Five original short plays by emerging Austin playwrights presented over two weekends at the Dougherty Arts Center, presented by the Star Bandit Foundation.
The Star Bandit Foundation is bringing the 2026 Stargaze Theater Festival to the Dougherty Arts Center this August, and it's a bit more than your usual one-night bill. The festival runs over two weekends: Thursday, August 13 through Saturday, August 15, and then again Thursday, August 20 through Saturday, August 22. Every performance starts at 7:30 PM, and the format is simple—one play each night.
There are five original short plays in the lineup, all by emerging Austin playwrights, and none of them have been seen before. You've got Hereafter, The Company by Alexa Ziegler, Lagomorphia by Sarah Waddle, Metronome by Marcus Delzell, The Ash Demons by Valerie Conrad, and THE VINELAND Episode 1: "Pilot" by Alessio Franko. Since only one goes up per evening, you can catch a single one or spread them across the two weekends if you want to see the whole set.
Behind the festival is the Star Bandit Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that a collective of artists started in 2023 with an initial $5,000 donation. Since then, they've staged three productions and held two casting calls, and they focus on supporting Texas-based artists through grants and community building. Stargaze is their flagship event, and all ticket proceeds go directly back into that mission—nurturing local talent and adding to Austin's cultural landscape. The run is also part of the Artist Access Program through the City of Austin's Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment Department.
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Tickets are $25, and the shows are at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, TX 78704. With the two-weekend schedule, you've got plenty of nights to choose from.
