The Precious Scars

Brian Farrey-Latz

Playwright
Brian Farrey-Latz is a playwright, novelist, and three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award. His plays, The Precious Scars and Secondhand Grace, have won the Little Theatre of Alexander's One Act Play Competition. Secondhand Grace also won the Christopher Hewitt Award for Drama. He lives with his husband in Minneapolis.

James Knight-Zappa

Harvey Milk
James Knight-Zappa is excited to be returning to Minnesota Fringe with The Precious Scars! Previous fringe shows include Hidden Dragons (2019, playwright), Bits and Bobs (2018, director), The Non-Producers (2016), Sanctuary (2014, playwright), and Screams in the Dark (2009, playwright). Most recently, James directed More4Play with Threshold Theatre, and appeared in Hay Fever! (Simon) at Fridley Community Theatre. Other favorite shows include Stage Directions (Director, Theatre in the Round Director Showcase), The Giver (Director, Lakeshore Players), Almost, Maine (East / Randy / Dave, Fridley Community Theatre), and Cabaret (Bobby, Lakeshore Players). James is a graduate from UW-River Falls, with Theatre Performance / Playwriting degree, and spends his time being disappointed in his D&D dice, snuggling with his fur babies, and probably making a spreadsheet. Thank you for supporting Fringe Festival, local theatre, and queer storytellers!

Debbie Schneider

Producer/Director
Debbie Schneider is making her Minnesota Fringe Festival debut as a producer with The Precious Scars. A longtime director, producer, and board member with Applause Community Theatre, she is passionate about theater that inspires conversation and builds understanding. Her work includes producing Minnesota's first ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence in partnership with Perpich Arts High School and directing new works that explore timely social issues. She is honored to bring Brian Farry-Latz's moving story of Billy Sipple and Harvey Milk to Fringe audiences.

Derik Iverson

Billy Sipple
Derik is thrilled and grateful to share the story of Harvey Milk and Billy Sipple in The Precious Scars! He holds a BFA in Theatre Acting from the University of Minnesota Duluth and has performed and directed primarily comedy, sketch, and American premiers of Nordic plays in both the Twin Cities and Chicago. Favorite credits as an actor include last summer's Godspell (Leap of Faith Productions, Minneapolis), Hand in Hand (Akvavit Theatre, Chicago), and The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Renegade Theatre, Duluth), and as a director include Silence! The Musical (Corn Productions, Chicago), Diddy Kong Racing: The Musical (Actors Theatre of MN, St Paul), and Coronado (Making Rain Productions, Chicago). Much love and big thanks to his husband, family, and friends for their support, for this cast and crew for being so awesome to work with, and for Applause Community Theatre for producing such a heart-wrenching gut punch of a play (by a local playwright!) exploring a piece of American history that should not be forgotten.