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FULL SCHEDULE

WEEK 1

Saturday, February 28

Opening Reception
5:00PM - 6:30PM

Join us as we celebrate the opening of Winterfest 2026!

Shorts Program #1
7:00PM - 9:00PM

Acknowledgment Written and initiated by Tony Foster
A woman confronts an ex-boyfriend over his tell-all book. Run time: 15min

Valentine's Day Written and initiated by Leilani Squire
Two strangers join forces to survive a foreign invasion. Run time: 20min

The Apartment Written by Elisa Manzini, Initiated by Christopher Reiling In extreme need to sublet their apartment, a couple struggles with the choice of renting their place to the perfect candidate after they find out he spent years in prison. Run time: 25min

Life After Life Written and initiated by Lisa Bishop Life & Love & it’s never too late. Run time: 15min

TONY FOSTER

Tony Foster is a founding member of the Elephant Theatre in Los Angeles and has written several works for the company including: Underwear for Christmas, Elephant Shorts, Adventures with Sparky and Poo, Greystone, and the critically acclaimed Asleep on a Bicycle (now available through Original Works Online). Other works have been produced at Sacred Fools; Lightning Rod Theatre; Skylight Theatre; Brimmer Street Theatre; Ringwald Theatre; Universal Theatre; Howling Moon Cab Theatre; Makor/Steinhardt Center; New Jersey Rep; the Ashland New Plays Festival; and the Actors Theatre of Louisville. He is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild and the Ensemble Studio Theatre.

LEILANI SQUIRE

Leilani Squire is an award-winning playwright, published writer, certified creativity coach, and member of EST/LA, Playwrights Unit, The Dramatist Guild, alumna of Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive and EST/LA’s The Ignite Project. She has been published in Smith & Krauss’ 2023 Best 10-minute Plays and WE/US: Monologues for The Gender Minority. 15 Dead Souls won Veterans Repertory Theater’s inaugural 10-minute play competition and opened their 2023 Parlor Series, and was part of EST/LA’s one-act play fundraiser in 2022. No Ordinary Mother was a finalist of The A Chronicles, first read in New York in Fall 2023, and at Winterfest 2024. Since 2010, she has facilitated writing workshops for veterans with various organizations. She is founder and CEO of Returning Soldiers Speak, 501(c)(3), whose mission is to empower veterans and their families to tell their stories to the community through the written word and live theater. Co-producer, assistant director and head playwright for Across Time: Love and Humanity During War, the full-length play written by ten veterans, and the culmination for The Letters Project, a collaboration of Returning Soldiers Speak and ArtsUP! LA. Her play Memorial Day was part of Winterfest 2025 with performances in New York and Cape Code produced by Grief Dialogues.

Mad Carsons Last Stop Bar and Grill (1).png

Mad Carson's Last Stop Bar and Grill Written and Directed by Laura Stribling
4:00PM - 6:00PM
Escaping LA, Elizabeth lands at Mad Carson's in Carsonville, New Mexico -- the furthest stop from nowhere, still being run by ghosts from the past. Early draft presented in Winterfest 2025. Run time: 90min

Sunday, March 1

scars & stains Written by Matilda Corley Schulman, Initiated by Aditi Pradhan
7:30PM - 9:30PM
"Frankenstein" re-imagined through Elizabeth's point of view; a look into whether or not love can actually make us monstrous. Content warning: This play deals with sexual violence and abuse, general violence, domestic abuse, and other dark subjects. Run time: 100min

FULL SCHEDULE

WEEK 1

Saturday, February 28 Opening Reception 5:00PM - 6:30PM Join us as we celebrate the opening of Winterfest 2026!

Mad Carson's Last Stop Bar and Grill Written and Directed by Laura Stribling 4:00PM - 6:00PM Escaping LA, Elizabeth lands at Mad Carson's in Carsonville, New Mexico -- the furthest stop from nowhere, still being run by ghosts from the past. Early draft presented in Winterfest 2025. Run time: 90min

Sunday, March 1

Saturday, February 28

Opening Reception
5:00PM - 6:30PM

Join us as we celebrate the opening of Winterfest 2026!

Mad Carson's Last Stop Bar and Grill Written and Directed by Laura Stribling
4:00PM - 6:00PM
Escaping LA, Elizabeth lands at Mad Carson's in Carsonville, New Mexico -- the furthest stop from nowhere, still being run by ghosts from the past. Early draft presented in Winterfest 2025. Run time: 90min