San Diego theater fans curious about what The Old Globe may have in its theatrical pipeline a year or two down the road can get a sneak peek this month when the Powers New Voices Festival returns to the Balboa Park theater for its 13th season.
Running Jan. 16 to 18 in the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre, the free, three-day festival will feature readings of seven new plays, including four by emerging and award-winning national playwrights, and three short works by San Diego playwrights in the Celebrating Community Voices program.
Over the years, multiple plays that were first presented as readings at the Powers festival went on to make their world premieres a few years later at the Globe. The festival’s lead underwriters ar Paula and Brian Powers and the festival is overseen by Danielle Mages Amato, the Globe’s director of new plays and dramaturgy.
“The 2026 Powers New Voices Festival celebrates the art of American playwriting,” said Barry Edelstein, the Globe’s artistic director, in a statement. “The Globe’s development of new work for the American stage shapes the national repertoire through commissions, workshops, and productions, and the Powers New Voices Festival is central to our efforts.
“This year’s Festival once again brings brilliant writers and works to San Diego. The range of material we’re showcasing is dazzling — there’s comedy, drama, political inquiry, and the rich complexity of family relationships. All of the writing is deep, passionate, smart, and inventive. It’s a great moment in American playwrighting, and our festival exemplifies what’s exciting about the reach and ambition of the American stage,” Edelstein said.
Admission to all plays is free, but Globe season subscribers get first priority. Any unreserved seats will be made available to the general public at noon Jan. 13 by calling 619-234-5623. Remaining seats will be offered to people in a standby line that will form 30 minutes before each performance.
Here’s the schedule for the 2026 Powers New Voices Festival:
Celebrating Community Voices – 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16
“War Diaries” by Daimary Sánchez Moreno: Directed by Valerie Vega and developed in collaboration with Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT), this play follows three soldiers who emerge victorious at the end of a war they can no longer remember. With fading memories, weary bodies, and no clear story of what they fought for, they refuse to return home until they recover the truth.
“Mother Wit” by Adena Varner: Directed by Desireé Clarke Miller and developed in collaboration with the George L. Stevens Fourth District Seniors Resource Center, this play is an intergenerational story that celebrates the strength, resilience, and lived wisdom of Black women. The play tells the autobiographical stories of two San Diego women leaders, Jamaica-born family physician Dr. Suzanne Afflalo and longtime Southeastern San Diego community leader Rosemary Pope reflecting on their childhoods, their families and the elders who shaped them.
“Los Alebrijes” by Gastón Morineau and Veronica Burgess: Directed by Valeria Vega and developed in collaboration with Casa Familiar, this plays takes a colorful journey into the Land of the Dead, where spirit guides help souls cross the bridge of cempasúchil (marigolds) for Día de los Muertos. Guided by Catrina (skeletons), the audience will meet a lively group of alebrijes (folk art sculptures of mythical creatures) as they learn what it truly means to accompany a soul with care.
Festival Series of New American Plays – Jan. 17 and 18
“On the Far End” by Mary Kathryn Nagle: Nagle is a Native American playwright whose works include “Sovereignty” and “Manahatta.” She’s also an attorney specializing in Native Nations tribal sovereignty. Her new one-woman play tells the true story of her mother-in-law, the late Muscogee leader Jean Hill Chaudhuri, who died in 1997. The play traces Chaudhuri’s family history from the Trail of Tears to her grandfather’s allotment in central Oklahoma. It begins with her running away from a Native boarding school, her marriage to a young Bengali scholar and the advocacy that became her life’s work. The title relates to the landmark 2020 U.S. Supreme Court opinion in McGirt v. Oklahoma that rejected Oklahoma’s attempt to extinguish the Muscogee Reservation. Madeline Sayet directs. 4 p.m. Jan. 17
“The Valentine Vendetta: A Famous Girl Detective’s Least Famous Case” by Laura Winters: This bicoastal playwright and screenwriter has been commissioned by the Globe to write this comic mystery caper about famed literary teen detective Nancy Drew. In this story, Nancy, her father, and her trusted housekeeper are heading up to an inn in the Adirondacks for a long weekend of skiing and cutting out paper Valentines until a murder occurs. It will take all of Nancy’s smarts and stylish outfits to figure out which one of her fellow guests is actually a killer. Maggie Burrows directs. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17.
“This Is Not an Immigrant Story” written and performed by Reza Salazar: Actor-playwright Reza Salazar based this solo play on his own childhood experiences growing up in South America performing with his mother as a street clown. In the play, Reza’s young mother takes her 5-year-old son on a “vacation” that lasts several years. When she runs out of money, she paints circles on their noses and they perform on the streets to survive. In the play, Salazar explores trauma, resilience and love through humor, compassion and physicality. Kate Whoriskey directs. 4 p.m. Jan. 18.
“Three-headed Monster” by JuCoby Johnson: This up-and-coming playwright, actor and poet’s latest play is about Kyrie, a 21-year-old parolee returning home to the Bronx after serving three years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Navigating the loss of his teenage years, the lingering wounds of his experience and a changed dynamic amongst his old friends, Kyrie tries to find his place in a world that has continued on without him. H. Adam Harris directs. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18.
The Old Globe’s Powers festival always kicks off the play-reading season at theaters countywide. Here’s the list of some of the other play-reading events coming in 2026.
2026 PLAY READING EVENTS AROUND TOWN
Actors take part in a play-reading at a previous DNA New Works Series at La Jolla Playhouse. (La Jolla Playhouse)
The Dee Silver, M.D. Commission — Cygnet Theatre, in collaboration with the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, will host a rading of Christopher Lysik’s new play “Songs for the Anthropocene.” 7 p.m. Jan. 17. Dottie Theatre, The Joan, 2880 Roosevelt Road, San Diego. Free. Reserve seats by phone at 619-337-1525 or email boxoffice@cygnettheatre.org.
Carlsbad Playreaders — Now in its 31st season, this yearlong series led by artistic director Melissa Fernandes presents free play readings at 7 p.m. on the first Mondays of each month. Next up, Neil Simon’s “California Suite” at 7 p.m. Feb. 2. Schulman Auditorium, Carlsbad City Library, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad. All shows are pay what you can or a season pass is $35. carlsbadplayreaders.com
New Year, New Draft — Loud Fridge Theatre Group has a yearlong workshop program for San Diego playwrights. Scenes from the 10 finalist scripts for 2026 will be presented on Feb. 7. One finalist will be chosen and it will receve developmental support until a full-scale reading in November. loudfridge.com/new-year-new-draft
Celebration of New Writers — The Roustabouts Theatre Co. presents its annual reading of scripts by underrepresented San Diego playwrights. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3598 Talbot St., San Diego. $21. theroustabouts.org/celebrationtickets-2
Plays by Young Writers — Playwrights Project presents its 40th annual festival of jury-chosen one-act plays by California teen playwrights, ages 10 to 17. This year’s festival will include three full productions and two staged readings. Public performance, 6:30 p.m. March 1. Joan B. Kroc Theatre, 6611 University Ave., San Diego $50. 858-384-2970, playwrightsproject.org
Lamoise New Works Festival — Moxie Theatre presents its second edition of this series dedicated to developing new full-length works by women playwrights. A one-week workshop will culminate in a weekend of staged readings that are free to the public. March 28-29. 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Suite N, San Diego. Free. moxietheatre.com
Latinx New Play Festival — TuYo Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse present this 9-year-old play-reading series featuring new works by Latinx playwrights. October-November. Play Development Center, La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla. Free. lajollaplayhouse.org/latinx-new-play-festival
The Finish Line: A Bill and Judy Garrett Commission — Cygnet Theatre host this November festival of three to four new plays, which receive significant development work throughout the year and culminate in a three-day festival that includes a playwrights reception, readings and audience talk-backs. November. The Joan, 2880 Roosevelt Road, San Diego. Free. cygnettheatre.org
DNA New Work Series — La Jolla Playhouse’s DNA series has produced 13 full season productions since it launched in 2013, including Ayad Hkhtar’s “The Who & The What.” Playwrights and directors do intensive work on up to six new projects that ar presented in a series of readings over two weeks. Festival dates change, but in 2025 it ran from Dec. 4-14. Play Development Center, La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla. Free. lajollaplayhouse.org/who-we-are/artists-and-programs/dna-new-work-series
Readings at the Rep — North Coast Repertory Theatre hosts periodic one-night-only new play readings featuring professional actors. Dates for 2026 have yet to be announced. 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org/readings-at-the-rep