SCC Performing Arts Department’s Theatre Arts Programs Proudly Presents… A Festival of “Original” One-Act Plays
Written by Patrick Chavis
The SCC Performing Arts Department’s Theatre Arts Programs Proudly Presents… A Festival of “Original” One-Act Plays May 15 – 24, 2026.
This is the debut year for the festival put on by Santiago Canyon College in Orange. Organized by Sheryl Donchey and Roberta Kay, the One-Act Playwright Festival is a playwriting competition in which playwrights submit their original plays. All of the contestants this year are first-time directors and playwrights. This year’s six winners, Juliette Guerrero, Ryan Coombs, Lithy Mutz, Anthony Hurtado, Valerie Mora, and Alek Diaz, made the cut across a range of genres and approaches.
Nestled inside the small but inviting Little Theatre on the Santiago Canyon Campus, you can easily find parking off Newport and park in Lot 2. The theatre has a U-shaped seating setup. The cast and crew did an incredible job transforming each space, using rolling panels, lighting, and other props to transition quickly to the next scene.
If you’ve ever been to a theatre fringe festival, the process felt very familiar. They were very practical about using what is needed to communicate the story and letting the acting do much of the work. I hope to see this festival continue. Having platforms and a place to stage new work is vital for creatives to really understand how their work is perceived. There are even fewer options in places like the City of Orange. I’m glad to see creative opportunities popping up. It was a solid event.
Reviews:
The first play on the docket was Flat Earth by playwright Lithy Mutz. A four-scene play going back and forth between a park and a hospital waiting room. It was largely a two-hander between a pair of brothers, Ulysses (Richard Khau) and Mateo (Kameron Yue). They have odd couple dynamics. We’ve got the straight man in Mateo, who is also a very devout believer in God, and Ulysses the funnyman, who believes in a lot of fringe and eccentric things.
We get to know these brothers through their conversations and arguments, but something tragic threatens to tear them apart. Kameron Yue is fantastic in this particular role, and he plays a very convincing straight man. It features a creative, fun use of surrealist elements. Some dialogue feels forced. The ending may have felt more natural if there had been more build-up from the ending conversation in previous scenes, even just a tiny bit.
7.3 out of 10!
2nd play Our Precious Moments from playwright Anthony Hurtado. This family drama is a 3-hander set after a mother’s funeral. Siblings clash over the past, present, and future. This one was very formulaic, but it had some flavor. It’s a scenario ripe with conflict, which is why it has been mined so much. It follows convention well, but it would benefit from more nuance or something else to set it apart. The fundamentals are there, so good first effort.
6.8 out of 10!
The Tin Man from playwright Alek Diaz is part Western and part Science Fiction play about a Tin Man bounty hunter. This one’s a little out of the box. It’s very well acted, and the makeup and costuming on the Tin Man have a DIY aesthetic that makes it distinctive. Props to Nayeli Lazaro, who did the makeup work on Robot and helped create its jaw. The storyline has a philosophical moral edge connected with technology, with a unique character in the Tin Man. This production has some of the best acting of the night from Frieda (Ellen Baker), Stanford (Kevin Mendoza), Robot (Dylan Smith), and Black Gulch Gumble (John W. Hatherill).
8.2 out of 10!
There was a quick intermission after The Tin Man.
All Mine, directed by Juliette Guerrero, is a classroom drama-comedy about the dangers of obsession. It’s set in the present day at a fictional high school called Venado High. Maddie (Katana Simpson) is crushing over the hunky and narcissistic jock Tyler (Richard Khau). Maddie’s got a thing for Tyler, but is it a thing, or something much darker? I loved the inclusion of the school chairs and the general blocking of this show. It looks like a pretty straightforward classroom, with desks and a whiteboard in the back.
The other actors who played small roles in the production did a great job of maintaining focus and staying in character. The use of devious asides was very Shakespeare — specifically recalling the Bard’s most dastardly villain — Iago from Othello. It was lovely and, along with strong acting from the lead, Katana Simpson, provided such a great start. Khau really captures Tyler’s manipulative yet charming character. The ending is not as strong as the beginning and middle. The concept was good, and it’s fine as is. However, I think, with a little more thought about the characters’ motivations, this could be much better.
7.9 out of 10!
The Stillness That Swallows Sound, written by playwright Valerie Mora. Set in the 9th circle of Hell viewing room, Lucifer, God, and Biblical figures look on as a couple, Jourdan (Adam Klase) and Hope (Apricot Burke), go through relationship tribulations. As we watch, we learn that even watchers are dealing with their own drama. The story is communicated well. We are kind of dropped right into the action of this couple, which is interesting and could work better if we had more time to learn more about them, but they are barely memorable in this short play. They act more like templates that you might relate to in the situations portrayed. This concept might thrive better in a longer format. Writing short form is an art in itself. It was hard to connect with the characters. The God/Lucifer storyline is way more intriguing.
7 out of 10!
Earthquake Weather, written by Playwright Ryan Coombs, is a comedy about a young Jewish man named Alex (Jesus Arce Guillen) who grapples with existential questions about life and more grounded ones, like cleaning the shower and romantic relationships. It is not easy to write something genuinely funny, let alone write and perform. Go to an open mic night and watch how many jokes actually hit, even from professionals. So when I say there is some talent here, I’m definitely not joking. Coombs shares with the audience this very relatable yet troubled man, Alex. Guillen enthusiastically brings those words to life. Ben (Sam Jones) is a delightful, calm, and more open-minded foil to Alex’s lunacy. The play also includes the hilarious, adorable performance by Shower (Faith Kennedy)—along with wonderful writing and acting.
WOW!! This was a great production and I loved seeing it with my family LOL It was super funny and…