On June 25th through 28th, the Nevada County Playwrights Collective will present its first New Play Festival at the historic Miners Foundry in downtown Nevada City. This four-day showcase features 15 original short plays by 8 local playwrights, brought to life on stage by 10 directors and 35 actors, assisted by crew members and volunteers from our community.
This is the first festival in Nevada County dedicated to all original new plays by local writers. Each performance gives audiences the chance to experience a world premiere of work created, directed and performed entirely by local talent. “I’m deeply inspired that the local theater community has come together to give voice to local playwrights,” says Kimberly Clouse, who founded the Playwrights Collective in 2025.
“As a director it’s very exciting to be a part of cultivating the original voices of theatrical creators right here in our community,” says director Sky Seals. Now a Nevada County resident, Sky was the co-founder of the New York City-based theater company, Wide Eyed Productions and regularly appears in productions nationally. “Working with a collective of local writers means we’re not just producing plays—we’re nurturing imagination, collaboration, and the courage it takes to put new work into the world.”
Short plays provide laughs, tears, chills and surprises
Presented in staged readings, 12 of the plays are 10-minute shorts, and three plays are one-acts of an hour or less. The plays range from comedy to drama to romance to fantasy, and as their stories unfold, there are quite a few surprising plot twists!
The 7 PM performances on June 25, 26 and 27 each offer a different program of five plays (four ten-minute plays plus a one-act).
The 2 PM matinee on June 28 will reprise a “best of” selection from the 10-minute plays previously performed, followed by an on-stage talkback with the playwrights answering audience questions.
The day-by-day festival program of plays is at the end of this article.
Get a sneak peek at what’s in store at the festival
Director Judy Merrick discusses Kimberly Cloudwalker’s play “Character Assassination” and shows a rehearsal clip in this short video:
Playwright Nelle Engoron and director Sara Noah discuss Nelle’s play “Seeking” in this short video:
Ticket prices to fit your budget!
Individual performance tickets start at just $20 (discounted to $15 for seniors, students, first responders and military service members). Discounted ticket packages to see 2, 3 or all 4 performances are also available to everyone.
Tickets can be purchased here:
minersfoundry.org/event/nevada-county-playwrights-collective-2026-showcase-a-festival-of-new-plays/
Volunteers are still needed for ushering and other tasks in exchange for free admission. If interested, please sign up online here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0445AEA92EA6FBC25-64260947-playwrights#
More information
For more information about the collective and the festival, go to www.nevcoplayco.org
This production is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, through
the Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District program—a partnership between Nevada County
Arts Council, the City of Grass Valley, the City of Nevada City, the Greater Grass Valley
Chamber and the Nevada City Chamber. Additional funding provided by the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation.
Festival program schedule
All performances will be held at the historic Miners Foundry at 325 Spring St., Nevada City. Concessions will be available.
Program for Thursday, June 25 at 7 PM:
10-minute shorts:
An Inconvenient Time by Kimberly Cloudwalker
Directed by Kimberly Ewing
Vienna by Sandy Kasten
Directed by Betsy Johnson
This Termination Thing by Robin Wallace
Directed by Dinah Smith
Fortune Cookie by Chel Svendsgaard
Directed by Sandra Rockman
One-act:
If Elephants Could Tiptoe by Kimberly Cloudwalker
Directed by Sky Seals
Program for Friday, June 26 at 7 PM:
10-minute shorts:
Instructions Not Included by Andrew Barclay
Directed by Ehrland Hollingsworth
Motion by Nelle Engoron
Directed by Sandra Rockman
Voices by Betsy Johnson
Directed by Mccai Phelps
Choices by Sands Hall
Directed by Sky Seals
One Act:
Tea Rose Room by Robin Wallace
Directed by Dinah Smith
Program for Saturday, June 27, at 7 PM:
10-minute shorts:
Character Assassination by Kimberly Cloudwalker
Directed by Judy Merrick
Paris by Sandy Kasten
Directed by Betsy Johnson
Surprise by Chel Svendsgaard
Directed by Sandra Rockman
Party Talk by Nelle Engoron
Directed by Marion Jeffery
One Act:
Seeking by Nelle Engoron
Directed by Sara Noah
Program for Sunday, June 28, at 2 PM:
Best of the 10-minute shorts previously performed:
An Inconvenient Time by Kimberly Cloudwalker
Vienna by Sandy Kasten
Party Talk by Nelle Engoron
Choices by Sands Hall
This Termination Thing by Robin Wallace
Voices by Betsy Johnson
Instructions Not Included by Andrew Barclay
Fortune Cookie by Chel Svendsgaard Audience talkback with the playwrights