PlayGround presents Season 30

MONDAY NIGHT PLAYGROUND

Topic: “Surviving the Holidays”
December 18th, 2023 7pm PT
Live at Potrero Stage + 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.

Monday Night PlayGround Memberships

We are deeply grateful to our 2023-24 Monday Night PlayGround Members, whose direct support helps to underwrite artists fees for the Monday Night series across all four regions:

Sharon Baldwin, Jaisey Bates, Tim Bishop, Ms. Linda B Breaux-Smith, Summer Broyhill, Madeleine Butler, Ben Cain, Julie Campbell, Sidney Glass & Eleanor Clement Glass, Joan Cleveland, Ms. Marilyn Berg Cooper, Ann Ehrmann, Ms. Cherielyn Ferguson, Krystyna Finlayson, Sheri Flanders, Conde Freeman, Dr. Jan Gilman, Michael Tonjum & Jan Gilman, Hollis Greenwood, Dana Hall, Rachel Harner, Gail Hillebrand & Hugh Barroll, Brandy T Jones, Ms. Anne M. Krause, Emily Kuroda, Ms. Kristy Lin Billuni, Mr. John Lindner, Jonathan Luskin & Leslie Katz, Rhea MacCallum, Brian Markley, Linda Marks, Dr. Sheila McCormick, Ms. Cynthia L Morishige, Molly Noble & Bob Guilbault, Annette Oliveira, Ms. Vicki Oswald, Bridgette Dutta Portman, Mrs. Elizabeth Poston, Mr. George Rose, Jessica June Rowe, Michelle Ruscetta, John J. Ruskin, Kathryn Ryan, Miyoko Sakatani, Louel Señores, Mark Sherstinsky, Nancy W. Smith, Stan Stone, Mr. Richard Dana Swart, Kim Tram, Michael E Tuton, Dr. Eidell Wasserman, and Janine Wilburn. Thank you!

To learn more about the Monday Night PlayGround membership program, click here.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!

The Negotiators
by Kimberly Ridgeway
Directed by Linda Amayo-Hassan
Adam Franklin………………….Ryan Tasker
Tina TurkeyTon.………….Miyoko Sakatani
Priscilla PigPen…………….Eiko Yamamoto
Ginger BreadMan…….. Emily M Keyishian

Off the Shelf
by Daniel Martinez Jr
Directed by Norman Gee
Jinglebottom……..Ezra Reaves
Alejandro……….Louel Señores
Klaus…………..Ben Chau-Chiu

Light Speed to New Years
by Mikee Loria
Directed by Khalia Davis
Connie……….Zoe Chien
Mod..…………..Isabel To

Christmas Spirits
by Bridgette Dutta Portman
Directed by Nancy Carlin
Noelle……….April Ballesteros
Ben…………………Eric Hayes
Lillian.……………Marjan Safa

Tom and Kat and The Journey of The Wonderful
by Ruth Kirschner
Directed by Emilie Talbot
Kat…….Annette Amelia Oliveira
Tom…………………….Louis Parnel

Zephyr
by Michael Tuton
Directed by Jim Kleinmann
Dwight…..Michael Asberry
Jeff…………….Dodds Delzell
Zephyr………Chachi Delgado

Stage Manager: Jenna Stein-Corman

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

PlayGround is a member of Theatre Bay Area and Theatre Communications Group.

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

RUTH KIRSCHNER‘s (Tom and Kat and The Journey of The Wonderful), she/her, plays have been developed at The Last Frontier Theatre Conference, the Women Playwrights Series, and the Marsh Theatre. They’ve been finalists for the National Playwrights Conference, CulturalDC’s Source Festival, and Humana’s Short Play Festival. Her produced plays include Fifteen Notes (EST, N.Y.); (Whippoorwill, Centenary Stage, N.J.); others at West Coast Ensemble; Actor’s Theatre of Santa Rosa; Cutting Ball Theatre; S.F. Fringe (2 Best Play Awards); Phoenix Theater; Marin Fringe (2 Best Play Awards). Winner of 2019’s Susan Glaspell Award for Whippoorwill, Ruth’s recent play The Field was nominated for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize.

MIKEE LORIA (Light Speed to New Years), he/him, is excited to make his Playground SF debut with the writing circle. Recent highlights: Joe from Tiny Fires (Custom Made Theatre), Wolf from Wolf Play (Shotgun Players), and writing Get Good for Bindlestiff Studios. When not acting/writing, Mikee is playing video games, reading horror novels, or eating ramen. Special thank you to his family, friends, and partner! Light Speed to New Years couldn’t have been made without you! IG: @michaeleloria

DANIEL MARTINEZ JR (Off the Shelf), he/him, is an award-winning writer and actor based in San Jose, CA. This is his second season in the writers’ pool, and the water is still ~warm~. Daniel’s work has been featured in Monday Night Playground as well as Best of Playground 27 (Changing Inward). Daniel is also a Resident Playwright at PlayGround under commission to write his first full-length play, and hopes you all will get to see it someday! Daniel loves bringing comedic flair to real moments. For his day job, Daniel teaches at a film school for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

BRIDGETTE DUTTA PORTMAN (Christmas Spirits), she/her, is a playwright and novelist. More than two dozen of her plays have been produced locally, nationally, and internationally. She is president of the Pear Theatre board of directors and a member of the Pear Playwrights’ Guild, the PlayGround SF writers pool, and the Dramatists’ Guild. She received the 2023 June Anne Baker Prize from PlayGround and is currently working on a full-length play commission. She teaches composition and creative writing at UC Berkeley.

KIMBERLY RIDGEWAY (The Negotiators), she/her, playwright/director/actor/producer is in her Freshman year of SF Playground’s writing pool. She wrote, produced, and directed the full-length stage plays Prospect Place, Heavy Burdens, No More Secrets, The Confession, The Gigolo Chronicles, and The Drowning Pool. Kimberly is a Brady Fellow Recipient (3Girls Theatre) for her play Soulmates, and the recipient of the Theatre Bay Area (TBA) Art Leadership Residency (Central Works). Kimberly’s writing highlights the voices of women, specifically women of color, and the stories are both thought-provoking and entertaining. Kim can be found on Instagram @khaoss15 and NPX.

MICHAEL TUTON (Zephyr)

ACTORS

MICHAEL ASBERRY (Zephyr, “Dwight”), he/him, most recently performed with Elm Shakespeare Company in New Haven, CT. as “Hugh Evans” in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Other theatre credits include Center REP; Aurora Theatre Company; Marin Theatre Company; Cal Shakes; Orlando Shakes (Orlando, FL); Sacramento Theatre Company; San Francisco Shakespeare Festival; San Francisco Mime Troupe, A.C.T.; Theatreworks; 6th Street Playhouse; Lorraine Hansberry Theatre and Shotgun Players. Michael has also appeared in a host of film, television, commercial, voiceover and video game productions. It’s great to be back with the Playground SF crew! Proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.

APRIL BALLESTEROS (Christmas Spirits, “Noelle”), she/her, is an actor, director, and stage manager. She is the Associate Artistic Director for Theatre Cultura and Artistic Learning & Development Associate at the California Shakespeare Theater. Her most recent credits, both via Zoom and in-person, include: Corazón of a Latina and Cheer! Story of a Dreamer (Theatre Cultura).

BEN CHAU-CHIU (Off the Shelf, “Klaus”), they/them, is a Bay Area actor and director. They’re excited to be back as a company member for PlayGround’s 30th season! Recent credits include: Cymbeline, Much Ado About Nothing (SF Shakes); Poor Yella Rednecks, The Headlands (A.C.T.); Delta Daze, Momo, Best Christmas Ever (Monday Night PlayGround SF/NY); She Loves Me (42nd Street Moon); Beauty and the Beast (Palo Alto Players). They have also worked with Cal Shakes, Berkeley Rep, Livermore Valley Opera, New Conservatory Theater Center, Town Hall Theatre, and Bay Area Children’s Theatre. benchauchiu.com

ZOE CHIEN (Light Speed to New Years, “Connie”), she/her, is an actor and arts administrator with a BFA in Theater from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she trained at The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute, Playwrights Horizons Theater School, and the Stonestreet Studios for Television and Film. Zoe is the Associate Director of 3Girls Theatre Company and is a PlayGround Producing Fellow. She feels lucky to be in this industry at a time when so much art is being made in response to our social and political climate and is proud to represent her mixed-race (Taiwanese and Italian-American) community. For more, visit zoechien.com.

CHACHI DELGADO (Zephyr, “Zephyr”), he/him, can’t wait to do get another playground! He is currently in Guys and Dolls at SF Playhouse and after that, he will be heading down to SoCal to begin rehearsals for the West Coast premiere of Mystic Pizza at La Mirada Theatre! He thanks you for coming out tonight and wishes you a happy holiday season!

DODDS DELZELL (Zephyr, “Jeff”), he/him, is a proud member of Playground. a huge admirer of all who take part, Writers, Directors, Stage Managers, Volunteers, and Audiences in this family we call Theater!

ERIC HAYES (Christmas Spirits, “Ben”), he/him, s happy to be working with PlayGround again where he acted and directed many moons ago. As the Artistic Director for the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Tao House (Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site), he has directed 33 of O’Neill’s 51 plays. Besides overseeing the annual O’Neill Festival, Eric has taken multiple productions to Ireland for the Eugene O’Neill International Festival of Theatre in New Ross, Co. Wexford. He has also directed productions in Boston and St. Louis. Eric holds an MFA in Acting from The Theatre School, DePaul University in Chicago.

EMILY KEYISHIAN (The Negotiators, “Ginger BreadMan”), she/they, is a Bay Area actor originally from the NJ/NYC area. She has performed on both coasts in theater and film. On the Bay Area stage she has been seen at Golden Thread, Town Hall Theater, Eugene O’Neill Foundation/Tao House, Custom Made Theater, Perspective Theatre Co, Role Players Ensemble, Dragon Theater, Marin Theater Co. See more at emilykeyishian.com She is also a visual artist/painter.

ANNETTE AMELIA OLIVEIRA (Tom and Kat and The Journey of The Wonderful, “Kat”), she/her, has played women (and men) who are wise, fierce, sometimes losing marbles, and often Latinx.  She’s performed in Shakespeare plays at Marin’s redwood-ringed Curtain Theatre. She played every role imaginable for SF’s Shoestring Radio Theatre. Now specializing in audiobooks, she has recorded for Penguin-Random House and Learning Ally. Check out her website at annettenarrates.com.

LOUIS PARNEL (Tom and Kat and The Journey of The Wonderful, “Tom”), he/him, has been an active actor and director in the Bay Area for the last 50 years. He has worked with most of the larger houses including American Conservatory Theater, Marin Theatre Company, CenterRep, and TheatreWorks as well as numerous smaller theatres. He works most often with the SF Playhouse where he last appeared in their productions of CABARET and FOLLIES and co-directed A CHORUS LINE this past summer. He has also appeared in many film, television, and commercial roles and is a proud member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA.

EZRA REAVES (Off the Shelf, “Jinglebottom”), they/he, TV/Film: 4400 (The CW), SUCKHOLE (FX), IDENTITEAZE (Nebula). Regional Theater: WIZARD OF OZ (ACT), AS YOU LIKE IT (SF Playhouse), THE RED SHADES (ZSpace), THE DAUGHTERS (SF Playhouse). A 10+ year ensemble member of THE NEO-FUTURISTS, they have performed nationally and internationally with the critically acclaimed shows TOO MUCH LIGHT MAKES THE BABY GO BLIND and THE INFINITE WRENCH. As a comedian, Ezra has opened for Janeane Garofalo, Bob Odenkirk, John Hodgman, Paul F. Tompkins, and shared the stage with Michael Ian Black (SF Sketchfest). NEXT UP: Ezra is directing and co-producing COMPTON’S CAFETERIA RIOT, an immersive show about the historic SF riot for transgender liberation.

MARJAN SAFA (Christmas Spirits, “Lillian”), she/her, is thrilled to be back on stage at Playground. She was last seen as Puck, Theseus, and Starveling, at San Francisco Shakes’ educational tour. She has previously worked with The Pear Theatre, Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Altarena Playhouse, TheatreFirst, Golden Thread Productions, San Francisco Playhouse, Palo Alto Players, San Francisco Playwrights’ Center, and Multi-Ethnic Theatre. Currently, she is in ongoing classes with Richard Seyd at the Seydways Acting Studios. She likes to read, bake, walk, and dip her toes in water in her spare time. To learn more about her you can visit her webpage at marjansafa.com

MIYOKO SAKATANI (The Negotiators, “Tina TurkeyTon”), she/her,  Sag-Aftra-e is an actor, singer, writer, producer, and a proud Playground Company Member. She has performed on many Bay Area regional and community theatre stages, including writing and performing her own solo piece. Film credits include the award-winning Samuel Goldwyn film “East Side Sushi” (IMDb.com). As founding director of Playland Productions, Miyoko has produced and co-directed short films and stage plays. She also performs regularly and gratuitously for residential care facilities with an all-Asian ukulele band. Deepest love and gratitude to Richard, Shanti, and dearest friends.

LOUEL SEÑORES (Off the Shelf, “Alejandro”), he/him, is a Berkeley-based actor and stage manager. You may have last seen him in Tea Party (One of Our Own), Dream Hou$e (Shotgun Players) or you can come see him in The Engine of our Disruption playing at Central Works now! It’s also possible you didn’t see him stage-managing Yerma (Shotgun Players) and Water by the Spoonful (SF Playhouse). He’s a proud company member of PlayGround SF and Berkeley Interactive Theater, which specializes in delivering custom-made EDIB workshops for universities and other intact organizations. When he’s not doing theater, Louel is likely to be found managing a frozen yogurt shop, karaoke-ing with strangers online, playing video games, and/or dueling other nerds with foam weapons. LouelSenores.com

RYAN TASKER (The Negotiators, “Adam Franklin”), he/him, has most recently worked with Word for Word (where he is a company member), One of Our Own Productions, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and Marin Theatre Company.

ISABEL TO (Light Speed to New Years, “Mod”), she/her, is an actor, singer, voiceover artist, and proud PlayGround company member based in the Bay Area. She most recently performed in “A Very Hitchcock Christmas”, Killing My Lobster’s “The Skin We’re In”, and has appeared in PlayGround SF festival productions (“Starlight” and “Funny Like an Abortion”). Other selected credits: Tea Party (One Of Our Own Theater), The Jersey Devil Play (Awesome Theatre), and Avenue Q (New Conservatory Theatre Center). Offstage, Isabel works at a social nonprofit and enjoys cross-stitching, jigsaw puzzles, and baking. www.isabelanneto.com

EIKO YAMAMOTO (The Negotiators, “Priscilla PigPen”), she/they, is passionate about storytelling that empowers positive change. She is a first-generation Japanese-Korean-American multi-hyphenate artist. Eiko hails from Tokyo, Seoul, and Honolulu. They are currently reprising their original role as Pacifica in SLEEPING BEAUTY: PANTO IN THE PRESIDIO in San Francisco. She recently finished touring CYMBELINE with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and wrapped THE TRUER HISTORY OF THE CHAN FAMILY, a new vaudeville musical film by Eugenie Chan that will be released in 2024. A graduate of UCLA, they are members of SAG-AFTRA and Ring of Keys. eiko@eikoyamamoto.com, IG @eikoyh

DIRECTORS

LINDA AMAYO-HASSAN (The Negotiators), is a Native/Chicana actor, director, and playwright. She’s the Artistic Director of Theatre Cultura and a theatre professor at Chabot College and Cal State East Bay. Linda recently directed The Crucible at CSUEB and for Monday Night PlayGround she directed La Perra Triste Llorando. Past favorite shows include Electricidad, Curse of The Starving Class and Psycho Beach Party.

NANCY CARLIN (Christmas Spirit), she/her, has directed and performed extensively in regional theaters and films, including A.C.T., Cal Shakes, Berkeley Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Aurora Theatre, Jewel Theatre, Center Rep, Shotgun, Marin Shakespeare, Marin Theatre Company, and TheatreWorks. A former longtime company member of A.C.T. and associate artist with Cal Shakes, Carlin is a member of PlayGround. Carlin holds a BA in comparative literature from Brown University and an MFA in acting from A.C.T., and is a member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and SDC. Nancy co-authored the musical Max Understood and can be seen in Eleanor Coppola’s, Love is Love is Love. www.nancycarlin.com

KHALIA DAVIS (Light Speed to New Years), she/her, is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in the creation of impactful and enriching new work for family audiences. As a director and arts educator, she has worked on Broadway, off-Broadway, and regionally with prominent theaters all over the country. Partial performing credits include: New Victory Theatre; TheatreWorks Silicon Valley; A.C.T.; CalShakes; Bay Area Children’s Theatre; Aurora Theatre; 42nd Street Moon; Center Repertory Theatre. Awards: 2019 Emerging Leader Fellowship-TYA/USA, 2019 NYCCT Leader Fellowship, 2021 Corey Medallion Award- Children’s Theatre Foundation of America. BA in Theater Arts from the University of Southern California www.khaliadavis.com!

NORMAN GEE (Off the Shelf), he/him, past year has taken him from performing in Meet John Doe at the San Jose Stage, to a Word For Word production of HOME which toured France, to Much Ado About Nothing in Livermore with SPARC. He is delighted to close out this year with this PlayGround Holiday show before starting the coming year understudying BIG DATA at A.C.T. Norman will round out 2024 directing a new work in August to celebrate the James Baldwin Centennial, more info at www.baldwincentennialproject.com.

JIM KLEINMANN (Zephyr; Artistic Director & Co-Founder), he/him, co-founded PlayGround in 1994, along with playwright Brighde Mullins and director Denise Shama, and has served as Artistic Director since 1996. For PlayGround, he has provided artistic and administrative leadership for the past twenty-four seasons, developing PlayGround’s unique array of new playwright and new play incubator programs, including Monday Night PlayGround, the PlayGround Festival of New Works, the full-length play Commissioning Initiative, the New Play Production Fund, Potrero Stage: PlayGround Center for New Plays, and most recently the Innovator Incubator. For PlayGround, he has directed more than one hundred short and full-length plays, including works by Garret Jon Groenveld, Aaron Loeb, Geetha Reddy, Lauren Yee, Katie May, and many others. Recent directing and dramaturgy credits include David Steele’s Vignettes on Love and Ruben Grijalva’s Value Over Replacement. He is a veteran arts administrator with more than thirty years of experience, including stints leading Traveling Jewish Theatre, Smuin Ballet, and Berkeley Symphony, and received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

EMILIE TALBOT (Tom and Kat and The Journey of The Wonderful), she/they, is a Bay Area-based actor, director, and teacher. She is a longtime PlayGround company member as both an actor and director, serves on the PlayGround Board, and teaches in the Schools of Entertainment at AAU. She has appeared on stages across the country from Boston to La Jolla, Oregon to Dallas, including stints at numerous Bay Area theatres. Film and television work include 13 Reasons Why, the award-winning shorts Sonder, and Starting Over, and a whole slew of commercials, industrials, radio dramas, and video games. She is also a member of Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC.) www.emilietalbot.com

PRODUCTION

JENNA STEIN-CORMAN (Stage Manager), she/her, grew up immersed in the bay area theatre community. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, she has gone on to work as a teaching artist, stage manager, and director in theaters all over the bay. Currently, she works with Town Hall Theatre, The Berkeley Playhouse, and the San Francisco Mime Troupe. She recently stage managed PlayGround’s 2nd annual “twisted” holiday show, A Very Hitchcock Christmas, streaming thru New Year’s.

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, corporations and government agencies whose contributions make our work possible. This list reflects gifts of $125 or more committed between November 1, 2022 & November 20, 2023.

GOVERNMENT, CORPORATE, & FOUNDATION DONORS

Alameda County Arts Commission • Amazon • American Rescue Plan Act & CARES Act • Art Space Development Corporation • Avenue Greenlight • Berkeley Civic Arts • The Bernard Osher Foundation • Bill Graham Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund • California Arts Council • California Humanities • California Nonprofit Performing Arts Grant Program • Creative Capacity Fund • Grants For The Arts • KFF • Koret Foundation • LA County Arts Commission • Lenore & Howard Klein Foundation • The Leo J. & Celia Carlin Fund • Negley Flinn Charitable Foundation • NIAC • Nvidia • Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation • Planet Earth Arts • Rock Paper Scissors Landscape Inc. • Rye Financial Services • San Francisco Arts Commission • The Shubert Foundation • The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation

SEASON SPONSORS ($5000+)

Emilie T. & Gordon C. Brooks, Daniel E. Cohn & Lynn Brinton, Lara Gilman & Jim Kleinmann

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS ($2500+)

John H. Gilman, Carlie Wilmans, Anonymous (2)

PRODUCERS CIRCLE ($1000-$2499)

Randy Adams, Meriko Borogove, David Goldman, Regina S. Guggenheim, E. Craig Moody, Nitin, David Steele, Anonymous (2)

PLAYWRIGHTS CIRCLE ($500-$999)

Ruth & Robert Brayton, Steve & Gretchen Debenham, Keith Goldstein and Donna Warrington, Jennifer & Sean Jeffries, Paul & Pam Kleinmann, Gregg & Jennifer Le Blanc, Dr. Gary W. London, Pam MacKinnon, Danny & Dolores Martinez, Molly Noble and Bob Guilbault, Pam & John Walker, Janine Wilburn, Maury Zeff, Anonymous (4)

PATRON ($250-$499)

Mary E. Baird, Wendy Bear, Jerome Solberg, Jon & Susan Sweedler, Jon Tracy, Anonymous

ASSOCIATE MEMBER ($125-$249)

Lynda H Barber, Gerhard and Kathleen Bette, Jack Codd, Fair & Levit Family, Eric Garcia, Anirvan Ghosh, Cindy Goldfield, Gina Harris, Gregg Le Blanc, Jonathan Luskin, Lisa A. Mammel, Tobi Marcus, Paris McCarthy, Michelle Nedboy, Doug Peckler & Evelyn Jean Pine , Jesus Reyes, Mary Ann and Malcolm Rodgers, Emily Brauer Rogers, John J. Ruskin, Kathryn Ryan, Diane Sampson, Christine Sheppard, Susan Terris, Bex White, Christian Edward Wilburn, Susannah Wise & Scott Lebus, Anonymous (2)

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.

DONATE

PlayGround Company

PlayGround Writers Pool 2023-24

Daniel Baxter, Robyn Brooks, Nicole Apostol Bruno, Madeleine Butler, Jediah Craig, Cherielyn Ferguson, Elizabeth Flanagan, Ipsheeta Furtado, KT Frances Hartline, Sam Hurwitt, Tejahra Jacobs, Ruth Kirschner, Steve Koppman, Sarena Kuhn, Greg Lam, Jennifer Le Blanc, Kristy Lin Billuni, Justin P. Lopez, Mikee Loria, Daniel Martinez, Jr, Alanna McFall, Matthew Morishige, Richard Perez, Bridgette Dutta Portman, Xinyuan Pu, Kimberly Ridgeway, George Rose, David Schweidel, Louel Señores, Stan Stone, Lisa Thompson, Mike Tuton, Kaz Valtchev, Michael Waterson, Christian Wilburn, Maury Zeff

PlayGround Resident Playwrights 2023-24

Cass Brayton, Bailey Jordan Garcia, M.J. Kang, Samuel Kelly Fair Levit, Daniel Martinez, Jr., Matthew Y. Morishige, Molly Olis Krost, Evelyn Jean Pine, Bridgette Dutta Portman, Alexis Standridge, Leela Velautham, Jennie Webb

PlayGround Company

Molly Aaronson-Gelb, Angel Adedokun, Patrick Alparone, Linda Amayo-Hassan, Liz Anderson, Rinabeth Apostol, Michael Asberry, Michael Barrett Austin, Mary Baird, April Ballesteros, Tanika Baptiste, Aldo Billingslea, Millie Brooks, Julia Brothers, Nicole Apostol Bruno, Lizzie Calogero, Ron Campbell, Joy Carlin, Nancy Carlin, Ben Chau-Chiu, Tessa Corrie, David Cramer, Will Dao, Anne Darragh, Roshni Datta, Khalia Davis, Natalia Delgado, Dodds Delzell, Livia Gomes Demarchi, Carolyn Doyle, Leticia Duarte, Nora el Samahy, Rebecca Ennals, Gisela Feied, Britney Frazier, Michael French, Claire Ganem, Sarah Gasser, Norman Gee, Douglas B. Giorgis, Linda Giron, Amy Glazer, Cindy Goldfield, BW Gonzalez, Gabriel Grilli, Rudy Guerrero, Rosie Hallett, Katherine Hamilton, Eric Fraisher Hayes, Brian Herndon, Monica Ho, Champagne Hughes, 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, Sam Misner, Brady Morales-Woolery, Lisa Morse, Khary L. Moye, Molly Noble, Karen Offereins, Annette Oliveira, Soren Oliver, Ely Sonny Orquiza, Tony Ortega, Doyle Ott, June Palladino, Carla Pantoja, Louis Parnell, Jed Parsario, Michael Phillis, Krystle Piamonte, Rebecca Pingree, Stephanie Prentice, Ezra Reaves, Virginia Reed, Cathleen Riddley, Kimberly Ridgeway, Katja Rivera, Adrian Roberts, Stacy Ross, Adam Roy, Katie Rubin, Patrick Russell, Miyoko Sakatani, Louel Señores, 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, Christian Wilburn, Elena Wright, Hector Zavala

PlayGround Staff

Jim Kleinmann, Co-Founder & Artistic Director
Jacque Bugler, Production Manager/General Manager
Lana Richards, Associate Director of Development
Bacilio Mendez II, Executive Producer
Norman Gee, Associate Producer
Katja Rivera, Associate Producer
Tessa Corrie, Casting Associate
Patricia Cotter, Casting Associate
Brittany Mellerson, Resident Designer
Sarah Gasser, Resident Stage Manager
Darius Adamson Jr., 2023-24 Producing Fellow
River Bermudez Sanders, 2023-24 Producing Fellow
Zoe Chien, 2023-24 Producing Fellow
Carmia Imani, 2023-24 Producing Fellow
Julie Lippert-Pasco, 2023-24 Producing Fellow
Xinyuan Pu, 2023-24 Producing Fellow
Christy Spence, 2023-24 Producing Fellow
Emily Zhou, 2023-24 Producing Fellow

PlayGround Ambassadors 2022-23

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 Equity Workgroup

Diana Burbano, Victoria Evans Erville, Norman Gee, Jim Kleinmann, Brittany Mellerson, Tiana Randall-Quant, Katja Rivera, M. Graham Smith

PlayGround Board of Directors

Stephanie Prentice, Chair
James A. Kleinmann, President
Emilie Talbot, Vice President
Nitin, Treasurer
Diana Burbano, Secretary
Regina Guggenheim, Chair Emeritus
Tanvi Agrawal
Linda Amayo-Hassan
Hillary DeMartino
Katie May
Bacilio Mendez II
Rebecca Martinez
David Steele
Christian Wilburn

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