treviño Orta
Directed by Tatiana Pandiani

In the not-so-distant future, an undetectable virus has turned childbirth into a terrifying gamble. It’s Claudia’s first day on the job at WMB, an ultra-secure, ultra-sterile, and ultra-exclusive birthing clinic. Her task is simple: welcome the patients to their nine-month stay in this state-of-the-art facility. Just make sure the wrong things don’t get inside.

Friday, October 24 at 4:30 PM
Sunday, October 26 at 4:30 PM

*All readings are for mature audiences. Check alleytheatre.org for updates and the current schedule.

WORLD PREMIERE ADD-ON

In addition to the Alley All New Festival readings, guests may choose to add on a ticket to the world premiere of The Body Snatcher, which runs concurrently:

THE BODY SNATCHER

By Katie Forgette
Directed by Brandon Weinbrenner
October 3 – 26, 2025

Just in time for spooky season, Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous Victorian Gothic classic comes alive onstage. A father's love for his ailing daughter and her growing affection for his medical assistant create an ethical dilemma as they push medical boundaries. As the bodies stack up, the question is asked – how deep will you dig for the one you love?

WEEKEND PACKAGES

Weekend packages for October 24-26 are available for an early bird price of $145 until September 14. Prices will then increase to $165. Packages include: