3rd Annual AAPI Playwright Festival at San Jose Stage

Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS), in partnership with San Jose Stage Company, presents the 3rd Annual AAPI Playwright Festival, a fast-paced evening of live theater celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) storytelling.

Under the leadership of award-winning playwright and director Jeffrey Lo, who serves as artistic producer, the festival debuts six newly commissioned short plays by local AAPI playwrights Tasi Alabastro, Anne Yumi Kobori, Suhashini Krishnan, Jenny Nguyen Nelson, Aimee Suzara, and Phil Wong. The evening also features five original monologues written by Lo and performed between plays.

Audiences will experience theatrical staged readings by 15 AAPI actors who will bring these plays to life. This year’s works explore comedy, family stories, identity, culture, relationships, healing, belonging, and even a dash of horror, offering an exciting range of voices from emerging and established AAPI artists.

The 3rd Annual AAPI Playwright Festival takes place Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at San Jose Stage in downtown San Jose. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Tickets start at $23.18 for students/seniors, $33.85 for general admission, and $55.20 for VIP (center stage seating).