32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com ONSTAGE Since its 2023 move from Philadelphia to the Monterey Peninsula, Soapbox Stage Works and its founder Karen Devaney have proved skeptics wrong, with fervent theatrical activities for the third season in the row. Soapbox is a community theater, open to passionate amateurs, actors and writers, that has come to specialize in short, everyday life modern and contemporary theater, often written locally. Following its seasonal summer comedy kickoffs, winter plays and an annual Playfest, Soapbox Stage Works is now presenting Central Coast Solo Fest, a four-day series of one-person plays that started on Sept. 17. “Nursing informs me about theater,” Devaney says about the job she is still doing part time, in addition to her lifelong pursuit to do theater. She directs most of the plays and is showing her own, not coincidentally titled Nurse Noelle and the Whispering Catholics. “Nursing exposes me to a human being,” she adds. The play, about a nurse who embodies her various patients, echoes Devaney’s experiences in the 1990s that greatly impacted her life. “Theater is the place where we approach difficult subjects,” she explains. Another play coming to town for solo fest is Polly’s Army of One by celebrity illustrator Patti Dobrowolski, about growing up gay in the 1960s and the 1970s. Until she was 8 years old, Dobrowolski lived comfortably in the Sacramento area, but went through a shock when the family moved to a Los Angeles neighborhood, where girls her age wore makeup. Dobrowolski started as an actor but became most known as an illustrator and a repeat TEDx speaker. She developed the “Draw Your Future” interactive drawing and team building tool. A need to return to stage came after Dobrowolski and her partner received a pie one day out of the blue. The sweet gift that arrived to their home in Texas came from a local trans girl who just loved the fact she could see a gay couple living and thriving together. “It really made me think about growing up,” Dobrowolski says about her need to sit down and create the play. After a season at Stanton Center, Soapbox will be moving to a new venue. Devaney dreams about reopening the Wharf Theater in Monterey. Central Coast Solo Festival 7pm Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26. Stanton Center Theater, 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. $20-$70. (831) 664-6587, soapboxstageworks.org. NIK BLASKOVICH ’Box Top In its third successful season, Soapbox Stage Works adds a series of one-person plays. By Agata Popęda Karen Devaney as nurse Noelle in a play she wrote, Nurse Noelle & The Whispering Catholics. It is one of six plays presented at Central Coast Solo Festival. Center for Photographic Art San Carlos at Ninth Avenue Sunset Center, Carmel-by-the-Sea 831-625-5181 | photography.org Wednesday - Sunday, 12-4pm For more than five decades, the Center for Photographic Art has been offering exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, events, and much more in our historic location at the Sunset Center in Carmel. Visit our website photography.org or better yet, stop by the gallery!
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