FUSION Theatre Company presents
THE SEVEN 2026: The Heart of the Matter
FUSION wants to thank you for your enthusiastic support for our 20th Anniversary new short works fest, THE SEVEN: The Heart of the Matter! The production run is nearly sold out, so we decided to add another performance! You now have the chance to secure a ticket for Sunday, June 7, at 7 PM!
Thursday, June 4 at 7 PM SOLD OUT
Friday, June 5 at 7 PM SOLD OUT
Saturday, June 6 at 2 PM SOLD OUT
Sunday, June 7 at 2 PM SOLD OUT
THE SEVEN is one of the nation's premiere short works festivals. It features seven fully produced world premieres, utilizing seven different directors and a professional ensemble cast. The scripts are read by a jury of theatre professionals (blindly, without any identification of the playwright), and the seven highest scoring scripts will be produced. This year, the jury will select from scripts based on the theme: “The Heart of the Matter.” The overall Jury Award-winner will be awarded the Bradford Gromelski Prize, and will receive transportation to/from and lodging at the festival. Don’t miss FUSION’s 20th annual beloved theatrical event!
This production will run June 4–7. Performances will be held at FUSION | 708 in downtown Albuquerque. Performances are Thursday & Friday at 7 PM, Saturday at 2 PM & 7 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM & 7 PM. Please note: Sunday's curtain time is 2 PM.
General Admission: $40 | Seniors over 65: $35 | Students: $20 | Thanks to the City of Albuquerque, Pay What You Wish ticketing is available. ($10 additional per ticket for opening night reception)
PERFORMANCES
Thursday, June 4 at 7 PM SOLD OUT
Friday, June 5 at 7 PM SOLD OUT
Saturday, June 6 at 2 PM SOLD OUT
Saturday, June 6 at 7 PM
Sunday, June 7 at 2 PM SOLD OUT
NEW: Sunday, June 7 at 7 PM
FUSION's staff writer, Rudolfo Carrillo, spent time interviewing some key players in the 20th Anniversary of THE SEVEN, including this year's Bradford Gromelski Jury Award Winner, Mary Donnet Johnson; the theme suggestion winner and a winner of THE SEVEN, Laurie Thomas; and FUSION Executive Director and Producer of THE SEVEN, Dennis Gromelski. Indulge in the generous fruit of these conversation through the links below!
THE SEVEN WINNERS
The Bradford Gromelski Jury Award Winner
THE SOUND OF LIGHT by Mary Donnet Johnson, Knoxville, TN
*****
THE FORCE OF ATTRACTION
Ron Davies, Ottawa, Canada
THE HAIL MARY
Laurie Thomas, Albuquerque, NM
THE JULY EFFECT
Andrea Trotenberg, Highland Park, IL
DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT HANG THAT MISTLETOE TONIGHT!
Mike Byham, Southlake, TX
THE DARK CLOUD: A FABLE
James W. Perry, Manteca, CA
ALL ROADS LEAD TO PROSPECT PARK
Dan Perry, Los Angeles, CA
THE COMPANY OF THE SEVEN 2026
Wendy Barker, Zane Barker, Avery Barley, Alexis Berent, Aaron Black, Paul Blott, Imani Caldwell, Tom Clark, Ryan Jason Cook, Richard Hogle, Bruce Holmes, Nancy Jeris, Versai Knight, Catherine Kolos, Anya Lacy, Gil Lazier, Leah Livingston, Christy Lopez, Miguel Martinez, Gerome Olona, Natalie Peavy, Robyn Phillips, Jacqueline Reid, Becky Richert, Mónica Sánchez, Celia Schaefer, Wendy Scott, Levi Shrader, David Sinkus, Robb Anthony Sisneros, Brent Stevens, Douglas Stewart, Ria Suarez, Laurie Thomas, Morgan Tracy, Dachary Vann, Rachel Wiseman, Aaron Worley, Daniel Zuniga.
THE SECOND SEVEN
Staged Reading on June 8 at 7 PM.
As a part of THE SEVENshort works fest, THE 2nd SEVEN is a staged reading for the next seven highest scoring submitted scripts.
Come experience a staged reading of the plays that finished 8–14 in the Jury selections for the 20th Anniversary of THE SEVEN, one of the nation's premiere short works festivals. The degree of quality difference between all fourteen plays is merely shading—all are great plays!
WINNERS OF THE 2nd SEVEN
VISITING MASHA by Donald Ray Schwartz, Baltimore, MD
SOFTSOAP & HARD WATER by Logan Cutler Smith, Cleveland, OH
HOT, FULL-BODIED FINISH. by Paula Williamson, Richmond, CA
LYDGATE IN LOVE by Deborah Savadge, New York, NY
ONE MILLION by Vilém Dubnička, Pilsen, Czech Republic
LAURA WINGFIELD WALKS INTO A BAR by Kristen Field, Kalamazoo, MI
THE TIES THAT BIND by Nancy Temple, Needham, MA
THE NM SEVEN
Staged Reading on June 12 at 7 PM.
As a part of THE SEVEN short works fest, THE NM SEVEN is a staged reading for the highest-scoring scripts submitted by New Mexican playwrights.
Come experience a staged reading of the plays by New Mexican playwrights selected by the Jury for THE SEVEN, one of the nation's premiere short works festivals. Support local playwrights and enjoy hearing these exceptional plays!
WINNERS OF THE NM SEVEN
MEMORIES by Peter Schuyler, Albuquerque, NM
TO BE by Scott Harrison, Santa Fe, NM
SATELLITE by William Reynolds, Albuquerque, NM
CORPUS by Owen Conway, Albuquerque, NM
LEGACY by Karin Diann Williams, Albuquerque, NM
WHAT I MEANT WAS by Ryan Clarke, Albuquerque, NM
THE APPOINTMENT by Talia Pura, Santa Fe, NM
SUBMISSIONS CLOSED
Submissions Guidelines
Important Dates
March 29,2026, at 11:59 PM (PST): SUBMISSIONS CLOSED
April 29, 2026: Winners of THE SEVEN announced
May 25, 2026: Winners of THE NM SEVEN announced
June 4–7, 2026: THE SEVEN short works fest performances
Tickets for this production are coming soon!
-THE SEVEN is comprised of world premiere productions. The script must never have been produced in order to be accepted. Scripts that have received public readings only ARE eligible.
-The theme for this year's fest is “The Heart of the Matter.” Submit only unpublished/unproduced scripts which relate to this theme in some way. Do NOT use the phrase "The Heart of the Matter" in the text of the script. All theatrical genres are acceptable (drama, comedy, musical, monologues, etc.). All theatrical genres are acceptable (drama, comedy, musical, monologues, etc.).
-Scripts may be a maximum of 10 pages, in standard playwriting formats. Character/title pages do not count against the 10 page script maximum.
-Each script must be submitted as a single file set-up in this order:
1. Title page with all playwright contact information
2. Title page with no contact information
3. The script
-Make sure to include your email address. Once the submissions have been logged-in, you will receive a confirmation email, which could take up to 72 hours.
-All submissions must be digital.
-Playwrights can submit a maximum of TWO scripts total.
-There are no age/gender/career, etc. limitations in this submission process. It is open to all, and scripts from anywhere in the world will be accepted.
-If you are submitting a musical, make sure to include links to the audio files (without any identifying playwright/composer information) within the body of the script.
-There is a $5 submission fee. Submissions are only accepted online, hard copy mailings are no longer accepted.
Theme Suggestion Winner: Laurie Thomas
Your votes selected a theme submitted by FUSION's own, Laurie Thomas! She submitted "The Heart of the Matter"!
LAURIE THOMAS is co-founder and co-artistic chair of FUSION. She is a director, actor, educator, and writer. Her professional credits for acting and directing include work at Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, Theater Rhinoceros, Alice B. Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival, Northwest Asian American Theatre, On the Boards, A Contemporary Theatre, Southwest Repertory Theatre, The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival, Berkeley Stage Company, The Empty Space, and Bay Area Playwrights Festival.
Her most recent work at FUSION includes directing ONE FLEA SPARE and NATIVE GARDENS; playing “Hazel” in THE CHILDREN and “Mom” in TRUE WEST; and conceiving & directing not LOST but FOUND in TRANSLATION for the Albuquerque Museum.