Jesse Eisenberg, Ralph Macchio, Carol Kane, and More Will Headline 2026 Chain Winter One-Act Festival

The 2026 edition of the CHAIN WINTER ONE-ACT FESTIVAL will run February 5 through March 1, 2026, at Chain Theatre (312 West 36th Street, 3rd and 4th Floors, New York, NY). A cornerstone of Chain Theatre's programming and a touchstone of New York City's theater scene, the CHAIN WINTER ONE-ACT FESTIVAL has become one of the city's largest and most dynamic showcases for new work. 

CHAIN WINTER ONE-ACT FESTIVAL is a carefully curated “mix-tape” of programming bringing together drama, comedy, and everything in between, welcoming Broadway actors, beloved television performers, and emerging voices to the same stage. The 2026 Winter Festival will feature more than 90 new plays and hundreds of artists, creating a vibrant playground for creativity that celebrates storytelling in all its forms. All non-union productions will be live-streamed and followed by a special moderated talkback with participating artists and Chain Theatre leadership.

Festival Headliners and Highlights:

• The return of Jesse Eisenberg, who will direct the father-daughter duo Ralph Macchio* (Cobra Kai, The Karate Kid, My Cousin Vinny) and Julia Macchio* (Cobra Kai, City on a Hill, Girl Most Likely) in Jeryl Brunner's SWEET TART with Anna Strout, Barbara Toy and Eisenberg producing
• Lyle Kessler's (Orphans) SH*T KICKERS, starring two-time Emmy Award-winner and Academy Award-nominee Carol Kane* (Taxi, Dog Day Afternoon) and Margaret Ladd*
• Academy Award-nominee and two-time Obie Award-winner José Rivera, who presents the World Premiere of LOOK WHAT CRASHED THROUGH THE PORTAL AND ENDED UP IN BROOKLYN
• Three-time Emmy Award-winner Jennifer Pepperman as writer/director of RAY
• The World Premiere of STALLED, directed by David Zayas Jr., written by and starring Diego Aguirre (Dexter: Resurrection, Monsterland), and also starring Joseph Russo (The Offer, Jersey Boys) and Jacob Lumet Cannavale (The Offer, The Mandalorian)
• THE OBLIQUE, written by Emmy Award-winning actor, producer, and director Christopher Goutman, and starring three-time Emmy Award-winner Cady McClain*
• The World Premiere of THE FUSION EXPERIMENT, written by John Arthur Long (SOVA Winner), directed by Chain Artistic Director Kirk Gostkowski, and starring David Rey (I'm Okay, We're Okay) and Christina Elise Perry (Humpty Dumpty). 

“We don't do safe—we do real,” says Chain Theatre Artistic Director Kirk Gostkowski. “This is where audiences and artists meet on equal ground to explore the world as it is, and imagine what it could be.”