Solo Fest 2021 – Featuring Rayshawn Chism, and Joni Ravenna!

It’s nigh time for the 4th Annual PlayGround Solo Performance Festival, celebrating the work of intrepid solo performers as they harness their immense imaginations to captivate our attention for close to an hour — no small feat for a solitary creative in front of an attentive audience. This year’s festival boasts an impressive roster of personal storytelling, free-wheeling fiction, and docudrama dives into histories public and private.  We encourage you to catch every show at least once for the full experience, but to help you sift through the embarrassment of riches and learn a little more about our creatives, we asked our performers (and writers!) a few questions about their relationships with Solo Performance and PlayGround!

Next up: performer Rayshawn Chism (he/him) in PlayGround LA writer Joni Ravenna’s (she/her) play  Beethoven and Misfortune Cookies!

PG: Why is Solo Performance important to you?
JR: This play has been called ‘a powerful Black Lives Matter Play’. It’s important for us to get that message of the play out there.
RC: It gives an artist the opportunity to display their talent outside of their family and friends. 

PG: How is the PlayGround Solo Fest helping you reach your artistic goals?
JR: By giving us yet another forum. We’ve been blessed this year to appear onstage, virtually, via podcast, and now with the prestigious PlayGround Solo Fest.
RC: Being able to participate in festival at this level is an amazing experience. Just checking off another item off my artistic bucket list. 

PG: In one sentence, what should audiences expect from your show?
JR: An experience that touches head, gut and heart.
RC: A rollercoaster of emotions.

You have two chances to catch Joni and Rayshawn’s show in the Solo Fest: opening weekend 1/23/2021 @ 7PM PT, and second weekend 1/31/2021 @7PM PT!
Click either date to purchase tickets for that event, and check out the full schedule of performances in this year’s festival!