Sci-Fest LA (The Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival) is an annual festival featuring one-act plays in the science fiction genre, held in Los Angeles. It was co-founded by veteran Los Angeles theatre producers Michael Blaha and Lee Costello and actor David Dean Bottrell (âÂÂBoston LegalâÂÂ), and was first held at the ACME Comedy Theatre 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 GuinâÂÂs âÂÂThe WifeâÂÂs Storyâ and an innovative revival of Ray BradburyâÂÂs âÂÂKaleidoscope.â 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 (âÂÂThe Hunger GamesâÂÂ), David Blue (actor) ("Stargate: Universe"), David Dean Bottrell ("True Blood"), L. Scott Caldwell (âÂÂLostâÂÂ), Dean Haglund ("The X-Files"), James Kyson (âÂÂHeroesâÂÂ), David H. Lawrence XVII (âÂÂHeroesâÂÂ), Madison McLaughlin (âÂÂSupernaturalâÂÂ), Julie McNiven (âÂÂStargate: Universeâ & âÂÂSupernaturalâÂÂ), Jasika Nicole (âÂÂFringeâÂÂ), Tim Russ (âÂÂStar Trek: Voyager), Armin Shimerman (âÂÂStar Trek: Deep Space Nineâ & âÂÂBuffy the Vampire SlayerâÂÂ) and Patricia Tallman (âÂÂBabylon 5âÂÂ). The festival also included pre-recorded appearance by Adrienne Wilkinson (âÂÂXena: Warrior PrincessâÂÂ) and Pauley Perrette ("NCIS"). Directors included Dan Castellaneta (âÂÂThe SimpsonsâÂÂ), Philippe Mora (âÂÂCommunionâÂÂ) and Jack Kenny (âÂÂWarehouse 13â and "Falling Skies")
2015: On January 17, the festival produced a one-night only fundraising performance of Orson Welles' radio version of H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" featuring actors from all five television versions of "Star Trek" including Walter Koenig (âÂÂLt. Chekhovâ on the original âÂÂStar TrekâÂÂ), René Auberjonois (âÂÂStar Trek: Deep Space NineâÂÂ), Tim Russ ("Star Trek: Voyager"), Linda Park ("Star Trek: Enterprise") and Will Wheaton and Michael Dorn (âÂÂStar Trek: The Next GenerationâÂÂ). 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's "The Departed." Cast members included: David Dean Bottrell (âÂÂTrue BloodâÂÂ), Veronica Cartwright (âÂÂAlienâÂÂ), Nazneen Contractor (âÂÂStar Trek: Into DarknessâÂÂ), Dale Dickey (âÂÂTrue BloodâÂÂ), Cullen Douglas (âÂÂAgents of ShieldâÂÂ), Tina Huang (âÂÂRizzoli and IslesâÂÂ), Eddie McClintock (âÂÂWarehouse 13âÂÂ), Alan Polonsky (âÂÂAliensâÂÂ), Mark Povinelli (âÂÂBoardwalk EmpireâÂÂ), Marque Richardson (âÂÂTrue BloodâÂÂ), Tim Russ (âÂÂStar Trek: VoyagerâÂÂ), Jeryl Prescott Sales (âÂÂThe Walking DeadâÂÂ), Tucker Smallwood (âÂÂStar Trek: EnterpriseâÂÂ), Bobby Ray Shafer (âÂÂThe OfficeâÂÂ), Armin Shimerman ("Star Trek: Deep Space NineâÂÂ) and Patricia Tallman (âÂÂBabylon 5âÂÂ). 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 (âÂÂStar Trek: The Next GenerationâÂÂ). Comic book legend Stan Lee pre-recorded a video welcome to the festival.