PlayGround-LA Company in the News July-2020

See what PlayGround-LA Writers, Alumni, and Company Members are up to!

Daysha Veronica has been selected for a summer internship with the Television Academy. She will be working in scripted series development at Valhalla Entertainment, the production company behind producing The Walking Dead, Fear The Walking Dead, Terminator, Aliens and The Incredible Hulk. She was also selected by UCLA as the winner of the 2020 Dini Ostrov Stage Spirit Playwriting Award that honors scripts featuring strong spirited women. This is the 2nd consecutive time she has won this award and this year it was for her play,  WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TACO TRUCK ON SANTA MONICA AND VINE?.  Daysha is also the recipient of its 2020 PlayGround-LA play commission.  Over the next year, she will expand her ten-minute play, MOTHER EARTH DAY, into a new full-length play

Allie Costa was featured in the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Better Days video. You may also watch Allie’s individual video here. Allie recently performed in the Lakeshore Players Virtual Festival. She is currently in rehearsal for a new play reading and a collaborative dance project. Her play Dear Neighbor was part of the Off-Stage/On-Line project. Learn more about these projects and more at http://www.alliecosta.com

Desiree’ York‘s play, FRACTURED was selected as one of the best new works of 2019-2020 by Dayton Most Metro.  Her play HUMAN(E) which was scheduled for a staged reading at Pasadena Playhouse in April, received a virtual reading.

Jonathan Josephson’s DR. SOULSLAYER, MISTRESS MINDTHEIF, AND THE CAPTOR RAPTOR HAVE A ZOOM was included in the Social Distancing Play Festival and is currently viewable at jonathanjosephson.com. His short play DOSTOEVSKY has been included in Bonita Spring’s Stage It! 4 and will recieve a virtual staged reading in September.

Jully Lee will be part of a virtual workshop for a new full-length play THE BIG RED NAUGAHYDE BOOTH (OR, WOULD-BE ELKS) by Jennie Webb, and will participate in The NOMAD Project with Coeurage Theatre, a V/O theatrical experience, performing in THE ROOSTER by Tom Jacobson (thanks to fellow PG’er Mark Jacobson for the offer)! Jully is also continuing to teach improv classes with her improv troupe COLD TOFU over Zoom, and will lead a virtual improv workshop for Northrop Grumman at the end of the month.  

Mildred Inez Lewis‘ one act HOW’S THE STORE? will be produced in the Company of Angels’ online short play festival. Full length comedy BAD PAPER was accepted for a staged reading  by the Coast to Coast Theatre Ensemble. Recent monologues: CONTENT MODERATION for the Last Frontier Theatre Conference,  PAT’S PLACE and UNRENDERED AID for Theatre is the Cure, and MY BODY AN OFFERING for the Black and Brown Theatre  (Detroit).

Misao McGregor has recently founded the Sacrosanct Collective, a community blog that amplifies the voices and art of queer, trans, & non-binary Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). You can check out the blog at sacrosanctcollective.com and follow them on Instagram @sacrosanct_collective. 

Rachel Borders directed the music video for Brian Falduto’s “God Loves Me Too,” a religious LGBTQ+ country-rock anthem. The music video was financed and supported by GLAAD, Trevor Project, Beloved Arise, Richard Linklater, Scott Rudin, and Jack Black. You can watch it here. 
 
Sylvia Cervantes Blush is currently hunkering in place with husband Bill and playing on Zoom with over 24 households on passion project to keep her from binging the entire Netflix catalogue. She’s looking forward to the day she can play in a room, but until then, she’ll play in any playground she can safely get dirty in. #StaySafe #StayHealthy #StayHopeful

Uma Incrocci co-wrote the TV movie THE NATURE OF LOVE  which has been airing all spring — next showtime August 15 on Hallmark Channel.