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We’re thrilled to announce the Sacramento Voices – STC’s New Works Play Festival finalists – all 10. At least one of the stories will be commissioned to move forward and be developed into a full length play with a World Premiere production at the Sacramento Theatre Company.

And the finalists are…

Why Do We Hurt (The People We Love) – What happens when life isn’t what you expected? Ella, a college student with big dreams is about to find out when she collides with a man she once idolized. These two lives couldn’t be more different, but tonight’s discoveries may be exactly what both of them needed.

Carmel Suchard is a recent UC Berkeley graduate who has studied theatre all her life. She plans to be a Broadway company manager.

The Great Magi-Chan – Ricky dreams of becoming a magician, but her family’s restaurant needs all the help it can get. At least, that’s what she believes. But when the ghost of her great -grandfather appears. Ricky will discover that lies, deception and even murder are the cost of refusing your dreams!

Leah Finity has been performing on stage for two decades. In 2019 she decided to start writing the kind of juicy female roles that she’d want to play. Ricky is just one of those roles!

And the Sky is Gray – Jim, a young Army veteran, has just returned home from war. He’s lost touch with his old friends, and isn’t sure how to reconnect with a past that seems inconsequential. As these friends hash out their futures, they’ll have a chance to discover what really matters.

William Myers is a US Navy veteran, with a science background. William is an avid writer and talented sound engineer.

Carrying Water – Sometimes the most difficult thing we can do is grant a request. When a famous author receives an odd request from an old friend, who also happens to be on death row, she isn’t sure if she’s emotionally or mentally prepared. Before she can even consider answering, she’ll need to visit a lot of ghosts from her past.

Mike DiSalvo has not only performed on the STC stages, he’s also an accomplished writer. Most recently, his play, Trophy Room, was given a two-week workshop and staged reading by the Redhouse Theatre in Syracuse, NY.

Message Sent 1915… Seen 2020 – when Alex, a young journalist, discovers letters written by her great-grandfather during the Armenian war, she’s determined to understand a culture, and a war, she knew nothing about.

Taryn Cagley received an Elly Nomination for her portrayal of Gwendolyn in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest several years ago, and is now honing her skills at writing.

Black Comedy – is an ironic, fast-paced play about a play that couldn’t go more wrong! Of course, there’s no way the show can go on without a leading man – or is there?

Jesse Janzen has produced several original plays and was nominated for “Best Playwright” during the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival for his play Aperture.

Mary’s Song – Mary is adjusting to life as a single mom in a wheelchair. Simple things like preparing meals, showering, and taking the kids to soccer practice now feel as daunting as walking into a hostile village once did. But Mary’s biggest obstacle is allowing herself to find peace and happiness despite the challenges.

Tana Colburn is an Elly nominated writer who has been involved with Folsom’s FreeFall Stage for several years as a director, writer, actor and board member. 

After the Melting Pot – how does a disjointed family on the precipice of major changes deal with the repercussions of their decisions?

Todd Duda is a professional drummer who has opened for such greats as Willie Nelson, George Straight and Gregg Allman. Todd adores the theatre, and is very excited about writing his first play.

Coyotes – What is it like to flee for your life and seek asylum in the United States only to have your child taken from you and be sentenced to a life in limbo? Two young white men are about to find out as they are forced to switch places with two asylum seekers from Central America.

Stephen Miller is a full-time student in the Theater and Dance Dept. at UC Davis. This is Stephen’s first play.

Feel The Bern – Finn, a transgender non-binary artist, stumbles upon a strange device that propels him into an alternate universe in 2024 in which Bernie Sanders is President. He meets his alternate self and discovers that there are radical differences between the timelines.

Kaiden Zaldumbide is a young Latinx, genderqueer artist, actor, and rising playwright. They are currently a third-year student at UC Davis majoring in Theater and Dance and Studio Art.

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If you can’t find the answers here, email  development@sactheatre.org