Imagine a World
Tales to Make You Think
Featuring innovative stories by Kathy Lynne Marshall, ayreÁnna Ross, Rhys Shaw (aka Ruby Sketchley) and Brian Winters
read aloud by professional actors Voress Franklin, Jennifer Smith, Stuart E.W. Smith and Katherine Stroller.
Tales to Make You Think
Featuring innovative stories by Kathy Lynne Marshall, ayreÁnna Ross, Rhys Shaw (aka Ruby Sketchley) and Brian Winters
read aloud by professional actors Voress Franklin, Jennifer Smith, Stuart E.W. Smith and Katherine Stroller.
Kathy Lynne Marshall is a Black Ancestor Biographer who works as a Diversity and Inclusion specialist on behalf of our ancestors. She’s written eight books that enhance the American historical record with well-researched, factual accounts of the lives of women, enslaved African Americans, and other groups. As an instructor, she leads workshops to guide others in writing the untold stories of historically excluded individuals. Her successful genealogy research and self-publishing strategies can help anyone realize their inner author.
Kathy has been featured in Sacramento Magazine, The Sacramento Bee, The Sacramento Observer, Sacramento News & Review, and Elk Grove Citizen. She has been interviewed on CBS-TV and Fox40-TV, American Spark-TV and the Research from the National Archives and Beyond and other genealogy podcasts. She has delighted audiences at local and national genealogy and writing conferences. She has also served as a consultant to West Virginia’s Beverly Heritage Center. Kathy has won multiple book awards from the Northern California Publishers and Authors, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, and Sons and Daughters of the U.S. Middle Passage.
As the exhibiting artist known as Kanika, her welded steel and ceramic sculptures have been shown and sold at the Crocker Art Museum, the California State Capitol, the California State Fair Fine Arts Show, her garden studio, and in the Maya Angelou Annual Fiber Arts Exhibit in North Charleston, South Carolina. For more information: KathyLynneMarshall.com, Kanika Marshall Art on Facebook, @KanikaMarshallArtBooks on Instagram, and Kathy Lynne Marshall on LinkedIn.
ayreÁnna Ross is a poet, writer, singer/songwriter, griefwalker, mother, partner and grandmother living in the Sierra foothills. she offers her words, music and voice to honor the wonder, grief, joy and magic of Life in these Uncertain Times. she loves reading paper books (especially on rainy days), cups of hot tea (pretty much any time) and deep conversations.
Rhys Shaw has always been interested in history, dilapidated ruins, stories of deceit and survival. Her belief that women are overlooked in history or blamed for mankind’s unsavory decisions is the reigning theme behind her gritty realistic historical fiction books. In The Welexia Series, Rhys draws upon her love of story to bring the pages alive with the personal struggles and pain of strong female characters, taking us on their journey to overcome and thrive. The series may be set in the 14th century, but there are many parallels to the world today.
Some of you will recognize Rhys Shaw and think she looks an awful lot like Ruby Sketchley. As an actor, Ruby has appeared on stage in Sacramento and at SOSS and SOSD. How did Ruby become Rhys? Growing up with a librarian as a mother, reading was encouraged, and she always wrote short stories. Setting out to write a book (only for herself) has turned into a four-book series. More books are on the way. Still historical fiction, but not so far in the past. It is with immense gratitude that SOSS is bringing an excerpt from Someone’s Daughter to Sacramento and both Rhys and Ruby are thrilled.
Brian Winters generally writes about the restless or the unshaven. His first book, Kangaroo (written under Nick Hugues), was published in 2022 and his work has also appeared in Manzano Mountain Review, Popshot Quarterly (UK), and Door = Jar. Having lived in Kansas, Idaho and Kentucky, he currently divides his time between Sonora, CA, and the internet.
Kathy has been featured in Sacramento Magazine, The Sacramento Bee, The Sacramento Observer, Sacramento News & Review, and Elk Grove Citizen. She has been interviewed on CBS-TV and Fox40-TV, American Spark-TV and the Research from the National Archives and Beyond and other genealogy podcasts. She has delighted audiences at local and national genealogy and writing conferences. She has also served as a consultant to West Virginia’s Beverly Heritage Center. Kathy has won multiple book awards from the Northern California Publishers and Authors, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, and Sons and Daughters of the U.S. Middle Passage.
As the exhibiting artist known as Kanika, her welded steel and ceramic sculptures have been shown and sold at the Crocker Art Museum, the California State Capitol, the California State Fair Fine Arts Show, her garden studio, and in the Maya Angelou Annual Fiber Arts Exhibit in North Charleston, South Carolina. For more information: KathyLynneMarshall.com, Kanika Marshall Art on Facebook, @KanikaMarshallArtBooks on Instagram, and Kathy Lynne Marshall on LinkedIn.
ayreÁnna Ross is a poet, writer, singer/songwriter, griefwalker, mother, partner and grandmother living in the Sierra foothills. she offers her words, music and voice to honor the wonder, grief, joy and magic of Life in these Uncertain Times. she loves reading paper books (especially on rainy days), cups of hot tea (pretty much any time) and deep conversations.
Rhys Shaw has always been interested in history, dilapidated ruins, stories of deceit and survival. Her belief that women are overlooked in history or blamed for mankind’s unsavory decisions is the reigning theme behind her gritty realistic historical fiction books. In The Welexia Series, Rhys draws upon her love of story to bring the pages alive with the personal struggles and pain of strong female characters, taking us on their journey to overcome and thrive. The series may be set in the 14th century, but there are many parallels to the world today.
Some of you will recognize Rhys Shaw and think she looks an awful lot like Ruby Sketchley. As an actor, Ruby has appeared on stage in Sacramento and at SOSS and SOSD. How did Ruby become Rhys? Growing up with a librarian as a mother, reading was encouraged, and she always wrote short stories. Setting out to write a book (only for herself) has turned into a four-book series. More books are on the way. Still historical fiction, but not so far in the past. It is with immense gratitude that SOSS is bringing an excerpt from Someone’s Daughter to Sacramento and both Rhys and Ruby are thrilled.
Brian Winters generally writes about the restless or the unshaven. His first book, Kangaroo (written under Nick Hugues), was published in 2022 and his work has also appeared in Manzano Mountain Review, Popshot Quarterly (UK), and Door = Jar. Having lived in Kansas, Idaho and Kentucky, he currently divides his time between Sonora, CA, and the internet.
Voress Franklin has been a mainstay in the Northern California region theater community for 50 years. She has 10 Elly Award nominations in various categories, she is the recipient of five. Voress recently directed playwright Ntozake Shanges’ “For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf.” She is an author and playwright. Some of her acting credits are: “Mrs. Cage” (Mrs. Cage), “Skeleton Crew” (Faye), “Welcome Home Jenny Sutter” (Cheryl), and “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” (Tillie). Voress retired from California State service after 30 years. She is excited to read for you tonight.
Jennifer J.K. Smith is thrilled to be performing for Stories on Stage Sacramento. Jennifer has spent most of her professional artistic life charming audiences across Northern California, both on and off the stage. A veteran teacher of 18 years, she has a long history of captivating students and young performers alike — a skill that translates into her storytelling. Jennifer thrives as the director of the performing arts programs for Ackerman Charter School District, including a robust musical theatre program, multiple choirs, and a large general music education system that she has designed and implemented. Jennifer is also a certified Kodaly Music Instructor, which allows her to use her singing voice to teach musical literacy while continuing our cultural musical heritage for future generations. Jennifer has received the “Teachers Who Make a Difference” award for her dedication to arts education in our region. A world traveler, wife, mother, and chocolate devotee, Jennifer's vibrant life experiences infuse her storytelling with a unique depth and captivating presence.
Stuart E.W. Smith, MFA, works as a teacher and theatre artist in Northern California. His original work includes many plays and writings, as well as his improvisational system, the Quiet Way. He currently works with the University of Birmingham, (UK) as he completes his Ph.D. in Quaker Studies.
Katherine Stroller is thrilled to be making her debut reading at Stories on Stage Sacramento. She is a local actor and character movement coach, having received her B.A. in Dramatic Art from UC Davis and is a graduate of Foothill Theatre Conservatory. As a writer, she’s excited to share a fellow author’s work and the love of storytelling. Most of her spare time consists of crocheting, predominantly stuffed animals, because, honestly, you can never have too many. Learn more at katherinestroller.com.
Jennifer J.K. Smith is thrilled to be performing for Stories on Stage Sacramento. Jennifer has spent most of her professional artistic life charming audiences across Northern California, both on and off the stage. A veteran teacher of 18 years, she has a long history of captivating students and young performers alike — a skill that translates into her storytelling. Jennifer thrives as the director of the performing arts programs for Ackerman Charter School District, including a robust musical theatre program, multiple choirs, and a large general music education system that she has designed and implemented. Jennifer is also a certified Kodaly Music Instructor, which allows her to use her singing voice to teach musical literacy while continuing our cultural musical heritage for future generations. Jennifer has received the “Teachers Who Make a Difference” award for her dedication to arts education in our region. A world traveler, wife, mother, and chocolate devotee, Jennifer's vibrant life experiences infuse her storytelling with a unique depth and captivating presence.
Stuart E.W. Smith, MFA, works as a teacher and theatre artist in Northern California. His original work includes many plays and writings, as well as his improvisational system, the Quiet Way. He currently works with the University of Birmingham, (UK) as he completes his Ph.D. in Quaker Studies.
Katherine Stroller is thrilled to be making her debut reading at Stories on Stage Sacramento. She is a local actor and character movement coach, having received her B.A. in Dramatic Art from UC Davis and is a graduate of Foothill Theatre Conservatory. As a writer, she’s excited to share a fellow author’s work and the love of storytelling. Most of her spare time consists of crocheting, predominantly stuffed animals, because, honestly, you can never have too many. Learn more at katherinestroller.com.
Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
Memoirs of Boyhood
Featuring an excerpt from Josh Fernandez's debut novel The Hands that Crafted the Bomb,
"Craps" from Frank Gioia's memoir collection of short stories The Mercury Man: Remembering Brooklyn,
and Philip Jacques' short story "Triple," which won the 2023 Gold Country Writers Short Story Contest.
The stories will be read aloud by professional actors Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya and Elio Gutiérrez-Montoya.
Memoirs of Boyhood
Featuring an excerpt from Josh Fernandez's debut novel The Hands that Crafted the Bomb,
"Craps" from Frank Gioia's memoir collection of short stories The Mercury Man: Remembering Brooklyn,
and Philip Jacques' short story "Triple," which won the 2023 Gold Country Writers Short Story Contest.
The stories will be read aloud by professional actors Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya and Elio Gutiérrez-Montoya.
Josh Fernandez (The Hands that Crafted the Bomb) is an antiracist organizer, a father, a runner, a fighter, an English professor, and a writer whose stories have appeared in Spin, the Sacramento Bee, the Hard Times, and several alternative news weeklies. He lives in Sacramento, CA.
Frank Gioia (“Craps”) is a short story writer, actor and playwright. His recently published memoir, The Mercury Man: Remembering Brooklyn, is a collection of 36 narratives about coming of age on the streets of Brooklyn in the 1950s and the year he served in Vietnam in the early 1960s. His work has been published in the online magazine Ovunque Siamo, as well as The Artful Mind and an Anthology of Veterans Voices. A staged reading of his play 14 Holy Martyrs was performed in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 2016. He has read his work for the last 10 years in the Berkshires, the Twin Cities, Sacramento, and the Sierra Foothills.
Philip Jacques (“Triple”), a child of a military family and retired semiconductor sales executive, has traveled the world extensively. He believes this experience allows him to see the world through the prism of location, people, and tradition. A 20-year veteran actor, Philip is a trustee of Placer Community Theater and manager of Auburn Community Television. Philip is a memoir group leader for Gold Country Writers, where his winning story “Triple” originated.
Read all three writers' interviews with Sue Staats here: www.storiesonstagesacramento.org/interviews.html.
Frank Gioia (“Craps”) is a short story writer, actor and playwright. His recently published memoir, The Mercury Man: Remembering Brooklyn, is a collection of 36 narratives about coming of age on the streets of Brooklyn in the 1950s and the year he served in Vietnam in the early 1960s. His work has been published in the online magazine Ovunque Siamo, as well as The Artful Mind and an Anthology of Veterans Voices. A staged reading of his play 14 Holy Martyrs was performed in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 2016. He has read his work for the last 10 years in the Berkshires, the Twin Cities, Sacramento, and the Sierra Foothills.
Philip Jacques (“Triple”), a child of a military family and retired semiconductor sales executive, has traveled the world extensively. He believes this experience allows him to see the world through the prism of location, people, and tradition. A 20-year veteran actor, Philip is a trustee of Placer Community Theater and manager of Auburn Community Television. Philip is a memoir group leader for Gold Country Writers, where his winning story “Triple” originated.
Read all three writers' interviews with Sue Staats here: www.storiesonstagesacramento.org/interviews.html.
Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya, the founder and artistic director of Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre, is a highly regarded Master Teacher and an internationally recognized choreographer. Jacob, a Sacramento native, was inspired to pursue dance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, by his early involvement in regional arts programs. Jacob has performed professionally in shows, festivals, and competitions all over the world. Most recently, his work was presented at the Scottish Fringe Festival in Edinburgh for the second consecutive year.
Jacob has served as a member of the artistic staff at several organizations, including the Sacramento Ballet, Capital Stage, Broadway Sacramento, UC Davis (Artists in Residence), and B Street Theatre, where he currently serves as Director of Development and Community Partnerships. For the entertainment of Saint John's Party for Change, Habitat for Humanity (High Heels and High Hats), Diner en Blanc, and The Polar Express at the Sacramento Railroad Museum, Jacob served as Artistic Director/Choreographer. He currently serves as Creative Director of Folsom, California-based, award-winning Hawkins Contemporary Jazz Company at Hawkins School of Performing Arts, where he is also co-owner.
He was named Educator of the Year in addition to choreographing and instructing for regional youth organizations and local/national school districts. Because of Jacob's encouragement of the idea that we can all make a difference, his pupils have not only joined prestigious dance and theater companies around the globe, but have also emerged as leaders in charitable endeavors. Jacob's choreography has won top awards in competitions, including a record-breaking four winning titles at the international choreography festival in Palm Desert. His work has also been adapted for usage in worldwide film and television productions.
Elio Gutiérrez-Montoya is an artist living in the Sacramento area and is delighted to be back to form a part of the great work that Stories on Stage Sacramento creates for our community. His creative credits include acting, directing, and teaching, and he most recently collaborated with the Latino Center for Art and Culture to put on Las Pastorelas de Sacramento. In the greater Sacramento area, he has also worked with Capital Stage, B Street Theatre, Sacramento Contemporary Dance Company, UC Davis, and many others. Elio recently completed his doctorate in clinical psychology and is currently completing his postdoctoral residency at Kaiser Permanente.
Jacob has served as a member of the artistic staff at several organizations, including the Sacramento Ballet, Capital Stage, Broadway Sacramento, UC Davis (Artists in Residence), and B Street Theatre, where he currently serves as Director of Development and Community Partnerships. For the entertainment of Saint John's Party for Change, Habitat for Humanity (High Heels and High Hats), Diner en Blanc, and The Polar Express at the Sacramento Railroad Museum, Jacob served as Artistic Director/Choreographer. He currently serves as Creative Director of Folsom, California-based, award-winning Hawkins Contemporary Jazz Company at Hawkins School of Performing Arts, where he is also co-owner.
He was named Educator of the Year in addition to choreographing and instructing for regional youth organizations and local/national school districts. Because of Jacob's encouragement of the idea that we can all make a difference, his pupils have not only joined prestigious dance and theater companies around the globe, but have also emerged as leaders in charitable endeavors. Jacob's choreography has won top awards in competitions, including a record-breaking four winning titles at the international choreography festival in Palm Desert. His work has also been adapted for usage in worldwide film and television productions.
Elio Gutiérrez-Montoya is an artist living in the Sacramento area and is delighted to be back to form a part of the great work that Stories on Stage Sacramento creates for our community. His creative credits include acting, directing, and teaching, and he most recently collaborated with the Latino Center for Art and Culture to put on Las Pastorelas de Sacramento. In the greater Sacramento area, he has also worked with Capital Stage, B Street Theatre, Sacramento Contemporary Dance Company, UC Davis, and many others. Elio recently completed his doctorate in clinical psychology and is currently completing his postdoctoral residency at Kaiser Permanente.