Crowded Fire 2025 Matchbox Reading Series
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
Reserve Free Tickets
Friday, November 14, 2025 7:00 PM
“Lenora II” by Aidaa Peerzada, directed by AeJay Mitchell
Saturday, November 15, 2025 1:00 PM
“I Did Not Kill My Mother; and Other Lies I Tell Myself” by Anthony Doan, directed by Ely Sonny Orquiza
Saturday, November 15, 2025 4:00 PM
“Tehran Baby” by Yasmin Van Deventer, directed by Nailah Unole dida-Nese’ah Harper-Malveaux
Saturday, November 15, 2025 7:00 PM
“Presently Untitled Spysh✨t” by Leigh M. Marshall, directed by Will Detlefsen
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.