Sunday December 6, 2026, 2:15pm
474 24th St., Oakland, CA 94612
CURIOUS HOW A PLAY BECOMES A MOVIE?
Find out at this special benefit screening of The Passenger, adapted by screenwriter Bennett Fisher from his play Damascus, developed at the 2017 Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Playwrights Foundation’s home for new work for 47 years.
Directed by Vadim Perelman and starring Oscar nominees Kodi Smit-McPhee and Djimon Hounsou, The Passenger follows a struggling Minneapolis airport shuttle driver whose fare to Chicago turns into a terrifying ride he can’t escape.
After the film, stay for a candid conversation between Executive Artistic Director Jessica Bird Beza and writer Bennett Fisher, who has sold more than 15 screenplays and pilots.
You’ll get the insider scoop on:
• How the play was reshaped for the screen
• What it takes to get a film made
• Advice for breaking into the film industry
• Plus the opportunity to ask your own questions
The Passenger opened in select theaters this summer and ranked in Amazon Prime’s Top 10 most viewed films in September. At this exclusive event, you can see it on the big screen and hear from the writer in person.
This event is perfect for theatre lovers, film buffs, or artists curious about the film industry.
The New Parkway Theater is located in the Uptown/KoNo section of Oakland, near the corner of Telegraph Avenue and 24th Street. Please see the New Parkway Theater’s directions and parking web page for more information about nearby parking lots and public transportation. The New Parkway is a 6 minute walk from the 19th Street BART station.
TICKET TIERS:
• Artist & Community Member: $35 At-Cost Price for artists or other community members.
• Supporter: $85 Covers your seat and helps sustain our work with playwrights. $50 may be tax deductible.
• Champion (VIP): $250 [limited availability]. Champion new work and get exclusive access: begin with a reception with the writer, our Executive Artistic Director, and current resident playwrights. Includes light bites, drinks, and reserved seating. $175 may be tax deductible.
• Bring friends! Buy 2 tickets, all additional tickets 15% off! Valid for any tier. Must be purchased in the same transaction.
Every ticket purchase supports the next generation of Bay Area playwrights. All tickets include the film and conversation plus a popcorn bar. Additional food and drink available for purchase.
Bennett Fisher (he/him) is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. He wrote the script for The Passenger based on his play Damascus, directed by Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog) and starring Oscar-nominees Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) and Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond). His script Scorpion is currently in production, starring Alex Pettyfer (Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), Reda Elazouar (Sex Education), and Clive Owen (Children of Men), directed by Richard Hughes (Enforcer).
Bennett has sold over 15 screenplays and pilots to film studios. He has developed film and television projects with Bill Mechanic (former CEO of Fox), James Harris (Obsession), Simon West (Con Air), Sophia Banks (Black Site), Getaway Entertainment (Oh, Canada), Constantin (Resident Evil), Gramercy Park (We Bury the Dead) Pandemonium (Hacksaw Ridge), and others.
Bennett’s plays include Candlestick, Damascus (Samuel Goldwyn Award), Borealis (Alliance/Kendeda Prize finalist), Don’t Be Evil, Campo Maldito, and Shelter. They have been developed and performed at theaters across the United States and internationally, including ACT, La Jolla Playhouse, Victory Gardens, House Theater of Chicago, the Magic Theater, Strawdog Theater Company, Kansas City Rep, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Oregon Contemporary Theater, the Alliance Theater, the Kennedy Center MFA Playwrights Workshop, Florida Rep, Cutting Ball, and Campo Santo, where he is a company member. Bennett is also the writer of several immersive experiences, including The Speakeasy in San Francisco and the Wayne Enterprises Experience, in collaboration with DC Comics.
Bennett is represented by Source Management and Production. He received his MFA in playwriting from UC San Diego, and is an alum of the Playwrights Foundation’s Resident Playwright Program.
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