2027 Solo Performance Showcase (Digital)

Crowded Fire Theater’s annual Solo Performance Showcase celebrates solo performance in all its many forms!

See our former Solo Performance Intensive participants share five minute excerpts of their work on the stream, followed by a live panel discussion of professional solo performers in a live panel discussion.

For the first time in our Showcase history, we are also asking a select handful of professional artists who are in the midst of generating/performing solo work to join us in sharing a sample of their recent work in development or already complete.

This is a great way to learn about Solo Performance and watch artists in their craft: whether they are creating work for the first time, or they have been in the field for many years.

Dawn Monique Williams (she/her), an Oakland, CA native, served four years as Associate Artistic Director at Aurora Theatre Company. She was the Artistic Associate and a resident artist at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for six seasons before that. Williams is a nationally celebrated director who has worked in theatres across the U.S., including The Kennedy Center, Orlando Shakespeare, American Shakespeare Center, Cal Shakes, Profile Theatre (Portland), Third Rail Rep, American Conservatory Theatre, Chautauqua Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, Elm Shakespeare, New Jersey Rep, and African American Shakespeare Company. She holds an MA in Dramatic Literature, an MFA in Directing, and advanced certificates in Film Studies and Screenwriting. Her first book of poetry, Clothed in My Right Mind, was published earlier this year. She serves on the Board of Directors for Theatre Bay Area and the Playwrights’ Foundation and sits on the Drama League National Directors Council. Dawn is a proud member of SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers Society).

Website: https://www.DawnMoniqueWilliams.com/ | Blog: https://shakespearecritic.wordpress.com/

M. Graham Smith (he/him) is a San Francisco-based Director, Educator and Producer. He is an O’Neill/NNPN National Directing Fellow, an Oregon Shakespeare Festival FAIR Fellow and a proud Resident Artist at SF’s Crowded Fire. He grew up outside of New York City and has been based in San Francisco for the last fourteen years. He’s directed in New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Portland Oregon, Washington DC, and venues in San Francisco. He directed the West Coast Premiere of JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA in SF and TRUFFALDINO SAYS NO at Shotgun Players, winning Best Director for the Bay Area Critics Circle. Recent credits include the World Premiere of Obie winner Christopher Chen’s HOME INVASION in SF, DEAL WITH THE DRAGON at ACT’s Costume Shop & Edinburgh Fringe, Mia Chung’s YOU FOR ME FOR YOU at Crowded Fire, and James Ijames’ WHITE at Shotgun. He spent five years as Producer of Aurora Theater’s new play development program and festival The Global Age Project, which launched Martyna Majok’s IRONBOUND, JC Lee’s LUCE, and Allison Moore’s COLLAPSE, among many others. He teaches at A.C.T.’s actor-training programs, Berkeley Rep School of Theatre and at Barcelona’s premiere Meisner Technique program in Spain. You can visit him online at https://www.MGrahamSmith.com/