9TH ANNUAL PLAYGROUND SOLO PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL

January 16-February 8, 2026
Potrero Stage & Simulcast
ON-DEMAND THRU FEB 15
Admission-Free (Suggested Donation: $10-$30)

TICKETS READ THE PRESS RELEASE

The lineup for the ninth annual PlayGround Solo Performance Festival has been announced! A curation of the best in solo performance, the festival runs January 16-February 8, 2026 (Thurs-Mon), live at San Francisco’s Potrero Stage and simulcast online. The festival of new solo work features 17 solo performers and 58 performances (the largest in PlayGround’s history!), including work by Linda Ayres-Frederick, Blaire Battle, Diana Brown, Kristen Cosby, Carolyn Doyle, Ketsia Duval, Nicole Galland, Emil Amok Guillermo, Caroline Hawthorne, Ric Iverson, Susan Lily Jackson, Emily M. Keyishian, Joshua Klein, Brian Leonard, Schaeffer Nelson, Miyoko Sakatani, RJ Silva, and Puja Tolton.

This year’s festival was competitively selected from open applications, and is a direct extension of PlayGround’s mission and commitment to the discovery of bold new voices for the stage and the development of innovative and timely original content. Tickets are Admission-Free (Suggested Donation: $10-$30). All donations directly support PlayGround and our guest artists.

SCHEDULE BY TITLE

69, Emil Amok: A Real Journalist Stands Up written and performed by Emil Amok Guillermo
Sat, Jan 17 at 7pm; Mon, Jan 26 at 8:30pm; Mon, Feb 2 at 8:30pm; Sat, Feb 7 at 2:30pm

Advanced Sexual Education: A One* Woman** Show written and performed by Blaire Battle
Fri, Jan 30 at 7pm; Sat, Jan 31 at 5:30pm; Sun, Feb 1 at 2:30pm

When You Are Called by Diana Brown and Susan Lily Jackson, performed by Diana Brown
Thurs, Feb 5 at 7pm; Sat, Feb 7 at 5:30pm; Sun, Feb 8 at 8:30pm

Broken Borders written and performed by Emily M. Keyishian
Sun, Jan 18 at 5:30pm; Sat, Jan 24 at 7pm; Sat, Feb 7 at 8:30pm

Clara written and performed by Linda Ayres-Frederick
Sat, Jan 17 at 2:30pm, Thurs, Jan 22 at 8:30pm, Sun, Feb 1 at 7pm, Fri, Feb 6 at 8:30pm

Fagnostic written and performed by Ric Iverson
Sat, Jan 17 at 8:30pm; Mon, Jan 19 at 8:30pm; Sun, Jan 25 at 2:30pm; Sun, Feb 8 at 5:30pm

Fated Emergence written and performed by Ketsia Duval
Sat, Jan 17 at 4pm; Sun, Jan 25 at 7pm; Sun, Feb 1 at 8:30pm

Good Grief! Tales of a Persistent Blockhead written and performed by Carolyn Doyle, directed by Kendall Tieck
Mon, Jan 26 at 7pm; Sat, Jan 31 at 8:30pm; Sun, Feb 1 at 5:30pm; Sun, Feb 8 at 4pm

In The Spirit of Gaman: The Mitsuye Endo Story written and performed by Miyoko Sakatani
Fri, Feb 6 at 7pm; Sat, Feb 7 at 4pm; Sun, Feb 8 at 7pm

The iPhone Arias written and performed by Caroline Hawthorne
Fri, Jan 23 at 7pm; Sat, Jan 24 at 8:30pm; Sun, Jan 25 at 4pm

Possession: Invitation and Exultation written by Christopher Robin Magee, performed by Puja Tolton
Sun, Jan 18 at 8:30pm; Sat, Jan 24 at 2:30pm; Sat, Jan 31 at 7pm

The Retreat written by Nicole Galland, performed by Éowyn Mader, directed by Nancy Carlin
Fri, Jan 16 at 8:30pm, Thurs, Feb 5 at 8:30pm, Sat, Feb 7 at 7pm; Sun, Feb 8 at 2:30pm

The Specimen: A Horror Play written and performed by Schaeffer Nelson
Sun, Jan 18 at 2:30pm; Sat, Jan 24 at 4pm; Thurs, Jan 29 at 8:30pm; Mon, Feb 2 at 7pm

Theatrical Monologues: From Shakespeare to Modern adapted and performed by Joshua Klein
Sun, Jan 18 at 7pm; Sun, Jan 25 at 8:30pm; Sun, Feb 1 at 4pm

Therapist Zero written and performed by Brian Leonard
Mon, Jan 19 at 7pm; Fri, Jan 23 at 8:30pm; Sun, Jan 25 at 5:30pm; Sat, Jan 31 at 2:30pm

When the Skeleton Does Not Stand written and performed by Kristen Cosby
Fri, Jan 16 at 7pm; Sat, Jan 17 at 5:30pm; Sun, Jan 18 at 4pm

You Eat So Well! written and performed by RJ Silva
Thurs, Jan 29 at 7pm; Fri, Jan 30 at 8:30pm; Sat, Jan 31 at 4pm

SCHEDULE BY DATE

Friday, January 16, 2026
7:00pm When the Skeleton Does Not Stand
8:30pm The Retreat

Saturday, January 17, 2026
2:30pm Clara
4:00pm Emergence
5:30pm When the Skeleton Does Not Stand
7:00pm 69, Emil Amok: A Real Journalist Stands Up
8:30pm Fagnostic

Sunday, January 18, 2026
2:30pm The Specimen: A Horror Play
4:00pm When the Skeleton Does Not Stand
5:30pm Broken Borders
7:00pm Theatrical Monologues: From Shakespeare to Modern
8:30pm Possession: Invitation and Exultation

Monday, January 19, 2026
7:00pm Therapist Zero
8:30pm Fagnostic

Thursday, January 22, 2026
8:30pm Clara

Friday, January 23, 2026
7:00pm The iPhone Arias
8:30pm Therapist Zero

Saturday, January 24, 2026
2:30pm Possession: Invitation and Exultation
4:00pm The Specimen: A Horror Play
7:00pm Broken Borders
8:30pm The iPhone Arias

Sunday, January 25, 2026
2:30pm Fagnostic
4:00pm The iPhone Arias
5:30pm Therapist Zero
7:00pm Fated Emergence
8:30pm Theatrical Monologues: From Shakespeare to Modern

Monday, January 26, 2026
7:00pm Good Grief: Tales of a Persistent Blockhead
8:30pm 69, Emil Amok: A Real Journalist Stands Up

Thursday, January 29, 2026
7:00pm You Eat So Well
8:30pm The Specimen: A Horror Play

Friday, January 30, 2026
7:00pm Advanced Sexual Education: A One* Woman** Show
8:30pm You Eat So Well

Saturday, January 31, 2026
2:30pm Therapist Zero
4:00pm You Eat So Well
5:30pm Advanced Sexual Education: A One* Woman** Show
7:00pm Possession: Invitation and Exultation
8:30pm Good Grief: Tales of a Persistent Blockhead

Sunday, February 1, 2026
2:30pm Advanced Sexual Education: A One* Woman** Show
4:00pm Theatrical Monologues: From Shakespeare to Modern
5:30pm Good Grief: Tales of a Persistent Blockhead
7:00pm Clara
8:30pm Fated Emergence

Monday, February 2, 2026
7:00pm The Specimen: A Horror Play
8:30pm69, Emil Amok: A Real Journalist Stands Up

Thursday, February 5, 2026
7:00pm When You Are Called
8:30pm The Retreat

Friday, February 6, 2026
7:00pm In The Spirit of Gaman: The Mitsuye Endo Story
8:30pm Clara

Saturday, February 7, 2026
2:30pm 69, Emil Amok: A Real Journalist Stands Up
4:00pm In The Spirit of Gaman: The Mitsuye Endo Story
5:30pm When You Are Called
7:00pm The Retreat
8:30pm Broken Borders

Sunday, February 8, 2026
2:30pm The Retreat
4:00pm Good Grief: Tales of a Persistent Blockhead
5:30pm Fagnostic
7:00pm In The Spirit of Gaman: The Mitsuye Endo Story
8:30pm When You Are Called

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