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Feature Stories and Reviews

BroadwayWorld: PlayGround's 2025 "A Very Hitchcock Christmas"

September 29, 2025

BroadwayWorld: PlayGround's 2025 "A Very Hitchcock Christmas"

VERY HITCHCOCK CHRISTMAS Returns to PlayGround for Its Fourth Year! The darkly comic holiday tradition will play live at Potrero Stage and stream nationwide December 6–7, 2025. PlayGround will present the fourth annual A Very Hitchcock Christmas, a “twisted” holiday tradition featuring five short plays inspired by Alfred Hitchcock classics. This year’s edition features three world premieres—Dial M for Merry by Christian Wilburn, Fool Proof by Kimberly Ridgeway, and Shadow of an Uncle Nick by Mark Sherstinsky—alongside two returning audience favorites: The Birds is Coming by Jonathan Josephson and How the Bates (Almost) Stole Christmas by J.S. Puller. Each piece offers a Hitchcockian spin on holiday chaos, drawing inspiration from Psycho, Dial M for Murder, Shadow of a Doubt, Strangers on a Train, and The Birds.

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Vox Nova Playwright Festival Winners Announced by Theatri

August 31, 2025

Vox Nova Playwright Festival Winners Announced by Theatri

Theatricus has unveiled the winners of the inaugural VOX NOVA Playwright Festival: a landmark event dedicated to elevating fresh voices in contemporary theatre. Following a nationwide call for original scripts, three outstanding playwrights have been selected as the First, Second, and Third Place Awardees. Third Place Winner: "These Violent Delights" by Jonathan Josephson

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The Roustabouts: Celebration of New Writers

May 27, 2024

The Roustabouts: Celebration of New Writers

Celebration of New Writers

Featuring new works by Les Abromovitz, Stephanie Buckley, Yide Cai, Allie Costa, Susan Lily Jackson, Jonathan Josephson, Carla Navarro & Matthew Salazar-Thompson


San Diego has a diverse and underrepresented pool of talented playwrights. Part of our mission is to produce new works. The Roustabouts Theatre Co. is dedicated to providing experiences and opportunities for artists and diverse audiences, both onstage and off. The evening of writers includes short new pieces with a discussion afterward. Our team brings together local talents in the best light, to introduce you to the next artistic wave.

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Winters Express: Celebrate spring with the Winters Theatre Company

April 20, 2022

Winters Express: Celebrate spring with the Winters Theatre Company

"Jorge Hosts Chanukah a play by Jonathan Josephson, provides both laughter and tears as the plot reveals Jorge, a Mexican-American, who is a recent convert to Judaism. In his new status, Jorge must both please his Jewish wife Hannah, and appease his father Mr. Salas. The resolution of the two cultural traditions provide challenges to father and son, while at the same time reveal the common humanity which these two cultures share."

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American Theatre Magazine: PlayGround Resident Playwrights and Company Members

August 14, 2025

American Theatre Magazine: PlayGround Resident Playwrights and Company Members

PlayGround has announced its 2025-26 Company, including the Writers Pool, Resident Playwrights, and Artist Company. These 160-plus artists will fuel PlayGround’s incubator programs over the next season, fostering the development of more than 150 original short and full-length plays. The 2025-26 Writers Pool includes Linda Ayres-Frederick, Paul Braverman, Robyn Brooks, Madeleine Butler, Melina Cohen-Bramwell, Jediah Craig, Laura Domingo, Garret Groenveld, KT Frances Hartline, Carl Andrew Johnson, Ruth Kirschner, Greg Lam, Justin P. Lopez, Daniel Martinez Jr, Gillian O’Leary, Richard Perez, James Perry, Bridgette Dutta Portman, Jan Probst, Kimberly Ridgeway, George Rose, Sophie Ruf, Sanjit Sengupta, Greg Sigur, Chris Steele, Stan Stone, Lisa Gaye Thompson, and Maury Zeff.


The 2025-26 Resident Playwrights are: from San Francisco, Monique Adams, Madeleine Butler, Laura Domingo, Bridgette Dutta Portman, Daniel Martinez Jr., and Christian Wilburn; from Los Angeles, Summer Broyhill, Amy Ellenberger, Paris Herbert-Taylor, Jonathan Josephson, Mercedes Segesvary, and Baylee Shlichtman; from New York, Saiya Floyd, Howard Ho, Dana Leslie Goldstein, Wade Lawrence Hollomon, Lyra Nalan, and Camron Wright; and from Chicago, Anne Brady, Jessie Bond, alfonzo kahlil, Juliet Kang Huneke, Karissa Murrell Myers, and Katherine Swan.

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NoHo Arts District: All You Need is Rush (featuring "Terrors Across the Universe")

March 1, 2024

NoHo Arts District: All You Need is Rush (featuring "Terrors Across the Universe")

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Celebrate the musical legacy of the Fab Four with Force of Nature Productions’ RUSH play festival, “All You Need is RUSH,” from March 22-24. “Here Comes the Sun.” “Yesterday.” “Hey Jude.” And, of course, “All You Need is Love.” The Beatles, as a group, lasted barely a decade. Yet John, Paul, George, and Ringo remain responsible for some of the greatest and most memorable songs of all time. Join Force of Nature Productions this March as they honor the Fab Four in our own, unique way, with a Beatles-themed RUSH play festival, appropriately titled “All You Need is RUSH.” Seven original plays inspired by some of their most iconic tunes. Brought to life for the first time in 2016, the RUSH is Force of Nature’s unique play festival format, uniting actors, writers, and directors in a collaborative whirlwind of creative energy. “All You Need is RUSH” is their 18th such show.

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Chance Theatre: [PHOTOS] Staged reading of “Norine & The King of Swatsville”

September 21, 2023

Chance Theatre: [PHOTOS] Staged reading of “Norine & The King of Swatsville”

Thank you to the cast & crew of last night’s OTR staged reading of Jonathan Josephson’s new true crime mystery, “Norine & The King of Swatsville.” The inspired-by-a-true-story tale was brought to life for a sold-out crowd in the Fyda-Mar Stage last night, with Josephson walking away with high praise for the new play and some feedback for him to incorporate into the next draft.

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Davis Enterprise: "Jorge Hosts Chanukah" part of Winters Theatre "Spring Fling"

April 21, 2022

Davis Enterprise: "Jorge Hosts Chanukah" part of Winters Theatre "Spring Fling"

Jorge Hosts Chanukah, a play by Jonathan Josephson, provides both laughter and tears as the plot reveals Jorge, a Mexican-American, who is a recent convert to Judaism. In his new status, Jorge must both please his Jewish wife Hannah, and appease his father Mr. Salas. The resolution of the two cultural traditions provide challenges to father and son, while at the same time reveal the common humanity which these two cultures share."

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Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of Force of Nature!

April 1, 2025

Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of Force of Nature!

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Join Force of Nature Productions in a celebration of the 10th season with their production of Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of FON! April 25-27. About Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of FON! In 2016, Force of Nature created a fun little show as a last-minute request to fill out a weekend. The show called RUSH became a huge success and a staple of the company’s season year after year. Now, in its 19th iteration and celebrating the company’s 10th anniversary, Force of Nature honors a decade of laughs, tears, and craziness with Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of FON. Featuring War, Famine, and Bailey! by Jonathan Josephson

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Etcetera Theatre: New Artist Showcase

May 22, 2024

Etcetera Theatre: New Artist Showcase

Rebound Productions' EMERGING ARTISTS SHOWCASE are back this Spring with 7 pieces of new writing and an ensemble of 18 actors:

PHONE FRIEND by Jonathan Josephson
With Sunneth & Fennella Nkansah
THE UNDERCURRENT by J.Lois Diamond
With Juniper Day & Gaetano Drago
CARTWHEELS by Jason Rainey
With Sowmya JayKrish & Wunmi Daniel
WATER BAR by Tracie Morrison
With Samuel Frazer, Camerin Courtney & Eva Lourence
THE MORNING AFTER by Richard Power
With Daniel Woodger, Marta Gottardis & Terence Hughes
DUELS & DÉTENTES by Marguerite Arbogast
With Michail Petkoglou, Joanna Norledge & Chloe Wan
PALS by Hannah Westall
With Rebekah Oelrichs, Nikita Kinzonzi & Kirsty Campbell

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UNLV News Center: Nevada Conservatory Theatre Hosts 'A Festival of Short Plays' Feb. 9-25

January 18, 2024

UNLV News Center: Nevada Conservatory Theatre Hosts 'A Festival of Short Plays' Feb. 9-25

Join the Nevada Conservatory Theatre for an evening of short plays that will move and inspire you Feb. 9-25 in the Black Box Theatre. A short play is nimble. A short play is surprising. They are poignant, fun, and irreverent. Directed by local Las Vegas artists, 'A Festival of Short Plays' will be an evening not to be missed... Alongside veteran playwrights Jamie Pachino and Jonathan Josephson, NCT introduces Las Vegas to powerful new voices in American Theatre: Veronica Tjioe, Jeffrey Lo, Nandita Shenoy, and Jean Ann Douglass...

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Florida Weekly: Stage It! 5 - "Jorge Hosts Chanukah

May 6, 2021

Florida Weekly: Stage It! 5 - "Jorge Hosts Chanukah

The Fifth Annual Stage It! Ten-Minute Play Festival will be held May 14-16 at the Performing Arts Center, Moe Auditorium & Film Center, 10150 Bonita Beach Road. All tickets $25. During the Stage It! Festival, eight directors utilizing local talent will present plays of varying styles including comedy, historical, drama, farce, existential and noir. Subjects involve divorce, the right to vote, death, stardom, self-discovery and drunken shenanigans. After the performances, actors, directors and attending playwrights are available for a brief talkback.

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