Known for developing and presenting innovative and provocative new plays, Crowded Fire contributes to the creation of a contemporary canon that reflects the diverse world in which we live. Crowded Fire was recently described in American Theatre Magazine as “instrumental in introducing the Bay Area to new writers who push the boundaries of what theatre can be” and “one of the most reliable local stops for high-quality new work by diverse voices.”

2025 Matchbox Reading Series

Friday, November 14 – Saturday, November 15, 2025
Potrero Stage – 1695 18th St, SF

Over two weeks of intensive development, playwrights and artists collaborate with Crowded Fire’s team to shape daring new works—culminating in two electrifying days of public readings. Audiences are invited not just to witness, but to be part of the creation process, offering insight and energy that help shape these plays’ next stages.

This year’s lineup features playwrights Leigh M. Marshall, Anthony Doan, and Aidaa Peerzada—artists from our 2024-26 Resilience & Development (R&D) Lab cohort—alongside Yasmin Van Deventer, who brings her acclaimed solo piece Tehran Baby to Bay Area audiences for the first time.

Four fearless playwrights. Two weeks of creation. Two days of discovery. One spark that starts it all.

Give today to support the creation of a new theatrical canon of relevant, contemporary plays.

By Preston Choi
Directed by Becca Wolff

Check out the trailer for our recent World Premiere production of limp wrist on the lever by Preston Choi, directed by Becca Wolff! Featuring: Ashley Jaye (she/they, Anita), linda maria girón (they/them, Zo), River Bermudez Sanders (they/them, Charli), and Kenny Scott (he/him, Thomas), with Landyn Endo (he/they) and Annie Fraser (they/she) as Ghost. Trailer by Jared Randolph