Thai Theatre Foundation Awards 2026 Development Grants to Five Artists

Thai Theatre Foundation has revealed the five recipients of its Thai Theatre Showcase 2026 Development Grants, supporting a new cohort of Thai and Thai-American theatre artists developing original work in the United States.

The 2026 grant recipients are Aina Rita Swartz, developing Analysis; Angela Dixon, developing Photographic Memory; Chacha Tahng, developing Slumber Party at the End of the World; Charles 'Cha' Mangan, developing ทุกคนต้องมีจุดจบ // Nobody Will Ever Die Ever; and Tidtaya Sinutoke, developing 'things I drew and songs I wrote - รูปที่วาดและเพลงที่เขียน'.

Each selected project will receive financial and production support from Thai Theatre Foundation to develop and present new work. The Development Showcase gives artists the resources to advance their work and introduces audiences to a broad range of contemporary Thai and Thai-American voices.

2026 Development Grant Recipients

Aina Rita Swartz - Analysis

Swartz is a Thai-American screenwriter and playwright based in Bangkok whose character-driven work explores relationships, identity, family and the distance between who people are and who they believe they should be. Her screenwriting includes commissioned film and television projects as well as original work in development. Her screenplay Desert Rose has received international awards and festival recognition.

Angela Dixon - Photographic Memory

Angela (นางฟ้า) Dixon is a singer, pianist, banjo player, percussionist, dancer, educator, and theater artist in NYC and the Hudson Valley. With Thai and African American roots, her work explores the human heart, language, tone, relationships, and healing. As an educator, she teaches general music and theater in the Bronx, helping young people discover their own voices through music, movement, and creative expression. Photographic Memory is her first play.

Chacha Tahng - Slumber Party at the End of the World

Tahng is a queer Thai-American actor and writer from the San Francisco Bay Area, now based in New York City. Their acting credits include Song Sung Blue, This Is Not A True Story and Seven Hoshi. Their writing work includes an adaptation of Measure for Measure currently in development.

Charles 'Cha' Mangan - ทุกคนต้องมีจุดจบ // Nobody Will Ever Die Ever

Mangan is a neuroscientist and playwright from suburban Philadelphia whose work examines Asian American rage, yearning and identity through surreal circumstances and heightened theatricality. Their honors include recognition from American Blues Theater, the Chisa Hutchinson Signpost Fellowship, the Fulbright Program and the Molly Thacher Kazan Prize.

Tidtaya Sinutoke - 'things I drew and songs I wrote - รูปที่วาดและเพลงที่เขียน'

Sinutoke is a Thai theatre composer and writer whose work includes Dear Mr. C, With Rice, Kham and The Adventures of Sky and Friends. Her work has been supported by organizations and programs including Polyphone, Village Theatre, LMCC, MOCA, The Drama League, Dramatic Question Theatre, New Victory Theater and others.

Now in its third edition, Thai Theatre Showcase was created to increase visibility for Thai and Thai-American theatre artists in the United States while providing opportunities for artistic development, collaboration and community building. The 2026 Showcase will include the Development Showcase alongside a curated Snippets Showcase featuring short excerpts from additional works.

Thai Theatre Showcase 2026 will take place November 14-15, 2026, at Open Jar Studios in New York City. Additional programming, schedules and attendance information will be announced at thaitheatre.org.