The One PlayGround Gala is nearly here!

From the company that brought you the PlayGround Zoom Fest comes a one-of-a-kind gala fundraiser, bringing together members of the PlayGround community across four cities – San Francisco, Los Angeles, NYC and Chicago – to celebrate PlayGround’s expanded national presence and impact. The Monday, September 19 One PlayGround Gala is the can’t-miss party of the season, all in support of a great cause and featuring the perfect mix of fine food, entertaining live performances (from SF, LA, and NY!), and your favorite theatre-makers! 

Among the many distinguished PlayGround artists and supporters in attendance will be Masters of Ceremonies Ben Cain, Julia Brothers, and Jed Parsario, new PlayGround Board Chair Stephanie Prentice, and Honorary Gala Chair Peggy Haas. We’ll also have the privilege of honoring two outstanding figures of the PlayGround community: our beloved Annie Stuart, who recently departed her role of Associate Artistic Director after a formidable 25 years of dedication to the company; and the estimable Regina Guggenheim, PlayGround board member since 2006 and Board Chair since 2011. In the course of Regina’s tenure, PlayGround has tripled in size, adding PlayGround Artistic Director Jim Kleinmann as its first full-time employee, creating the state-of-the-art Potrero Stage: PlayGround Center for New Plays, and expanding to Los Angeles, NYC and now Chicago, with online simulcasts available worldwide. We’re grateful for and excited to shine a light on these two amazing individuals and to celebrate their many contributions to PlayGround at the September 19 fête.

This year’s hybrid in-person and online event, accessible to guests throughout the country, will feature live performances of three plays selected from this past year’s Best of PlayGround and representing our increased national presence: THIS IS BEAUTY by Bailey Jordan Garcia (Best of PlayGround-NY), directed by Abigail Rosen, and featuring Sarah Guilbault and Michael Curry; THE INTERVENTION by Ayesha Siddiqui (Best of PlayGround-LA), directed by Ivan Rivas, and featuring Summer Broyhill, Ben Cain, Lea Madda, and Gary Poux; and THEY DUN IT by Alanna McFall (Best of PlayGround), directed by Tessa Corrie, and featuring Bacilio Mendez II, Jed Parsario, Stephanie Prentice, and Maryssa Wanlass.

Individual tickets for remote participation or in-person gatherings at San Francisco’s Potrero Stage, Los Angeles’ Broadwater Plunge, as well as central locations (to be announced)  in NYC and Chicago are $250, and include a four-course gourmet meal and live/interactive access to performances, testimonials and more. Host tickets are $500 per person (tables of 8 are $4,000) and include the dinner, live/interactive access, priority seating for in-person gatherings, free concierge service for remote gatherings, and recognition on the Host Committee.

All proceeds directly support the artists behind Monday Night PlayGround, the cornerstone of PlayGround and a launchpad for some of the most important playwrights in the American theatre landscape today, including Lauren Yee, Jonathan Spector, Geetha Reddy, and Aaron Loeb, and Ruben Grijalva. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

To reserve your tickets, visit https://playground-sf.org/benefit or call (415) 992-6677.

About the Honorees

Annie Stuart served as casting director for PlayGround for the past 24 seasons and in 2005 was named Associate Director, eventually becoming Associate Artistic Director. With PlayGround, Annie contributed to every aspect of the artistic development of the company including the PlayGround films, the script evaluations and publications, the expansion into LA and New York, and her favorite in-house program, Recess. She often followed the development of playwrights and cast their plays in other venues and premiere productions. As a freelance casting director, her other credits include Marin Theatre Company, SF Playhouse. Center REP, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, San Francisco and Los Angeles Shakespeare Festivals, Brava!, Theatre Rhinoceros, and Z Space, among others. For more than two decades, Annie has cast over 300 roles per season on behalf of PlayGround, making her one of the most active casting directors in the Bay Area.

Regina Guggenheim is a native Texan who received her undergraduate degree from Carleton College and her MFA from the Yale School of Drama, where she first met classmate, Jim Kleinmann. Prior to settling in the Bay Area, she worked as an assistant general manager on Broadway, as well as stage and production manager from Madison Square Garden to a variety of tours/productions throughout the United States and Canada. Regina spent two decades at Broadway San Francisco, serving as Vice President of Production and Theatre Operations. She was a proud part of a leadership team that grew BSF from an $80MM theater company to a $200MM premier entertainment provider, prior to its purchase by ATG in 2021. She also served as line producer for their in-house events, bringing artists from Neil Degrasse Tyson to Sting BSF stages. Regina had the honor and delight to serve on the PlayGround board as both a member and its first chair. It has been a privilege to watch PlayGround’s growth, from bringing on Jim as a full-time staff to our home at Potrero Stage to the incredible new programs that have made PlayGround a local hub and national presence. Regina is currently working for KFF, an endowed, nonprofit organization filling the need for trusted, independent information on national health issues.

Gala F.A.Q.

Q: What is a hybrid in-person/online gala?
A: This year’s gala will take place simultaneously in-person in central locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, NYC and Chicago, and online via video conferencing. The entire gala experience will be shared with all guests, regardless of location.

Q: Can I participate in the gala from my home?
A: Yes. We’ll arrange for live online interactive access (strong internet connection req’d) and delivery of a four-course gourmet gala meal to wherever you are. To purchase an at-home gala ticket, click here.

Q: What are the COVID protocols for in-person attendance?
A: We require all guests to provide proof of full vaccination and to be symptom-free. Masks are recommended when not eating or drinking.

Q: What is the tax-deductible value of the gala ticket?
A: The direct cost is $125.00 per person, i.e., $125.00 is tax-deductible on a general gala ticket and $375.00 is tax-deductible on a host individual ticket.

Q: Will there be a vegetarian or vegan option available? What if I have a food allergy?
A: We can provide vegetarian and/or vegan meals for the gala upon request. PlayGround will contact all attendees a week in advance of the event to confirm if there are any special dietary restrictions.

Q: If I can’t attend, is there still a way to support the event?
A: Yes, you can make a secure online tax-deductible donation to the Gala by clicking here.