The free festival – with works ranging from Shakespeare to comedy, drama, musical theatre, children's shows, solo performances, improv, one-acts and classics – runs from 11 AM -5 PM at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Zeum, and the Metreon.

"This is the chance to discover some wonderful performers, shows, and theatre groups that are under the radar, as well as others that are more well know. Short performances, 30 minutes and less, allow you to sample so much in one place on one day. It's casual, fun, and festive," said producer Bill Schwartz in a statement. "Theatre in earlier days was a people's art form that now has become exclusive and pricey. This festival brings theatre back to its roots. It's truly accessible."

Companies represented in the festival include The Marsh, Tell it on Tuesday, 42nd Street Moon, Stagebridge, No Nude Men Productions, Three Wise Monkeys, Uncle Buzzy's Show, The One Act Players, AtmosTheatre, ArcLight, San Francisco Buffoons, Golden Thread Fairytale Players, Galatean Players, SF Recovery Theatre, Triple Shot Theater, Acme Players, Lower Bottom Playaz and Wordslanger.

Selected works included in the festival are Amiri Baraka's The Sisyphus Syndrome as well as I Had Always Thought, Endangered Species: The Story of Justus Blackman, Rambo: The Missing Years, RIVETS, Accidentally in Love, Confessions of a Tefillin Supermodel, A Game You'll Never Win, Ascension, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's Lost Masterpiece and The Unsung Diva: The Life and Times of Sissieretta Jones a.k.a. "Black Patti."

Yerba Buena Gardens is located between Mission & Folsom, Third & Fourth Streets, in San Francisco. For further information visit sftheaterfestival.org.