Stories. Performed.

Tim Foley is a writer, editor, playwright, teacher, and attorney. His collection of uncanny stories, Tales Nocturnal, was published in 2025 by the British small press PS Publishing. His dark fiction and critical essays have appeared in Wormwood, Supernatural Tales, West Marin Review, All Hallows, Dark Hollow, and anthologies by Flame Tree Press and Egaeus Press. A member of the Dramatists Guild, his plays have been performed in Sacramento and Chicago. He was the editor of the late, lamented Farallon Review, a journal featuring short stories, from 2008 to 2015. Tim grew up in Northern California, studied economics at Santa Clara University, law at Harvard Law School, and holds an MFA in writing from the University of San Francisco. He currently lives in East Sacramento, among the sycamore trees.

Renée Thompson won Narrative Magazine’s Fall 2023 Story Contest and is the recipient of a 2025 Pushcart Prize nomination. She was named a finalist for Reed Magazine’s 2025 John Steinbeck Award for Fiction (judged by Tommy Orange); The Missouri Review’s 2023 Editors’ Prize; The Missouri Review’s 2023 Perkoff Prize; and the 2022 Autumn House Press Nonfiction Prize. Her fiction has appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, Narrative Magazine, Literal Latte, Emerald City, StoryBottleCo., Arcadia, Crossborder, and elsewhere. She is the author of the novels The Plume Hunter and The Bridge at Valentine (named Woodland, California’s community novel in 2014). She is devoted to birds, mammals, and the people she loves.

Maureen O'Leary lives in Sacramento. Her work can be found most recently in Chthonic Matter, Trampoline Poetry, Black Glass Pages, Penumbra: A Journal of Weird Fiction and Criticism, Electric Literature's Recommended Reading, Frost Zone Stories, and Sacramento Noir. Her latest novel, The Ones Who Loved You, is forthcoming from Counterpoint Press.

Tara Harbert performs “Room 413, Silver Spruce Hotel”  by Tim Foley

Tara Harbert (Henry) is a performer specializing in theater, voiceover, and film, as well as an empowerment coach and educator, with experience on professional stages in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Boston. Previous roles include Angel/Nurse Emily in parts 1&2 of Angels in America (RTAA), Titus in Titus Andronicus (RTAA), Mrs. Shears/Ensemble in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime (Sacramento Theatre Co), Goneril in King Lear (TAAC), Fanny Dashwood/Charlotte Palmer in Sense & Sensibility (Sacramento Theater Company), Emma/Ensemble in The Behavior of Broadus (Capital Stage), Cassandra in Vanya, Sonia, Masha & Spike (Main Street Theatre Works), Charlotte/Mrs. Gardner in Pride & Prejudice (Sacramento Theatre Company), both Dromios in Comedy of Errors (Sac Shakespeare Festival). Tara's voice can be heard as Martha/Dr. Shackleton in the web series and film Infinite Santa 8000, and she can be seen as a featured extra in Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past.

Nicole Berry performs “The Corner of Broadway and Badass” by Renee Thompson

Nicole Berry is an Irish-American actor and writer with diverse and sundry interests. She was born in NY,  raised in rural New England, and now resides in the greater Sacramento area. She recently made her directorial debut with a horror short titled Every Cell; the release is planned for later this year. She is pleased to participate in CapLit's readings this autumn and continue the eerie vibe into the season of shadows. 

George Hillman performs “Homecoming” By Maureen O’Leary

George Hillman is very grateful for the opportunity to read this piece for CapLit. George is currently in his final year at Sac State, working towards his BA in Theatre Arts. He loves to perform just as much as he loves to breathe, especially with new places in the community he has never worked with before. His previous work includes Junior in Before It Hits Home at Celebration Arts and Avery in The Flick at Big Idea Theatre. He hopes to enthrall all listeners with the sweet, booming sound that is his voice.