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TheatreFIRST Presents its Next World Premiere Development Piece VS.

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VS. is an ambitious new play-with-music created by local artists CleaVon Smith, Stephanie Prentice and Reggie D. White that continues TheatreFIRST's retooled mission of producing and presenting in-house new works.

During America's revolutionary war, many fought with a motive the history books left out: liberty to slaves. Inspired by this history, VS. brings back to life Colonel Tye, a black man, who escaped slavery and then joined the British to fight against the colonial patriots; the very people who enslaved him.

Written by CleaVon Smith with music composed by Stephanie Prentice and Reggie D. White, directed by Rotimi Agbabiaka with dramaturgy by Maryam Obaidullah Baig, VS. stars Bay Area artists Tierra Allen as Tilly, Edward Ewell as Tye, Juliet Heller as Sarah, KT Masala as Martha, and CameRon Matthews as Salem.

Keeping pace with the changing face of our community, TheatreFIRST seeks to revolutionize how audiences and artists engage with social progress. From development to production, every aspect of our creative team ensures voices are amplified equitably. Making theatre a place where social justice happens means crafting stories that reflect the world around it, letting go of the old to make space for the now.

Theater Fans' Choice Awards
2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats
Best Direction of a Play - Top 3
1. Joe Mantello - Death of a Salesman
19.5% of votes
2. Duncan MacMillan, Jeremy Herrin - Every Brilliant Thing
17.4% of votes
3. Whitney White - Liberation
9.8% of votes

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