The Loop Festival To Return To Grants Pass With New Works For Young Adult Theatre
The second annual festival runs August 11–14, 2025, at The Hivve in downtown Grants Pass, Oregon.
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 16, 2025
Aggregate Collective will present the second annual installment of The Loop Festival, running August 11–14, 2025, at The Hivve in downtown Grants Pass, Oregon. This unique New Works Festival connects professional playwrights, directors, and artists from across the country with Southern Oregon’s young adult performers to develop new plays written specifically for teen actors and audiences.
The Loop Festival provides three new plays with staged readings, followed by live audience feedback sessions that directly engage both the playwrights and performers. This year’s featured titles include My Tree by Samara Siskind, Good Knight Cyberella by V.B. Rankin, and the new musical In BeTween, with lyrics by Sarah Ziegler, music by Nicky Phillips, and a book by Steven Gallagher.
On Thursday, August 14, all three new works will be presented in daylong staged readings. For $10, audiences receive an all-day entry pass and livestream access. Tickets are available now at https://aggregatecollective.ludus.com.
Approximately thirty young adult actors from across Southern Oregon will participate in a three-day rehearsal and development process before the public readings. These students not only perform the work but also act as cultural consultants, offering the playwrights feedback on authenticity and resonance with young adult experiences.
The festival is facilitated by Aggregate Collective co-founders Julia Cuppy and Jaese Lecuyer, alongside Associate Producer Tianna Eddy. Guest directors for this year’s plays include Kristen Fogle, Marjorie Mae Treger, and Bradley Behrmann.
Featured Works and Directors:
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My Tree by Samara Siskind, directed by Kristen Fogle
A heartfelt coming-of-age story about friendship, boundaries, and the seasons of adolescence. -
Good Knight, Cyberella by V.B. Rankin, directed by Marjorie Mae Treger
A whimsical, cyber-savvy take on classic fairytales exploring digital safety through Theatre for Young Audiences. -
In BeTween (music by Nicky Phillips, lyrics by Sarah Ziegler, book by Steven Gallagher), directed by Bradley Behrmann
A high-energy musical that follows twelve tweens through a year of middle school milestones, self-discovery, and friendship.
The Loop Festival is hosted by Trever Yarrish at The Hivve in Grants Pass and produced by Aggregate Collective, a Southern Oregon-based company committed to radical hospitality, youth-centered storytelling, and new play development. For more information and bios of participating artists, visit aggregatecollective.com/the-loop-festival.
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