Comedy Festival Guidelines
The PlayGround Comedy Festival is PlayGround’s annual celebration of the best in comedic performance, including stand-up, improv and sketch, among others. The inaugural Comedy Festival will take place March 13-29, 2026, performed live at Potrero Stage and simulcast online, with up to 20 unique performances presented over four weeks. Proposals, due by 11:59pm on October 31, must be submitted via Google Form.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
PlayGround invites submission of proposals for the 1st annual PlayGround Comedy Festival, to take place at PlayGround’s San Francisco venue, Potrero Stage, with live online simulcast, March 13-29, 2026. PlayGround is interested in diverse voices and approaches, including stand-up, improv, sketch, etc. BIPOC, trans/gender-nonconforming, and artists with disabilities encouraged to apply. Running time for proposed pieces can be up to 50 minutes without intermission.
FESTIVAL GUIDELINES
PlayGround will select up to 20 projects to each receive 3-4 public performances at Potrero Stage with live online simulcast within the festival period. Performers will each receive 2 hours of technical rehearsal (date and time TBD). PlayGround will provide the theater, simulcast setup and digital platform, front-of-house and technical staff, marketing, publicity, and box office services.
– Selected projects will receive three performance slots over the course of the festival (optional fourth performances may be available upon request)
– Selections will be determined by lottery; up to 15 slots will be guaranteed to PlayGround-affiliated artists and up to 5 slots will be offered to non-PlayGround artists
– Projects must culminate in off-book/improvised public presentation
– Performances in the 2026 Comedy Festival must run be between 30-50 minutes (solo-stand-up performances can be 20 minutes with the expectation that they will be paired with another 20-minute act) with setup/strike of no more than a half-hour on either side.
– Projects must participate in PlayGround’s radical accessibility program, including free admission (with PWYC donation option) and online simulcast.
– Projects involving union artists will have the opportunity to be presented under PlayGround’s SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement (deferred) and all performers, regardless of union status, would then be expected to sign a SAG-AFTRA agreement; projects are solely responsible for the terms of artist compensation and for fulfilling those terms.
– Upon selection, projects will be responsible for remitting to PlayGround a $450 facility licensing fee for three performances or a $600 licensing fee for four performances, due by November 30, 2025. Producers will make their choice of having either a three or four performance run and PlayGround will do everything possible to accommodate all requests.
– PlayGround will provide the following: fully-equipped Potrero Stage, Technical Director, House Manager, Board Operator, Streaming Broadcaster, as well as co-marketing, production management consultation (1 hr), and box office services;
– PlayGround will split box office proceeds 50/50 with producing teams.
Proposals, due by 11:59pm on October 31, must be submitted via Google Form.