DWT – (Greg) Playwright Group

The Playwrights Collaborative

Mission Statement

The Playwrights Collaborative, established April 2008, is an organization of writers, actors, directors and others interested in the theatre, working together to promote the development and production of new plays in Sacramento and elsewhere. Through cooperative peer review, the Playwrights Collaborative assists in making plays ready for production and helps find suitable venues where shows might be performed. There are no dues, fees or other charges for participating.

Steering Committee Bios and Contact Information

Web Site: www.playwrightscollaborative.com (Under Development)

Gary Agid, Chairman of the Playwrights Collaborative, retired in 1999 as a manager for the California Air Resources Board. He has performed in many plays in Sacramento and Woodland and has been doing much film work including movies, TV, training and educational films, and commercials. He is also having much fun as a gunslinger doing old west reenactments. And most recently, he has developed a comic act. Contact: gary@agid.com

Roberta Blagg, retired employee from the State of California, has had many positions including Information Officer for the California Arts Council, and the designer and manager of the Individual Artists’ Program for the Council. She holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Acting from the University of California at Davis, has acted in over 50 productions, and has directed 12 plays. An emerging playwright, Roberta has written two plays, one of which has been produced. Contact: robertablagg@comcast.net or (916) 447-6783.

Leo McElroy is an actor and director, and is also the author of more than 30 plays, a number of which have won awards and been produced in Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and Sacramento. His credits include more than a hundred roles in film, television and radio. A former network newsman (CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS), he is often heard providing analysis of public affairs for broadcast stations throughout California. His memoir, “But You Can’t Report That”, was recently published and is available on Amazon.com. Contact: mcelcom1@att.net or (916) 564-0905.

Maggie Adair Upton holds an MA in Theatre from California State University Sacramento. Before retiring she was Managing Director at River Stage (Consumnes River College), where she also directed and acted in several productions as well as taught theatre-related subjects both there and at other local community colleges. She has served on many local Boards of Directors, including the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (Chair), and has been the executive director for several arts organizations including Business Volunteers for the Arts, Harmony Arts, and the Fair Oaks Theatre festival. Maggie enjoys being an adjudicator for Lenaea, an annual one-act play festival competition for high schools. She also does occasional short film ad commercial work. She is actively involved in directing and performing in local productions. Contact maggieupton1@comcast.net.

Donya Wicken has a Masters degree in Theology from Southern Methodist University. She has had two screenplays filmed for the “A Place Called Sacramento” Film Festival and has written three full-length stage plays as well as numerous shorter works. One of her two-act plays “Ghost Writer” was produced locally in 2007. A second, Mrs. Teach’s Washday Miracle, has been performed as reader’s theater. Donya has also participated in the City Theater
29 1/2 Hour Playwriting Competition, the SacActors Two Page Play Festival and the local Playwrights Festival: Eight views of Tower Bridge. She has recently completed a two-act family-friendly Christmas play. Contact donyaweekend@yahoo.com or (916) 670-5460.

Tim Cahill is general counsel and president of Charles C. Bell, Inc., located in Sacramento. He has written a number of full length plays, two of which have been published, as well as a number of shorter plays. One of his plays, “Tattoos”, won festivals in Oxnard, California, Torrington, Connecticut and Middlebury, Virginia. He has also had short stories published. Contact tcahill@ccbell.com

JANINE ROMNEY