LAFPI

SHORT+SWEET FESTIVAL BEGINS SEPTEMBER 13 AT
MARILYN MONROE THEATRE IN WEHO

Short+Sweet is the world’s largest performing arts festival and is dedicated to original short form Theatre, Music and Dance.

Founded in Sydney Australia in 2002 it’s now presented in 30+ cities across 10 countries (Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Mauritius, Philippines, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe and the USA) with around 50 festivals annually.

According to the Hollywood based Festival Director Christian Rodrigo around 7000 original new works have been presented around the world and “every single one just 10 minutes or less”.

“The magic of Short+Sweet is that 10 minutes is a fantastic length for telling a story and storytelling is at the heart of the festival,” he said.

While the most common language for S+S performances is English it has also featured plays in Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin, Tagalog, Tamil, Maori, Bahasa and a host of others.

According to Founder and International Artistic Director Mark Cleary the global scope of Short+Sweet enables it to provide creative opportunities for individuals and communities around the world, encouraging and enabling people internationally to tell their stories.

“Everyone has the potential to be creative and it was inevitable that we’d end up in Los Angeles where there’s more raw creativity per square mile than anywhere else in the world.

Under the directorship of Christian Rodrigo, Short+Sweet Hollywood will be several festivals in one. There will be five weeks of theatre: The first two weeks of the festival will be in English.

The third and fourth weeks will focus on artist of the Latino community with presentations in Spanish and some bilingual presentations. Why? “Because we’re in Los Angeles, and Latinos are fast becoming a plurality within the County. They have stories to tell”, he said.

The fifth week of Short+Sweet Hollywood will be devoted to Dance and there will be six weeks of Films on Saturdays at 10 p.m., including one week focusing on Latino film.

The sixth and final week of Short+Sweet Hollywood will feature the Best of the festival, with a Gala Finale that will award festival winners selected by juries of industry professionals, audience favorites (People’s Choice), and by the Festival.

Each week, plays will be seen by jurors of industry professionals including producers, directors, casting directors and actors. Their selections will be included for consideration in the sixth and final Awards week.

In addition to all the shows, there will workshops and panels with distinguished industry professionals that will illuminate various aspects of the craft and the business of performing arts.

There’s been a conscious effort on the part of the festival organizers to include a significant proportion of women writers and directors in the works being performed.

Short+Sweet Hollywood will begin on September 13 and will be based at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046. This is just west of Fairfax Ave., near Hayworth St. Tickets for most shows are $14.00 (plus a small processing fee) and are available at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/shortandsweethollywood

Week One (Sept. 13- Sept. 16):

PROGRAM A (Thurs&Friday&Sat 7pm, Sunday 6pm)

Going to the Movies.

Written by Helena Weltman. Directed by Pavel Cerny.

Cast. TBA.

While waiting for the theatre box office to open, a young woman and a man meet cute.

The Roommate.

Written by Mercedes Floresislas. Directed by Hector Rodriguez.

Cast. Lalo Ayala, Sarah J. Garcia, Diego Medina-Floresislas, and Angela Moore. Matt, a college student, will have to live with a Deaf Roommate.

Organic.

Written and Directed by Kimba Henderson.

Cast. Shawna Johnson, Greg Hinds, Thomas Chavira, Uma Incrocci.

Dating interviews in our digital era.

PROGRAM B (Thurs&Friday&Sat 8:30pm, Sunday 7:30pm)

Immersed.

Written and directed by Lili Gorett.

Cast: Sophie Meister, Whitney Boers, Elena Rojas, Kiara Beltran, Marco Garcia, Roberto Arrizon, Brandon Beets, Juliana Saenz.

Sensory and interactive experience that envelops the spectator 360 degrees.

You are the protagonist of the story. Immersed is a fourth dimension Theatrical concept,

leading you to feel the story in the first person where you are the protagonist, creating a

unique experience for the audience / participant.

Us.

Written by Ben Russel and Soda Persi. Directed by Marisa O’Brien.

Cast. Ben Russel, Soda Persi.

This is what happens after a boy meets a woman, and before happily ever

after. Inner monologues about 2 people that like each other but with a big age difference.

The Perfect Man.

Written by Blanca Bardagil. Directed by Sergi Cervera.

Cast. Hayley McCarthy & Sergi Cervera.

A woman receives a new robot at home…he is the perfect man.

Asking for it.

Written by Renee Boyer. Directed by Megan Frances.

Cast. Jared Scott, Charlotte Louise Spencer, Kenna Ryan & Cody John.

Rav and Katie had a good time at a party, but then she stole his phone. Or did

he give it to her? Consent can be a tricky concept…

The Goode Sisters of Westchester.

Written by Lily Mercer. Directed by Todd Felderstein.

Cast: Miranda Parham & Leah Allers.

Two Sisters having a conversation about their relationship, on their mum´s 1st

year death anniversary.

The Snow Angel of Antarctica.

Written by Victoria Connerty. Directed by Allison Lind.

Cast. Taryn Schubert & Jon Owens.

After a year of travelling the world, Ellie has reached Antarctica with her

brother, Jimmy. Despite the ever-present threat of psychotic penguins, the never-present

threat of angry polar bears and the small matter of the human ashes she’s smuggling in

her hand luggage, Ellie isn’t ready to leave. But Jimmy thinks it’s time for them to return

home. A tale with a twist about Scrabble, sibling rivalry and snow angels.

PROGRAM C (Sat 5pm, Sun 4pm)

Manband.

Written and Directed by Narmar Hanna.

Cast. Narmar Hanna &Tatum Shank.

In today’s modern society, should men also wear engagement rings?

Future Wives.

Written by Katherine King. Directed by Stephen Juhl.

Cast.Katherine King & Ayla Barreau

Two future wives talking about how women’s lives used to be.

Cherry.

Written by Sophie Galibert and Arthur Cohen. Directed by Sophie Galibert. Produced by Arthur Cohen.

Cast. Chandler Ryan and Melanie Imani.

When Cherry seeks the support of her best friend Anna at dinner little does she know the meal is going to shatter the backbone of their lifelong friendship.

Got You.

Written by Kel Vance. Directed by David McKay.

Cast. Bevin Bru, Kaitlin Large.

After receiving bad news, a woman turns to her best mate to find a way to defraud an insurance company, hoping to obtain the money needed for a life and death situation.

Enough.

Written by Jennifer Brown and Camille Blanco. Directed by Rossana Zubrzycki.

Cast. Camille Blanco.

Every time tragedies happen, there are always intense emotions and calls for

action, but when it dies down, no real action is taken to prevent this nightmare from

happening over and over again. A teenager performer, Camille Blanco, will share the

story of Valerie Leftman whose boyfriend was a school shooter.

WEEK TWO: (Sept. 20- Sept. 23):

PROGRAM D: Thurs.-Sat. at 7:00, Sun. at 6:00.

Stage 1.

Survival Strategy.

Written by Donna Hoke. Directed by Brian Patrick Williams.

Cast. Dennis Pearson & Abbie Krentz.

Officemates Jerry and Jenny make a deal to get from each other at work what

they can’t get at home.

PROGRAM E (Thurs&Friday&Sat 8:30pm, Sunday 7:30pm)

Have you ever done this before?

Written by Masha Voylokok. Directed by Bronwyn L. Watson.

Cast. Lee Margaret Hanson, Julia Finch, Pedro Shanan.

Two women meet in a seedy hotel room for a romantic tryst but are rudely

interrupted. A short play about women, men, sex workers, and the entertainment

industry. In the era of #MeToo, we have to ask ourselves. “Have you ever done this

before?”. We have to ask it over and over again.

Intimate.

Written by Judith Duncan. Directed by Phil Biedron.

Cast. Danielle Kay & Scott Alin.

A man deals with the consequences of an impulsive one night stand with an inquisitive young woman.

PROGRAM C REPEATS [see above] (Sat. 5 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m.)

WEEK THREE- LATINO (Sept. 27- Sept. 30)

PROGRAM F (Thurs&Friday&Sat 7pm, Sunday 6pm)

The Big Day.

Written and Directed by Gabriela Paciel.

Cast. Felipe de Lara & Nisalda Gonzalez.

Two siblings, on their way to the wedding of one, have a problem with their car.

El Bulto.

Written by Mario Barra & Magaly Castellanos. Directed by Magaly Castellanos.

Cast. Adriana Becerril, Jonathan Lev, Mario Barra, Rado Lazic, Valentina Olarte & Jim

Francis.

An unexpected death has left a group of immigrants with a big problem. How will they decide to solve it?

PROGRAM G (Thurs&Friday&Sat 8:30pm, Sunday 7:30pm)

Inmerso.

Written and directed by Lili Gorett.

Cast. Sophie Meister, Whitney Boers, Elena Rojas, Kiara Beltran, Marco Garcia, Roberto Arrizon, Brandon Beets, Juliana Saenz.

Sensory and interactive experience that envelops the spectator 360 degrees.

You are the protagonist of the story. Immersed is a fourth dimension Theatrical concept,

leading you to feel the story in the first person where you are the protagonist, creating a

unique experience for the audience / participant.

The Women Who Left.

Written and Directed by Diana Valencia & Gabriela Ortega.

Cast. Diana Valencia & Gabriela Ortega.

Two women talking about their beliefs in gods in Haiti in 1400.

La Nada.

Written and Directed by Gisela Arnao.

Cast. Laura Marstucelli & Andres Requena.

The encounter of a man and a woman in a weird place where they’ve never

been before.

Melocotón en Almíbar.

Written by Saida Santana. Directed by Saida Santana & Yareli Arizmendi.

Cast. Yareli Arizmendi.

Monologue from an abused woman about her partner.

PROGRAM H (Sat 5pm, Sun 4pm)

Te Quiero, My Love.

Written by Maria Serena.

Directed by Diego Zavala.

A couple separated by an absurd fence will find out what they could do to be together.

Matilde y Lula.

Written and Directed by Tessie Herrasti.

Cast: Andi Yuma & Tessie Herrasti.

Matilde, a dreamer, and Lula, an intellectual, waltz their way through Post-War

Europe in search of a home. With the help of a hut and some imaginary champagne,

they discover that friendship is more important than reality.

WEEK FOUR- LATINO (October 4- October 7)

PROGRAM I (Thurs&Friday&Sat 7pm, Sunday 6pm)

Guerrera Inmortal.

Written by Prakriti Maduro. Directed by Prakriti Maduro and Veronica Osorio.

Cast. Daniela Azuaje & Maria Elena Heredia.

Crisis of a super star.

This is a Pencil. Helen is a Nurse.

Written and Directed by Lupe Gehrenbeck.

Cast. Elena Sanz & Sebastian Galvez.

Interesting romantic night of a couple and a Ouija board.

PROGRAM J (Thurs&Friday&Sat 8:30pm, Sunday 7:30pm)

PROGRAM H REPEATS [See above.} (Sat. 5 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m.)