we are continuous: Elliot Sagay

Please introduce yourself.
Hello, my name is Elliot Sagay. I am an actor, originally from Orange County, CA. I will be playing Son (Simon) in we are continuous.

Give our readers a bit of your history?
I got into acting in second grade, primarily performing in children’s musical theatre. I went to a boarding high school in Massachusetts before deciding to pursue theatre as a career. I attended Northwestern University, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, and spent four years working as an actor in Chicago. I moved to San Diego after being accepted into the MFA program at the University of California, San Diego in 2023 and am currently mid-way through my second year of training. It is great being back in California and closer to family. While my parents are still up in the OC, I have an aunt, uncle, cousins, and a godmother all living in the greater San Diego area.

When did you discover your passion for acting?
In second grade. I had a music teacher who recommended that I try out for a children’s theatre production of The Jungle Book. I had grown up going to theatre periodically, but I had never acted on stage before. To my surprise, I was cast as Mowgli and that began a series of theatrical endeavors. Around the same time, there was a teacher who occasionally led extracurricular improv classes during afternoon daycare at my school. I think the conjunction of these children’s theatre productions and improv at school contributed to my ever-increasing love of acting.

Tell us about being part of Diversionary theater’s we are continuous production?
I am delighted to be making my Diversionary Theatre debut and could not be happier to have my debut be with this play. The first time I read we are continuous, I was sitting on my bed, getting catapulted between raucous laughter and unexpected tears. I think it is rare to find a piece of theatre that slaps you with its honesty, but this is one of them. It has been incredibly rewarding working with this team already. I am surrounded by fiercely talented and constantly insightful collaborators. I have found that we are up for the challenge of this play and that our exploration of these characters, this world, the journey, and the story we are telling, has been centered in a process that prioritizes truth, joy, and dynamism.

What is the importance of pieces like we are continuous?
we are continuous stands out to me as a stellar example of how specificity can breed universality. It is a play that promises to reel audiences into a charming, hilarious, heart-wrenching story about the life, or perhaps the coming-of-age, of a gay man. However, at its core, it seems to be a play that connects to the power of love and interrogates the intricate complexities of familial trauma. As a result, we are continuous carries two gifts to its audiences: the chance to experience catharsis and the hope that after weathering rough terrain, you can find joy and support and love.

Would you give us your take on your character?
A challenge of playing Simon is remembering to treat him as a character. Given many of his life experiences parallel that of the playwright, Harrison David Rivers, I challenged myself to focus in on the truths of the script and to fill out the remaining spaces with choices informed by our rehearsal process, my own life, or other inspirations. 
In my opinion, at his core, Simon is a black gay man who loves deeply, sometimes at his own peril. He is a character who never completely loses hope. He loves to laugh, to perform, to venture beyond the limits of what is familiar to him. But he finds comfort in the simplest, most reliable things around him. For him, the show is not a message; it is a method of negotiating a peace treaty, of laying out all the facts, all the history and secrets, in pursuit of a healthier future.

How can folks connect with the you?
Insta: @elliot_sagay