STAGED READING FESTIVAL 2025
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16TH 2025 | ALL DAY EVENT
The Grand | Ritz Theatre
301 E Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025
The 2025 Staged Reading Festival returns for its second annual celebration of bold, original storytelling! This year, we’re proud to present nine compelling new works in staged reading format - each selected from an impressive pool of 292 submissions. These pieces stood out for their unique voices, powerful themes, and potential to spark conversation and connection. Organized by the Dorris Staples Theatrical Conservatory apprentices, this festival is a hub for community, diversity, and belonging. Join us in this exciting and new format of our annual festival! Stay tuned for upcoming ticket sales and day-of programming!
To purchase tickets, CLICK HERE
THE 2025 LINEUP
MAINSTAGE READINGS
WHITE SPACE
by Korrie Yamaoka
White Space is a song cycle that dives into the journey of a mother--haunted and hunted by the mundane challenges of parenthood - fighting to rediscover the passion for creating art. Figures from her fantasies - a terminally ill patient, a frontier woman, and a sailor - reflect her struggles and triumphs like light through a prism, weaving between reality, mythology and fantasy as she tries to break free. This genre bending, unexpected piece is influenced by the music of indie rock female composers Anais Mitchell and Sara Bareilles. White Space features three women as the voices of the artist and her fantasy avatars. It is accompanied by a rock band of five musicians (keyboard, guitar, bass, drums, and violin).
Showtime:10a-11:10a
BOYS OF A CERTAIN AGE
by Thomas J. Misuraca
Just as he’s turning 50, Ladd, a successful lawyer, has a torrid affair with Luis, the young Latino janitor at his office. To his surprise, it evolves into a full-blown relationship. Ladd tries to hide it from his friends (Reece, a realist who’s given up on romance and George a player who’s not looking for a relationship), but Luis won’t tolerate that. Even with the support of their friends, they find their age, ethnic and financial differences continue to be issues they may not be able to overcome.
Showtime: 3p-4:30p
UMOJA
by LaDarrion Williams
In the heart of Birmingham, Alabama, six courageous Black students who are desperate to be seen, heard, and protected set out to create their very own co-ed fraternity for the neglected Black population on the predominately white college campus of McMillan University. But, when their efforts are sidelined by racial tension and a scandal, these young friends are forced to band together, challenge their moral compasses, and face their dark secrets head-on.
Showtime: 7p-8:40p
SHORT FORM SHOWCASES : PROGRESS & PROTESTS
Showtime Block #1: 11:30a-12:30p | Showtime Block #2: 1:30p-2:30p | Showtime Block #3: 5p-6p
BEFORE WE MARCH
by Isis Elizabeth
Before We March is a gripping exploration of activism, history, and the fight for racial justice. As Zora prepares to protest the removal of affirmative action and the dismantling of DEI programs at her Predominantly White Institution (PWI), she is visited by Miss Thelma, a sharp, mysterious woman with an uncanny knowledge of protest tactics and past struggles. As tensions rise, Zora’s best friend, Jordan, uncovers a chilling truth - Thelma Jackson was a student activist in the 1960s who led a sit-in at their university and mysteriously disappeared. As Zora realizes she is speaking with a ghost, she must confront the weight of history and the unfinished fight for justice. With the echoes of past protests ringing in her ears, Zora stands at a crossroads: will she let fear silence her, or will she march forward, carrying the legacy of those who came before her?
LOLITA & OTHERS
by Analiá Romero
From the newly formed Latina theatre collective ALMA comes an electrifying new piece in development, blending Bomba, salsa, and storytelling. Rooted in the spirit of resistance and cultural pride, this original work interweaves monologues and music inspired by the protest anthem “Lolita” - an homage to Puerto Rican nationalist Lolita Lebrón - and reimagines it through the voices of three Latina/o/x/e individuals confronting political, social, and personal struggles in the U.S. With live musicians, dance, and projected imagery, this piece is both a celebration and a reclamation, offering a visceral, genre-defying exploration of identity, resilience, and joy.
THE SEA
by Taiwo Aloba
The accidental meeting of two mothers avalanches into painful revelations. The play is a heartbreaking study of the grief of the Ocean Widows. "The Sea" follows the intersecting stories of two women who have lost their children to the perilous immigration journey by sea. Each woman grapples with grief, guilt, and the search for solace amidst the ocean's vastness. The play is a poignant exploration of loss, resilience, and the power of human connection amid adversity.
SHORT FORM SHOWCASES : LAUGHING MATTERS
Showtime Block #1: 11:30a-12:30p | Showtime Block #2: 1:30p-2:30p | Showtime Block #3: 5p-6p
STORY TIME
by Brian Daly
Story Time is a comedy that lets the audience sit in on an adult education creative writing course that focuses on "The Art of Story." It doesn't go well.
AN EXCLUSIVE REPLICA
by Summer Broyhill
An Exclusive Replica creates one of a kind, designer.....human babies. But when humans are forced to live totally siloed lives devoid of interaction, can they be counted upon to parent?
THE WEINGARTEN PRINCIPLES
by Alexia Bucholz
When Kiana dies in a motorcycle accident, her H.R. Rep (Heavenly Representative) jumps on the offensive to send Kiana to hell. Kiana invokes her Weingarten Rights and calls on her Union Rep to protect her, but this opens a deeper investigation into Kiana’s experiences on Earth and what she “deserves.”
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
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