Play by Drama Alumnus Chosen for Los Angeles Science Fiction Festival

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Adam Esquenazi Douglas, a 2012 graduate of the department of drama with a master of fine arts in playwriting, will debut Freedom of Speech in May at Sci-Fest, the first Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival. His play is one of nine chosen to be presented at the festival from a field of more than 300 submissions.

Sci-Fest productions will feature an all-star cast from the world of science fiction and fantasy film and television. The festival centerpiece will be a revival of Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope.

Freedom of Speech follows a political prisoner and his automated captor as they struggle for ultimate control. Jon Kroll, director of the television movie Amanda & the Alien, will direct Douglas’ play.

Sci-Fest will run from May 6 until June 1 at the ACME Theater in Hollywood. Organizers used a Kickstarter account to fund the event and are promoting the festival as a unique experience allowing writers and producers to experiment with science fiction stories on stage.

 “I feel like the luckiest producer on the planet,” David Dean Bottrell wrote on the Sci-Fest Kickstarter page. “The material is fantastic. The cast and directors are stellar. The design team is incredible. And now we’ve been offered an opportunity to make this cutting edge, truly innovative festival into a reality.”

Other plays included in the festival lineup are The Wife's Story by Ursula K. Le Guin and directed by Philippe Mora, A-li-en The Family by Michael Bernard and directed by Dan Castellaneta, For the Living by Chie-Hoon Lee and directed by Rob Hollocks, Forwarding Address by John-Paul Nickel and directed by Jack Kenny, The Ringer by Minnesota Plates and directed by Jim Fall, Smooth Landings by Soren Kisiel and directed by Jane Morris, and Tell Me Who You See by Scott T. Barsotti and directed by Jeff Liu.

Another of Douglas’ plays, Forever 27, was recently chosen for New York City’s Downtown Urban Theater Festival. It will close the 17-play festival, which will run April 2-19. Forever 27 may be seen at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at HERE Arts Center.