Christopher Chen News

An utterly convincing rollercoaster of life, death, and the world around us. See what our critic had to say.

Arena Stage has released rehearsal footage of THE MOTION, Christopher Chen's fiercely intelligent new play now playing through June 14, 2026 at the Fichandler Stage.

HEART: DMV AAPI Theatre Alliance and Arena Stage will present a free pre-show conversation with Christopher Chen, playwright of THE MOTION, moderated by HEART co-founder Wonnie Kim, followed by a preview performance.

Arena Stage has revealed the cast and creative team for The Motion, by Obie Award winner Christopher Chen. Directed by Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif, this production will run in Arena’s in-the-round Fichandler Stage. 

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon and Interim Executive Director David Schmitz revealed the six productions that will make up the company’s 2026/27 season.

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust announced the names of the two outstanding early-to-mid-career playwrights who will be celebrated with 2025 Steinberg Playwright Awards.

American Conservatory Theater announced that Tony Award–winning Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon will depart the Bay Area’s premier nonprofit theater organization at the close of the 2025/26 season.

Producer Dominick Balletta’s High Hard Heat will present a national tour of FDR’s Very Happy Hour, an immersive civics experiment conceived by Regan Linton and M. Graham Smith.

Rattlestick Theater, the Terrence McNally Foundation, and Tom Kirdahy Productions have announced the opening of submissions for Cycle 4 of the Terrence McNally New Works Incubator.

The Marsh has announced BATT & BASS ON THE ROAD, a new play by Brian Thorstenson. Directed by Tracy Ward, the two-hander stars Thorstenson alongside Brad Anderson-Smith as friends on a very long road trip. 

Playwrights Foundation has revealed the semifinalists and finalists for the 47th Bay Area Playwrights Festival, which will be presented in a hybrid festival. Learn more!

The Terrence McNally New Works Incubator Cycle 3 Fellows have been revealed. Learn more bout the New Works Incubator and about the selected playwrights here.

Now in its seventh season, PlayFest has fast become a renowned incubator for well-known and emerging playwrights, actors, and directors to develop new works and test them before audiences.

Playwrights Foundation will present a public reading of Driving the Girls, a new play by Resident Playwright Cat Brooks on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

CENTRAL WORKS 2025 SEASON will continue with The Last Goat, written and directed by Gary Graves, and running June 28– July 27 where a young woman lives alone with her grandmother on an isolated Greek island, desperately longing to see the world.

Playwrights Foundation, the West Coast's premier launchpad for new plays and playwrights, will release the on-demand recording of the public reading of The Justice is Just Asleep, a new play by Resident Playwright Ruben Grijalva, commissioned by San Francisco Playhouse, from April 14-20, 2025.

Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie have just announced the company’s diamond anniversary season. We have all of the details here!

Kevin Rolston's critically acclaimed Deal with the Dragon, a three-character, one-man performance comes to the Palm Springs Cultural Center for a limited run, May 29 – June 8.

South Coast Repertory will bring the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Orange County native Sanaz Toossi home with the West Coast premiere of her comedy Wish You Were Here.

Vineyard Theatre has revealed the recipients of the 2024-2025 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award and Colman Domingo Award. Learn more about the award and the recipients!