
The Malibu International Festival of One-Act Plays, in its fifth year, has attracted interest worldwide.
By Ryan O’Quinn / Special to The Malibu Times
The Saint Aidan’s Better Entertainment League, or SABEL, which presents one-act plays with a message of morality and spirituality, has grown in the past five years. SABEL organizers received more than 140 submissions for its Malibu International Festival of One Act Plays -almost triple the amount its first year.
Of the more than 140 submissions, six plays were chosen for this year’s one-act festival, which takes place this weekend and next.
The festival was started in 2000 by Malibu resident Paul Almond. The filmmaker desired to have a one-act festival with a degree of moral content and approached fellow residents and industry veterans Michael Preece and Gy Waldron about directing some of the plays, and SABEL began in Malibu with that goal in mind.
“What we’re trying to do is have a play festival that is spiritual and moral but also interesting,” executive producer Michael Preece said. “It’s not Sunday School, it’s not preaching. It’s more of entertainment with a message.”
The first year of the festival there were about 50 entries sent in for consideration and the number of submissions has continued to grow. Festival producer Dona Bigelow said this year there were more than 140 entries from the States and other countries as well .
“We had some [submissions] from London and Canada and the East Coast, but most of them from the western states,” Bigelow said. “We whittled it down to 23 and we gave it to the directors and they picked six.”
The producers noted that the plays are open to the entire family and all six plays will run both weekends of the festival. There is one drama, several comedies and the plays’ contents span the spectrum from educational to uplifting to just plain fun.
“What we’re doing is entertainment that doesn’t have gore and can be uplifting or be a comedy and be fun,” Bigelow said. “These plays are just wonderful. The premise of the festival is that comedy or drama can have a spiritual or moral theme and still be highly entertaining, which is what we’re all about.”
Despite having Saint Aidan’s in the title, the volunteer, nonprofit organization divides the proceeds from the festival among the various religious organizations in Malibu including Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church, Our Lady of Malibu Catholic Church, Malibu Presbyterian, Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, Malibu United Methodist and First Church of Christ, Scientist.
“One play is about circumcision, but later in the play they bring a priest and a rabbi into the situation where they discuss Judaism and Christianity,” Preece said, addressing the broad spectrum and universal nature of the festival. “We have another one about a couple who are in a computer dating thing. Both have lied about their age and weight and circumstances. Another play involves Santa Claus and Jesus sitting down at a fireplace talking about Christmas.”
Another play Preece said the producers were excited about is “The Ghost and Josh Gibson,” which revolves around the story of the ghost of Satchel Paige (considered to be one of the greatest pitchers of all time) attempting to convince the title character to play Major League Baseball. Graeme Clifford, who directed such films as “Frances,” starring Jessica Lange and Kim Stanley, and “Gleaming the Cube,” starring Christian Slater, directs “The Ghost and Josh Gibson.”
Preece is directing actor Nick Jameson (“Beowulf,” “Lost”) in the comedy “Join the Club.” Preece said it was somewhat of a reunion as he worked with the actor in one of Jameson’s first professional jobs.
Bigelow said the festival attracts top talent in all areas from the directors and writers to the actors. Preece has a 50-year career spanning film and television. Most notably directing the television series “Dallas” and “Knots Landing,” and most recently “7th Heaven.”
Writer/director Gy Waldron, who will be directing a play that he wrote in the festival, has directed for stage, film and television, and has created several television series including “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “Enos.”
The festival will run the six plays Nov. 10-12, and Nov. 17-19. Tickets for the festival are $20 for adults and $15 for children and seniors. Reservations can be made by calling 310.457.2853. All performances will be at the Malibu Stage Co., 29243 Pacific Coast Highway.