Previews: PALM SPRINGS YOUNG PLAYRIGHTS FESTIVAL at Palm Springs Cultural Center

The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival (PSYPF) announced that is has now selected all of the cast members for the three plays it will present at the upcoming Festival, which will take place at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on June 9, 2024 at 12 PM. This free annual Festival will showcase original plays created by three area students which will be performed as staged readings using professional actors and directors. The event is free to the public although reservations will be required. Go to psypf.org for more information.

“We are elated to feature so many outstanding actors this year,” said David Youse, Executive Director of the Festival. “Our students are absolutely thrilled that they will see these high-quality, seasoned actors perform their plays in the festival.”

The winning playwrights have been working with this year’s mentor, Broadway actor, TV executive producer/writer, and playwright Jack Kenny, who has been providing professional guidance to the student playwrights and coaching them through the entire process of finalizing their plays. The three staged readings will be performed by seasoned professional actors including:

IN MY DREAMS, written by Erik Evans (14) from Palm Middle School, Moreno Valley, CA. It will be directed by actor/director Chuma Gault. FLY and his best friend embark on a journey to find his missing parents.  Will they be safe heading into Spiderville?

Cast includes:

• William Salyars, best known for his voice and performances in animation and video games, including Rigby in Cartoon Network's Emmy Award-winning series “Regular Show”

• Carlos Garcia, a local Palm Springs actor who most recently appeared in the “Putnam County Spelling Bee” at Revolution Stage Company

• Loretta Fox, seen in “New Girl” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

• Desiree Clarke Miller, Executive Artistic Director of San Diego's Moxie Theatre  

• Jason Stuart, actor, comedian, and winner of The Indie Series Award for Best Actor on “Smothered” for Amazon

SECOND CHANCES (A GAME SHOW) written by Abigail Alldredge (16) from Ramona High School, Riverside, CA. It will be directed by Keith Hoffman, Executive Producer at Warner Brothers/Discovery. In this game show play, four contestants compete to return to life after selling their souls to the devil. Who will get that second chance?

Cast includes:

• Yo Younger, eight-time Desert Theatre League Award winner

• Phylicia Mason, actress who recently appeared in “Avenue Q” at Revolution Stage Company

• Daniel DiMaggio, Series regular on ABC's “American Housewife”

• Chuck Yates, seven-time Desert Theatre League Award winner and former Artistic Director of Coyote StageWorks

• Michael Shaw, Current Artistic Director of Dezart Performs 

• Cullen McCarthy, Miles from the television show “Miles From Tomorrow” on Disney Network

• Noah Bentley, actor and voice-over artist on “Batwheels” and “Elliott From Earth”

• Charles Herrera, actor and six-time Desert Star Award for his cabaret work at The Purple Room

• Christine Tringali Nunes, actress who recently appeared in “Lifespan of a Fact” at Desert Ensemble Theatre.

REDO was written by Anthony Banuelos (17) from Valley View High School, Moreno Valley, CA. It will be directed by actor/director Deborah Harmon. What is God's plan? John May never know until he finds himself in various situations at different times in history.

Cast includes:

• Zachary Furtado, an actor and comedian last seen in “Main Character” at Script2Stage2Screen

• Lou DiMaggio, actor and comedian from HBO's “Curb Your Enthusiasm” 

• Sean Timothy Brown, an actor best remembered for “The Legend of Georgia McBride” at Dezart Performs

• Melanie Blue, five-time Desert Theatre League Award winner  

• Chet Cole, actor and Visual and Performing Arts teacher in Salton City for 4th-6th grade

PSYPF recently partnered with The Riverside County Office of Education to expand its outreach to young playwrights to include not only the Coachella Valley, but all of Riverside County. The festival works closely with Louisa Higgins, Visual and Performing Arts Administrator for Riverside County Office of Education, Chuck Yates, Founding Artistic Director of Coyote StageWorks, the Palm Springs Cultural Center, and PSYPF board members Marni Raab, Margarida De Brito, and Desiree Clark-Miller.

PSYPF is funded by the 2024 premier sponsors The Western Wind Foundation with Jeremy Hobbs and Cherry Lane Alternative with Angelina Fiordellisi. Tom Valach, Jason Smith, Dorothy and Mel Lefkowitz, and Paul Reid and Thomas Hartnett continue as the festival’s ongoing supporters and sponsors. 

PSYPF is a nonprofit organization. To lend support or review the mission statement, visit www.psypf.org.  

About PSYPF

The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival promotes and encourages creative writing - in the theatrical form - open to all students in the elementary, middle, and high school level within Riverside County, California. The Festival provides a scholarship to further education in the arts, mentorship, and a public reading to young playwrights of chosen plays. More information is available at psypf.com.

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