CCAE Theatricals plans all-day staged readings festival on Saturday

Fans of live theater who enjoy seeing shows developed from the ground up may want to head to Escondido on Saturday, where CCAE Theatricals will host its second annual Staged Reading Festival.

From 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Ritz Theatre in Escondido, the festival will feature staged readings of nine plays that were selected from a field of 292 script submissions. Three 70- to 90-minute plays and six short one-act plays will be performed. There will also be a North County Connect showcase, lunch and dinner options and a festival closing party.

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The festival was organized by apprentices i the company’s Dorris Staples Theatrical Conservatory. The chosen scripts were selected for the unique voices of the playwrights, powerful themes and their potential to spark conversation.

As opposed to a full production, a staged readings mean the actors perform with their script in hand or on a music stand, and there are no costumes or scenic elements. The actors have familiarity with the material and the stage settings and directions are read by a narrator.

The Mainstage

These three ambitious plays feature larger casts and some offer, song and orchestral elements. They will each be performed once and range in length from 70 to 100 minutes.

“White Space” by Korrie Yamaoka: This song cycle follows the journey of a mother haunted by the challenges of parenthood. Female characters from the mother’s fantasies, including avatars of a frontier woman and sailor, will be performed by three women singers and a five-member rock band. 10-11 a.m.

“Boys of a Certain Age” by Thomas J. Misuraca: In this relationship drama, a White middle-aged male attorney embarks on an affair with the young Latino janitor at his office. Can their relationship survive the age, ethnic and financial differences between them? 3-4:30 p.m.

“UMOJA” by LaDarrion Williams: Six Black students at a predominately White college campus in Alabama set out to create their own co-ed fraternity, but their efforts are sidelined by racial tension and scandal. 7-8:40 p.m.

Short Form Showcases: Progress & Protests

These three short plays on the topics of activism and immigration, will be performed together in a one-hour block three times throughout the day: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“Before We March” by Isis Elizabeth: As a female student prepares to protest the dismantling of affirmative action and DEI programs at her predominately white university, she’s visited by a mysterious woman offering unique insights on protest tactics and past struggles. Could this woman be the ghost of a student activist who led a sit-in at the university in the 1960s, then mysteriously disappeared?

“Lolita & Others” by Analiá Romero: This work from the new Latina theater collective ALMA combines bomba, salsa and storytelling in a mix of monologues by three Latine performers, live music and projected imagery. The piece was inspired by the protest anthem “Lolita,” about the Puerto Rican nationalist Lolita Lebrón, who passed away in 2010 at age 90.

“The Sea” by Taiwo Aloba: This play tells the story of two grieving mothers who connect over the deaths of their children, who drowned during perilous immigration journeys by sea. The play explores loss, resilience and the power of human connection amid adversity.

Short Form Showcases: Laughing Matters

These three short comedy plays touching on adult education, parenting and the afterlife, will be performed together in a one-hour block at three times throughout the day: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“Story Time” by Brian Daly: This comedy invites 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: In this futuristic comedy, a company 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 Buchholz: When Kiana dies in a motorcycle accident, her heavenly representative abruptly decides to send her spirit to Hell. But Kiana enlists her postmortem union rep and a deeper investigation into her Earthly life will determine the right place for Kiana to spend eternity.

CCAE Theatricals Staged Reading Festival 2025

When: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Ritz Theatre, 301 E. Grand Ave., Escondido

Tickets: $10 each for mainstage or showcase readings; $15 for lunch; $25 for dinner

Online: theatricals.org/staged-reading-festival