Juliet Kang Huneke: 2026 Festival of New Works Interview

Welcome to the first installment of our Playwright Spotlight series – 2026 Festival of New Works! Today we’re featuring PlayGround-CH alum Juliet Kang Huneke and her play Mycelium, which was selected as this year’s Premiere for the Festival of New Works. Mycelium will receive a fully-staged premiere at Potrero Stage and Simulcast on May 16th and 17th at 7pm PT. Advance reservations are required: visit playground-sf.org/mycelium for details.

What was the seed of your play?
I watched the documentary Fantastic Fungi on Netflix (highly recommend!) and it got me thinking about the connection between mushrooms and death.

How did working with PlayGround affect the development of this piece?
This play actually began because of a Monday Night Playground prompt! I wrote what ended up being the final scene of the play in response to the prompt “the legacy of the land we inhabit.” My play was staged for that Monday Night Playground, as well as for Best of PlayGround-Chicago (’25) and Best of the Best o PlayGround (’25) that year in SF. Then, I developed the 10-minute play into a full-length pattern play in residency with PlayGround for the past two years, and we did a few internal readings on zoom and a public reading in person in SF last year.

What is a song that represents your play?
Paprika – Japanese Breakfast

What is a piece of art that represents your play?
I made this collage as I was in the idea generating process!

What do you do creatively other than writing?
I’m an actor and deviser, and also love to make visual art in my free time! Lately been very into covering objects in mirror tiles.

What artists (theatre or non-theatre) inspire you or your play?
Some of my favorite playwrights are Sarah Ruhl, Lauren Yee, and Jen Silverman!

Give us an out of context spoiler for your play.
Dancing donkeys…

Juliet Kang Huneke is a playwright and performer who is passionate about theatre that is larger than life. In spring 2026, her new TYA play, THE DRESS-UP PLAY, had its world premiere at Jackalope Theatre Company. She was awarded the 2023 ReImagine: New Plays in TYA grant to develop HANNAH AND HALMONI SAVE THE WORLD! with Filament Theatre, where it had its world premiere in 2025. Juliet is also a 24 Hour Plays Nationals alum. Other Chicago writing credits include: ECHO’S INFERNO (The Understudy), HOME FOR THE SUMMER (Theo Ubique, American Music Theatre Project), MYCELIUM (Playground Chicago), and MECHANICALS (Impostors Theater Co Footholds Vol. 4). julietkanghuneke.com

Our annual Festival of New Works, now in its 30th year, features performances of our top Monday Night plays through Best of PlayGround, a full-length premiere, a series of Staged Readings, and the finalists of our Young Playwrights Project.