Sci-fi takes center stage at Sci-Fest in Hollywood

David Dean Bottrell (“Boston Legal,” “And the Band Played On”) a few years back, after he’d read a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin: How about a festival of science fiction-themed stage plays?

The genre had morphed and changed over recent years thanks to high-tech wizardry in movies and on TV; Bottrell liked the haunting, more suggestive possibilities of live stage action. (More “Twilight Zone,” say, than “Inception.”) Would others feel the same?

When he opened up the idea, he was deluged with submissions from writers, as well as from performers eager to participate. Further affirmation came on Kickstarter, where he raised over $80,000 to support the concept.

The result, the First Annual Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival, is comprised of eight original works and one classic, “Kaleidoscope,” by the maestro of the form, Ray Bradbury, is up now in its second week at the Acme Theater. Bottrell took a break from the busy-ness (in addition to producing, he’s also appearing on-stage) to talk with us today at KCRW.

“Like the best science fiction… these are human stories told in extraordinary universes,” says Bottrell.

For details on the rotation of plays, or to find out how to submit work for consideration for next year’s fest, visit the website for Sci-Fest. Could this be a kind of Comic-Con in the making?