Sci-Fest LA (The Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival) is an annual festival featuring one-act plays in the

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

genre, held in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. It was co-founded by veteran Los Angeles theatre producers Michael Blaha and Lee Costello and actor

David Dean Bottrell David Dean Bottrell is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter best known for playing on numerous TV series & as Lincoln Meyer on 8 episodes of the ABC television series '' Boston Legal''. He is also the author of "Working Actor: Breakin ...

(“Boston Legal”), and was first held at the

ACME Comedy Theatre The ACME Comedy Theatre is an American sketch comedy and improvisational theater located near Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on La Brea near Wilshire's "Miracle Mile".Bronstad, Amanda (2002)Laughing matter: M.D. Sweeney has turned a bug f ...

in Los Angeles on May 6, 2014. The annual 4-week festival features two rotating evenings of new, 15-25 minute science fiction stage plays. 2014: The inaugural festival took place from May 6th - June 1st with a line-up that included 7 new Science Fiction one-act plays plus a world premiere adaptation of sci-fi legend

Ursula Le Guin Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the '' Earthsea'' fantasy series. She was ...

’s “The Wife’s Story” and an innovative revival of

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery fictio ...

’s “Kaleidoscope.” In addition, Sci-Fest LA presented 5 late-night comedy shows with Sci-Fi themed improv groups and short comedy sketches. The 9 one-act plays produced by the festival featured many well-known actors from iconic Sci-Fi franchises including

Nelson Ascencio Nelson Ascencio (born August 30, 1964) is a Cuban-American actor and comedian. Ascencio is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on sketch comedy series ''MADtv'' and for playing Flavius in ''The Hunger Games'' fil ...

(“The Hunger Games”),

David Blue (actor) David Blue (born January 17, 1982) is an American actor, writer, producer and director. He is known for his portrayal of Cliff St. Paul on ''Ugly Betty'', Eli Wallace on the Syfy series ''Stargate Universe'', and Rick Twitler on both Nickelodeon ...

("Stargate: Universe"), David Dean Bottrell ("True Blood"), L. Scott Caldwell (“Lost”),

Dean Haglund Dean Haglund (born July 29, 1965) is a Canadian actor, known for the role of Richard "Ringo" Langly, one of The Lone Gunmen on ''The X-Files''. Haglund is also a stand-up comedian, specializing in improvisational comedy, including work with the ...

("The X-Files"),

James Kyson James Kyson (born December 13, 1975) is a South Korean-born American actor best known for his television work. Best known for his role as Ando Masahashi on the NBC television series '' Heroes'', his guest appearances on television series include ...

(“Heroes”), David H. Lawrence XVII (“Heroes”), Madison McLaughlin (“Supernatural”),

Julie McNiven Julie McNiven (born October 11, 1980) is an American actress and singer. McNiven was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, and got her start in local community theatre productions. She is best known for her recurring roles in ''Mad Men'' (2007–2009 ...

(“Stargate: Universe” & “Supernatural”),

Jasika Nicole Jasika Nicole Pruitt (born April 10, 1980), is an American actress and illustrator from Birmingham, Alabama. She is known for her role as Agent Astrid Farnsworth on the Fox series ''Fringe''. She has guest-starred in ''Scandal'' as Kim Munoz. She ...

(“Fringe”),

Tim Russ Timothy Darrell Russ (born June 22, 1956) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and musician. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Commander Tuvok on '' Star Trek: Voyager'', Robert Johnson in ''Crossroads'' (1986), Casey in '' ...

(“Star Trek: Voyager),

Armin Shimerman Armin Shimerman (born November 5, 1949) is an American actor and author. Early life Shimerman was born into a Jewish family in Lakewood, New Jersey, on November 5, 1949, the son of accountant Susan and house painter Herbert Shimerman. When he wa ...

(“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” & “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) and

Patricia Tallman Patricia J. Tallman (born September 4, 1957) is an American actress, stunt performer, and studio executive best known for her starring roles in ''Night of the Living Dead'', '' Star Trek'' and ''Babylon 5''. She is the former CEO and executive ...

(“Babylon 5”). The festival also included pre-recorded appearance by

Adrienne Wilkinson Adrienne Wilkinson is an American actress. She is known for playing Eve, the daughter of Xena in the TV series '' Xena: Warrior Princess'' in the fifth and sixth seasons. She has appeared in numerous television series such as ''Angel,'' '' Charm ...

(“Xena: Warrior Princess”) and Pauley Perrette ("NCIS"). Directors included

Dan Castellaneta Daniel Louis Castellaneta (; born October 29, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for voicing Homer Simpson on the animated series ''The Simpsons'' (as well as other characters on the show such as Abraham "Grampa" ...

(“The Simpsons”),

Philippe Mora Philippe Mora (born 1949) is a French Australian film director. Early life and career Philippe Mora was born in Paris, France in 1949, and grew up at the centre of the Australian arts scene of the 1950s and began making films with an 8mm camera ...

(“Communion”) and

Jack Kenny Jack Kenny (born March 9, 1958) is an American writer, director, actor, and producer. Early life and education Kenny was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Sally (from Guantanamo, Cuba), a mother and housewife, and Jack, Jr. (from Chicago, I ...

(“Warehouse 13” and "Falling Skies") 2015: On January 17, the festival produced a one-night only fundraising performance of

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

' radio version of H.G. Wells' "

The War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by ''Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appear ...

" featuring actors from all five television versions of " Star Trek" including

Walter Koenig Walter Marvin Koenig (; born September 14, 1936) is an American actor and screenwriter. He began acting professionally in the mid 1960s and quickly rose to prominence for his supporting role as Ensign Pavel Chekov in ''Star Trek: The Original S ...

(“Lt. Chekhov” on the original “Star Trek”),

René Auberjonois René Murat Auberjonois (; June 1, 1940 – December 8, 2019) was an American actor and director. He was best known for portraying Odo on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). He first achieved fame as a stage actor, winning the Tony A ...

(“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), Tim Russ ("Star Trek: Voyager"), Linda Park ("Star Trek: Enterprise") and

Will Wheaton Will Wheaton, born Willie Mack Wheaton Jr. (born October 26, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He grew up in Los Angeles and is the son of Gospel singer Juanita Wheaton. He studied music in his teens and was eventually tuto ...

and

Michael Dorn Michael Dorn (born December 9, 1952) is an American actor best known for his role as the Klingon Worf in the '' Star Trek'' franchise. He has appeared more times as a regular cast member than any other ''Star Trek'' actor in the franchise's hist ...

(“Star Trek: The Next Generation”). The second annual Sci-Fest LA Festival took place from May 7th - May 31st and included 8 new Science Fiction one-act plays plus two new adaptations of Neil Gaiman's "The Case of Four and Twenty Blackbirds" and

Clive Barker Clive Barker (born 5 October 1952) is an English novelist, playwright, author, film director, and visual artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories, the ''Books of Blood'', which established him as a leading h ...

's "The Departed." Cast members included: David Dean Bottrell (“True Blood”),

Veronica Cartwright Veronica Cartwright (born April 20, 1949) is a British-American actress. She is known for appearing in science fiction and horror films, and has earned numerous accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. As a child actress, ...

(“Alien”), Nazneen Contractor (“Star Trek: Into Darkness”),

Dale Dickey Diana Dale Dickey (born September 29, 1961) is an American character actress who has worked in theater, film, and television. She began her career on stage, performing in the 1989 Broadway version of ''The Merchant of Venice'', before appearing ...

(“True Blood”), Cullen Douglas (“Agents of Shield”), Tina Huang (“Rizzoli and Isles”), Eddie McClintock (“Warehouse 13”), Alan Polonsky (“Aliens”), Mark Povinelli (“ Boardwalk Empire”), Marque Richardson (“

True Blood ''True Blood'' is an American fantasy horror drama television series produced and created by Alan Ball. It is based on '' The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', a series of novels by Charlaine Harris. A reboot is currently in development. The ser ...

”), Tim Russ (“Star Trek: Voyager”), Jeryl Prescott Sales (“ The Walking Dead”), Tucker Smallwood (“Star Trek: Enterprise”), Bobby Ray Shafer (“The Office”), Armin Shimerman ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) and Patricia Tallman (“Babylon 5”). The Festival also initiated two new Science Fiction short story competitions: THE TOMORROW PRIZE for Los Angeles-area high-school students, and THE ROSWELL AWARD for adult writers. The winner of The Tomorrow Prize was Ashley Anderson whose short story, "Freedom", was read by Anna Maria Horsford ("Amen"). The winner of the Roswell Award was "Grandma's Sex Machine" written by William Hawkins and read by

Gates McFadden Cheryl Gates McFadden (born March 2, 1949) is an American actress and choreographer. She is usually credited as Cheryl McFadden when working as a choreographer and Gates McFadden for acting work. She is best known for playing Dr. Beverly Crusher ...

(“Star Trek: The Next Generation”). Comic book legend Stan Lee pre-recorded a video welcome to the festival.

References

* Mindy Farabee
"Sci-Fest: L.A.'s Science Fiction Theater Festival"
LAWeekly, 29 April 2014 * Xaque Gruber
"Sci-Fest Chills and Thrills at LA's Acme Theatre"
Huffington Post, 12 May 2014 * Bryant Dillon
"‘Sci-Fest 2014: Evening B:’ Review (Bringing Sci-Fi to the Stage in a Superb Fashion)"
Fanboy Comics, 19 May 2014 * http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-sci-fest-la-plays-20150506-story.html * http://www.americantheatre.org/tag/sci-fest-los-angeles/ {{refend

External links

Festival website
Theatre in Los Angeles Science fiction theatre