Damian Alejandro Arteaga
A playwright, actor, and director based in Southern California. I’m a member of PlayGround-LA’s Writers Pool and have been staged eight times over the course of two seasons. My play, The Family with a Short Fuse, received the December People’s Choice Award and was staged as a part of Best Of Playground-LA 2024. I was selected to partake in The Larking House Playwright’s Intensive with my play, The Hole where I spent a week getting feedback and preparing it for the stage. My play, Growing Starseed, is lined up to be produced as part of Little Fish Theatre’s Pick of the Vine 2025. My plays have also had staged readings at The Redlands Theatre Festival and CSUF’s One Act Play Festival.
Productions
Haunted Heart - Playground LA
Haunted Heart (PlayGround-LA 2024)
Director: Tom Dang
Starring: Christian Haines, Melissa Ortiz
Synopsis: William has returned to his childhood home and falls asleep while writing at his desk. In his sleep he is visited by the nightmarish woman that haunted him throughout his adolescence. But now having grown past his fears, he hopes to start a relationship with his “Dream Girl.”
Friendly Fire - Playground LA
Friendly Fire (PlayGround-LA 2024)
Director: Ivan Rivas
Starring: Anthony Rutowicz
Synopsis: Arturo Gomez used to be a member of the Minutemen Project, a volunteer group dedicated to “protecting” the U.S - Mexico Border. Now he is out patrolling the border on his own. It is during this patrol that he recounts his story and the day that changed the course of his life for the better.
Smiling For Non Smilers (Redlands Theatre Festival, New Works Festival, 2024)
Director: Eden Sides
Starring: Ciara Van Gheem, Alyssa Quimby, Elijah Curry, Gavin Duran, Holland Updegraff
Synopsis: Smiling is as easy as curling the corners of your mouth, however some people have difficulty with this task. That is why Anne is teaching a class about how to Smile just like she does. When a new face enters this bizarre teaching environment, will he jump in headfirst or take off running?
Smiling for Non-Smilers - Redlands Theatre Festival
Reefer Girl - Playground LA
Reefer Girl (PlayGround-LA, 2024)
Director: Cybelle Kaehler
Starring: Natasha Galano, Isabel Siragusa, Alejandra Jaime, Peter Pasco
Rebecca’s terrible secret has been found out…she smokes weed. Now it is up to her friend Kylie to hold an intervention to try and save her soul, but Rebecca will continue to fight for her right to smoke.
Awaken From Midsummer - Playground LA
Awaken from Midsummer (PlayGround-LA, 2025)
Director: Andy Lowe
Starring: Julio Hanson, Krystal Mosley, Danny Gomez
Synopsis: Helena and Demetrius are enjoying a wonderful anniversary picnic in the forest to celebrate their marriage. However, Puck the fairy returns, hoping to undo the Love Spell that was never removed from Demetrius so long ago.
The Family With A Short Fuse - Playground LA
The Family with a Short Fuse (PlayGround-LA, Best of PlayGround-LA, 2024)
Director: Frieda de Lackner
Starring: Eric Geller, Jackie Marriott, Jahnavi Alyssa, Dean Koya
Synopsis: Santa brings the Turner family together through dramatic and time-sensitive means. Will this family work together, or will this be their last Christmas?
Check out and read my plays on New Play Exchange
Awards
KCACTF SDC Directing Fellowship Alternate 2022
December 2023 Playground L.A. Audience Choice Award (The Family with a Short Fuse)
Best of Playground LA 2023-24 (The Family with a Short Fuse)
Best of Playground LA 2024-25 (Friendly Fire)