SF-NC Conservatory’s Table Read Series Kicks Off With Two Local Scripts, 'Forbidden City' & 'Love Sick'

The San Francisco-Northern California Local Conservatory Committee successfully launched the Screenplay Reading Series this year. The inaugural event was held on Feb. 2, 2025, at the SAG-AFTRA SF-NC Local offices in downtown San Francisco, with a reading of Forbidden City, created by Kelvin Moon Loh and Michael Ching.

The story is set in a club of the same name, which was popular during the 1940s/50s in SF Chinatown and is based on Ching’s parents, Larry Ching and Vicki Lee, who met while performing at the club. Ben Fong-Torres, who is best known for his work associated with Rolling Stone and the SF Chronicle, later captured Ching’s magnificent voice in recordings shortly before his passing. Fong-Torres participated in the script-reading, portraying himself, along with SAG-AFTRA members cast for the table read, which was underscored with a slideshow of real photos and recorded music of Larry Ching singing. SF-NC Local members in attendance were moved by listening to their fellow members bring to life such a rich love story.

Among the cast was Bobby Ysip, who subsequently offered the Conservatory Committee a script he had in development with co-writer Steve Orcino. Though the remaining Screenplay Reading Series had been confirmed for the year, the committee ran into an unfortunate scheduling change in March, and Ysip and Orcino rose to the occasion and quickly cast a table read for their script Love Sick. The reading was held March 3, 2025, in the Charlie Holliday Membership Center of the SF-NC Local office. The short tells the story of a lovesick man, Leon, who continues to pine for ex-girlfriend Megan, only to finally let go after meeting fellow skateboarder Jenny through his best friend Bobby. The reading was followed by a lively feedback session with the audience of fellow SF-NC Local members.

SF-NC Local Conservatory Chair Rajiv Shah and committee member Kathy Goodin, who proposed the Screenplay Reading Series, lauded the collaborative readings as manifesting the environment they hoped to create in having the SF-NC Local membership support the local writing and filmmaking community.

Top photo: Cast of the inaugural SF-NC Local Conservatory Screenplay Reading Series pictured at the SAG-AFTRA Local office in downtown SF after reading Forbidden City, created by Michael Ching, right middle. Ben Fong-Torres, right middle with glasses, participated in the table read playing himself.