Sometimes titles say it all: “The Loud Karma Emerging Female and Gender Diverse Playwright Award.”
We’ve followed playwright Grace Jasmine since she had a fiercely feminist show at the Fringe in 2019. Then a few years ago, we started hearing that Grace’s company, Loud Karma Productions, was up to something new… actively presenting an Award at the Fringe that perfectly aligned with our support of #FringeFemmes.
So of course we were on board to enthusiastically spread the word.
And now, we’ve grabbed the opportunity to share a bit of the background, in advance of this year’s Loud Karma Award!
(Check out all of this year’s “Women on the Fringe – if you’re one of them, apply for the Award here: https://tinyurl.com/yen99k5y)
LAFPI: Tell us about yourself and Loud Karma Productions—what got you started in your support of women artists?
Grace Jasmine: Loud Karma Productions was started originally so that I had an LLC to produce my own work—in this case a straight play, The Masher. The show was a #MeToo allegory about women who find themselves in a position to judge men with the harshest punishment available, deciding who should live and who should die, and won an Encore Award.
I am a playwright myself and like a lot of artists during the pandemic, I was trying to find meaningful ways to contribute to theatre. I was terrified about what was going to happen to live theatre, and like many of us, preserving our way of life and the way to communicate as playwrights was first on my mind.
When Fringe started to come back, I was asked to be a judge for a year assisting Asylum Theatre’s Encore judging, which I was thrilled to do. However, then it occurred to me that I could make an even bigger impact assisting women and other marginalized voices like me by creating our own award that focused on disenfranchised voices in theatre.
So, I made that the focus of what Loud Karma Productions set out to do—support women in theatre and those with marginalized voices—especially disabled, POC, the queer community, trans writers, emerging women over 40, and anyone else who does not get the opportunities they deserve.
These voices need to be heard. And now, especially as the country continues to morph into a place that supports these voices even less, this award, and our efforts to support marginalized women and gender diverse voices, means even more. Partnering with LAFPI with our shared mission is even more important than it ever was before.
LAFPI: Tell us more about your background with the Fringe. And why did Loud Karma decide to present an Award?
Grace: I first discovered Fringe when my brother, Chad Jasmine, an alternative rock musician was performing with his band at the Edmonton Fringe in Canada. I went to support him and found myself immersed in days of theatre! At the time I was a fledgling writer and actor. I remember feeling so excited to get to see ALL this theatre from around the world happening in this amazing space.
I first showed my work at Fringe in 2017 when New Musicals Inc., produced two of my own original short musicals—F**ked Up Fairy Tales (with David Anthony, Composer) and Sybil’s Closet (with Ross Plotkin, Composer). Then, in 2019, we produced The Masher—to sold out houses. I directed and produced the show and had the chance to cast a brilliant team of actors—all who have gone on to great things. The show won several awards and gave me a chance to voice real concerns about domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and other issues that are of vital concern to women. My love of Fringe has only grown since then, and my activism to assist women’s voices and the voices of others who are marginalized has grown right along with it.
Becoming a Discover Fringe company that supports Fringe with our Award was a natural progression for us at Loud Karma Productions. I and the other members of our executive board (Chris Smith, Alton Sanders and Daisy J. Rue) are all Fringe Veterans.
LAFPI: So how are the Award’s recipients chosen? Who is involved and what is the process?
Grace: We are lucky to have amassed an annual team of 20 judges from around the country—in all areas of theatre arts, to judge our Award. Loud Karma’s team of national industry judges this year includes award-winning playwrights, Dramatist Guild representatives, award-winning producers, directors, artistic directors, film and TV writers, actors, tech people, Hollywood costumers, and drama and theater educators.
Each play is read three times and the application (which gives each playwright a real chance to talk about their motivation and craft) is also judged. We have a semifinal round and judge again for the finalists and then a first, second, and third place winner. It’s an exciting process! Every year we judge between 50 to 100 plays of new emerging female and gender diverse playwrights all producing at each year’s Hollywood Fringe.
LAFPI: How has the Award impacted artists who have received it?
Grace: Besides our sizable cash prize, which really does help each playwright who wins, each placing winner’s work is entered into an Equity reading program at Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre.
Starr Shapiro, Playwright of Obsessed, won this honor (and also our first-place Award in 2024), and her team was flown out, put up, and basically wined, dined, and directed. They had a wonderful professional Equity reading before a full house and a very helpful talk back. I was there in the audience for that, and it was a big leg up for Starr as a playwright and her team. She has since moved into her second major TV writing job. I like to think that our Award helps writers on their way. (In addition, one of last year’s winners’ shows is being considered by the same Equity theatre for a potential run.)
In addition to this, as this is being written, we are about to premiere the first season of our new podcast, Loud Karma Talks Theatre [available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts]!
Playwrights who win our award are invited for a guest episode devoted solely to them and their careers as playwrights. It also gives them a chance to have this additional publicity and to have their career and work spotlighted in the public eye.
LAFPI: Has the Award grown since it started, and what are your hopes for the Fringe as it continues to grow?
Grace: Every year the Loud Karma Award gets bigger. We are now looking for outside grant funding so we can make what we do as a company reach farther and affect more writer’s lives. As time goes on, we will support artists by producing their work in addition to everything else we do. We are also beginning to support marginalized voices in all areas of the arts, and there will be more on that as we move forward.
My hope for the Fringe is that it continues to be a strong, freedom-loving light in a world where free speech is a right that is beginning to dim. I think the freedom and artistry of Fringe, as well as the lack of gatekeepers, which allows artists to self-produce, makes it one of the best, and most legitimate ways for artists to have their work seen.
There is no money-making, greedy overlord who is trying to take money from artists desperate to succeed and potentially vulnerable. Fringe remains a fair, equitable, and safe community for all artists.
Loud Karma’s mission completely aligns with the mission of the Fringe Festival, and the mission of LAFPI, and we are proud as can be to be a part of it.
For more info about the Hollywood Fringe Loud Karma Productions 2026 Award, visit https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/promote/award/210
