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Author: Alfredo Casuso

Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival Announces Director and Casts

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Media Contact:
David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival Announces Director and Casts

www.psypf.org

Winning Plays to Be Performed June 8 at Palm Springs Cultural Center

20 May 2025 – Palm Springs, CA: “Casting is everything,” said legendary director Martin Scorsese. “If you get the right people, they make you look good as a director.”  That philosophy is on full display at this year’s Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival, where two outstanding student-written plays will be brought to life by an all-star lineup of actors and directors from stage and screen. From Tony Award-winner Gregory Jbara (Blue Bloods, Billy Elliot) to fan-favorites David Lambert (The Fosters) and Laura Marano (Austin & Ally), this year’s casts are a masterclass in bringing fresh stories to vibrant life.

“The selected plays reflect remarkable talent and originality,” said Festival Founder and Executive Director David Youse. “It’s thrilling to see these young voices lifted by such an extraordinary group of artists. It’s going to be a wonderful afternoon.”

This year’s festival features two award-winning plays written by local high school students: The Kellogg Murders by Peyton Taylor of Valley View High School and Seven by Kayla McCarty of Ramona High School. Both plays will be presented as staged readings at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on Sunday, June 8 at 12pm. Tickets are $10 general admission, with free admission for students. Ticket link

The Kellogg Murders
Written by Peyton Taylor | Directed by Desiree Clarke Miller

A dark comedy where Corn Flakes and Wheaties—jealous cereal mascots—embark on a revenge-fueled spree against their sugary competitors. With a satirical edge and outrageous characters, the play skewers nostalgia and brand culture with wit and flair.

Cast:

  • Raul Valenzuela – Kellogg Corn Flakes
  • Lou DiMaggio – General Mills Wheaties
  • Noah Bentley – Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes)
  • Cullen McCarthy – Toucan Sam (Froot Loops)
  • Michael Shaw – Lucky the Leprechaun (Lucky Charms)
  • Daniel DiMaggio – Count Chocula
  • Chuma Gault – Bad Apple & CinnaMon (Apple Jacks)

Creative Team:

  • Playwright: Peyton Taylor
  • Director: Desiree Clarke Miller

SevenWritten by Kayla McCarty | Directed by Craig Wells

Set in purgatory, seven souls must confront the sins that define them. With only one destined for grace, this powerful drama navigates themes of redemption, judgment, and human nature.

Cast:

  • John Corr – Envy
  • Chuck Yates – Gluttony
  • Keith Hoffman – Greed
  • Laura Marano – Lust
  • Anne Etue – Pride
  • Lizzie Schmelling – Sloth
  • David Lambert – Wrath
  • Gregory Jbara – Judgement

Creative Team:

  • Playwright: Kayla McCarty
  • Director: Craig Wells

As usual, the “dynamic duo” of David Youse and Jack Kenny are keeping the Festival on track.

Youse is a veteran actor and producer whose extensive TV credits include Chicago Hope, The Young and the Restless, Criminal Minds, and Torchwood. Through his company Four Things Productions, Youse has raised significant funds for nonprofit organizations with high-profile staged readings such as The Normal Heart (directed by Joel Grey) and Steel Magnolias (directed by Judith Ivey).

Kenny, returning this year as a mentor, is the creator of The Book of Daniel and Titus, and was showrunner of Warehouse 13. He has written for Jessica Jones, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, and starred on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof. A Juilliard-trained actor, Kenny bridges television, theatre, and education.

The festival will be co-hosted by three past winners: Abigail Alldredge, Anthony Banuelos, and Erik Evans, continuing the festival’s tradition of fostering alumni engagement and mentorship.

The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival is dedicated to promoting creative writing in the theatrical form among elementary, middle, and high school students in Riverside County, CA. By offering mentorship, scholarships, and the opportunity for public staged readings, PSYPF invests in the next generation of storytellers, ensuring that diverse and fresh perspectives continue to enrich the world of theatre. For more information, submissions, and tickets, visit: www.psypf.org

The 2025 Premier Sponsor of PSYPF is The Cherry Lane Alternative. Leading sponsors include:

  • Rowan Kimpton Hotel, Palm Springs – Peggy Trott, General Manager
  • The Palm Springs Cultural Center
  • City of Palm Springs
  • The Riverside County Office of Education
  • Paul Reid and Tom Hartnett
  • Scott Poland and Eddie Nestlebush
  • Jason Smith and Tom Valach



The 2025 Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival takes place Sunday, June 8, at 12:00 PM at the Palm Springs Cultural Center (2300 East Baristo Rd., Palm Springs, CA 92262). Tickets are $10 for general admission. Students admitted free. Tickets available at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6581051 

Instagram: @PSYPF

18 May 2025: Bay to Breakers Winners

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18 May 2025: Bay to Breakers Winners

Oscar Medina
age 32 from San Francisco 
Time 37.08

Julia Vasquez
age 29 from San Francisco 
Time 42.27

Cal Calamia 
age 28 from San Francisco 
time 43:21

——————- 

Top three men: 

Oscar Medina 
age 32 from San Francisco 
time 37:08

Christopher Oley 
age 29 from San Francisco 
time 37:19 

Connor Clark 
age 30 from San Francisco 

time 37:28

————

Top three women: 

Julia Vasquez Giguere 
age 29 from San Francisco 
time 42:27 

Maya Weigel 
age 29 from Los Altos 
time 42:49 

Bridget Blum 
age 30 from San Francisco 
time 43:37

———-

Non Binary Winners:

Cal Calamia 
age 28 from San Francisco 
time 43:21

JL Odom 
age 46 from San Francisco 
time 49:02 

Ben Wilson 
age 38 San Francisco 
time 51:55

Oscar Medina
(Photo by Andres Acosta/ DP&A)
Julia Vasquez Giguere 
(Photo by Andres Acosta / DP&A)
Cal Calamia.
(Courtesy Cal Calamia)

Plato’s Circle of Government 

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Plato’s Circle of Government 

Plato’s “circle of government” or cycle of regimes is a political theory he presents in The Republic and further elaborates in The Statesman and The Laws. It describes a cyclical degeneration of governments from best to worst. Plato believed that governments—and the souls of individuals—tend to decline over time. Here’s his sequence:

1. Aristocracy (Rule by the best)

• Ideal regime, led by philosopher-kings guided by wisdom and reason.

• Just, orderly, and rational society.

But aristocracy eventually decays because the rulers fail to maintain purity in education or heredity.

2. Timocracy (Rule by the honorable/military)

• A warrior class takes over; they value honor and ambition over wisdom.

• This form resembles Spartan government.

Timocracy declines as rulers become obsessed with power and wealth.

3. Oligarchy (Rule by the few wealthy)

• Power shifts to the rich, who rule for their own benefit.

• The poor are excluded, creating class conflict.

Oligarchy leads to corruption and vast inequality.

4. Democracy (Rule by the people)

• Masses overthrow the oligarchs, establishing freedom and equality.

• Everyone can rule; excessive freedom becomes chaotic.

Plato criticizes democracy for leading to disorder and a lack of discipline.

5. Tyranny (Rule by one despot)

• From the chaos of democracy, a charismatic leader arises.

• Promises order but becomes a tyrant who rules by fear and violence.

This is the worst regime, where reason is entirely absent.

⸻

Cycle Summary (best to worst):

Aristocracy → Timocracy → Oligarchy → Democracy → Tyranny

Plato believed that without philosophical wisdom, societies inevitably fall into this decline. His solution was rule by philosopher-kings—those who love truth and justice.

HIP HOP’S ORIGIN STORY HITS THE STAGE IN SAN FRANCISCO

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HIP HOP’S ORIGIN STORY HITS THE STAGE IN SAN FRANCISCO

“The Bronx Revolution and the Birth of Hip Hop” Comes to YBCA
 for Two Unforgettable Nights June 20 & 21

14 May 2025 – San Francisco, CA: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), in partnership with Zaccho Dance Theatre, proudly presents The Bronx Revolution and the Birth of Hip Hop, a multimedia performance experience where the legends of Hip Hop take the stage, raw and unfiltered​. For two nights only during Juneteenth weekend— Friday and Saturday, June 20 & 21 (7:30pm) in The Forum at YBCA—audiences will experience the music, movement, and stories that gave rise to one of the most influential art forms of our time.

Featuring Hip Hop pioneers Grandmaster Caz, Grandwizzard Theodore, MC SHA-ROCK, Grandmaster Melle Mel*, Graffiti Artist BG183, BGirl Rokafella, BBoy Kwikstep, and photography by Joe Conzo, Jr., The Bronx Revolution and the Birth of Hip Hop transports audiences to the streets of 1970s Bronx, where a cultural revolution was born. Through breakdancing, graffiti, live DJing, spoken word, and powerful storytelling, it’s an electrifying, one-of-a-kind experience—brought to life with the raw energy and bold spirit that have shaped culture over the last four decades. The visual world of the production is created by a dynamic design team: Video Creative Director John Ensor Parker, Video/Projection Designer Márton Dániel Gábor, and Video Technical Director Bryan Dodson.

“We’re proud to partner with Zaccho Dance Theatre to bring this landmark performance to YBCA,” said Mari Robles, CEO of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. “It’s a powerful moment to honor the living legends of hip hop and bring our community together through culture, creativity, and connection.”

In addition to the performance, the Friday, June 20 show will feature a post-show talkback with the Hip Hop legends, followed by a community cypher and after-party powered by our guest, DJ QBert. 

“This work is a love letter to the movement that changed everything,” said Joanna Haigood, Artistic Director of Zaccho Dance Theatre. “We’re telling the story from the voices of those who were there—not just to entertain, but to remember, honor, and inspire.”

Originally commissioned in 2013 by Dancing in the Streets and Casita Maria Center for Arts and Culture, the continued development of The Bronx Revolution and the Birth of Hip Hop has been made possible in part by The Kennedy Center’s Office Hours Residency Program at The REACH.

Tickets and additional event details are available at www.ybca.org/bronxrevolution. Mylo Cardona of Gravity Access Services will provide a Live Audio Description and Haptic Access Tour for visually impaired audience members. The Haptic Access Tour begins one hour before curtain on June 20th. 

*Grandmaster Melle Mel contributes to the production through a powerful pre-recorded video performance, created specifically for this work.

The Bronx Revolution and the Birth of Hip Hop is funded through the generous support of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, California Arts Council, San Francisco Arts Commission, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, Fleishhacker Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts and the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation.

YBCA programs are made possible in part by Blue Shield of California, the City and County of San Francisco, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, James R. Lilienthal Trust, California Arts Council, Yerba Buena Partnership, Meridee Moore, Beard Family Foundation, Schwab Charitable Fund, Gaia Fund, David and Carla Crane Foundation, Andrew Skillman and Lydia Choy Charitable Fund, Amy and Hannah Eliot, Maria Kim, Tides Foundation, Wayee Chu and Ethan Beard, Amanda Minami, Klau Family Fund, Peter Rigano and Cody Hicks, Harvey and Leslie Wagner Foundation, Robert and Junko Kenmotsu, The San Francisco Foundation, and YBCA Members.

For more information visit www.ybca.org/bronxrevolution or www.thebronxrevolution.org. Follow @ybca and @zacchosf on social media for behind-the-scenes content, artist interviews, and event updates.

About Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Opened to the public in 1993, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) was founded as the cultural anchor of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens neighborhood. Our work spans the realms of contemporary art, performance, film, civic engagement, and public life. By centering artists as essential to social and cultural movement, YBCA is reimagining the role an arts institution can play in the communities it serves. For more information, visit ybca.org.

About Zaccho Dance Theatre

Founded in 1980 by internationally recognized choreographer Joanna Haigood, Zaccho Dance Theatre has led the advancement of aerial arts and site-specific dance, creating rich, resonant performances that honor history, place, and culture. Learn more at www.zaccho.org.

Contacts:

Lauren Macmadu
Chief External Relations Officer
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
LMacmadu@ybca.org | 415.350.1884

David Perry, David Perry & Associates, Inc
news@davidperry.com | 415.676.7007

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