July 12 - July 19, 2026

THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SPONSORS!

FESTIVAL SPONSOR: Ken & Kristi Pawlowski
VIP SPONSOR: Rich & Christine Hale (Rich's Stitches)
KICKOFF PARTY SPONSOR: Sue Mortensen
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Les & Peggy Chisholm
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: James Houpt & Suzi Johnston
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jesse & Jolene Lavine
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Becky & Bob Norris

4 Talented Playwrights

4 Never-Before-Seen Comedies

1 Future Mainstage Production (At least!)

B Street Theatre’s New Comedies Festival is back for the 7th time! Every year, we ask playwrights from across the country to submit their best brand new, unproduced comedies. After hundreds of submissions and several rounds of review by dozens of script readers, we then choose the top four to receive live staged readings. Previously held in our Upstairs @ the B space, the festival has grown over the years to find its new home on the Mike and Bobbie Voris Mainstage where at least one of these new comedies will be chosen to receive a full B Street Theatre Mainstage production for the upcoming season!

Previous winners include: THE FOREVER QUESTION (Jim Christy Jr.), PROCLIVITY FOR KITING (Jacob T. Zack), INSERTION (Sarah Groustra), THE NEWLYWED GAME (Alyssa Haddad-Chin), ADVICE (Brent Askari), DOG MOM (Tate Hanyok), and 2025's Winner WORKING FOR CRUMBS (Kate Danley), which will premiere at the Sofia in June 2026! Even the finalists have the chance to make the leap to the Mainstage, such as RESCUE ME (Peter Story & Tara Sissom-Pittaro) and COSMO ST. CHARLES IS DEAD AND SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM KILLED HIM (Nicole Zimmerer).

THE FINALISTS

LADY PARTS
By Mary Lynn Owen
Friday July 17 @ 5PM
Saturday July 18 @ 8PM

When a long-married talent agent receives a devastatingly unsexy diagnosis, her stagnant relationship is suddenly invaded by meddling ghosts, brutally honest sisters, and a Friday night game tradition that starts cracking wide open. A surreal, sharp-edged comedy about love, denial, and late-in-life awakenings, where even Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt can’t fix your marriage—but a little truth (and chaos) just might.

DQM

D.Q.M. or DRAG QUEEN MAGIC
or THE TORTUROUS PURGATORIAL EXPERIENCE OF ONE MISS LETTA CELEBRATE
By Ian August
Friday July 17 @ 8PM
Sunday July 19 @ 3PM

This hilarious new play follows local drag queen Letta Celebrate, who dreams of performing as famous divas at birthday parties, weddings, and the occasional Bar Mitzvah—until a chance encounter with a stranger named Nancy turns her world upside down. Trapped in a time loop and forced to relive the same day again and again, Letta must figure out how to save Nancy’s life before she can move on with her own. A beautiful mixture of Groundhog Day and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, this funny, heartfelt, and delightfully absurd new comedy serves up big laughs, big heart, and plenty of drag queen magic.

MELVIL DEWEY MESSED ME UP
Eric Pfeffinger
Thursday July 16 @ 8PM
Saturday July 18 @ 5PM

When a struggling small-town library discovers what might be a long-lost document from Thomas Jefferson, two desperate librarians gamble everything on turning it into a publicity goldmine—only to unleash a hilariously chaotic culture warn. As history, censorship, and utter absurdity collide, this heart-forward comedy proves that sometimes saving your community means rewriting the story together.

COCKTAILS & TRAVAILS
By Brent Askari
Thursday July 16 @ 5PM
Saturday July 18 @ 1PM

Set in 1994 on the most important night of his academic career, a tightly wound professor’s carefully planned cocktail party spirals into catastrophe when his disaster of a brother, an overbearing mother-in-law, and a rapidly intoxicated tenure committee chair collide under one roof. As lies pile up, vodka flows, and every attempt to save the evening makes things infinitely worse, this high-speed farce turns one suburban dinner party into a full-scale comic meltdown.

PACKAGE OPTIONS

VIP WEEKEND PACKAGE

Invite to the Kickoff Celebration - Meet the Cast & Creative teams and kick off the festival with an exclusive party! (Sunday July 12 @ 6PM)
Premium Seating – Enjoy the best seats in the house for an unparalleled experience at all of the readings.
Access to All 8 Readings – Be part of the entire festival journey and experience every exciting new work firsthand.
Exclusive Admission to the VIP & Artist Lounge – Enjoy 4 drink tickets and mingle in the Burch Bar/Gallery B with the Festival Artists and other VIPs.
2 VIP-Only Presentations – On Saturday afternoon, join Greg Alexander for a sneak preview of GRACE & THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT. Plus the musical stylings of Hunter Hoffman and Kevin Kantor!
Complimentary Tickets to the 40th Anniversary Panel Discussion – "Funny Business: The New Comedies Festival and New Play Development at B Street Theatre" (Sunday July 19 @ 1PM)
VIP Package availability is limited! Act now to secure your seats!

WEEKEND PACKAGE

See one performance from each show! (Attend all 4 in order to vote for your favorite!)
Individual performances are now available to book! Keep your eyes peeled for an email from the Box Office where you can select your preferred showtimes. You may also call or email the Box Office if you have any questions or need help with ADA seating.

UPGRADE TO VIP

Did you already purchase a Weekend Package before the VIP Package became available?
Call or email the Box Office to upgrade!
Tickets@BStreetTheatre.Org
(916) 443-5300

CAN'T GET ENOUGH NEW COMEDIES?
CHECK OUT OUR NEXT 40th ANNIVERSARY PANEL!

"Funny Business: The New Comedies Festival & New Play Development at B Street Theatre"
Sunday, July 19 @ 1PM

Join Lyndsay Burch, Jerry Montoya, Sean Patrick Nill, Tara Sissom, and Dave Pierini for a lively conversation exploring the history of the New Comedies Festival and the theatre’s long-standing commitment to developing new works.

DATE
Jul 12 THRU
Jul 19

RUN TIME

AGES
REQ
13+