PlayGround Presents Season 29

MONDAY NIGHT PLAYGROUND

Topic: “HOLIDAY SPIRIT“

December 19, 2022 7pm PT

Live at Freight and Salvage + Simulcast & On-Demand

Acknowledging the Legacy of the Land We Inhabit

PlayGround acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush (RAH-my-toosh) Ohlone (oh-LOW-nee) and Lisjan (lih-SHAH-n) Ohlone, the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula and East Bay, respectively. As the past and present Indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramaytush Ohlone and Lisjan have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. We recognize the historic injustice of the forcible removal of the Ohlone people from their ancestral lands, and that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the Ancestors, Elders and Relatives of the Ramaytush and Lisjan Communities and by affirming their sovereign rights as First Peoples. We honor the storytellers of the Ohlone and are grateful for our ability to share and uplift Indigenous stories and those of other historically marginalized communities.

To learn about the legacy of the land you inhabit, visit Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land. To read the complete Land Acknowledgment Policy, click here.

PlayGround’s Anti-Racist Policy

PlayGround recognizes the impact of racial oppression within society and the American Theater and that we have been complicit in White Supremacy culture. Our goal is to co-create safety for our community by identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression when we witness them, through specific actions rooted in the principles of anti-racism and accessibility. In its endeavor to address the implications of our history, PlayGround is committed to its compliance with the following fundamental rights:

• The recognition of inherent dignity and worth of each human being.
• The recognition of equality of all human beings.
• Recognition of rights of ethnic, racial, cultural, linguistic and religious groups.
• Equality and non-discrimination.

PlayGround’s Anti-Racist Policy applies to: all members of the PlayGround community, including employees, independent contractors, volunteers, audience members, donors, and general members of the community.

To read the complete Anti-Racist Policy, click here.

Merry Milliliters
by Bacilio Mendez II
Directed by Ely Sonny Orquiza
Assistant Directed by Emlyn Doolittle
Baileys…………………………………………Rebecca Pingree
Midori…………………………………………Miyoko Sakatani
Don Julio…………………………………….Bacilio Mendez II
Camus……………………………………………..David Cramer

A Loser’s Wonderful Life
by Christian Wilburn
Directed by Michael French
Kevin………………………………………………...Louis Parnell
Mark………………………………………………..Dodds Delzell
Mark’s Mom/Katie……………………….Maryssa Wanlass
Ricardo……………………………………………Robert Sicular

Drinks of the Epiphany
by Matthew Y. Morishige
Directed by Ciera Eis
Elias.………………………………………………..Louel Senores
Sasha…………………………………………………Roshni Datta
Sam.…………………………………………………….Chris Steele

Latke and Moodolf Save Christmukkah
by Nicole Apostol Bruno
Directed by Claire Ganem
Latke the Light-Up Llama…………..……Isabel Anne To
Moodolf the Maroon-Nosed Moosedeer…Gisela Feied
Peter the Pastor………………………………..Leon Goertzen
Rivka the Rabbi…………………………….Cathleen Riddley

Two Kitchens and a Bowl
by Alexis Standridge
Directed by Norman Gee
Grandmother …………………………………………..L Duarte
Mother.…………………………………………Regina Morones
Daughter……………………………………Linda Maria Girón
Husband.…………………………………..Christiano Delgado

Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes
by Jennifer Le Blanc
Directed by Jennifer King
 Mom……………………………………………….Karen Offereins
Dad…………………………………………….Mark Rafael Truitt
Sarah……………………………………………Krystle Piamonte
Junior………………………………………………Nick Trengove
Grandma/Dressing Room Lady……………Danielle Thys

Stage Manager: Dianne Harrison
Sound Designer: James Goode

This live stream is produced under a SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement.

PlayGround is a member of Theatre Bay Area and Theatre Communications Group,
and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network (NNPN).

People’s Choice Award

Following tonight’s performance, we invite your participation in this month’s People’s Choice Award. Through the People’s Choice Award, our audience can play a direct impact in furthering the career of a promising new playwright. To vote, make a People’s Choice Award tax-deductible donation on behalf of your favorite play(s)/playwright(s) from the evening. Every donated dollar counts as a vote while directly supporting PlayGround’s award-winning incubator programs.

Cast your vote for your favorite play(s) by making a People’s Choice donation via Zelle (info@playground-sf.org), Venmo (our account ID is @playgroundsf and if they ask for the last four digits of my phone, it’s 8541) or on our website at https://tickets.playground-sf.org/TheatreManager/1/online?donationquick=16 (you can also visit the Monday Night PlayGround page for the People’s Choice donation button). Add a note/memo with your gift to indicate your favorite play(s) or email your selection to boxoffice@playground-sf.org.

At the end of the week, we’ll tally up the top vote-getter and automatic semi-finalist for our season-ending Best of PlayGround. It’s a powerful way of showing your support for new writers and their work, while helping PlayGround continue doing what we do!

Biographies

PLAYWRIGHTS

NICOLE APOSTOL BRUNO (Latke and Moodolf Save Christmukkah), they/them, is an actor, writer, educator, and movement artist based in San Francisco. They have worked with theaters such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Marin Theatre Company, and Z Space. Within theater, Nicole specializes in new works, having worked with playwrights such as Lauren Gunderson, Eugenie Chan, and Jihae Park. They hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater from Southern Oregon University, where they began their training in mime, mask, and clown by renowned neoclassic mime James Donlon. Nicole’s work uses grand metaphor to explore themes of regeneration, illness, loneliness, and seeking a new world.

JENNIFER LEBLANC (Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes), she/her, is thrilled to be part of Playground. She adapted Jane Austen’s Persuasion which received its world-premiere at San Jose Stage Company and Defoe’s Moll Flanders which received its world-premiere at Pacific Repertory Theatre. She wrote We Made Bread, a one-woman show adapted from interviews, for Perspective Theatre Company (formerly Arabian Shakespeare Festival). Jennifer has contributed short plays to Shotz, Perspective Theatre Company’s New Works Festival, and Our Digital Stories. Jennifer received her BA in English Literature from U.C. Berkeley and her MFA in Acting from the National Theatre Conservatory. She is an associate artist with the Perspective Theatre Company and Livermore Shakespeare Festival.

BACILIO MENDEZ II (Merry Milliliters), he/him, is a PlayGround company member, writers pool playwright, and 2022 Producing Fellow. You can also find him in court, but … he doesn’t recommend it.

MATTHEW Y. MORISHIGE (Drinks of the Epiphany), he/him,  is an actor, musician, and playwright based in the Bay Area. Matthew’s work aims to capture unique perspectives and voices pulled from his own personal experiences. He is energized by collaboration with talented artists across many different disciplines. This is his first staged production with Playground.

ALEXIS STANDRIDGE (Two Kitchens and a Bowl), she/her, is a Bay Area playwright and writer. Her other works include Myth (Santa Clara University, 2022), Beach Pit ( Santa Clara University, 2021), and Amendment (Filament Podcast, City Lights Theatre Company, 2020). Her short works have been performed with 3Girls Theatre Company, Foothill College’s Brownbag Series, and Santa Clara University’s New Playwright’s Festival.

CHRISTIAN WILBURN (Playground Underground), he/him, is a Bay Area actor, who graduated with BA in Theater and Dance from Santa Clara University. Professionally, he’s performed at Monday Night PlayGround, PlayGround Zoom Fest and PianoFight. He has also done workshop readings as a part of Potrero Stage, Marin Theatre Company, and Berkeley Rep. He is a PlayGround Resident Playwright and his new full-length play, Starlight, will premiere at the 2023 PlayGround Festival of New Works.

ACTORS

DAVID CRAMER (Merry Milliliters, “Camus”), he/him, has been having fun playing with Playground for the past for the past 13 years, getting to play many diverse roles ranging from a pioneering priest high on peyote to a cannibalistic child killer..(you know..the holiday show!) He has also performed locally at The Magic, Marin theatre Center and Shotgun Players. Film and tv credits include M*A*S*H,
The Waltons, among others.

ROSHNI DATTA (Drinks of the Epiphany, “Sasha”), she/her, is a stage/film actress, dancer/choreographer and a radio jockey where she goes by Mirchi Rosh. She has previously acted in various Bay Area theater productions such as Mahabharat, Rumors, Kingdom of Cards, State of Denial, and Rehearsal for Murder. She is a trained classical dancer and has acted in and co-created various short films & music videos. In her free time she enjoys writing poetry and rapping. She is super excited to participate in Monday Night PlayGround.

CHRISTIANO DELGADO (Two Kitchens and a Bowl, “Husband”), he/ him, is super excited to be returning to the playground! He most recently closed Follies at SF Playhouse, and will be in barking on a Journey with The Presidio theatre in their Panto of Sleeping Beauty! Chachi is a native to the Bay and currently resides in Berkeley. He would love to thank you for coming and hopes you enjoy!

DODDS DELZELL (A Loser’s Wonderful Life, “Mark”), he/him, is a longtime member of Playground and is inspired by every person who is involved in this great company!

L. DUARTE (Two Kitchens and a Bowl, “Grandmother”), they/them, is an actor, director & playwright whose recent projects include: August: Osage County with San Jose Stage Company, Julius Caesar with PacRep, The Review with Theatre Rhinoceros , Helen! With Theatre of Yugen, Into the Beautiful North & The King of Cuba with CentralWorks. Duarte is a graduate of UCLA, UCSC, and has trained with A.C.T. and Shakespeare & Co. They are a founding member of Latinx Mafia, a Bay Area collective of Latinx Teatristas, who work to ensure Latinx stories are valued and accurately represented. www.latinxmafia.com Find a full range of work by Duarte at Casting Networks https://app.castingnetworks.com/talent/public-profile/d69eed18-24bd-11ec-8124-c9bb66a47a51

GISELA FEIED (Latke and Moodolf Save Christmukkah, “Moodolf the Maroon-Nosed Moosedeer”), she/they, graduated from PCPA in 2019 where they had the pleasure to be in the ensemble for the Crucible, play Tootles in Peter Pan, and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most recently, they toured Breaking Through as part of the PCPA Fall Outreach Program along the central coast. Currently, they are working as a Teaching Artist bringing mental health awareness and tools for mental wellness virtually to high schools across Northern California.

LINDA MARIA GIRÓN (Two Kitchens and a Bowl, “Daughter”), they/them/elle, is a queer Guatemalan-American actor, playwright, music and visual artist. Their work is informed and inspired by ritual, queerness and anti-racist practice; with a primary focus on examining the neo-colonialism of Latin America and its diasporas. They received their BA in Theater & Performance Studies from UC Berkeley and have since worked under many artistic homes in the Bay Area, including: Shotgun Players, AlterTheater Ensemble, Crowded Fire Theater, CalShakes, FaultLine Theater, SFBATCO, CentralWorks, New Conservatory Theater Center, the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts and Golden Thread Productions. www.lindamgiron.com | @lindamariagiron

LEON GOERTZEN (Latke and Moodolf Save Christmukkah, “Peter the Pastor”), he/him, has worked at theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, including East West Players, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Will and Company, Magic Theatre, Asian American Theater Company, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Road Theatre Company, Cutting Ball Theater, Aurora Theater Company, Bay Area Playwright’s Festival, and New Conservatory Theater. Leon is a co-founder and company member of Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company; He is a graduate of the School of Drama at UNC School of the Arts and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild.

BACILIO MENDEZ II (Merry Milliliters, “Don Julio”), he/him, is a PlayGround company member, writers pool playwright, and 2022 Producing Fellow. You can also find him in court, but … he doesn’t recommend it.

REGINA MORONES (Two Kitchens and a Bowl, “Mother”), she/her, is a native Bay Area actor, singer, educator, and a resident artist at the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. She was last seen in The Winter’s Tale at the California Shakespeare Theater. Bay Area credits include Retablos (Word For Word SF), Utopia (Cutting Ball Theater), As You Like It (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival), and Women Laughing Alone With Salad (Shotgun Players). Morones has a BA in Theatre Arts from Clark Atlanta University and an MFA in Acting from the University of Iowa. www.reginamorones.com

KAREN OFFEREINS (Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes, “Mom”), she/her, is a company member of PlayGround and was last seen on stage in Ferocious Lotus’ EVOLUTION. Recent credits include Custom Made Theatre’s How to Transcend a Happy Marriage, having previously performed there in The Pain and the Itch and M. Butterfly, Elevada at Shotgun Players (as well as The Mousetrap, Top Girls, and Our Town), Two Mile Hollow (Ferocious Lotus, where she is also a company member), and Phèdre (Cutting Ball Theater). Past credits include The Potrero Nuevo Project (PlayGround), The Rules (SF Playhouse), and Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Big Funk, and No Exit (AtmosTheatre).

LOUIS PARNELL (A Loser’s Wonderful Life, “Kevin”), he/him, has been an active actor and director in Bay Area Theater for the last 50 years. He has worked with most of the major houses including American Conservatory Theater, Marin Theater Company, CenterRep, Magic Theater and TheatreWorks as well as numerous smaller companies. He works most often with the SF Playhouse where he last appeared in their production of FOLLIES this past summer. He has also appeared in many film, television and commercial roles and is a proud member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA and has worked with Playground since its inception.

KRYSTLE PIAMONTE (Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes, “Sarah”), she/her, is a Bay Area-based stage and screen actor. Theatre credits include work at Z Space, SF Playhouse, Ferocious Lotus, Magic Theatre, TheatreWorks, TheatreFirst, Bindlestiff Studio, and 59E59 in collaboration with Artistic Stamp. Screen credits include the award-winning short films “Bound 4 Heaven” and “Median”. She is a 2x Theatre Bay Area Award Finalist for Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role in a Play and was named an MVP of Bay Area Theatre by KQED. Krystle is a Co-Founder/Co-Artistic Director of The Chikahan Company and a company member of PlayGround. www.krystlepiamonte.com | IG: @xLe

REBECCA PINGREE (Merry Milliliters, “Baileys”), she/her, most recently played Judge 1 & Mr. Putnam in The Crucible at Oakland Theatre Project, and Bridget Potter in the original cast of The Kilbanes’ The Code with the ACT YC. She’s been seen on stages throughout the Bay Area, including TheatreFirst, Shotgun Players, Berkeley Playhouse, SPARC Livermore, Ray of Light, Napa Valley Conservatory, Marin Theatre Company, and Perspective Theatre. She holds an MFA in Collaborative Theatremaking from Rose Bruford in London, and co-founded Analog Theatre, part of PlayGrounds Innovator Incubator cohort. Catch her back at Potrero Stage on Monday November 28 for the Analog IN2 Showcase!

CATHLEEN RIDDLEY (Latke and Moodolf Save Christmukkah, “Rivka the Rabbi”), she/her, most recently appeared as Maria in Twelfth Night at SF Playhouse. She has appeared at Cal Shakes, Magic Theatre, ACT, TheatreWorks, and Shotgun Players (playing every role in Hamlet – seriously), among many others. She is an alumna of The Juilliard School, a certified ASL Interpreter and has an MA from UPenn. Cathleen is a member of Making Good Trouble, a cohort of theatre artists in partnership with Authentic Arts & Media, whose goal is to empower Bay Area artists and staff to become anti-racism trainers.

MIYOKO SAKATANI (Merry Milliliters, “Midori”) she/her, is a Bay Area actor~singer who is always thrilled to be working with PlayGround. She has performed with Berkeley Rep, Cutting Ball, SF Playhouse, TheatreWorks, AlphaNYC off Broadway virtual stage. Miyoko performed her solo piece about her family’s immigration and internment at the Marsh Theater. Films include the award winning HBO/Samuel Goldwyn’s East Side Sushi (IMDb/Miyoko Sakatani). As founder of Playland Productions, she has produced short films, plays and co-directed the innovative Silent City by Dan Wilson with an ethnically diverse hearing and deaf cast signing in ASL with closed captions. She performs regularly for residential care facilities with a Bay Area ukulele band.

LOUEL SENORES (Drinks of the Epiphany, “Elias”), he/him, is hyped to be able to play with PlayGround once again! And in person! Woo! Recent performance credits include: “Dream Hou$e” and “The Act of Care.” Recent SM credits include: “Balikbayan Box” and “Water by the Spoonful.” For more info, check out LouelSenores.com

ROBERT SICULAR (A Loser’s Wonderful Life, “Ricardo”), he/him, Robert Sicular has performed a universe of roles in a decades long career that has spanned the country – and beyond! His theater performances are almost too numerous to mention but in film he can be seen in Josh Kornbluth’s “Love and Taxes”, the sci-fi action comedy thriller, “Never Die Twice”, the Bollywood potboiler, “Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya” and the chilling podcast series, “Dr. Dark Presents”.

CHRIS STEELE (Drinks of the Epiphany, “Sam”), they/she, is a multidisciplinary creator and performer, trans activist, and horror enthusiast. They’ve performed with theatre companies across the Bay Area, a founder of Trans Queer immersive arts group Poltergeist Theatre Project, and her award-winning drag persona Polly Amber Ross performs in queer spaces across San Francisco and on instagram at @pollyamberross.

MARK RAFAEL TRUITT (Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes, “Dad”), he/him, has appeared in Titanic, Star Trek Voyager, Chance, and The Practice among other television and film appearances. He has appeared with the Magic theatre, Goldenthread productions, and has been a member of Playground here in the Bay area for over 20 years. He teaches at Cal, USF, ACT, and the Academy of Art University, and is author of the book “Telling Stories a Grand Unifying Theory of Acting Techniques.”

DANIELLE THYS (Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes, “Grandma/Dressing Room Lady”), she/her, is a founding acting company member of PlayGround and is delighted to return to play with this fine group of creatives one last time in 2022.

ISABEL ANNE TO (Latke and Moodolf Save Christmukkah, “Latke the Light-Up Llama”), she/her, is an actor, singer, and voiceover artist living and working in the Bay Area. Recent credits include the developmental reading of Chris Steele’s “Sitcom Seagull” (Poltergeist Theatre Project), sketch comedy shows “Freddy Krueger’s Day Off” and “Let’s Do the Sex” ( Killing My Lobster), and “Funny Like an Abortion” with PlayGround. Love and gratitude to JLT.

NICK TRENGOVE (Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes: “Junior”), he/him, is a Bay Area-based actor, director, and theater educator. He also worked in the Chicago storefront theater scene and received his MFA in Acting from DePaul University. He most recently performed with NCTC in Aunt Jack and Shotgun Players in A Small Fire.

MARYSSA WANLASS (A Loser’s Wonderful Life, “Mark’s Mom/Katie”), she/they, is an actor, director, and educator, with an emphasis on social justice and classical theatre. Bay Area stage appearances include SF Shakes (As You Like It, Hamlet, and Winter’s Tale), CalShakes (As You Like It), San Jose Stage (Persuasion), Livermore Shakespeare Festival (As You Like It, Hamlet, Merry Wives of Windsor), Center REPertory Company (Enchanted April, Witness for the Prosecution), Woman’s Will (Much Ado About Nothing, Good Person of Szechuan). They have directed locally for Utopia Theatre Project, PlayGroundSF, Shotz, and regionally for Advice to the Players.

DIRECTORS

CIERA EIS (Drinks of the Epiphany), she/her, directs socio-political new work and explores immersive space. Recent directing credits: Circle Mirror Transformation (Custom Made), Faust on 4Chan (The Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep), Murder at Roland Manor: An 8-bit Interative Mystery (Thunder Bay Theatre), Every Brilliant Thing (Saint Mary’s College), The Official Unicorn Hunter’s Guide (Winner of Shortlived Festival 2019), and three 30/30 Vision Projects (Shotgun Players). Assistant Directing: Wakey Wakey, Both Your Houses, Spring Awakening (ACT). She is the Interim Artistic Director of Custom Made Theatre and the Co-Artistic Director of FaultLine Theater. Ciera attended the University of California, Santa Cruz. SDCF Observer Class 2019-2021. www.cieraeis.com.

MICHAEL FRENCH (A Loser’s Wonderful Life), he/him, is originally from London, England and has been a theatre director, writer, and theatre arts educator for over 20 years. He has written the Ovation award winning play ‘The Rainy Season,’ collaborated with Tiger Lion Arts on the much acclaimed ‘The Buddha Prince,’ a walking play about the life of the Dalai Lama, and directed over thirty-five plays in London, New York City, and the Bay Area of San Francisco. Michael is a resident director for Playground, a resident artist for Oakland Theatre Project, and the artist development coach and director of creative writing classes for Afro Urban Society. He is currently writing his first collection of short stories entitled ‘Babble.’

CLAIRE GANEM (Latke and Moodolf Save Christmukkah),she/her, is a Bay Area based director and teaching artist who has a passion for bringing new works to the stage. She is a current company member and ambassador at Playground. In addition to Playground, her work has been featured at Magic Theatre, Cutting Ball Theater, Pianofight, and Santa Cruz Shakespeare. Upcoming: ANTIGONE, PRESENTED BY THE GIRLS OF ST. CATHERINE’S by Madhuri Shekar at Town Hall Theatre (June 2022) and MIRROR FACE by Eteya Trinidad at 3Girls Theatre Company in June 2022. She is a proud graduate of UC Santa Cruz and Nazareth College of Rochester, NY.

NORMAN GEE (Two Kitchens and a Bowl), he/him, just closed a wonderful run in MEET JOHN DOE at SJ Stage (thestage.org). This, after a summer performing with SF Mime Troupe (sfmt.org) in the new musical BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE, while directing the Pullman Porter play COMPARED TO WHAT for Masquers Playhouse in Pt. Richmond, and launching a peek at next year’s reading series for the baldwincentennialproject.com. All while juggling duties as an Associate Producer for SF-Playground!

JENNIFER KING (Nutcracker Sweets 2: Revenge of the Snowflakes), she/her, is a director, actor, and teacher.  Dividing her time between Europe and the US, she has performed, directed and created work in the UK, Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. She recently directed Romeo and Juliet for Prague Shakespeare Company, where she is an associate artist. In June, she will direct Hurricane Diane for Aurora Theatre Company. Jennifer is the head of theater at Napa Valley College and an executive performance coach at Stand and Deliver.

ELY SONNY ORQUIZA (Merry Milliliters), he/him, is a locally grown artistic director, stage director, and teaching artist. His works aim to champion and highlight stories of the Asian diaspora, Asian American identity and belonging, queerness and their intersectionality with other historically marginalized people in the United States. For more on his works: elysonnyorquiza.org, @TheOrquiza (Instagram).

PRODUCTION & STAFF

JAMES GOODE (Sound Designer), he/him, is a sound designer, composer, audio engineer, musician, and songwriter based in the Bay Area. He’s collaborated with actors, animators, visual artists, writers, and other musicians and composers on a wide variety of projects, including films, gallery and museum installations, live performances, music videos, podcasts, and radio dramas. Local theater productions he’s done sound design for include As You Like It (San Francisco Playhouse), The Four Gifts (Hillbarn Theatre), Richard II (African-American Shakespeare Company), Dot (New Conservatory Theatre Center), Native Gardens (Center REPertory Company), and Pool of Unknown Wonders: Undertow of the Soul (Oakland Theater Project). https://jamesgoodesound.com

DIANNE HARRISON (Stage Manager), she/her, was born and raised in Sonoma Valley and performed in children’s theatre before shifting to stage management. Some of her past shows include Sonoma Arts Live’s Same Time, Next Year; Santa Rosa Junior College’s Legally Blonde: The Musical and Almost, Maine, which earned a Certificate of Merit from the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival; JoLee Productions’ Bluff, which she also co-directed; and Ross Valley Players’ Silent Sky and Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily. She is thrilled to be a part of Monday Night PlayGround.

LAUREL SCHWEIDEL (Box Office), she/they, is a Bay Area native who loves to teach and perform. She graduated from UC Irvine with a BA in Drama and has taught improvisation, music, and songwriting through Bay Area Children’s Theater, the Willard Metal Shop Theater, and Leap Arts in Education. Laurel also MC’s concerts with Sofar Sound and releases original music under the name Laurel Hannah.

PLAYGROUND, California’s leading playwright incubator, provides unique development opportunities for the Bay Area’s, Los Angeles’ and now New York’s best new playwrights, including the monthly Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series, annual PlayGround Festival of New Works, full-length play commissions and support for the production of new plays by local playwrights through the New Play Production Fund. To date, PlayGround has supported over 250 early career playwrights, developing and staging more than 1000 of their original short plays through the Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series and the PlayGround Festival. PlayGround has also commissioned 90 new full-length plays by 60 of these writers through its Commissioning Initiative and, through the innovative New Play Production Fund, has directly facilitated the premiere of 34 plays at theatres of every size, including three that have gone on to NYC and other major theater communities. Most recently, PlayGround renovated and relaunched the former Thick House Theater in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill as Potrero Stage, a state-of-the-art center for new plays, home to PlayGround’s expanding artistic programs and some of the Bay Area’s most distinguished new play developers and producers. Over the past twenty-four years, PlayGround has served to identify some of the most important new local voices for the theatre. PlayGround’s alumni have gone on to win local, national, and international honors for their short and full-length work, including recognition at the Humana Festival, O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, The Lark’s Playwrights’ Week, New York International Fringe Festival, and others. PlayGround received the 2009 Paine Knickerbocker Award for outstanding contributions to Bay Area theatre, 3 BATCC Awards for Best Original Script for PlayGround commissions, a 2014 National Theatre Company Grant from the American Theatre Wing (founder of the Tony Awards®), and a 2016 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. Visit https://PlayGround-sf.org for more information.

POTRERO STAGE is a 99-seat state-of-the-art performance space located in the heart of San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood, operated by PlayGround, and serving as home to some of the Bay Area’s leading new play developers and producers, including PlayGround, Crowded Fire, Golden Thread, and Playwrights Foundation, among others. While the venue is closed during the COVID pandemic, Potrero Stage will highlight the best in online programming by PlayGround, Potrero Stage resident companies and other Potrero Stage producers. For more information, visit https://potrerostage.org.

PlayGround Contributors

PlayGround is deeply grateful for the generous contributions of the many individuals, foundations, gifts of $125 or more committed between October 1, 2021 & October 10, 2022.

GOVERNMENT, CORPORATE, & FOUNDATION DONORS

Alameda County Arts Commission • Amazon • American Rescue Plan Act & CARES Act • Art Space Development Corporation • Berkeley Civic Arts • The Bernard Osher Foundation • Bill Graham Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund • California Arts Council • California Nonprofit Performing Arts Grant Program • Creative Capacity Fund • First Republic Bank • The Fleishhacker Foundation • Goldman Sachs • Google • Grants For The Arts • Koret Foundation • Lenore & Howard Klein Foundation • The Leo J. & Celia Carlin Fund • Negley Flinn Charitable Foundation • NIAC • Nvidia • Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation • Planet Earth Arts • The Shubert Foundation • The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation • Zellerbach Family Foundation

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS

SEASON SPONSORS ($5000+)

William Bivins, Emilie T. & Gordon C. Brooks, Jerome Joseph Gentes & Michael David Bourque, Lara Gilman & Jim Kleinmann, Peggy Haas, David Steele, Anonymous

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS ($2500–$4,999)

John H. Gilman, Regina S. Guggenheim

PRODUCERS CIRCLE ($1000-$2499)

Sidney Glass & Eleanor Clement Glass, In Memory of M. David MacCallum, Jr., Rebecca Martinez, Nitin, Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock, Marian Scheuer Sofaer & Abraham D. Sofaer, Anonymous (3)

PLAYWRIGHTS CIRCLE ($500-$999)

Thomas Patrick Broyhill, David Goldman, Jeff Gregory, Regina S. Guggenheim, Linda Kremer, Lisa A. Mammel, Lisa Morse, Nvidia, Nancy & Carty Spencer, J.B. Strasser, Susannah Wise & Scott Lebus, Anonymous (3)

PATRON ($250-$499)

Dr. Elaine Baskin & Kenneth R. Krechmer, Lily L Chow, Ruben & Keli Grijalva, Vicki Hamilton, Roxy Jones, Ray and Carla Kaliski, Annie Stuart, Lisa R. Taylor, Maury Zeff, Anonymous (3)

ASSOCIATE MEMBER ($125-$249)

Maura C. Berkelhamer, Dr. Katherine Ardis Blenko, Frieda de Lackner, Jessica Forbess, Mr. Eric Garcia, Sarah Gasser, Tom Goetzl, Gina Harris, Abbe S. Kalos & Kitt Saginor, Jennifer King, Douglas & Mary Ann Le Blanc, Gregg Le Blanc, Trynne Miller & David Prince, Everett & Julia Moore, Louis Parnell, Dr. Alan Pearl, Ms. Madeline Daly Puccioni, Mike Rosenthal, Lisa Gaye Thompson, Jeffrey Trescott, Liam Vincent, Mr. Darryl Wilburn, Janine & Darryl Wilburn, Robin L. Wimsatt, Kelli Wong, Anonymous (3)

To contribute to PlayGround, visit https://playground-sf.org/contribute or contact PlayGround Associate Director of Development Lana Richards at lana@playground-sf.org or by phone at (415) 992-6677.

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PlayGround Company

PLAYGROUND WRITERS COMPANY

Monique Hafen Adams, Barbara Anderson, Nicole Bruno, Madeleine Butler, Allie Costa+, Jediah Craig, Cherielyn Ferguson, Ipsheeta Furtado, Bailey Jordan Garcia+, Lauren Gorski,+ Aaron Higareda+, Sam Hurwitt, Tejahra Jacobs, Lisa Kang, Ruth Kirschner, Anne Yumi Kobori+, Steve Koppman, Jennifer Le Blanc+, Kristy Lin Billuni, Justin Lopez+, David MacFadden-Elliott, Daniel Martinez, Alanna McFall+, Bacilio Mendez II, Matthew Morishige, Vicky Pham, Bridgette Portman, Alexis Roblan, Jessica Rowe+, Anthony Sampson Semandiris, David Schweidel, Tony Sciullo, Marissa Skudlarek, Alexis Standridge, Max Tachis, Lisa Thompson, Eteya Trinidad, Michael Tuton, Kaz Valtchev, Daysha Veronica+, Michael Waterson, Christian Wilburn+, Maggie Wilson+, Maury Zeff
+ Resident Playwright

PLAYGROUND COMPANY

Molly Aaronson-Gelb, Angel Adedokun, Patrick Alparone, Liz Anderson, Rinabeth Apostol, Michael Asberry, Michael Barrett Austin, Mary Baird, Aldo Billingslea, Millie Brooks, Julia Brothers, Nicole Apostol Bruno, Lizzie Calogero, Ron Campbell, Joy Carlin, Nancy Carlin, Tessa Corrie, David Cramer, Will Dao, Anne Darragh, Dodds Delzell, Livia Gomes Demarchi, Carolyn Doyle, Nora el Samahy, Rebecca Ennals, Gisela Feied, Britney Frazier, Michael French, Claire Ganem, Sarah Gasser, Norman Gee, Douglas B. Giorgis, Amy Glazer, Cindy Goldfield, BW Gonzalez, Gabriel Grilli, Christian Haines, Rosie Hallett, Eric Fraisher Hayes, Brian Herndon, Monica Ho, Laura Humphrey, J Jha, Colin Johnson, Jennifer King, Dean Koya, Danielle Levin, Amy Lizardo, Jeffrey Lo, Gwen Loeb, George Maguire, Melanie Marshall, Alicia Mason, Leontyne Mbele-Mbong, Julia McNeal, Bacilio Mendez II, Sam Misner, Brady Morales-Woolery, Lisa Morse, Khary L. Moye, Molly Noble, Joseph Patrick O’Malley, Karen Offereins, Annete Oliveira, Soren Oliver, Ely Sonny Orquiza, Melissa Ortiz, Doyle Ott, June Palladino, Carla Pantoja, Louis Parnell,​​ Jed Parsario, Michael Phillis, Krystle Piamonte, Rebecca Pingree, Stephanie Prentice, Ezra Reaves, Virginia Reed, Cathleen Riddley, Katja Rivera, Adrian Roberts, Stacy Ross, Adam Roy, Katie Rubin, Patrick Russell, Lindsey Marie Schmeltzer, Louel Senores, Robert Sicular, Jeunee Simon, M. Graham Smith, Ken Sonkin, Lauren Spencer, Teddy Spencer, Chris Steele, Howard Swain, Jomar Tagatac, Emilie Talbot, Danielle Thys, Isabel Anne To, Jon Tracy, Dane Troy, Mark Rafael Truitt, Liam Vincent, Ian Walker, Maryssa Wanlass, Tracy Ward , Reggie D. White, Aaron Wilton, Elena Wright

PLAYGROUND AMBASSADORS

Jomar Tagatac (Co-Chair) , Aaron Wilton (Co-Chair) , Aldo Billingslea, Tessa Corrie, Livia Demarchi, Britney Frazier, Claire Ganem, Cindy Goldfield, Rosie Hallett, Jeffrey Lo, Gwen Loeb, Brady Morales-Woolery, Karen Offereins, Ely Sonny Orquiza

PLAYGROUND STAFF

Jim Kleinmann, Co-Founder & Artistic Director 
Norman Gee, Associate Producer 
Jed Parsario, Associate Producer 
Stephanie Prentice, Associate Producer 
Katja Rivera, Associate Producer 
Jacque Bugler, Production Manager 
Brittany Mellerson, Resident Designer 
Lana Richards, Associate Director of Development 
Sarah Gasser, Resident Stage Manager 
Emlyn Doolittle, 2022 Producing Fellow / 2022-23 Directing Apprentice 
Savannah Greene, 2022-23 Producing Fellow 
Justin P. Lopez, 2022-23 Producing Fellow 
Bacilio Mendez II, 2022 Producing Fellow 
Tanvi Agrawal, 2022-23 Directing Apprentice
Jenna Stein-Corman, 2022-23 Directing Apprentice

PLAYGROUND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stephanie Prentice, Chair
James A. Kleinmann, President
Rondrell McCormick, VP-Communications
Emilie Talbot, VP-Development
Nitin, Treasurer
Katie May, Secretary
Regina Guggenheim, Chair Emeritus
Diana Burbano
Philippa Kelly
Lisa Mammel
Rebecca Martinez
David Steele

www.PlayGround-sf.org
3286 Adeline St #8
Berkeley, CA 94703-2485
info@playground-sf.org
(415) 992-6677