Tag Archives: Sci-Fest

2016 Tomorrow Prize Accepting Entries

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Tomorrow Prize logoThe 2016 Tomorrow Prize is sponsored by Sci-Fest LA. And is open to all students attending high school (9th -12th grade) in Los Angeles County.

Contest entries must be original short science fiction stories of 1,500 words or less. (Not fan fiction.)

The deadline to submit is Friday, February 19, 2016. Finalists will be notified April 1.

Five finalists’ stories will be dramatically read on stage by sci-fi celebrities during Sci-Fest L.A. in May 2016. The finalists will receive prizes and have their stories published on the Sci-Fest LA website. The Grand Prize Winner will receive $250, and the other four finalists will each receive a $100.

The English and Science Departments of the winning students’ high school will each receive a portion of the box office proceeds from the reading and awards event.

See the contest webpage for additional guidelines, including format requirements.

The Tomorrow Prize for short science fiction was created by Sci-Fest LA in 2014 “to identify and encourage the next generation of science fiction writing talent.”

Sci-Fest Radio Brings Frankenstein To Stage

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sci fest frankenstein

Sci-Fest Radio Theatre will present the 1944 radio version of Frankenstein live on stage on January 11, 2016.

Scheduled to join the cast are Philip Anthony-Rodriguez (Grimm), Linda Park (Star Trek: Enterprise), Gates McFadden (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Alfred Molina (Spiderman II), and John Rabe (NPR’s Off-Ramp).

This fundraiser for Sci-Fest LA will also be the occasion to honor legendary filmmaker Roger Corman with the first-ever Sci-Fest LA Icon Award.

A wine reception, red carpet and silent auction begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. Corman will be honored at 8 p.m., and the performance will follow.

Tickets are being offered as a reward to donors who make a tax deductible donation of $100, $75 or $55.  See the Sci-Fest LA website for details.

2016 Roswell Award Entry Deadline Is January 15

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Entries for The Roswell Award, sponsored by Sci-Fest LA, The Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival, are being taken through January 15, 2016.

Roswell Award 2016 COMP

The Roswell Award was created to identify, encourage and promote up-and-coming science fiction writing talent, and is given to the winner of Sci-Fest’s short story writing contest for adults. The author of the winning entry will receive a cash prize of $1,000.00.

Entries must be original science fiction short stories (not plays), no longer than 1500 words, by a writer over the age of 18.

Five finalists will have their stories read aloud “by sci-fi celebs” at Sci-Fest during an awards ceremony in May 2016, then posted on the Sci-Fest LA website. Finalists will receive two tickets to attend a Sci-Fest LA play festival evening.

Full details at the website.

HOLIDAY PARTY: Sci-Fest LA also says all are welcome to join them at their holiday party on December 7 at Amalfi (LaBrea near 1st Street, next door to the Acme Theatre.) Cash bar. Starts at 7 p.m.

Sci Fest Holiday Party

Hawkins Wins Roswell Award

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William Hawkins’ story “Grandma’s Sex Robot” has won the Roswell Award short story writing contest for adults hosted by Sci-Fest LA. The author will receive a cash prize of $1,000.00.

Hawkins lives in Irvine, CA, where he currently pursues an MFA in creative writing. He’s been published in the Blue Lyra Review and Country Roads Magazine, among others.

There was a public reading of the finalists at the ceremony on May 25. Gates McFadden read Hawkins’ entry.

Local pros John DeChancie and Steven Barnes were introduced from the audience.

Roswell Award Ceremony 5/25

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Jasika Nicole (Scandal & Fringe), Simon Kassianides (Agents of SHIELD), Claudia Black (StarGate SG1), Armin Shimerman (Deep Space Nine), Gates McFadden (Star Trek: The Next Generation), David Blue (Stargate Universe).

Jasika Nicole (Scandal & Fringe), Simon Kassianides (Agents of SHIELD), Claudia Black (StarGate SG1), Armin Shimerman (Deep Space Nine), Gates McFadden (Star Trek: The Next Generation), David Blue (Stargate Universe).

The finalists for the Roswell Award short story writing contest for adults will have their stories read aloud at Sci-Fest during an awards ceremony on Sunday, May 25, 2015.

The readers will be Claudia Black (“Stargate”), David Blue (“Star Gate”), Simon Kassianides (“Agents of Shield”), Gates McFadden (“Star Trek: TNG”), Jasika Nicole (“Fringe”) and Armin Shimerman (“Deep Space Nine”).

The finalists are “Grandma’s Sex Robot” by William Hawkins, “Saving Seeds” by Donna Glee Williams, “Cardiopulmonary Arrest” by Melissa Yuan-Innes, “RN2399 / 2037” by Liam Hogan, “Inside” by T. Lucas Earle and “Heaven Scent” by John McCollum.

Honorable mentions are “Robbie Is Not a Robot Name” by Catherine W. Cheresh and “Dead Lanes” by John Paul Davies.

The judges are Jack Kenny (Executive producer, Warehouse 13, Falling Skies), Jordan Roberts (Screenwriter, Big Hero 6), and Mike Werb (Screenwriter, Face Off, The Mask)

The author of the winning entry will receive a cash prize of $1,000.00. Complete details here.

Sci-Fest Adds Gaiman Adaptation

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Barker Gaiman scifest COMP

Neil Gaiman’s The Case of Four and Twenty Blackbirds, adapted by Michael Bernard, will be performed in May at Sci-Fest LA, the Los Angeles science fiction one-act play festival. So will an adaptation of Clive Barker’s short story The Departed.

And Sci-Fest’s Indiegogo crowdfunding appeal continues, hoping to raise $100,000 by March 18 to qualify for a matching grant. So far $8,565 has been pledged.

The second season of Sci-Fest will run from May 5 to May 31 at The Acme Theater in Hollywood. The full list of programs follows the jump.

Continue reading →

A Bigger Better Sci-Fest LA

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The cast of Sci-Fest's one-night-only production of "War of the Worlds", performed January 17. Included actors from all five Star Trek series, and others: Wil Wheaton & Michael Dorn (“Star Trek: TNG”), Walter Koenig (“Star Trek"), René Auberjonois & Armin Shimerman (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), Tim Russ (“Star Trek: Voyager”) Linda Park ("Star Trek: Enterprise"), Jason Ritter ("The Event”) and Dean Haglund (“The X-Files”).

Sci-Fest’s production of “War of the Worlds”, January 17, cast actors from all five Star Trek series, plus others: Wil Wheaton & Michael Dorn (ST:TNG), Walter Koenig (Star Trek), René Auberjonois & Armin Shimerman (DS9), Tim Russ (ST:Voyager) Linda Park (ST:Enterprise), Jason Ritter (The Event) and Dean Haglund (The X-Files).

Sci-Fest, the annual Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival has started an Indiegogo crowdfunding appeal to raise $100,000 by March 18.

Last year, we raised an impressive $81,000.00 on Kickstarter and produced a groundbreaking month-long Festival.   Luckily, our major donors believe (as we do) that this opportunity to take Sci-Fest LA to the next level is too amazing to pass up. These incredible people have made us a very generous offer.  If we can raise $100,000.00 via this IndieGoGo campaign, our major donors will contribute an additional 30% MATCHING GRANT!  This would be a real game changer for us. 

Sci-Fest will soon be announcing its 2015 slate of shows, which will include an adaptation of Clive Barker’s short story “The Departed.”

Sci-Fest also sponsors The Tomorrow Prize, an sf short fiction contest for LA County High School Students and the submission deadline is looming — February 15.  See the website for details.

Trek Actors Cast In Classic Radio Play at Sci-Fest LA

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Wil Wheaton
Orson Welles in 1937

Star Trek meets War of the Worlds at Sci-Fest LA on January 17. Actors from five different Trek series will perform Orson Welles’ iconic radio drama written by Howard Koch. One night only!

René Auberjonois (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
Michael Dorn (Star Trek: TNG)
Dean Haglund (The X-File”)
Walter Koenig (Star Trek Original Series)
Linda Park (Star Trek: Enterprise)
Jason Ritter (The Event)
Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager)
Armin Shimerman (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: TNG) as “Orson Welles”

Wheaton as Welles? Where have the years gone?

Only 30 tickets are left – to be awarded to people who donate $125 to Sci-Fest LA’s 2015 fundraising campaign. Admission includes a post-show reception with the performers.

Sci-Fest LA Creates Two Awards

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Sci-Fest LA,The Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival, has launched two awards to recognize the winners of its new writing contests.

The Roswell Award will go to the winner of its short story writing contest for adults. Entries must be original science fiction short stories (not plays) no longer than 1500 words, written by an adult over the age of 18. The deadline for submissions is January 15th, 2015. 

Five finalists will have their stories read aloud at Sci-Fest during an awards ceremony on May 23, 2015. The author of the winning entry will receive a cash prize of $1,000.00. Complete details here.

The Tomorrow Award will be given to the winner of a short story writing contest for high school students in Los Angeles County. The requirements parallel those for the first contest – entries must be original science fiction short stories no longer than 1500 words. The deadline for submissions is February 15th, 2015. 

Five finalists for the Tomorrow Award will have their stories read aloud in an awards ceremony at the Acme Theatre in Hollywood on May 16, 2015. The winning author will receive a cash award of $250.00. Plus, all box office proceeds from the awards ceremony will be donated to the science department of the winner’s high school. Full information about the student contest is here.