Photos: FLEX Makes West Coast Premiere At San Francisco Playhouse

San Francisco Playhouse will present the West Coast premiere of FLEX by Candrice Jones. Directed by Margo Hall, the production will run through May 2. Check out photos from the show.

Set in 1998, FLEX follows a high school girls’ basketball team in rural Arkansas navigating ambition, identity, and community in the wake of the newly formed WNBA. The play centers on the Lady Train team as they pursue a path to the state finals while confronting personal and societal challenges.

The cast will include Halili Knox as Coach Francine Pace, reprising her role from earlier productions, alongside Courtney Gabrielle Williams as Donna. The ensemble also features Santeon Brown as Starra, Paige Mayes as Sidney, Emma Gardner as Cherise, and Camille Collaço as April.

Developed at Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Ground Floor, the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Humana Festival, and the National New Play Network Showcase, FLEX later received its New York premiere at Lincoln Center Theater, where it was named a New York Times Critic’s Pick.

“At San Francisco Playhouse, we are drawn to stories that illuminate resilience, community, and the courage to dream,” said Artistic Director Bill English. “The journey of this Black girls’ basketball team to the state finals is thrilling, but what moves us most is the humanity behind the scoreboard—the humor, tenderness, and fierce loyalty that propel them forward.”

The creative team includes assistant director Devin A. Cunningham, scenic designer Bill English with associate scenic designer Kiki Hood, lighting designer Ray Oppenheimer, costume designer Jasmine Milan Williams, sound designer Ray Archie, properties designer Amy Benjamin, and intimacy coordinator Jeunée Simon. Emmanuel Blackwell serves as basketball consultant.

Performances take place at San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street. Tickets range from $52 to $145 and are available at sfplayhouse.org or by calling 415-677-9596.