Festival Producer | Marg Helgenberger

Associate Festival Producers | Beth Lane & Joel Moody

FRIDAY, July 31, 7:30pm

The Last Nun at Lake Leaf Monastery
by Mat Smart

Sister Sally is the last one left at an isolated monastery on a remote island — until she turns the chapel into a boutique silent retreat center, that is. When married couple Bachal and A.J. arrive for a 30-day retreat in hope of reinvigorating their relationship, they get much more (or, perhaps, much less) than they bargained for.

ARTISTIC TEAM
Director: Jaime Castañeda
Dramaturg: Sonia Desai
Stage Manager: Brandon Hong Cheng*
Casting Director: Nicole Arbusto
Intern: Eva Sheehy-Moss

CAST
Sister Sally: Anne Gee Byrd*
Bachal: Meera Rohit Kumbani*
A.J.: Raymond Lee*
Kai: Ananya Badami
Stage Directions: Eva Sheehy-Moss

There will be a 10 minute intermission.

Content Warning: Adult/Mature language, adult/mature themes, sexual content, infertility

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

Mat Smart, Playwright
Mat Smart (he/him) has written 27 full-length plays that have been produced around the United States. Upcoming in Fall 2026: A Black-Billed Cuckoo, World Premiere at La Jolla Playhouse directed by Shelley Butler. In Spring 2027: Kill Local: A New Musical with music and lyrics by Liza Anne, World Premiere at Dallas Theater Center directed by Jaime Castañeda. He is currently writing an original screenplay for Taylor Sheridan, Bosque Ranch Productions, and Range Media Partners. Mat is also collaborating with the folk rock band Delta Rae (“Bottom of the River”) on a new Southern Gothic musical called The Ninth Woman with Logan Vaughn directing and P3 producing. An avid traveler and baseball fan, Mat has been to all of the states, all of the continents, and all of the current MLB stadiums. Undergrad: University of Evansville. MFA: UCSD.