PlayGround

Producers! 😈 Feeling Naughty? 🥰 Feeling Nice?

BRING YOUR HOLIDAY SHOW TO POTRERO STAGE!
Applications are now being accepted for PlayGround’s 1st Annual Twisted Holiday Festival. The deadline to submit is July 31, 2026. More info here: playground-sf.org/twistedholiday/

TWISTED HOLIDAY FESTIVAL WANTS YOU! Producers: Bring Your Holiday Show to Potrero Stage SUBMIT YOUR SHOW!PlayGround’s 1st Annual TWISTED HOLIDAY FESTIVAL...

Worldbuilding: Your Secret Weapon with Melissa Hillman
June 15, 2026 @ 6:00 PM, Online via Zoom
Registration $50: playground-sf.org/education/

Think worldbuilding is just for sci-fi and fantasy? Think again. In this engaging masterclass, Melissa Hillman uncovers how worldbuilding can transform your playwriting—strengthening your characters, clarifying your story, and grounding your work in authenticity. Learn how to use worldbuilding intentionally, sidestep common traps, and unlock a powerful tool hiding in plain sight. Taught by dramaturg, educator, and former Artistic Director of Impact Theatre, Melissa brings decades of experience working with playwrights across the Bay Area, along with a PhD in Dramatic Art from UC Berkeley and a deep commitment to thoughtful, inclusive storytelling.

East Bay-born Melissa Hillman has been part of the Bay Area theatre community for most of her life. She was the Artistic Director of Impact Theatre and served for a decade on TBA's Theatre Services Committee. She holds a PhD in Dramatic Art from UC Berkeley, and has taught all over the Bay Area, including Cal, CSU East Bay, and the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre. She writes the blog Bitter Gertrude, and has been published by Methuen, HuffPo, TCG, and many others. As a dramaturg, she's worked for a number of companies and playwrights, most recently as PlayCafe's resident dramaturg. As a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant, she specializes in white allyship, cis allyship, and disability.