This year, 2026, marks the 30th performance of the 8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival. The brainchild of local theater director, playwright, teacher and mentor Wilma Marcus Chandler back in 1995, the Festival is still one of the most anticipated events of the Santa Cruz theater season, and is now the longest-running short play festival in the world. We talked with Wilma to get her perspective on 8 Tens @ 8, from the very beginning up until today.

We asked some of the directors for this year's 8 Tens @ 8 a few questions about directing for the Festival. Here's what we asked, and what they had to say...

Actors’ Theatre is very excited to be participating in Santa Cruz Gives for the first time this year. Find our profile page at https://santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/santacruzactorstheatre/

Our October offering this year is William Goldman's play Misery, based on the story by Stephen King. Director Miguel Reyna and his cast and crew share their thoughts on how this play speaks to them, what they hope to create, and how horror as a genre, and this play in particular, can provide both an escape and catharsis for intrepid theatergoers.

Our winning playwrights come from as far away as New York and Mexico Cities and as close to home as Santa Cruz. Here are the plays in the 2026 8 Tens @ 8 Festival.

Actor, writer, journalist and deep listener Dan Hoyle brings his show "Takes All Kinds" to Actors’ Theatre on Friday and Saturday, September 5 and 6 at 7:30 pm.

More summer sketch comedy, storytelling, and world-class classes coming your way. Plus a special show in early September!

Get your laugh on with these comedy shows this June, plus check out our upcoming workshops!

Celebrate with us at the Shakespeare Gala! Then join us for some exciting workshops for actors, playwrights, and lovers of the Bard.

The Shakespeare Gala showcases the work of 32 actors, 5 musicians, and one timeless playwright--all donations go to support Actors' Theatre.