NNPN 2026 Convening | Play It Forward

April 10th - 11th, 2026 | B Street Theatre in Sacramento

REGISTRATION CALENDAR

Registration now closed.

Overview

Registration: Now Closed.

Hotel Booking: Our Convening hotel, the Hyatt House Sacramento, is now fully booked, but there are many suitable accommodation options within a short distance of B Street Theatre.

About the Event

NNPN Member Theaters, Affiliated Artists, Ambassadors, and Partner Organizations are invited to PLAY IT FORWARD with us at the 2026 National Convening April 10 and 11, hosted by B Street Theatre in Sacramento.

We'll gather to PLAY IT FORWARD for two full days of collaboration and conversation focused on strengthening our relationships, sharing our successes, and setting the course for the future of NNPN.

We’ll put the “play” in PLAY IT FORWARD with a live, in-person Playwrights Slam, featuring Rolling World Premiere alumni; Sharings from our Host Theater and other local Member Theaters, giving us an artistic Taste of Sacramento/Northern California’s new-play scene (and we’ll get a more literal Taste of Sacramento at one of our dinners); and a special presentation of THE HAPPINESS GYM by Ken Weitzman, NNPN’s first Rolling World Premiere of an interactive theatrical experience designed to help us all remember why, in the midst of turbulent times, it's so important to PLAY IT FORWARD and share our knowledge, joy, and dreams with our colleagues and collaborators.

We’ll think “forward” to the future with thought-provoking case studies and questions from Member Theaters; a presentation about NNPN’s new Strategic Plan; and lively discussions about personal engagement and well-being.

And putting it all together will be the networking to make the Network work – NNPN’s signature in-person Pitch Session, the BIPOC Affinity Space Breakfast, the Concord Theatricals Closing Party, and much, much more.

Mark your calendars, plan your travels, pack your bags, and be ready to PLAY IT FORWARD with your National New Play Network friends and colleagues!

Schedule at a Glance

All times Pacific. All sessions located at The Sofia, home of the B Street Theatre, unless otherwise noted.

Pre-Convening: Thursday, April 9th

• NNPN Board Meeting | 1:00pm

  • B Street Theatre: Gallery B

• NNPN Board Dinner | 7:00pm

  • Off site

• Performance Option: An Irish Goodbye| 7:00pm

  • B Street Main Stage — Convening registrants, watch for comp ticket info in “Know Before You Go” email. This performance is available to attendees in addition to the weekend performances.

Friday, April 10th

• Core Member Theater Meeting: Strategic Planning Session | 12:00pm

  • B Street Theatre: Gallery B

• Check-In & Welcome | 1:00pm

  • B Street Theatre Courtyard - weather permitting

• Beginning of Programming | 2:30pm

  • B Street Theatre: The Sutter

  • Includes Welcome, Orientation, and Pitch Session

• Dinner Break (On your own) | 6:00pm

• The Happiness Gym by Ken Weitzman | 8:00pm

  • B Street Theatre Galleries A, B, & C

• End of Day | 9:30pm

  • B Street Bar

Saturday, April 11th

• BIPOC Affinity Breakfast | 8:30am

  • Hyatt House “Library”

  • R.S.V.P. required

• Producer-In-Residence Session (Core Member Theaters only) | 10:30am

  • Gallery B

• Partner Organization Sharing: Playwrights Foundation | 11:40am

  • The Sutter

• Fuel the Future | 12:30pm

  • The Sutter

  • Lunch provided

• Associate Member Theater Sharing: Crowded Fire Theater | 2:40pm

  • The Sutter

• Voices from the Field: A Culture & Belonging Check-In | 4:45pm

  • The Sutter

• Taste of Sacramento (Dinner provided) | 6:30pm

  • Galleries A, B, and C

• Playwrights Slam | 8:00pm

  • The Sutter

• Farewell Party | 10pm - midnight

  • Alaro Brewing

Sunday, April 12th

• A member of B Street Theatre’s leadership team is opening their home to brunch for attendees whose flights leave late in the day. Please inquire about location in person at the information desk.

Can’t join us in Sacramento, but want an update on the vision for NNPN’s future?

R.S.V.P. to join us online Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. Pacific / 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Nan Barnett, NNPN's Executive Director, and planning partner Lisa Mount of Artistic Logistics, will share the initial results of our organization's visioning process. The new plan focuses on strengthening the bonds between NNPN's Member Theaters as colleagues and collaborators to amplify the Network's impact on artists and audiences, and includes revitalized programs, increased awards, and a timeline for a leadership transition. This plan is being finalized in preparation for a presentation to NNPN’s Board this June. 

This 45-minute session will be live-streamed for our NNPN constituents not in attendance at the convening.

Pitch Session Information 

Following our Welcome and Orientation session, NNPN will kick-off the convening weekend with a Pitch Session. All NNPN Member Theaters, Affiliated Artists, and Ambassadors are invited to pitch.  The order of pitches is set by a randomization of the Attendee List. (Eager to pitch, but have a flight that gets in during or right before the session?  Reach out to programs@nnpn.org to be manually scheduled toward the end of the session.)  

We ask that all attendees (even frequent Pitchers) review these Guidelines prior to the Pitch Session:  

•  One play per pitch: if you’d like to amplify multiple plays, pick one to pitch live and add the remaining plays to the asynchronous Convening Pitch Packet, which attendees can find in their “Know Before You Go” email 

• One pitch per Member Theater: if multiple staff members/representatives are attending, please confer in advance to identify who will pitch for your organization  

• No Pitch? No Problem! We encourage Member Theaters to pitch plays that they have current plans to develop or produce; these might be plays for which they are actively seeking Rolling World Premiere, Collaboration Fund, or Venturous Production Pipeline Award Partners, or just endeavors that they want the other Member Theaters to know about. But if no such play springs to mind, Member Theaters are instead asked to respond to the prompt: “what production from your theater’s last five seasons best encapsulates your theater’s mission, content, and aesthetic?”  

• Your Play? No Problem! Playwrights are welcome to pitch their own work 

• Time’s Up! Pitches must be no more than 90 seconds in length (This time limit will be strictly enforced, so practice in advance!)  

• New to Pitching? Your pitch should include:  

• The Basics: title, playwright, cast size  

• The Story: a brief synopsis or logline  

• The Pitch: Who is this play for – what kinds of theaters, what kinds of audiences, what kinds of conversations?  

• The Plan: What are the production dates? What kinds of collaborations are you looking for?  

Questions? Reach out to Jenna Place, NNPN Programs Associate, at programs@nnpn.org  

Hotel Information

Hyatt House Sacramento / Midtown

HOTEL BOOKING NOW CLOSED

For questions about your lodging, contact Hyatt House Sacramento at (916)-894-6500.

Still Need Lodging?

Midtown is home to an array of accommodations, from international chains to unique B&Bs. While we officially recommend searching online for a hotel near the Sofia and selecting one suits your needs and taste, the staff at B Street Theatre has shared some of their favorites:

Inn Off Capitol Park (0.9 miles away)  | The Sterling Hotel (1.4 miles away)

The Citizen Hotel (1.5 miles away) |  AC Hotel (1.8 miles away)

About the Host Theater

B STREET THEATRE

NNPN Core Member Theater

MISSION

“B Street Theatre is one of the region’s most enduring and celebrated entertainment destinations. We create and inspire community through exceptional live performances and the highest-quality educational programs. We also serve as a trusted incubator for new theatrical works and professional artists at our world-class Sacramento home, The Sofia.”

Learn more at bstreettheatre.org.

Getting to B Street Theatre

2700 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 443-5300

BY PLANE, TRAIN, AND/OR AUTOMOBILE
Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is conveniently located only 14 miles from our host theater. If traveling by train, Sacramento Valley Station is just over two miles from B Street Theatre and is served by several Amtrak lines.

PARKING
For those traveling by car, there are many suitable parking options near the theater, including on site at Hyatt House Sacramento. B Street recommends the paid parking at Sutter Community Garage located in their alley at 2701 N Street. The entrance to the garage is located on 28th between Capitol Ave. and N Street.

PUBLIC TRANSIT
Sacramento is served by Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) and includes both a light rail system and bus service.

It's an important time for us to be in community with each other.

For many of our Members and Constituents, the most valuable part of their relationship with NNPN is the community we create and nurture together, and NNPN's framework for us to care for and about each other.

As we say, "The networking part of the Network is what makes the Network work!" 

We hope you'll be able to join us in Sacramento. If there's anything you need in order to make your time with us safer, please reach out to hospitality@nnpn.org.