“Meet in the Park” by Tiffany Turner had a debut performance at the Brannan Center Grand Opening on Oct. 4, 2025 performed by UpStageNapaValley.

I am excited to share with you the first performance of my play, “Meet in the Park”, was held at the grand opening of the new Brannan Center in Calistoga, CA on Oct. 4, 2025. It was such a treat to be able to see my characters come to life from the incredible production put on by UpStage Napa Valley. I was so humbled while attending this preview of my play. I was honored to have my play represent PlayFest 2025 and to celebrate the new performance space of the Brannan Center.

I sat in the audience, excited with everyone else, to see the new Upper Hall used for a play performance for the first time. The play was directed by Lauren Haugan as her debut in directing. She stood up before the audience, introducing the play. I relished hearing my name as the playwright. It was a moment. But the grandest moment was when the lights dimmed, and I saw my characters, that had only been on the page before, appear before my eyes as actors for the first time. It. Was. Amazing.

Lauren Haugan, director of “Meet in the Park” introducing the performance at the Brannan Center on Oct. 4, 2025.

It’s hard to explain what it’s like to be a playwright having their play debut for the first time. It’s a mix of excitement, maybe a little fear, and imposter symdrome. Questions like “Will people like it?” and “How will it be received?” buzzed around in my head. Then, the acting began, the play performed with the dialogue I wrote, the humor bringing laughs from the audience, and the themes and the emotional highs and lows brought out by the actors. I looked around at the audience, saw reactions of enjoyment and quiet during the dramatic lines.

It was incredible. To think how in my craft room where I wrote it, the play is now fully formed, being enjoyed by the people around me, was insightful as an artist. It made the writing process worth it.

When it was over, applause filled the room. People began to get up, and I asked how people had liked it. My friend, that had watched with me, started to let the cat out of the bag, that I was the playwright. This brought exclamations of excitement from the people around me. One woman mentioned she “felt so much more relaxed” after the performance. I knew the meditation theme that flowed throughout the play worked. A man added, “I enjoyed the play. Now, write another one.” I basked in the support and positive feedback. I was thankful to UpStageNapaValley for putting on a great production and looking forward to seeing the performance during the festival at the regular performance space in a few weeks.

Will I write another play? Oh, you bet ya. What it will be, I’m not quite sure yet. I have a couple ideas buzzing around, and look forward to trying again to enter the festival likely next year. I do enjoy a theme and deadline to write to. But then, I also want to bask in this triumph so I can remember it later during the many rejections and blocks often run into while writing. It’s these kinds of successes that keep you going, propel you to the next project. The moment of seeing my characters on stage for the first time will comfort me on my writing journey. No matter what happens next, I have that memory now. I’m sure, it will make all the difference.

Keep writing. You never know what you’re going to get.

If you’d like to see “Meet in the Park” during the festival, the performances will be:

Oct. 24, 25, & 26

Performed by UpStage Napa Valley at Newton Hall: at Grace Episcopal Church, 1314 Spring Street, St. Helena, CA.

Tickets are available at: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/upstagenapavalley/6762.

Buy Tickets Here

For more information on UpStage Napa Valley’s 2025 Playfest, please visit their website at:

https://www.upstagenapavalley.org/

-Tiffany Turner

Playwright of “Meet in the Park”

Children’s author of the Crystal Keeper Chronicles series.