CELEBRATION OF NEW WRITERS
The Roustabouts Theatre’s “Celebration of New Writers” is an opportunity to showcase the works of a diverse pool of playwrights. This evening includes short new pieces you get to hear first, with a discussion afterward. This year’s Celebration will be co-directed by Matt Thompson and Carla Navarro. Join us for an evening that celebrates creativity, and Cultural Culinary Connections. Performed Feb. 23 at Westminster Presbyterian Church and Feb. 24 at Moxie Theatre. Specific details & tickets coming soon: https://www.theroustabouts.org/celebration
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A NEW READING IN MARCH 2026: Two strangers with fiercely opposing views step out of a wedding and into a fearless debate about societal expectations, politics, and the rules of relationships. ALL WRONG is a short play that dares to ask if brutal honesty can turn conflict into a connection. (Presented by The PlayGround Experiment on March 9th 6pm-9pm ET.)
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A Staged Reading of QUEEN OF LUCIA Written by Lisa Balderston & Directed by John Tessmer
LOCATION: La Jolla Library – 7555 Draper Avenue, La Jolla, CA 90037.
READINGS: 1/20/26 at 6:00 pm & 1/24/26 at 2:00 pm.
A NEW READING IN JANUARY: In Queen of Lucia, Jack and Elena seek respite from the demands of her Bipolar Disorder by going to a secluded cottage in the country. Jack hopes the surroundings will help Elena find balance, but her erratic behavior soon disrupts any chance of serenity. As Elena’s mental health deteriorates, her emotional abuse toward Jack intensifies. Torn between his vows and the toll of being her caregiver, Jack must decide whether to stay in a toxic cycle or break free to save his own sanity. In this raw exploration of love, duty, and mental illness, both must confront the truth about their relationship, and try to find hope for their future together.
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THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS (COMING SOON in 2026):
A New Play by Lisa Balderston – The House of Spirits is a play about three estranged sisters who meet at their late father’s bar to decide what to do with the failing business and who will care for their ailing mother. The play explores the challenges of family commitments and reconciling who we are with where we came from. With love, laughter, and a touch of magic, this play offers a poignant reminder that no matter how far we stray from home, family can always bring us back.
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A SHORT PLAY by LISA BALDERSTON – STILL STANDING
After months of recovery, a comedian returns to the stage—scarred, scared, but ready to make the crowd laugh again. In Still Standing, her comeback set takes an unexpected turn when a heckler emerges from the shadows: Cancer itself, cruel, clever, and unwilling to let her move on. What follows is a fierce, funny, and deeply human showdown between comic and critic, survival and surrender. Blending biting humor with aching vulnerability, this dramedy asks: how do you keep your timing when life won’t stop interrupting your set?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A PLAY by LISA BALDERSTON – THE LAST LAUGH
A New Play by Lisa Balderston – In The Last Laugh, a respected journalist is assigned to profile a controversial stand-up comedian whose fearless performances has earned him both death threats and die-hard fans. As she peels back the layers of his public persona, she uncovers a guarded, obsessive man whose commentary mirrors her own.
The Last Laugh explores who owns the narrative when truth is dangerous, when honesty offends and vulnerability becomes weaponized. Who gets to tell the joke and who pays the price?
LISA BALDERSTON 