Before the excitement of Virtual Arts’ New Play Festival 2026 whisks me away, I want to take a moment to reflect on all of the generous and talented people who have supported my playwriting efforts throughout the development of Amilex.
I am grateful to Virtual Arts Productions for investing in my writing over the past two years. Their programming of my short play Letter to a Clone Manufacturer, and Spanish translation Carta a un fabricante de clones, in the 2025 festival afforded me the opportunity to reflect on that piece, and continue to answer deeper questions about its themes of power, control, and artificial intelligence. When the call for submissions for the 2026 festival went out, I only had an outline for Amilex. I pitched the idea of a full-length play based on Letter to a Clone Manufacturer, delving into the origin of the Clonepanions, and the aftermath of the cliffhanger ending. The encouragement that Virtual Arts Productions showed me in commissioning the play, based on the synopsis, was generous and motivating. I am very thankful to have been afforded the opportunity to write and showcase this very timely new play in development.
The collaboration of Jenny Fox as director on this first iteration of Amilex is another reason I am feeling deeply grateful and fortunate. Writing a play is one thing, and presenting it to an audience is another. Jenny’s skill and experience with both aspects has been invaluable in bringing my script off the page and into its first performance.
The remarkable cast that have brought this story to life with so much talent, craft, and generosity of spirit have earned my enduring gratitude as well: Aisha Kasmir, Ryan Ruckman, Jose-Anthony Altamirano, Jonathon Charles James, Brandon Alan McClenahan, Romeo Lopez, Bethany Nicole Taylor, Jackie Lakoudis, Graciela Strahan.
I also couldn’t be more thankful for the collaboration of videographer Myles Aquino, original music from Zengo Studios, and the generosity of Art Hard Studios.
Amilex will be presented online on Friday, March 6, 2026 at 7pm PST /10pm EST as part of the Virtual Arts New Play Festival 2026. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can and include access to each show in the festival, plus a private link to watch the performances for one month after the live air date. All shows will be presented on Zoom.