The San Francisco Olympians Festival

Dear Friends,

After much debate, internally, and long conversations with colleagues at and around the EXIT, we have decided that it’s for the best to cancel The Olympians Festival this year.

When we last met things were looking so much better that like many people within the theater community, we decided to be hopeful, and while considering various ideas for how to make the Olympians experience safe for everyone, we even found ourselves quietly thinking, “most of this probably won’t be necessary by then.”

Unfortunately, that has not proven to be the case.

After months of weighing the cost vs. the benefits, we also realized it would take a lot of work to make our festival safe and also FEEL SAFE for everyone, and that core aspects of what make The Festival so worthwhile would be compromised by these efforts. At the end of the day, while we believe there is value in adapting and change and we applaud all those companies and organizations which have managed to do so, we have definitely found it is also valuable to ask who it would serve to continue to do something if it can only be done in a way that drastically alters the very thing it is. As we found ourselves drawing up a plan that seemed difficult but feasible, what kept hitting us in the face was that the end result was something that was no longer the Festival we loved.

We also set an internal standard of “If daily deaths nationally reach 1,000 again, we will reconsider pushing forward, safety precautions or no safety precautions.” On Thursday, September 9th, the US topped 2,000 in a day, a number not seen since the winter. In our eyes it would be folly, but also hubris, to push forward with an event of our size while the virus continues to infect and kill so many people.

There will be more Olympians down the road. Maybe, hopefully, next year. We had an incredible crop of writers and artists slated for this year and we look forward to seeing what they bring into the world, whether it’s through us, or via some other avenue of access. Please support them any way you can, until we can once again offer them a platform worthy of their work, and your attention.

In the meantime, we wish everyone health and safety.

-The SF Olympians Festival

It’s a tapestry of Celtic mythology, as intricate as knot-work, and as brilliant as a freshly polished cauldron!

This year we are excited to debut 38 new plays by 36 writers, 17 of whom will be contributing written work to the festival for the first time! The plays range from shorts to one-acts and full-lengths, and each one explores a different legend or god from the mythology of Ancient Gaul, Britain, Ireland, and the legends of King Arthur. Though exclusively local in the past, the 2019 festival includes a number of non-Bay Area writers, brought into the festival for the first time to honor the roaming spirit of the Celts! 

The 2019 festival is 12 nights from November 6 to the 23rd, Wednesday through Saturday, at the EXIT Stage Left Theatre in San Francisco (156 Eddy Street). Tickets are $10.00 at the door, and can be purchased starting at 7:30 the night of the show, or for $12 in advance at Brown Paper Tickets. All shows begin at 8 PM. Audience members who attend more than four nights get the fifth free.

This year’s company includes: Janelle Aguirre, Kristin Anundsen, Emma Attwood, Erika Bakse, Stephen Barlow, Andrew Calabrese, LeighAnn Cannon, Carlos Carrillo, Genie Cartier, Melissa Claire, AJ Davenport, Leticia Duarte, Andrew Chung, Hillary Dadio-Perrone, Juliana Egley, Eduardo Esqueda, Vince Faso, Jan Gilbert, Jake Gleason, Matt Gunnison, Kristin Hall, Tyler Hall, Don Hardwick, Sam Heft-Luthy, Abigail Henderson, Colin Hussey, Tirumari Jothi, Heather Kellogg, Joshua Kendall, Helen Kim, Derek Kingsley, Rebekah Kouy-Ghadosh, Camilla Leonard, Scott Lettieri, Elliot Lieberman, Jessica Lim, Carl Lucania, Jenn Lucas, Steve Mallers, Brian Martin, Kyle McReddie, Alex Mechanic, Jade Meza, Emanuel Morales, Risa Moreno, Roberta Morris, Sarah Hadassah Negron, Nicole Odell, Jordan Ong, Omar Osorio-Pena, Katharine Otis, Genevieve Perdue, Meira Perelstein, Caroline Portante, Jess Rankin, Tatiana Ray, Annette Roman, Miyoko Sakatani, Gretchen Lee Salter, Isabel Saragusa, Jeanette Sarmiento, Joshua Selesnick, Dillon Siedentopf, Fenyang Smith, Chris Steele, Sam Stone, Ron Talbot, Nick Trengove, Lisa Wang, Karl Wieser, Stacey Winn, Jasmine Woods, Eiko Yamamoto, Marlene Yarosh, Lauren Yellow, Jeff Zittrain 

This year’s fine artists include: Nathan Anderson, Christopher Bauman,Molly Benson, Donald Bolin, Lacy Canton, Liz Conley, Brett Grunig, Rogernald Jackson, Feras Khagani, Katie Leavens, Emily C. Martin, Greg McCrary, Ashley Ramos, Cody Rishell, Ruben Rohde, Rachel Vanderpool

The art will be on display at the EXIT Theatre the entire month of November!

The festival runs Wednesday-Saturday, November 6- November 23. All shows begin at 8 PM. Here is the line-up:

WEEK ONE (November 6-9): GREETINGS FROM SUNNY GAUL!

Novemer 6: Golden God
Full Length: BELENUS by Jason Mendez, directed by Sara Judge
Some times the only thing you have left is your voice.

November 7: Master of The Hunt
Full Length: CERNUNNOS by Stuart Bousel, directed by Laura Domingo
Everything is a cycle, from cradle to grave, and Love is the hunter and the quarry. 

November 8: Lord of the Sky
Full Length: TARANIS by Trevor Scott Floyd, directed by Maddie Gaw
What do you do when you’re promised Heaven and given Hell?

November 9: Water Maidens and Country Queens, directed by Mads Leigh Faire and Sophia Mia DiPaolo 

Short: CERIDWEN by Annette Roman
When Sorceress Ceredwin brews a potion to transform her son into a handsome poet, a village lad accidentally drinks the concoction and jealousy flares between her spoiled children.

Short: COVENTIA by Mads Leigh Faire 
What happens when the well runs dry?

Short: SEQUANA by Carl Lucania 
To save the city, they first have to cross the river.

Short: EPONA by Juliana Lustenader 
Not all problems can be solved by time travelling horses; sometimes, you have to do things yourself.

Short: ROSMERTA by Tessa Nicholls 
Rosmerta’s Fortune’s Booty. Er, Bounty. 

Short: SULEVIAE by Jeanie Ngo
Being the Goddess of Truth hurts…literally. No, really, you should see the blood.

Short: SIRONA by Eteya Trinidad
A boy, a girl, and a magical bottle of lube. It’s time for some sexual healing.

Short: CATHUBODUA- Alma Pasic
Surviving doesn’t actually mean living.

WEEK TWO (November 13-16): HAIL BRITANNIA!

November 13: Prydain (Wales), directed by Lana Palmer 
One-Act: MABINOGION by Naseem Badie and Edward Morgan
What could go wrong with an AI breeding program?

Short: ARAWN or THE LAST BOAT FROM ANNWFN by Kristin Hall
The Lord of the Dead might not be the best marriage counselor.

Short: MANAWYDAN AP LLYR by Kirk Shimano
When you have a flaming helmet, an invisibility cloak, an unbeatable sword, seven eternal cows, and a whole loft full of other magical crap, you need to ask yourself one question: does this spark joy?

Short: GOVANNON by Stacey Winn
The baby died in his care. That’s all we know.  

Short: RHIANNON or UNBELIEVABLE by Valmina May
Framed for an act she didn’t commit, Rhiannon accepts her punishment graciously. In this reimagining of the tale, lawyer Ericka Burke finds herself in a similar situation. Will anyone believe her side of the story?

November 14: Heroes of Eire, directed by Liz Baker 

One-Act: CU CHULAINN by Kyle McReddie
Win or lose, it’s all bull anyways.

One-Act: FIONN MAC CUMHAILL by Neil Higgins
All families have secrets. His family’s secrets are ruinous.

November 15: Queens of Ulster

One-Act: DEIRDRE by Ai, directed by Finn Ware
She killed herself. Little did she know that death was not the end but the beginning of her eternal suffering.

One-Act: MEAVE by Elizabeth Flanagan
Samhain, as good a time as any to make amends, or at least invite your sworn enemies over for cocktails.

November 16: The Raven Goddess
Full-Length: MORRIGAN by John Elison and Meg Elison
Black feathers in a bloody handkerchief…

WEEK THREE (November 20-23): VIVE CAMELOT!

November 20: And To All A Good Knight, directed by Nara Dahlbacka

Short: SIR TRISTRAM by Marissa Skudlarek
Is it true love or just a massive rush of dopamine?

Short: SIR KAY by Alan Coyne
Keane & Doyle return to discuss words which cannot be said onstage, words which cannot be said offstage, and words which are better left unsaid at any stage.

Short: SIR GALAHAD by Carson Beker
Good Knight; Good Luck. 

Short: SIR GAWAIN by Alandra Hileman
A series of misunderstandings can quickly turn naughty nights into knotty knights. Sorry, when I said I was looking for a unicorn, what did you think I meant?

Short: SIR GARETH by Alan Coyne
Time travel is a problem, but Gareth has more pressing concerns, like tenure.

Short: SIR BEDIVERE or EICH DYN by Alandra Hileman
When you’re the last one standing at the end of the world, what’s the most important thing to take with you to the next one: the legend, or the truth?

Short: SIR PELLINORE by Carson Beker
But What, Exactly, Is a Questing Beast? 

Short: SIR PERCIVAL by Marissa Skudlarek
Sometimes asking the uncomfortable questions is the only way to heal.

Short: SIR MORDRED by Sunil Patel
Masculinity is a double-edged sword.

November 21: Wyrd Sisters

Short: ELAINE, Queen of Garlot by Elaine Gavin
Queen Elaine of Garlot has a story to tell. With the help of her modern day namesake, the forgotten sister of King Arthur will not be so easily overshadowed by her family.  

One Act: MORGAUSE by Lucy Knight
And you thought your Mom was Wyrd…

One Act: MORGANNA by Jessica Chisum
When a virtual medieval Otherworld is overrun by creatively anachronistic trolls, a young apprentice courageously ventures into meatspace to find the IRL Camelot. 

Short: IGRAINE- Nirmala Nataraj
An exploration of motherhood, betrayal, and healing in the wake of great loss.

November 22: Age of Chivalry, directed by Stuart Bousel 

Curtain Warmer: ELAINE OF ASTOLAT by Meghan O’Connor
Of all the words that have been writ, you should really just admit, that turns out you don’t know shit about the Lady of Shallott.

Full Length: ARTHUR, LAUNCELOT and GUINEVERE by Brian Allan Hobbs
A country in turmoil, a Knight with doubts, a Queen in moral conflict, and a King with a choice: the greatest love triangle in history. 

Curtain Closer: ELAINE OF CORBENIC by Allison Page
Motherhood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Particularly when the absent father of your bouncing-baby-future-most-perfect-of-all-knights is busy shacking up with Guinevere. Put on a brave face, it’s time to have a luncheon. Pass the cocktail weenies.

November 23: Master Class
Full Length: MERLIN by Karl Schackne, directed by Alejandro Torres 
Whether it’s your first existence or your 42nd, when lives have you down come spend them at Genie’s, the diner in the middle of eternity.

We couldn’t be here each year without all of our amazing donors, which include but are not limited to:

Brian Babbitt
Naseem Badiey
Carson Beker
Megan Briggs
Louise Castaldi
Kirsten Disse
Laura Domingo
Juliana Egley
Robert Estes
Stephanie Ann Foster
Matt Gunnison
Valerie Hilshorst
Naoma Hornburg
Thomas Ignatius
Molly Kag
Susan Kanther-Raz
Brian Katz
Christine Keating
Astra Kim
Lucy Knight
Pearl Lee Short
Carl Lucania
Stacey Matthews-Winn
Lana Palmer
Christian Pizzirani
Genevieve Perdue
Bridgette Portman
Annette Roman
Kim Saunders
Andrew Sha
Marissa Skudlarek
Elizabeth Spreen
Wolfgang Weber
Chad Weider

with

Paul Anderson from Trotsky Manor, keeper of cat treats who Placated the Princess Frankie-Pants.

Mary Ann Bell & Joseph Skudlarek from the Pacific Northwest, Keepers of the Faith, who help pay the freight.

Chris Quintos Cathcart from The 650, keeper of The Truth, who destroyed the page.

Andrew Chung from the City of Daly, keeper of the snark, who slew the bottle of tequila.

Michael Johnson from the Land of Enchantment, keeper of the spirit, who wandered the cosmos.

Dan Kurtz from Woods of the West, keeper of Distractions, who Swalloped the Cod.

Kirk Shimano from the Frozen Wastes of Vancouver, keeper of the cutest Chiweenie ever, who rendered the cape of Darth Vader.

Meghan Trowbridge from the land of slush and swamps, keeper of too many tote bags, who stole library books.

and, as always,

THE EXIT THEATRE

Thanks for your incredible support, everyone!

SF OLYMPIANS 11: Folk Remix

WEEK ONE (November 4-7): Tricksters And Rogues

11/4, Full Length: Scheherazade- Naseem Badiey

11/5, THICK AS THIEVES
One Act: Ali Baba - Maury Zeff
One Act: Aladdin - Laura King * 

11/6, Full Length: Sinbad- Carson Beker and Nara Dahlbacka 

11/7, ANTI-HEROES IN HATS 
Full Length: Robin Hood – Stuart Bousel 
Opener: Reynard the Fox- Nirmala Nataraj
Closer: Puss In Boots - Johny Blood* and Karlyn DeSteno*  

WEEK TWO (November 11-14): Damsels and Distress

11/11, Full Length: Cinderella  - Sean Abley * 

11/12, TILL DEATH DO US PART
Pair of Shorts: Little Red Ridinghood/The Wolf - Daniel Kelin * 
Pair of Shorts: Rapunzel/Dame Gothel - Erica Andracchio * 
Pair of Shorts: Gerda/The Snow Queen - Kristy Lin Billuni *
Pair of Shorts: The Miller’s Daughter/Rumpelstiltskin - Kirk Shimano

11/13, FROZEN IN SLEEP 
One Act: Snow White - Jeanie Ngo
One Act: Sleeping Beauty - Eteya Trinidad 

11/14, VIRGIN CONTROL
Full Length: Bluebeard - Allison Page
Opener: Lilith - Jessica Chisum 
Closer: The Fox Maiden - Kendra Arimoto 

WEEK THREE (November 18-21): Enchanters and Enchanted

11/18, MAGIC ANCESTORS
Full Length: Fairies- Colette Gunn-Graffy* and Jasmine Woods*  
Opener: Giants -Megan Cohen 
Closer: Dwarves - Jared McDaris *

11/19, A MEDIEVAL BESTIARY
Short: Dragon - John Patrick Bray
Short: Unicorn - Stacey Winn
Short: Griffin - Ashley Cowan
Short: Manticore - Meghan Trowbridge
Short: Cockatrice - Kelly Rubinsohn *
Short: Basilisk - Melissa Fall
Short: Yeti - Weston Scott *
Short: Kraken - Alan Coyne
Short: Sea Serpent - Sam Hurwitt

11/20, LOVE TRANSFORMATIVE
One Act: The Little Mermaid- Anne Heintz*
One Act: Beauty And The Beast- Heather Shaw*

11/21, BLACK BOOK CLUB
Full Length: Faust - Valmina May
Opener: The Witch of Endor - Neil Higgins
Closer: Baba Yaga - Kristin Hall

* designates writer joining The Festival for the first time!

Welcome to Summer! 

Opening the submissions for SAN FRANCISCO OLYMPIANS FESTIVAL XI: A FOLK REMIX 

Want to write for the Olympians Festival?

Well, now is your chance!

We are now accepting submissions for the 2020 San Francisco Olympians Festival, a multi-discipline, nationally and internationally recognized new works theater festival based at the EXIT Theatre in San Francisco!

Proposals due by midnight on September 1 with the line-up for next year’s festival to be announced by 9/30/2019. Our first meeting will be on December 12 of 2019.

The festival will take place in November of 2020, from November 4-November 21, Wedesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8 PM, at the EXIT Theatre in San Francisco.

Each night of the festival will consist of the staged reading of either a full-length play or a series of shorts, inspired by subjects drawn from European and Middle-Eastern folklore, with one or two surprises. The subjects, and the lengths of the plays we’re looking for, are specified below.

There are no submission fees. The Olympians Festival is non-exclusive and does not retain ownership of any play created for it, beyond the initial staged reading. Participating writers receive a portion of their box office the night of the reading, and will be expected to help promote the festival and contribute a raffle prize of their choice to be raffled off to the audience on the night their play is read. Local writers or their designated representatives are also expected to attend 4-6 meetings over the course of the year, and our auditions, which happen in September.

Writers are encouraged to submit as many proposals as they want for as many topics as they like. Applications for a topic can be submitted by individuals or writers can work in pairs, or teams of three or more. Writers may be picked for more than one project, and should note that they’d like to be considered for more than one (or not). Each proposal should be 500 words or less and answer three questions:

1) Why you?
2) Why this figure?
3) What is your idea?

All proposals should be submitted electronically to Stuart at [email protected].

We are an equal opportunity festival and all Bay Area writers are encouraged to apply. Additionally for this year, in honor of the universal tropes often explore in fairy tales, we will green light proposals from up to SIX NATIONAL WRITERS. So if you’re a US playwright and want to be a part of the festival, now is your chance. These guest slots are not pre-determined, so apply to whatever strikes your fancy, and specify you are a playwright from outside of the Bay Area.

2020′s subjects are as follows. Only one is currently claimed and submissions are encouraged for all of the rest:

SF OLYMPIANS 11: Folk Remix

WEEK ONE (November 4-7): Tricksters And Rogues

11/4, Full Length: Scheherazade

11/5, THICK AS THIEVES
One Act: Ali Baba
One Act: Aladdin

11/6, Full Length: Sinbad 

11/7, ANTI-HEROES IN HATS 
Full Length: Robin Hood - CLAIMED
Opener: Reynard the Fox
Closer: Puss In Boots

WEEK TWO (November 11-14): Damsels and Distress

11/11, Full Length: Cinderella  

11/12, TILL DEATH DO US PART
(applicants must apply to write a pair of matched shorts) 
Pair of Shorts: Little Red Ridinghood/The Wolf
Pair of Shorts: Rapunzel/Dame Gothel 
Pair of Shorts: Gerda/The Snow Queen
Pair of Shorts: The Miller’s Daughter/Rumpelstiltskin

11/13, FROZEN IN SLEEP 
One Act: Snow White 
One Act: Sleeping Beauty

11/14, VIRGIN CONTROL
Full Length: Bluebeard
Opener: Lilith 
Closer: The Fox Maiden

WEEK THREE (November 18-21): Enchanters and Enchanted

11/18, MAGIC ANCESTORS

Full Length: Fairies
Opener: Giants
Closer: Dwarves

11/19, A MEDIEVAL BESTIARY 
Short: Dragon
Short: Unicorn
Short: Griffin 
Short: Manticore
Short: Cockatrice
Short: Basilisk
Short: Yeti 
Short: Kraken 
Short: Sea Serpent

11/20, LOVE TRANSFORMATIVE 
One Act: The Little Mermaid
One Act: Beauty And The Beast

11/21, BLACK BOOK CLUB
Full Length: Faust
Opener: The Witch of Endor
Closer: Baba Yaga

Definitions of Length:
Curtain Warmer/Closer: 5-10 minutes
Short: 10-15 minutes
One Act: 25-50 minutes
Full Length: 70-150 minutes, one-three acts

Find out more about the festival at www.sfolympiansfestival.com or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Festival Art Director Cody Rishell once again brings us a stunning image to set the tone for this year’s festival!

WEEK ONE (November 6-9): GREETINGS FROM SUNNY GAUL!

Novemer 6: Golden God
Full Length: BELENUS by Jason Mendez

November 7: Master of The Hunt
Full Length: CERNUNNOS by Stuart Bousel

November 8: Lord of the Sky
Full Length: TARANIS by Trevor Scott Floyd *

November 9: Water Maidens and Country Queens
Short: CERIDWEN by Annette Roman
Short: COVENTIA by Mads Leigh Faire *
Short: SEQUANA by Carl Lucania *
Short: EPONA by Juliana Lustenader *
Short: ROSMERTA by Tessa Nicholls *
Short: SULEVIAE by Jeanie Ngo
Short: SIRONA by Eteya Trinidad *
Short: CATHUBODUA- Alma Pasic Tran *

WEEK TWO (November 13-16): HAIL BRITANNIA!

November 13: Prydain (Wales)
One-Act: ARIANRHOD, BLODEUWEDD, GWYDION and MATH AP MATHONWY by Naseem Baidey * and Edward Morgan *

Short: ARAWN by Kristin Hall *
Short: MANAWYDAN AP LLYR by Kirk Shimano
Short: GOVANNON by Stacey Winn
Short: RHIANNON by Valmina May *

November 14: Heroes of Eire
One-Act: CU CHULAINN by Kyle McReddie *
One-Act: FIONN MAC CUMHAILL by Neil Higgins

November 15: Queens of Ulster
One-Act: DEIRDRE by Ai
One-Act: MEAVE by Elizabeth Flanagan

November 16: The Raven Goddess
Full-Length: MORRIGAN by John Elison and Meg Elison *

WEEK THREE (November 20-23): VIVE CAMELOT!

November 20: And To All A Good Knight
Short: SIR TRISTRAM by Marissa Skudlarek
Short: SIR KAY by Alan Coyne
Short: SIR GALAHAD by Carson Beker
Short: SIR GAWAIN by Alandra Hileman
Short: SIR GARETH by Michelle Elaine Ianiro
Short: SIR BEDIVERE by Alandra Hileman
Short: SIR PELLINORE by Carson Beker
Short: SIR PERCIVAL by Marissa Skudlarek
Short: SIR MORDRED by Sunil Patel

November 21: Wyrd Sisters
Short: ELAINE, Queen of Garlot by Elaine Gavin *
One Act: MORGA- USE by Lucy Knight *
One Act: MORGANNA by Jessica Chisum
Short: IGRAINE- Nirmala Nataraj

November 22: Age of Chivalry
Curtain Warmer: ELAINE OF ASTOLAT by Meghan O’Connor
Full Length: ARTHUR, LAUNCELOT and GUINEVERE by Brian Allan Hobbs *
Curtain Closer: ELAINE OF CORBENIC by Allison Page

November 23: Master Class
Full Length: MERLIN by Karl Schackne *

* Writing for The Festival for the First Time!

It’s an excursion to Rome, where the mythologies of the world crossed paths!

Since 2010 the festival has featured the work of 110 Writers, 85 Directors, 447 Actors, and 45 Fine Artists!

This year we are excited to debut 27 new plays by 28 writers, 10 of whom will be contributing written work to the festival for the first time! The plays range from shorts to one-acts and full-lengths, and each one explores a different legend or god from the mythology of Ancient Rome. Though exclusively local in the past, the 2018 festival includes a number of non-Bay Area writers, brought into the festival for the first time to honor the expanding spirit of Rome that built the Roman Roads! This year’s festival also features a serial, created by a team of writers and other artists, played out over eight separate nights!

The 2018 festival is 12 nights from October 3rd to the 20th, Wednesday through Saturday, at the EXIT Stage Left Theatre in San Francisco (156 Eddy Street). Tickets are $10.00 at the door, and can be purchased starting at 7:30 the night of the show, or for $12 in advance at Brown Paper Tickets. All shows begin at 8 PM. Audience members who attend more than four nights get the fifth free.

Advance Tickets available at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3583969

Please note, only 1/4 of the box office each night can be purchased in advance. 3/4ths of the box office of each night can only be purchased in cash at the door of the theater, half an hour before the start of the show.

This year’s company includes: Janelle Aguire, Joe Ayers, Chris Anderson, Vonn Scott Bair, Erika Bakse, Sara-Jean Bartky, Stacy Beckley, Eric J. Berglund, Kerri Blake Cavanaugh, Sara Breindel, Brianna Cala, David Chalk, Zoe Chien, Andrew Chung, Christy Conway, Amy Cook, Ronald Cook, AJ Davenport, Adrian Deane, Jason Vuong Do, Laura Domingo, Raisa Donato, Pam Drummer Williams, Ellen Dunphy, Juliana Egley, Alisha Ehrlich, Ciera Eis, Mikl Em, Spencer Evans, Valerie Fachman, Vince Faso, John Ferreira, Ashley Gennarelli, Lorenz Angelo Gonzales, Toni Lynn Guidry, Matt Gunnison, Julian Harbison, Don Hardwick, Abigail S. Henderson, Alice Highman, Michael Houston, Gary Hughes, Colin Hussey, Pamela Ignacio, Amanda C. Johnston, Tirumari Jothi, Moses Kaplan, Heather Kellogg, Helen Kim, Wiley Kornbluh, Rebekah Kouy-Ghadosh, Christina Lancaster, Sophia Lanza-Weil, Amanda Lee, Scott Lettieri, Brian Levi, Will Livingston, Carl Lucania, Alissa Magrill, Steve Mallers, Nicole Martin, Valmina May, James McGarry, Jennifer McNeal, Kyle McReddie, Alex Mechanic, Risa Moreno, Sarah Negron, Rebecca Newton, Nicole Odell, Ely Sonny Orquiza, Kaitlyn Ortega, Sunil Patel, Gerardo Paz, Genevieve Perdue, Jared Polivka, Miguel Ramirez, Jess Rankin, Bruce Reif, Rana Rines, Leer Relleum, Kelly Rinehart, Renee Rogoff, Rick Roitinger, Alison Sacha Ross, Kim Saunders, Marshall F. Scott, Lynda Sheridan, Dillon Siedentopf, Marissa Skudlarek, Jacob Soss, Sidney Spiegel, Stephanie Thomas, Kaz Valtchev, Vicki Victoria, Zoheb Virani, Wera von Wulfen, Alejandra Wahl, Sam Wessels, Karl Wieser, Lauren Yellow, Ted Zoldan

This year’s fine artists include: Nathan Anderson, Christopher Bauman, Molly Benson, Donald Bolin, Liz Conley, Rogernald “Rusty” Jackson, Emily C. Martin, Ashley Kea Ramos, Cody Rishell, Rachel Vanderpool, Terezi Velasco

The art will be on display at the EXIT Theatre the entire month of October!

The festival runs Wednesday-Saturday, October 3- October 20. All shows begin at 8 PM. Here is the line-up:

SF OLYMPIANS IX: ROMAN HOLIDAY (10/3-10/20)

Week One: IMPERIAL WORLD (10/3-10/6)

Wednesday, October 3: The Way In

JANUS by Ai, Directed by Finn Ware
HE can’t end; SHE can’t start. Janus, the God of Beginnings and Endings, split in two and stuck in the middle. It’s a new Divine Comedy for our times.

Thursday, October 4: The Venerable Father

SATURN by John Lamar Elison, Directed by Dan Kurtz
Sometimes, sons become fathers. Fathers become Gods. And sometimes Gods die.

Friday, October 5: Capitoline Triad

JUPITER/JUNO/MINERVA by Laylah Muran de Assereto, Directed by Dan Wilson
Sometimes resistance looks like tea and cookies with a General.

Saturday, October 6: The Prodigal Son
Directed by Sara Judge

MARS by John Lennon Harrison
In a world on built on mistrust, can Mars kill his people with kindness before they burn him at the stake?

CUPID by Jason Mendez
That moment when the woman of your dreams meets the love of your life. Yeah it’s that kind of love story.

PSYCHE by Terezi Harrison
The best way to cope with the past is to laugh about it.

Week Two: DIVINE DESCENT (10/10-10/13)

Wednesday, October 10: The Legacy

AENEAS by Stuart Bousel, Directed by Alejandro Torres
All stories have an ending, all endings become beginnings.

Thursday, October 11: The Founders
Directed by Juliana Lustenader

ROMULUS by John Patrick Bray
A school is only as strong as its twin spirits.

REMUS or THE FIRE WOLVES by Jessica Chisum
During the worst forest fire in the history of Washington state, a tech giant’s best-laid schemes come to a screeching halt. A CEO is missing in the wilderness, and the man who saw him last speaks only in riddles. As the fires close in, a young biologist tracks a lone wolf searching for answers.

Friday, October 12: The Inheretors

JULIUS CEASAR by Allison Page, Directed by Allison Page
With great power comes great ego. A seemingly quiet man named Julius is named Manager In Perpetuity at a smoothie stand in a dying American mall. While his grand plans begin to take shape, angst in the mall is about to boil over. Et tu, Briana?

OCTAVIAN AUGUSTUS by Nic Sommerfeld, Directed by Kieran Beccia
The Society of Historically Accurate Porn is here to answer all your hard questions. This year’s feature, a private meeting between Marc Antony and Octavian Augustus.

Saturday, October 13: The Origin

VENUS by Christine Keating, Directed by Alessandro McLaughlin
They’re The Venutians. They’re not like other girls.

BELLONA by Bridgette Dutta Portman, Directed by Jerome Josephe Gentes
Press the button. You know you want to.

VICTORIA by Annette Roman, Directed by Jerome Josephe Gentes
As opposing factions fight over whether to preserve or remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, the statues of the Goddess of Victory and Joseph Stalin—as well as some surprise guests—debate their role as historical monuments.

Week Three: HEARTH & TOWN & COUNTRY & TOMB (10/17-10/20)

Wednesday, October 17: The Secret Keeper

VESTA by Veronica Tjioe, Directed by Lily Sorenson
This play for anyone who has struck through a whole damn box of matches with no luck. It is also good for fans of mail, democracy, and toucans.

Thursday, October 18: Gods! Gods! Gods!
Directed by Sophia Mia Dipaola

NEPTUNE by Elizabeth Flanagan
He thought it was ancient history.

MERCURY by Nicole Jost

Sex and money can’t be exchanged when communications misfire. Is this Mercury’s hand? Or is there something else bumming you out?

APOLLO by Kirk Shimano
ARE YOU RRRR-READY TO…COMPARE THE RELATIVE CULTURAL IMPACT OF TWO RATHER SIGNIFICANT DEITIES OF THE ROMAN PANTHEON-NNNNNN?!?!?

VULCAN by Casey Busher
Do a workhorse and a show pony make the perfect couple-or just a couple of animals

SOL by Christian Simonsen and Lisa Kee-Hamasaki
How can the ancient God of Truth survive in the modern world of lies? By working as a K-J at The Golden Emu Karaoke Lounge!

QUIRINUS by Eve Edelson
Orpheus swears he didn’t kill Eurydice - but Quirinus wants that confession, one way or another.

DIS by Maury Zeff
Purgatory is for lovers

FAUNUS by Meghan Kathleen O’Connor
Ever been mistaken for another person? More than once? How about for thousands of years? Faunus knows the feeling. Don’t worry, he’s super-fine-not-resentful-totes-chill-fiiiiiiiine.

Friday, October 19: Aventine Triad

CERES/LIBER/LIBERA by Barry Eitel, Directed by Cole Ferraiuolo
At a humble diner in small town Ohio, suburban authoritarians, war weary soldiers, glassy eyed profiteers, and star-crossed lovers collide as an empire teeters on collapse.

Saturday, October 20: The Triple Goddess
Directed by Stuart Bousel

DIANA by Libby Emmons
The vestal virgins bring Diana back from the dead and turn her from the huntress into a goddess of fertility.

LUNA by Neil Higgins
Can a name embody all that it is to be a goddess? Keep in mind: language is an inherently meaningless human construction.

TRIVIA by Alan Coyne
A meeting at the crossroads leads to matched wits, riches wished, and a switch. Which witch is which?

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER:

A SERIAL: CLEOPATRA or NOT THAT CLEOPATRA or NOT CLEOPATRA: A SEARCH FOR THE UNKNOWABLE QUEEN
by Carson Beker and Nara Dahlbacka
(With Patricia Reynoso, Cody Rishell, Kitty Torres)
Directed by Carson Beker and Nara Dahlbacka
October 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 19
Killer Queen, Cunning linguist, colonizer, badass, icon, last pharaoh of Egypt, femme fatale, or collective fever dream? Who, what, and where is Cleopatra, and who are we for looking anyway?

Advance Tickets available at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3583969

Please note, only 1/4 of the box office each night can be purchased in advance. 3/4ths of the box office of each night can only be purchased in cash at the door of the theater, half an hour before the start of the show.

Autumn is here, and that means it’s SFOlympians Time!

We couldn’t be here each year without all of our amazing donors, which include but are not limited to:

Anonymous
Louise Castaldi
Beth Charley
Jeremy Cole
Bridgette Dutta Portman
Eve Edelson
Robert Estes
Stepahnie Ann Foster
Jerome Joseph Gentes
Matthew Gunnison
Valerie Hilshorst
Brian Katz
Christine Keating
Maurya Keating
Dan Kurtz
Richard Livingston
Tonya Narvaez
Tiana No
Genevieve Perdue
Madeline Puccioni
Annette Roman
Tamara Thalleen
Miguel Veloz
Wolfgang Weber
Teri Whipple
Oren Williams
Maury Zeff

with Paul Anderson,
Hemi-Demi-Semi-God of Fractionality, Optimistic Haircuts, Lesser Lemuria, and Ornery Varmints,

Robin Bousel,
Goddess of Resilience, Chocolates, Arizona, and Pensive Peacocks,

and Marissa Skudlarek,
Goddess of nostalgia, chocolate croissants, Crater Lake,
and melancholy swans.

Thanks for your incredible support, everyone!

Happy Labor Day!

Opening the submissions for SAN FRANCISCO OLYMPIANS FESTIVAL X: YOU’VE GOT GAUL!

Want to write for the Olympians Festival?

Well, now is your chance!

We are now accepting submissions for the 2019 San Francisco Olympians Festival, a multi-discipline, nationally and internationally recognized new works theater festival based at the EXIT Theatre in San Francisco!
Proposals due by midnight on October 15th, with the line-up for next year’s festival to be announced 10/31/2018. Our first meeting will be on December 12 of 2018.

The festival will take place in November of 2019, from November 6-November 23, Wedesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8 PM, at the EXIT Theatre in San Francisco.

Each night of the festival will consist of the staged reading of either a full-length play or a series of shorts, inspired by the mythical gods and heroes of the Ancient Greeks, and those cultures which influenced it or were influenced by it. The subjects, and the lengths of the plays we’re looking for, are specified below.

There are no submission fees. The Olympians Festival is non-exclusive and does not retain ownership of any play created for it, beyond the initial staged reading. Participating writers receive a portion of their box office the night of the reading, and will be expected to help promote the festival and contribute a raffle prize of their choice to be raffled off to the audience on the night their play is read. Local writers or their designated representatives are also expected to attend 4-6 meetings over the course of the year, and our auditions, which happen in September.

Writers are encouraged to submit as many proposals as they want for as many topics as they like. Applications for a topic can be submitted by individuals or writers can work in pairs, or teams of three or more. Writers may be picked for more than one project, and should note that they’d like to be considered for more than one (or not). Each proposal should be 500 words or less and answer three questions:

1) Why you?
2) Why this figure?
3) What is your idea?

All proposals should be submitted electronically to Stuart at [email protected].

We are an equal opportunity festival and all Bay Area writers are encouraged to apply. Additionally for this year, in honor of the wide-spread presence of the Celtic peoples through many nations, we will accept proposals from up to SIX NATIONAL WRITERS. So if you’re a US playwright and want to be a part of the festival, now is your chance. These guest slots are not pre-determined, so apply to whatever strikes your fancy, and specify you are a playwright from outside of the Bay Area.

2019′s subjects are as follows. Only one is currently claimed and submissions are encouraged for all of the rest:

WEEK ONE (November 6-9): YOU’VE GOT GAUL!
Novemer 6: Golden God
Full Length: BELENUS
“The Shining One” god of light, learning, music, poetry, fire.

November 7: Master of The Hunt
Full Length: CERNUNNOS - CLAIMED
“The Horned One” god of animals, hunting, the forests and the earth, leader of the Wild Hunt.

November 8: Lord of the Sky
Full Length: TARANIS
“Father Thunder” god of storms, lightning, the air, fortune, and destiny.

November 9: Water Maidens and Country Queens
Short: ARDUINNA, goddess of the forests.
Short: COVENTIA, goddess of wells and springs.
Short: SEQUANA, goddess of the River Siene.
Short: EPONA, the goddess of horses and work.
Short: ROSMERTA, the goddess of fertility and abundance.
Short: SULEVIAE, the goddess of order, law, and honesty.
Short: SIRONA, the goddess of healing.
Short: CATHUBODUA, the goddess of war.

WEEK TWO (November 13-16): HAIL BRITANNIA!

November 13: Prydain (Wales)
Short: GOVANNON, god of smiths, fire, jewelry, metalwork, craftsmasnship, weapons
Short: MANAWYDAN AP LLYR, god of the sea, father of Cordelia, Regan, and Goneril.
Short: GWYDION and MATH AP MATHONY, gods of magic, and wisdom. Short: ARAWN, the King of the Dead, and god of sleep and time.
Short: ARIANRHOD, goddess starlight, guidance, and language.
Short: BLODEUWEDD, goddess of flowers, birds, beauty, and love.
Short: CERIDWEN, goddess of farming, harvests, cycles, wells, lakes and ponds.
Short: RHIANNON, goddess of horses, secrets, caves, hills and valleys.

November 14: Heroes of Eire
One-Act: CU CHULAINN, hero of the Cattle Raid of Cooley
One-Act: FIONN MAC CUMHAILL, famed hunter and warrior

November 15: Queens of Ulster
One-Act: DEIRDRE, tragic queen who throws herself off a cliff to escape a marriage.
One-Act: MEAVE, powerful queen known for her ambition, glamour, and lust.

November 16: The Raven Goddess
Full-Length: MORRIGAN
“The Banshee Queen”, three-faced Irish goddess of war, ghosts, terror, and darkness.

WEEK THREE (November 20-23): VIVE CAMELOT!

November 20: And To All A Good Knight
Short: SIR TRISTRAM, tragic lover of the Irish princess Isolde.
Short: SIR KAY, foster brother to King Arthur.
Short: SIR GALAHAD, son of Launcelot and Elaine, he drinks from the Holy Grail.
Short: SIR GAWAIN, slayer of the Green Knight.
Short: SIR GARETH, Sir Gawain’s brother and foe of the Red Knight.
Short: SIR BEDIVERE, Arthur’s true friend and survivor of Camelot’s fall.
Short: SIR PELLINORE, pursuer of the Questing Beast.
Short: SIR PERCIVAL, Pellinore’s son, he comes into the presence of the Holy Grail.
Short: SIR MORDRED, illegitimate son of Arthur and the destroyer of Camelot.

November 21: Wyrd Sisters
Short: ELAINE, Queen of Garlot, sorceress, peaceful queen, and “good” sister.
One Act: MORGA- USE, Queen of Orkney, witch and half-sister seducer of Arthur, mother of Sir Mordred.
One Act: MORGANNA, Queen of Avalon, enchantress and friend of fairies.
Short: IGRAINE, mother of the Wyrd Sisters by Gorlois, and King Arthur by Uther.

November 22: Age of Chivalry
Curtain Warmer: ELAINE OF ASTOLAT, lover of Launcelot, the infamous Lily Maid.
Full Length: ARTHUR, LAUNCELOT and GUINEVERE, the Greatest of Kings, the Greatest of Knights, and the Queen who brought them together and tore them apart.
Curtain Closer: ELAINE OF CORBENIC, mother of Galahad by Launcelot, she first reveals the Holy Grail to him, and then seduces him disguised as the Queen.

November 23: Master Class
Full Length: MERLIN
Bard, magician, prophet, fairy king, demi-god, mystery, legend.

Definitions of Length:
Curtain Warmer/Closer: 5-10 minutes
Short: 10-15 minutes
One Act: 25-50 minutes
Full Length: 70-150 minutes, one-three acts

Find out more about the festival at www.sfolympiansfestival.com or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.