ANONYMOUS. Will Be Performed as Part of the 2026 Fertile Ground Festival of New Works
Anonymous. follows a series of meetings of a support group for terminal superheroes.
CallSign Productions will throw its cape in the ring for 2026's Fertile Ground Festival of New Works with the world premiere of Bets Swadis's full-length play Anonymous. Anonymous. follows a series of meetings of a support group for terminal superheroes. Directed by Swadis, the cast features Portland favorites Magnolia Brown, Keaton Fields, Morgan James, Megan Misslin, Cris Villa, and Ruby Welch, with stage manager Notion.
Anonymous. runs for 90 minutes with no intermission and has two performances: Sunday, April 12th at 7:30pm & Sunday, April 19th at 12:00pm, at The Boiler Room Theatre at Lincoln Hall, 1620 SW Park Ave, on the PSU campus, in Portland.
Superheroes save the day, they save the city, they save the world. But in a quiet Philadelphia meeting room, these heroes are discovering what it means to be brave when they can no longer save themselves. Examining the grey area between being a legend and needing to be saved, Anonymous. follows a group of caped crusaders in Philadelphia as they navigate the reality of their own mortality. They meet monthly not to fight crime, but to share stories, celebrate birthdays, and face the end of life together.
The world of Anonymous.'s heroes is further developed as we learn ongoing hero news through 6ABC Philadelphia news broadcasts, and episodes of “Capes Off!,” a superhero-themed podcast streaming on Genuine XM. While the news focuses on their exploits, the play's narrative follows the group through a year of quiet milestones- birthdays, personal losses, shared secrets, and the profound strength found in simply showing up for one another.
Bets Swadis, who wrote the play, will also direct it. According to Swadis, Anonymous. began its life as a 10-minute play, titled, T.H.A., which was produced as part of Fertile Ground 2025 by PDXPlaywrights as part of their Festival Within the Festival.
“In a Philadelphia meeting room, a group of superheroes gathers anonymously to connect and support one another. As the year progresses, they celebrate birthdays, share stories, and face the reality of their own mortality.
In the face of inevitable loss, what does it truly mean to be brave? And what does a hero do when they can't save themself?” — Bets Swadis, playwright and director of Anonymous., Founding Producer, CallSign Productions
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