PlayGround Unveils its 33rd Season

PlayGround has revealed its plans for its 33rd anniversary season. The season announcement coincides with the release of the 2026-27 Writers Pools, 112 early-career playwrights in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, who will participate in PlayGround's signature incubator program, Monday Night PlayGround, developing more than 600 new short plays this season of which 96 will be staged by the four communities over the course of 16 public events, all performed in-person and simulcast under a first-in-the-nation SAG-AFTRA agreement. New for this year: PlayGround's first prePlay Table Reading Series! Four PlayGround alumni in each PlayGround City will receive a public table read of an evening length play with a paid cast and  live broadcast (schedule and details below).PlayGround has also announced the 40 playwright alumni selected for this year's Resident Playwrights Program, including five playwrights under commission and representing all four regions.

The 2026-27 Season will feature more than 120 public performances of new works by PlayGround playwrights, ranging from fringe-style full productions to a Hitchcock-inspired holiday show, and from new solo performance to developmental staged readings and premieres of bold new full-length plays. Taken altogether, PlayGround's 33rd Season represents the nation's largest celebration of new playwrights and new works and stands as a true celebration of the vitality and promise of the American Theatre. 

Following the conclusion of the Monday Night series, PlayGround presents Best of PlayGround, a celebration of the top new playwrights and works from the season, in Los Angeles (April 5), New York (April 12), Chicago (April 19) and San Francisco (May 29-30). 2026-27 PlayGround-Los Angeles Company

PlayGround also recently announced its 2026-27 Company, including the Writers Pool, Resident Playwrights and Artist Company. These 160+ artists will fuel PlayGround's incubator programs over the next season, fostering the development of more than 150 original short and full-length plays.

The PlayGround-Los Angeles 2026-27 Writers Pool includes: Michael Adams, Damian Alejandro Arteaga, Esther Banegas Gatica, Blaire Battle, Evan Baughfman, Summer Broyhill, Tim Bryant, Allie Costa, Maya De La Torre, Honokee Dunn, Amy Ellenberger, Rachel Harner, Paris Herbert-Taylor, Aaron Higareda, Chil Kong, Mikee Loria, Abel Marquez, Jose Medina, Peter Pasco, Joy Regullano, Teddy Alexis Rodriguez, Cara Sanchez, Mark Sherstinsky, Baylee Shlichtman, Evelyn Wu-Coffey.

2026-27 Los Angeles Resident Playwrights: Michael P. Adams, Damian Arteaga*, Esther Banegas Gatica**, Rachel Harner, Jonathan Josephson, Mildred Inez Lewis, Cara Sanchez, Baylee Shlichtman; Daysha Veronica, Jennie Webb.

* Playwrights under commission for the 2026-27 season
** June Anne Baker Award Winner

In addition, PlayGround is pleased to welcome new and returning members of the PlayGround-Los Angeles Artist Company: Nemma Adeni, Tanvi Agrawal, Jahnavi Alyssa, Brianna Barrett, Julia Belanova, Josef Bette, Sylvia Cervantes Blush, Summer Broyhill, Ben Cain, Jordan Carlson, Jackie Castañeda, Paris Crayton III, Greg Cuellar, Tom Dang, Frieda de Lackner, Carrie Deskin, L (Leticia) Duarte, Angel Dumapias, Asa Fris, Natasha Galano, Kyla Garcia, Eric Geller, Jon Gentry, Danny Gomez, Charles Gonzalez, Cassie Grilley, Christian Haines, Julio Hanson, Matthew Henerson, Edward Hong, Mark Jacobson, Alejandra Jaime, Alexia Jasmene, Cybelle Kaehler, Stephanie Keefer, Zaya Kolia, Dean Koya, Emily Kuroda, Chris Lawson, Vivi Le, Christine Liao, Andy Lowe, Lea Madda, Julie Marchiano, Jackie Marriott, Gabi Mayorga, Paris McCarthy, Carene Mekertichyan, Sherry Michaels, Krystal Mosley, Rachel Berney Needleman, Melissa Ortiz, Peter Pasco, Andrew Perez, Kevin Phan, Tansu Philip, Gary Poux, Tiana Randall-Quant, Maiya Reaves, Scarlett Redmond, Jesus Reyes*, Ivan Rivas, Debba Rofheart, Tahmus Rounds, Mae Ruling, Collette Rutherford, Anthony Rutowicz, Janet Song, Angela Sonner, Grace Su, Jeff Torres, Carla Vega, Charlotte Williams, Jo Yuan

* Emeritus

2026-27 Monday Night PlayGround Season Calendar

Monday Night PlayGround

Round 1: October 12 (LA), October 19 (SF), October 26 (NY), November 2 (Chicago)
Round 2: November 23 (LA), December 7 (SF), November 30 (NY), December 14 (Chicago)
Round 3: January 11 (LA), January 18 (SF), January 25 (NY), February 1 (Chicago)
Round 4: March 1 (LA), March 8 (SF), March 22 (NY), March 15 (Chicago)

Best of PlayGround

April 5, 2027 (LA)
April 12, 2027 (NY)
April 19, 2027 (Chicago)
May 29-30, 2027 (SF)

prePlay Table Reading Series