Julianne Woodside is an award-winning fiction, poem, and creative nonfiction (CNF) writer living in Sacramento, CA. Her work has appeared in various journals and anthologies, including the Tule Review, Toho Journal, and The Soul of the Narrator. Stories are upcoming in A Veterans Anthology and a zine produced by Coffee & Ink. She is an active collector of rescued literary journals and profound cats, and is currently working on story-starts and a memoir collection.
Will Oberholzer will read “How To,” by Julianne Woodside. Will is thrilled to be returning to Stories on Stage. When he’s not building cabinets and furniture he can be found popping up on local stages. He’s most recently been seen at Big Idea Theatre and Winters Theatre. He’d like to thank his wife Beth and his two grown children Henry and Annie for their love and support.
Joella Aragón draws inspiration for her stories from her time living with her Mamacita Ella in British Honduras (now Belize) during the Vietnam War. Mamacita Ella practiced Obeah Magic and passed her knowledge on to her granddaughter Joella. This wisdom became a cornerstone of Joella’s storytelling , allowing her to create characters and plots that resonate with the power of the mystical and mundane.
With the Vietnam War as a backdrop, Joella writes about her father, Evaristo, who left Belize to become an American Citizen, marry, and raise five children while in the Air Force. She writes about her blind, mentally ill mother and the lessons learned from her about resilience, determination, and seeing the world in a different way.
Joella first knew she wanted to write when she was six years old. She immersed herself in writing, winning several awards in high school. Life took her in a different direction, but the longing to write haunted her until she picked up her pen again at age 30.
Since retiring, Joella dedicates her time to writing, revising, and submitting her work to various magazines. She hopes to self-publish a novel in 2025.
Beatriz Figueroa will read “Obeah Child,” by Joelle Aragón. Beatriz is a Mexican-American singer based in Sacramento. Over the years, she has committed to strengthening her artistry across mediums such as theatre and dance with Teatro Nagual, IMBA, Davis Shakespeare Festival, Vacancy Arts Collective, and Thrive Movement Arts. Beatriz studied Music and Sociology at Sacramento State University where she formalized her musicality and strengthened her passion for social justice. Currently she leads her own Mexican Folk Quartet called Son Bugambilia which showcases the rich sounds and lyrics of Mexico’s most beloved songs. When off stage, Beatriz enjoys teaching Spanish and spending time with her husband and dog, Quijote.