PlayGround-Chicago Writers Pool 2026-27

Daniel Arzola, Andrea Berting, Mab De Guzman, Tanuja Devi Jagernauth, Betsy Dudak, Alex Fortune, Prasanthi Gandhi, Liz Haas, Dana Hall, James Hayakawa, Joslyn Housley, Samantha Hurley, Toby Inoue, Jessica Johnson, alfonzo kahlil, James Kelsey Nelson, Alex Kingsley, Alan Maass, Sydney MacGilvray, Ishita Mishra, Shail Modi, Lani Montreal, J.S. Puller, Matt Schutz, Katherine Swan, Walter Todd, Lux Vargas, and Gregory Von Dare.

PlayGround Resident Playwrights 2026-27

San Francisco: Monique Adams, Robyn Brooks, Tom Bruett, Garret Groenveld, KT Frances Hartline**, Vicky Pham, Richard Perez*, Evy Pine, Sophia Ruf, Stan Stone, Maury Zeff.

Los Angeles: Michael Adams, Damian Arteaga*, Esther Banegas Gatica**, Rachel Harner, Jonathan Josephson, Mildred Lewis, Cara Sanchez, Baylee Shlichtman; Daysha Veronica, Jennie Webb.

New York: Ash, Saiya Floyd, Dana Leslie Goldstein, Bram Hartman, Howard Ho, Wade Lawrence Hollomon, Nina Ki, Uma Incrocci**, Gaurav Mishra, Lyra Nalan.

Chicago: Anne Brady, Betsy Dudak*, Dana Hall*, Toby Inoue**, alfonzo solomon kahlil, Alex Kingsley, Bacillio Mendez II, Shail Modi, J.S. Puller, Matt Shultz, Katherine Swan.

* Playwrights under commission for the 2026-27 season

** June Anne Baker Award Winner

PlayGround-Chicago Company

Valerie Butler-Newbern, Devin Christor, Andrea Conway-Diaz, Yvette Corrine, Lynda Cortez, Vivian Delgadillo, Spencer Diedrick, Eileen Dixon, Sheri Flanders, Skylar Frishman, Scott Gryder, Charlotte Harris, Carmia Imani, Charlie Levinson, Beau Malone, Kaeli Meno, Paige Mesina, Ilsa Morales, Alka Nayyar, Leanna Oliveira, Dakota Pariset, Kendall Phillips, Shariba Rivers, Diana Simonzadeh, Brooke-Erin Smith, Peter Stielstra, Tyler Struble, William C. Thompson, Kezia Waters, Karla Wren, Braedyn Youngberg, Jordan Zelvin.

Staff

Jim Kleinmann, Co-Founder & Artistic Director
Devin Christor, Executive Producer
Leanna Oliveira, Associate Producer
Brooke-Erin Smith, Associate Producer
Karissa Murrell Myers, Casting Director
Blaire Battle, 2026-27 Producing Fellow
Ben Chau-Chiu, 2026-27 Producing Fellow
Amanda Ng, 2026-27 Producing Fellow
Savaun Stokes, 2026-27 Producing Fellow
Sissi Chen, 2026-27 Directing Apprentice
Karl Hawkins, 2026-27 Directing Apprentice
Anna Item, 2026-27 Directing Apprentice