Company in the News Feb-2025

See what PlayGround-LA Writers, Alumni, and Company Members are up to this February!

Aaron Higareda would like to invite you all to come watch South Hope St.! First directed by Jim Kleinmann and developed at PlayGround-LA, the short play will be presented in the Teatro Frida Kahlo 10-Minute Play Festival Part 2 along side 9 other short works. Tickets are $20 and can be bought at the door or in advance. Take a ride with Sergio, an ex-gangmember born-again Christian, on the bus in LA as he tries to guide others to their destination to find God. Get tickets here!

Jully Lee is directing Salvation on Westwood Blvd. by Nancy Beverly in Fierce Backbone’s “Think and Imagine” short play festival (February 7 – 22) at the Zephyr Theatre (PlayGround-LA’s former stomping grounds!) Jully is also performing in the world premiere of Empty Ride by Keiko Green at The Old Globe in San Diego (February 8 – March 2). Learn more on Jully’s website!

Allie Costa recently booked and filmed a fun film – Stay tuned! Her play Don’t Fear the Reaper, which began at PlayGround-LA, is currently running at the Nightshade festival in Illinois. Domesticated will be produced in Indiana in late February. How I Know Her was selected for a festival taking place in New York in March. Learn more on Allie’s website and Allie’s imdb!

Jon Gentry‘s award-winning solo show Black Bastard returns to Los Angeles at the 2025 WhiteFire SoloFest February 21st at 8pm. Winner of the 2024 Soaring Solo Social Impact Award, Best of Asylum and Best of Free-Play, the piece contends that humans are collective “bastards” on an eternal quest for selfhood and someplace to call home. Learn more here!

Andrew Joseph Perez, after pivoting into audiobook narration during Covid, has now officially narrated over 100 titles! Learn more here!

Evan Baughfman‘s vampire-comedy, More Than a Sunburn, will have its Arizona premiere as part of B3 Theater’s Laugh Your Shorts Off Comedy Festival, performed February 28th and March 1st at Scottsdale Neighborhood Arts Place. Learn more here!

Mildred Inez Lewis‘s short play Mermaids Are Fearful and Wild Things will be performed by Plays for Us in March at NYC’s Pictor Gallery. We Four, her full length about a conservative Black fraternity, was workshopped through Howard University’s Play Development Lab.

Daysha Veronica is gearing up to release season 2 of her podcast, Real Talk Friend Therapy, which is all about having frank discussions with guests and mental health professionals on what it means to be a friend as an adult. Her goal with the podcast is to help people make more deep, meaningful friendships as well as to release relationships that no longer serve them. Season 1 is available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. Season 2 will be dropping in early February! Learn more here!

Rachel Berney Needleman is directing a workshop production of a new play: Willing Suspension of Disbelief by Katherine James. This is an intense and rewarding work-in-progress about secrets, lies, and truth. Open invitation for all to come see the play and share feedback for its continued development. All performances are pay-what-you-want (suggested donation $25) at the Pacific Resident Theatre Co-op in Venice. Learn more here!