HOOPS, HOPE, AND HARD TRUTHS

Candrice Jones’s coming-of-age sports drama
scores with energy, authenticity, and ensemble fire

San Francisco Playhouse has a strong track record with ensemble-driven work, and this West Coast premiere of Candrice Jones’s Flex continues that tradition with vigor. Set in 1998 in rural Arkansas, the play follows a group of high school girls whose lives revolve around basketball, ambition, and the possibility of something more.

The Lady Train team is chasing a state championship, but the stakes extend far beyond the court. For these young athletes, victory could mean college scholarships, opportunity, and a path out of limited circumstances. What binds them is friendship—but that bond is tested as each player grapples with her own personal struggles.

Starra Jones (Santeon Jones), the team captain and de facto narrator, is driven and intense, with everything riding on a championship win. She carries the memory of her late mother—also a basketball player—into every moment on the court. The arrival of Sidney Brown (Paige Mayes), a talented and striking newcomer, unsettles the team dynamic and ignites Starra’s insecurities.

Cherise Howard (Emma Gardner) is deeply religious, trying to reconcile her beliefs with the realities around her, including her relationship with Donna Cunningham (Courtney Gabrielle Williams), which the two keep hidden from their teammates. April Jenkins (Camille Collaco) rounds out the core group, her storyline taking a dramatic turn when she discovers she is pregnant. Overseeing them all is Coach Francine Pace (Halili Knox), a no-nonsense leader who understands exactly what is at stake and demands discipline from her players.

To bring authenticity to the production, the cast underwent extensive basketball training—and it shows. The onstage play is fluid and convincing, with each actor not only embodying a distinct character but also functioning as part of a cohesive, believable team. The term “flex” refers both to basketball prowess and to strength, confidence, and identity—qualities that each of these young women must learn to claim for themselves.

As tensions rise, April’s pregnancy threatens to derail the team’s plans. What follows is a mix of conflict, reluctant solidarity, and moments of humor, culminating in a road trip that deepens their bond even as it complicates their situation.

The final act’s championship game is a standout, pulling the audience directly into the action. The choreography of movement on the court—players weaving, passing, and driving—captures the excitement and urgency of a real game. It’s a thrilling sequence, with the audience responding as if courtside.

Bill English’s retractable basketball court set is impressively detailed, grounding the production in a tactile, lived-in reality. Under Margo Hall’s direction, the cast delivers performances that feel both natural and energized, blending athletic precision with emotional stakes.

Flex is ultimately a coming-of-age story about ambition, loyalty, and the complicated choices that shape young lives. It draws the audience in with its immediacy and keeps them invested in the fate of every player on the court. You may come for the drama, but you’ll likely leave rooting for each of these young women to find a way forward—together or on their own terms.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

photos by Jessica Palopoli

Flex
San Francisco Playhouse
450 Post Street, San Francisco
ends on May 2, 2026
for tickets ($52–$145), call 415.677.9596 or visit SF Playhouse

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦