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BEYOND THE ELEVATOR PITCH: HOW TO CREATE LASTING INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS
A MASTERCLASS WITH NAN BARNETT AND JESSICA BIRD BEZA
SUNDAY AUGUST 16, 2026
10-12PM PT / 1-3PM ET (ON ZOOM)
SLIDING SCALE $45-$75
For many freelance artists, the hardest part of the job isn’t the craft, it’s the conversation. Talking about your work, your ambitions, and your value to producers, collaborators, and peers can feel exposing, awkward, or downright terrifying. This masterclass is designed to change that. The session blends candid conversation, real stories from decades in the field, and hands-on practice with community learning.
This masterclass is led by two veteran new-play development leaders – Nan Barnett, Executive Director of National New Play Network, and Jessica Bird Beza, Executive Artistic Director of Playwrights Foundation – who both have experience coaching artists through these exact challenges.
Whether you’re early in your career or a seasoned freelancer who still dreads the “so, tell me about your work” moment, this masterclass offers a supportive space to own your artistry and practice the conversations that build a sustainable artistic life..
Click here for more information and to enroll.
SUNDAY STROLL WITH PLAYWRIGHTS
NORTH BAY WALK & PICNIC
SUNDAY AUGUST 16, 2-5PM
TIBURON OLD RAIL TRAIL
654 TIBURON BLVD, TIBURON, CA 94920
Leading up to the Bay Area Playwrights Festival in September, Playwrights Foundation is hosting a series of events to bring us all together to build & strengthen community and bring to life our theme for this year’s Festival: REVIVE – RESIST – RENEW!
Join Playwrights Foundation staff, artists, board and SF Bay Area theatre community friends and supporters for a walk and a BYO picnic along the Tiburon Historical Trail while learning more about Playwrights Foundation from staff, board, and playwrights.
Kids and dogs (on leash) welcome! More info and RSVP here.
47TH BAY AREA
PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
IN PERSON SEPTEMBER 18–27, 2026
THE RUEFF, A.C.T.’S STRAND THEATER
ON DEMAND OCTOBER 19-25, 2026
SINGLE TICKETS AND PASSES ARE NOW ON SALE!
Stay tuned for ON DEMAND reservations in July.
The hybrid 47th Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF47) welcomes four transformative playwrights who take us on a journey through inner and outer worlds, traversing time and space to REVIVE long-silenced voices, RESIST the forces that seek to oppress, and RENEW strength, healing, connection, and the power to create change.
Learn more about our BAPF47 playwrights and plays on our BAPF47 Festival Page
2026-2027
RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHTS
We are thrilled to introduce the cohort for the 2026–2027 Resident Playwrights Program, our two-year residency which offers up- and-coming Bay Area playwrights an artistic home and holistic support to personally grow and advance their career within a nurturing community – receiving financial investment, tailored career support from staff, cohort meetings and retreats, internal and public workshops as well as local and national networking opportunities and more.
Our 2026-2027 Resident Playwrights are:
Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada, and Julius Ernesto Rea.
Learn more about our 2026-2027
Resident Playwrights here.
Sam says…
“I had an amazing experience at BAPF and feel like I’m in a different place as a writer.”
-Sam Hamashima (them+), BAPF2021
Noelle says…
“One of the first orgs in San Francisco to invest and believe in me as a writer.
I ask you to support them because they helped me get to where I am today.”
-Noelle Viñas (she/her), RPI 2017-19, BAPF2020
Miyoko says…
“Consider supporting this amazing organization if you can!
Working with Playwrights Foundation was one of the best experiences of my playwriting life.”
– Miyoko Conley (she/her), BAPF2021
Highlights from our Alumni:
Bravo to David Henry Hwang (Yellow Face) and Jonathan Spector (Eureka Day) on their Tony nominations for Best Revival of a Play!
Both Yellow Face and Eureka Day were honored as nominees among this year’s top theatrical revivals at the 77th Annual Tony Awards live on June 16, 2025.
We’re so proud of Jonathan Spector (an alum of both our core programs, RPP and BAPF) for his win!
Congratulations to Naomi Iizuka on receiving the 2024-2025 Hermitage Award!
Congratulations to Naomi Iizuka (she/her, BAPF1998) on receiving the 2024-2025 Hermitage Award! The prize offers one of the largest unrestricted nonprofit theatre commissions in the United States. Naomi will receive a cash prize of $35,000, a residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat in Florida, and a developmental workshop in a major arts capital—which for this commission is anticipated to be Chicago in late 2026. Read more on playbill.com.
Congratulations to Madhuri Shekar on the theatrical release of A Nice Indian Boy based on her film.
A Nice Indian Boy follows Naveen (Karan Soni), who brings his fiancé Jay (Jonathan Groff) home to meet his traditional Indian family, who must contend with accepting his white-orphan-artist boyfriend and helping them plan the Indian wedding of their dreams. You can watch A Nice Indian Boy on digital platforms starting May 6, 2025. Learn more.