Drama Queens Reviews

Zoom levels the playing field. Ambitious companies are taking to zoom to get their work done and ambitious actors are staying relevant on these cyber works. Part II of our interviews feature DOROTHEA GLORIA. This Filipino burst of joy and energy took the advice of her mentor and headed for New York. Her bright outlook has helped her open doors … as an international woman of the arts. 

What inspired you to come to New York to be an artist?

I was inspired to go to New York by my mentor, Ana Valdes-Lim. I studied theatre under her for about 10 years. I met her when I was fourteen years old. It was always an experience diving into a scene with her. It felt like I was in another dimension whenever she would guide me through a moment as a character living. Under her tutelage, I was in a constant flow while acting. Ms. Ana was the first Filipino who graduated from Juilliard. She would always tell stories about her experiences back in New York: the teachings her teachers gave her, the various stage productions, the vibrant energy of the performing arts, etc. I would be entranced by these stories that I wanted to see what New York was for myself and experience my own creative moments here. 

What are the artistic differences between your home country and New York?

I think the biggest artistic difference between the Philippines and New York is that there are less avenues to do straight theatre back home. I feel like New York offers a balance between different kinds of theatre while in the Philippines, musicals reign the theatre scene. This is understandable because Filipinos love music and dance so much to the point that every household owns their own karaoke set up. If you ever visit the Philippines during Christmas or any other holiday season, you will hear a cacophony of houses singing different songs from their karaokes. 

What is it like being a woman in the Arts… In your Homeland, and here in New York?

It’s actually great to be a woman in the Arts in New York and in the Philippines. I was constantly exposed to Women leaders in the Arts back in Manila. Ms. Ana Valdes-Lim was the Artistic Director of METTA. I also was a resident artist at the Philippine Educational Theatre Association which is headed by two women, PETA Artistic Director Maribel Legarda and PETA President Cb Garrucho. I also performed several productions under Repertory Philippines which was founded by a woman, Zeneida Amador, and is currently headed by three women that gave me many opportunities to grow my professional career as an actress namely: Baby Barredo, Repertory Chairman Emeritus, Liesl Batucan, Repertory Artistic Director, and Joy Virata, Repertory Creative Director. Since I was constantly exposed to strong women in the arts back home, when I came to New York, I sought out people who had a strong sense of leadership and a love for the arts. I eventually created a theatre company, TeamTheatre LLC, and the two other people that I head that company with are both women as well. Gwendolyn Snow, Chrysi Sylaidi and I are constantly creating theatre projects that are both empowering and diverse.

How has the pandemic changed your career … Both tangible and philosophically?

The pandemic has really given me the time to reflect and refocus on what I want to do with my art. All of us in TeamTheatre have constantly been meeting with one another to talk about the different advocacies we want to fight for. We’re planning on a season that will really focus on social justice. I think with everything that has been going on, all the more there is a need to find and adapt ways to be inclusive and global when it comes to the projects we decide to pursue. 

What are your plans for the future?

Currently, I’m writing a script that focuses on the drug war and the shutting down of news outlets back in the Philippines. I also know that Gwendolyn Snow is currently devising a piece that includes elderly writers and performers. I want to support her with that project and make sure that it will definitely come to life. 

Zoom levels the playing field. Ambitious companies are taking to zoom to get their work done and ambitious actors are staying relevant on these cyber works. Scoring major kudos these days is CHRYSI SYLAIDI. A commanding presence, Chrysi shared her thoughts on coming to the U.S. — going from Greece to Queens!

What inspired you to come to New York to be an artist?

Leaving Greece was a big decision. I’ve been acting on stage since I was 13 years old and grew up loving my country and the amazing Theatrical tradition we have in it. Of course, there where problems, but that is common everywhere. However, after a while I already knew that eventually, I also wanted to live abroad for at least a period of my life. I wanted to challenge myself and my beliefs, try to become a citizen of the world. Sometimes we think reality is what we see around us and then we just accept it. We don’t change it or transform it into something else. We just get used to it. I have learned that custom is a slow death for the hungry child we all have inside. My opinion, and I am learning that through experience, is that that child and the relationship we have with it, is one of the most important factors for balance and happiness in life. So, by allowing myself to take a leap of faith, dream a life abroad and then pursuing it, I was also offering space for that child to keep on searching. To stay curious. One thing led to the next and I visited New York. In my heart a fell in love with this City immediately. I knew that this is the place that would keep me active, that would challenge me in all kinds of ways. I wanted to grow. And as I learned from my studies at the Adler Studio, growth as an actor and growth as a human being are synonymous. So, I moved here and since then it has been a true journey, full of challenges and amazing collaborations. I have definitely grown immensely both as an actor and as a human being. Which was always my objective.

As Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible with actor- Nikos Spiridonos

What are the artistic differences between your home country and New York?

In New York it is all about the structure. It is a taf place, an expensive place. So, people here really appreciate their time and they expect you to do so too. You need to get the job done well and quickly. It’s just facts. For example, most of the time in a month long rehearsal process you must have a show and be ready to perform. This can feel sometimes rushed, but it teaches you to be more active and more efficient. The same mentality exists in the film industry. Things are fast. So, in order to keep up and actually do a good job, you need structure and you need to stay active. The motto is, think less, do more and keep moving based on trial and error. In Europe it feels like there is more time for you to go deeper with your work. You have more time to explore your art,your characters, your shows. Work is not focused so much on the productivity-quantity of it all, but on the quality. It is more of a full experience. That part I miss. But as a person that usually overthinks things and has attributes of a perfectionist, sometimes I end up taking a lot of time for my work in order to make sure that the result is as good as it can possibly be and that is not always for the best. I am learning more and more that perfection is an illusion and the real beauty is hiding in the imperfections. In any case, I see the benefits of both worlds, so I think the silver lining is somewhere in the middle and that is what I am after in my acting and in my artistic collaborations.

As Hermionie in The Winter’s Tale with actor- Yann Hicke as Leontes -Stella Adler Studio of Acting

How has it been as an artist in New York? Tell us about some of your projects.

It has been a gift that keeps on giving even when it is challenging you in the most intense way. The people from all the different backgrounds I have met, the places I have been, the art I have been exposed to, the amazing artistic collaborations I’ve had the chance to be a part of, even being here through this pandemic they have all influenced my life is such a big way that it is difficult to sum it up in a few sentences. I will share though two special acting moments that come into my mind right now. In the spring of 2019 I had the opportunity to perform the iconic role of Hermione in Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” at the Stella Adler Studio. Shakespeare’s magical play, the talented director Ian Gould, the fantastic cast, the role and the whole production made my work as an actor so so easy and enjoyable. It is from those times as a performer that you can just relax and focus on exploration and on deepening your work. We were also incredibly honored to have all of our shows sold out. Personally, the beauty and peaceful strength of Hermione’s soul will stay in my heart for ever. She is an incredible female lead and I would strongly suggest it to any actor if they are given the opportunity. The second show I want to bring up, is “Sabbath Elevator”. This was a show that I acted in but also produced. The play was an original piece by Ellen Pober Rittberg, directed by Fotis Batzas, and it was featured at the Greek Cultural Center as part of TeamTheatre’s Fun Fast Feb Fest. Even though this play was a difficult one for the audience to watch due to the fact that it’s topic dealt with the power struggle between the female and the male gender and even dared to visit the social issues of physical abuse, it felt like it was really worth putting on stage. Plays that really tackle social issues and dare to talk about them many times are being avoided. However, I believe that in most cases, when art starts a conversation among those exposed to it it has succeeded its goal. These conversations are incredibly important.

As Julie in the Sabbath Elevator with actor- Billy Higgins

You wear many hats, what has been the most successful?

Well, I am an actor. When I am acting I am at my best and that is my true passion. I have lost count in how many productions I’ve been part of. However, I’ve been on stage for more than 15 years now and after all this time you start developing skills in other areas too, especially if you are a curious person. When I was in Athens in 2016, I had the opportunity to Assistant-Direct a production that I am very proud of of the famous American Classic by Arthur Miller- “The Crucible”. I was also selected by the great Greek Director- George Kaloxilos to portray the role of Elizabeth Proctor for the same show. It was a truly challenging and fulfilling experience to direct and act in this. It is the timely nature and depth of this play as well as the multidimensional characters that makes for an unforgettable experience, especially when you have the chance to bring it to life with incredible artists collaborating with you. We were also very grateful of the overwhelming success with which that audience embraced our work. After that, I had the chance to fully wear the director’s hat at the beginning of 2020 for the play “No Friends” by Myrna Davonne which participated in the Fun Fast Feb Festival hosted by TeamTheatre at the Greek Cultural Center in Astoria. Our show was voted by the audience among the Festival’s top 5 finalists. Speaking of the Greek Cultural Center, in 2019, myself and a group of talented theatre artists, decided to come together and support the center and through it, the arts in Queens and in Manhattan. We renovated it and we hosted several events that promoted the arts and celebrated the different cultures that exist in the communities around the Center. The events varied from several different theatrical productions, to musical nights, to performances celebrating of the Center’s history and contribution to New York City. With the people that came together for this, in an organic way, the International Theatre Company, TeamTheatre, was created. Till now, this is probably one of the things I am mostly proud of in my career. Through this Theatre Company where I am a Founding and Board member, I had the chance to produce multiple productions with an incredible team of collaborators and act as a resource for dozens of emerging artists through multiple different shows.

What is it like being a woman in the Arts… In your Homeland, and here in New York?

When I started acting in Greece I realized that most positions with power in the arts, where held by men. Most producers where men and most directors where men. There where not really many female role models to look up to. However, there where a lot of amazing Greek actresses like, Katina Paxinou, Anna Sinodinou, Eleni Papadaki, Despoina Mpempedeli, Lydia Koniordou and many more. These were the ones that inspired me and influenced my work at the beginning. So, during those years I was mostly focusing on my acting and in general I had positive experiences. However, there were a few times that definitely my gender played a negative role in the way I was treated. Those times were hurtful and inappropriate and definitely made me question this profession as a main career choice. Acting though kept pulling me back again and again. Later on, my love for the work of other amazing actresses, like Katharine Hepburn and Meryl Streep, was one of the reasons I moved to New York. During the first couple of months I had moved to the city, I met an acting teacher that told me: “You are beautiful but also too smart and it shows. The people in this industry don’t like that. If you keep showing that quality, you are not going to find any proper work.” After that I was burning inside with fury. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard after traveling to the other side of the world in search of inspiration and a more professional working environment. Every inch of my body wanted to scream how horrible and wrong in every way was what that man had said. Even so, I kept going. And thank God I came to realize that that man represents only a small portion of this industry. It is a powerful portion but small none the less. My networking started to grow and I had the chance to collaborate with incredible Theatre Institutions and fantastic artists. Also, slowly but steadily through all my travels and while I was discovering my strengths as an actor, my background in management, economics and business started to emerge. The degree I have from the Athens University of Business and Economics started to be useful for my life in the arts when I decided to also start producing through TeamTheatre. When that started happening I realized that there is a world of possibilities that I could create for myself. And so, I also started investing into that direction. Sometimes we have to build the road we will walk on in life because it doesn’t already exist. This is true for many people, especially women and people that belong to minorities. I try to remember that and keep going.

How has the pandemic changed your career … Both tangibly and philosophically?

The pandemic affected us all. It still does and it will continue to do so. The arts are no exception. Often though, through big changes and challenges, new opportunities arise. At the beginning, most of us were mostly overwhelmed by what we were all experiencing. Just going through the day was the goal. Gradually however, during the pandemic, people really started to reach out and they did it in a much more honest and real way than how they were doing before. For me, other than reconnecting with family, friends and old collaborators, many new networking opportunities appeared. New collaborations and new ways to create live theatre. The internet and the platforms offered in it, opened a window to new possibilities. Bigger audiences, smaller costs, greater availability among artists, and a greater freedom to explore since nobody has ever done this before. Also, the pandemic has been a learning opportunity for myself. I started testing my strengths in different creative paths than I usually do, like writing and editing. The truth is, I am finding them very very hard but, they are also a great challenge. It might have taken me countless hours but I am proud to be able to say that during the pandemic I managed to put together the first short film that I fully wrote, filmed, edited, and acted in. It was featured at the Global Forms Theatre Festival produced by Rattlestick Playwrites Theatre. Now, Philosophically, I think, everything we are going through sheds a light on the importance of art and on the artists who create it. Theatre is a medicine for the soul and it will continue to be so even more effectively in the near future. After all, two of the main reasons why theatre was created was for humanity to find a safer place to express what we are feeling inside and to try to make sense of things. That is what our survival instincts desperately need right now. To make sense of things. In that way, I am predicting that as soon as it is possible again, theatre as we know it is going to come back like a tsunami. Of course the topics tackled will be affected by what our planet is going through and maybe the seats in the theatres will be cut in half, but I believe that in it’s basic form, Theatre will be back.

What are your plans for the future?

Honestly, my need to reconnect even more so with my loved ones is very strong right now. For my personal life, that is definitely one of the things I will focus on for the future. For my professional life, I just want to challenge myself and the people I work with to keep this new momentum of possibilities going. In that way we can explore what else is there we can do through all these new tools we have in our hands. And I believe we can do a lot. Even when Theatres open up again, many of these new ways of creating live performances online will stay because they are inexpensive and easy to put together.

The return of the Great White Way seems far away but you don’t have to be Les Miserables about it! There’s no use in sitting alone in your room, The Sound of Music will come to you! Performers and performance spaces were forced to think outside of the black box and be innovative with sustaining entertainment. As a result, there are many wonderful experiences to be had ranging from Broadway to independent theaters and more. These experiences are as diverse as theater itself. You can be a spectator to some wonderful entertainment. You can have asynchronous interactions with your favorite stars. You can also have personal one on one interactions with the performers you admire the most. In terms of price, these experiences range from free to a few hundred dollars. The more personal and time consuming, the more money they will be. Though much of the content is free, the entertainment industry is really struggling right now along with everyone else. If there is a chance to donate to the arts if you enjoyed what you saw, kindly do. Given that there are roughly 40 active Broadway theaters, 60 active Off-Broadway theaters and a whopping 200 Off-Off Broadway theaters, this article merely scratches the surface but has enough content to prevent you from being The Lion King and lounging around your home all day.

Eponine Afloat through Donations.

 

The Lambs Theater is America’s first professional theatre club founded in 1874. It’s a place of gathering for all members of the creative arts endeavors. The Lamb’s, Inc. is not afraid of the big bad wolf of a time we are having now. Thanks to its president Marc Baron, you can be privy to some amazing content in the form of interactive events, discussions and interviews.

 

La Mama Experimental Theatre Group is dedicated to artists and all aspects of the theater. Founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, it is the only original Off-Off Broadway still in operation. They are offering some interesting and diverse content. La Mama has content for adults but is also keeping kids in mind with La Mama Kids online. This week Maiko Kikuchi offered a whimsical puppet show for the little puppets. It looks like Thursdays at 4:00 are dedicated to kids’ content. You might enjoy Café La Mama-Cope-a-Pandemic, a weekly digital platform for artists with guest curators.

The Tank is an independent theater with a mission to eliminate economic barriers from the creation of new works. They serve a few thousand artists in all manner of creativity and put on over 800 performances a year. They are running Cybertank right now which is a free virtual gathering place hosting dozens of artists each week bringing online entertainment into homes. They are cleverly asking viewers to fill the tank and donate to support them and the arts. Also check out their digital series and content with the compelling name, Distant Cadaver as well as their podcasts.

Spit & Vigor has maintained their vigor with captivating online programming which they call Quarantine programming. They are a NYC based traveling theater company with the unique distinction of making their own props and costumes from recycled and donated material. They are offering radio plays and recorded live streams of shows and staged readings.

Like a full Irish breakfast, The Irish Rep has enough online content to keep your theatrical hunger satisfied. The Kraine Theater is offering twice monthly content on Facebook live dedicated to the craft of emerging artists. The Public is offering a myriad of content under Joe’s Pub Live! From the Archives. If you search online, you’re sure to find many other independent theaters offering virtual programming.

Sweet Charity Organizations Giving Back 

There are many long-standing organizations in the business of directly supporting and promoting the arts, artists and theatrical endeavors. Through a wide variety of giving, these organizations sustain artists when they are in need. For the public, they make theater more accessible to all. These organizations support through funds, fundraising, workshops, educational programming and much more.

“As our resident artist ensemble continues to grow, I am excited to be exploring the works of writers that present complicated, fascinating and challenging women to their audiences. There is no better place to start than Ms. Gerwig’s version of Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women‘ a story rich with varied women who each touch our souls.”

So speaks Anthony Laura regarding the inauguration of an online reading series produced by his multimedia corp., Face To Face Films (www.facetofacefilms.net).

The screenplay of “Little Women” by Greta Gerwig, directed by Laura and featuring members of his company, many of whom will be appearing in the revival of his acclaimed stage play, The Girl With The Red Hair, will be done over Zoom at 2:00 PM on Saturday May 23. The reading is free with a suggested donation of $5- $15 that will go to charities affected by COVID19. 

Attendees should RSVP at facetofacereadings@gmail.com

DARK PLANET

REVIEW by ZARA ZEIDMAN

DARK PLANET: Not Your Mother’s Valentines Day is a series of short plays that explores love, betrayal, sexual orientation and communication. The festival is divided into two parts, the first part is titled THE X’s and includes four short plays, the second is THE O’s and features six short plays. The plays were a charming combination of humor and sincerity whilst exploring many dynamic characters.

Each play required a set change and the sets were minimal but provided more than enough to establish the world the characters lived in. The sound design was also really effective at creating the environment, though it was subtle.

The opening play was a very candid look at online dating and the excitement and discomfort it brings. The connection between the actors was believable, the nervousness paired with false confidence was gripping and, it was the perfect opener and set the right tension for the show

Shadow Dance really stood out amongst the other plays in THE X’s. The surreal writing combined with the strong performances from each of the actresses. Joyce Miller’s performance was particularly memorable because she delivered each line with a mystical sincerity, not a child nor an adult, not human but not alien, capturing the confusion that love creates.

Bank was also a memorable piece, it explored the frustration the LGBTQ community faces when dealing with the ignorant, and the confusion the ignorant must overcome to adapt to this modern environment. This was a really beautiful scene, a young banker (Ashleen Rowan) attempts to help a man (Michael Gnat) deposit a check but when she is informed that he is married to a man, she becomes hesitant and uncomfortable. The tension builds as the man explains his impatience with the banker and everyone like her that he has had to accommodate for and she begs for his patience, for this is her first experience with a a person who is gay. There is not an animosity between the two characters but rather a genuine connection as they learn to understand one another. The actors, Michael Gnat and Ashleen Rowan, truly did a beautiful job of creating tension and sympathy in this scene. Both of these actors appeared in other scenes and proved themselves as versatile and talented actors.

A Day At The Beach was a hilarious conclusion to the set of plays. The ridiculousness of the play and the genuine cluelessness of the younger brother, (Ali Arkane) who has impregnated his mother (Madalyn McKay) offset by the older brother’s (John Fico) perfectly comedic irritation with them,created a bizarre dynamic that addressed disjointed families that lacked true connection or good communication. The father (Micheal Gnat) is unconcerned with the development of his younger sons relationship with his mother, instead focusing on his own affair and the state of his boat, meanwhile the mother lays sunbathing in a beach chair, oblivious to the chaos around her.

The other pieces throughout the festival were not as provocative and felt a bit familiar, they still explored interesting themes about power and communication, but each other piece had prominent flaws that distracted from those themes. There was a lack of believability and connection between the actors on stage, though the performances independently were fine. Each play did have an element of intrigue they just weren’t as strong as the previously mentioned pieces.

I had the privilege of seeing it on Valentine’s Day and it truly made the night, it was an overall, funny, sincere, and wonderful experience and I would recommend seeing it and interpreting each piece for yourself.

Common Ground, the new musical by Granville Wyche Burgess and Stan Wietrzychowsk, tells the yet-untold story of what really necessitated the Emancipation Proclamation. This special book-in-hand presentation, will be Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. at The Actors Temple, 339 West 47th Street, NYC. Common Ground begins with a veiledly racist President Lincoln, carrying a country-at-war on his back, deliberating on how to make peace with his foes and forge an alliance with the formidable Frederick Douglass. Douglass, a literate, courageous “Moses” to his people, must show President Lincoln a new realty.

This is a “manly” story with two masculine forces etching our history. But – as the musical displays – the wives of these two statesmen played an integral role. Miranda Luze creates the role of Mary Todd Lincoln, a woman who – historically – was fraught with her own conflict.

Miranda, by her own admission, is a crazy-busy artist, forging her own career on stage and as an arts producer. So to grab-hold of an historic character trying to hold together a country and herself may have even been cathartic to play.

Tell us about yourself as an artist

I am a theatre artist spinning a lot of plates. I’m actor/singer busy auditioning and doing gigs around the city. I also co-founded a non-profit theatre company with some college alumni called Thousand Faced Theatre. We started the company because we all had a passion for new theatre and wanted to be more involved in it. This keeps me busy year round performing, directing, and producing new/original work. I’m also a voice teacher! @miranduhluzer/www.mirandaluze.com 

Do you feel an added sense of responsibility when handling a piece of history like this? 

Yes, it is very difficult to even act like some of this dialogue isn’t uncomfortable. However, it is important to tell these stories because treating people poorly based on our differences is till one of the most prevalent topics in our society. 

Tell us about a staged reading … pros cons

The reading is an important look at the political process during one of the most important times in history. It shows you how imperfect everything was when trying to give people basic human rights. Seems familiar. 😉 

The con is you don’t get to see the whole show! 

What’s next

Thousand Faced Theatre is producing some amazing new theatre in the next few months that I’m incredibly excited about! Make sure to follow us @thousandfacedtheatre to stay updated! 

The Playful Substance Company prepares for their most ambitious season … ever, beginning with “Shelter In Place” premiering as part of Fringe BYOV. The first production of the PSC. season, “Shelter In Place,” written and directed by Raphael Perahia, began as a part of the PSC Writers Group. Performing Under St Marks, 94 St. Marks Place. Between 1st Avenue & A Avenue on October 24, 25, 26, 31; November 1, and 2. All performances at 7:30 pm. When the fire alarm goes off in Jahoose’s Adult Education Drawing class (Mondays at 4:00pm) and the FDNY issues a mysterious command to “Shelter In Place”, five misfits realize that they have become more invested in one another’s lives than they ever expected. The powerful new work features Rahoul Roy, Dan Kellmer, Megan Greener,* Nicole Amaral and Brandon Fox. Shelter in Place is part of the 2019 FringeBYOV. Further info located at https://fringenyc.org/basic_page.php?ltr=S

Playful Substance 2019-2020 season continues with a new play by Lauren Lindsey White and a revival of “Still We Grow: An Immersive Theatrical Journey to Fight Human Trafficking” from the company’s acclaimed Good Works Series. “Still We Grow” is an immersive human journey to fight human trafficking. The production will benefit LifeWay Network, a local organization that provides housing and support for female survivors of Human Trafficking. The PSC will host an educational program of a series of one day workshops for collaborators on different aspects of craft. Director Development programs that will run in tandem with our Writers’ Groups; readings of new works-in-development (from the P.S.C. Writers’ Groups) will be presented. The PSC Writers Groups Fall Session developing new works from a group of eight participating writers and PSC’s annual networking event – “The Pithy Party” – will conclude the season. Party gifts are part of the fun at the event, so all guests see the plays-in-development and leave with a handful of “playful substances.” Visit playfulsubstance.com.

At the helm of this deeply philanthropic organization is the effervescent Bree O’Connor.

By the artwork of her company’s latest showing, one can see that the joy one SHOULD have from creating art is evident in her.

It is people like Ms. O’Connor who “GETS IT.” They understand the educational and cathartic elements of the arts and foster them with the plays. Maybe that’s because she built a family with her company.

DQR wanted to take a moment and get some words from her on her company and her work.

Tell us about yourself as an artist?

Bree O’Connor in her solo show “Gee, I Hope You Have Fun at My Mom’s Death” presented as part of our Woman’s Work solo festival in July 2019.

I am an actor, writer, director, producer, Circle in the Square Theater School graduate, member of the LAByrinth Intensive Ensemble (2014), and mother of three. 

What was the inspiration behind Playful Substance

The gang at a developmental reading of “Shelter in Place”. Pictured: Rahoul Roy, Raphael Perahia, Ron Phippen, Megan Greener, Dan Kellmer, Laura Sisskin Fernandez, Lauren Lindsey White, Rocky Vega, Jaqueline Reason, Foster Stevenson and Bree O’Connor

I had children “New York early” (meaning young for New York but not for anywhere else in the country) and found myself isolated from artistic outlets and community for well over a decade. Playful Substance is my attempt to be the person I needed during my artistic exile. Everyone who is willing to put in the work should have access to a creative life, should have access to support and community. 

Seems you have a strong mission to educate. All areas or is there a focus?

I consider myself a facilitator as opposed to an educator. I started with writers because I have written something almost every day of my life since I was 7 or 8 years old. After some of my work started to get noticed, people kept asking me to look at their scripts. I was spending so much time reading and giving notes that it occurred to me that offering some writers’ programming could be the basis on which to build the company I have been thinking about for nearly 20 years. I started the Writers’ Groups, hoping to gain some support and accountability for my own work while also providing the same for other Writers and things have grown from there. In addition to starting an annual works-in-progress reading party, called “Pithy Party”, our Writers’ Groups also fuel our full productions. The intention is for that relationship to continue. Not every project that comes out of Writers’ Group can be a Playful Substance show (we don’t have the funding or manpower for that!) but we can offer developmental and practical support for writers who want to self produce and also try to pass along industry information about opportunities for writers as they come our way. 

Rehearsal for “Shelter In Place” written and directed by Raphael Perahia. Pictured Left to Right: Megan Greener, Dan Kellmer, Rahoul Roy and Brandon Fox

As we grow, so will our artist development programs. This year we hope to add a Director Development component to the work we do as well as some short term workshops for collaborators to explore their relationships to one another and to different aspects of the medium. 

I have always been interested in developing new work. Certainly, it is exciting to watch something go from an idea to finished project, but I find that companies who spend this kind of time together tend to find their own language, their own way of being in the world, their own unique voice and way of working together and THAT is what truly excites me. I am hoping that if we create a group that is focused on creating something that is specific to US that we might unlock some secret together. What that secret is? I have no idea. But the journey sounds like fun and the thought of having a soft place to land makes me feel better prepared to take more risks.

What do you look for in terms of members for your Writers Group? 

I don’t have any criteria other than, “Do you want to do the work?”. Sometimes they think they do, but they really don’t. That’s cool. The work isn’t for everyone and that can be a valuable lesson in and of itself. But I DO believe that everyone has a story of value, a voice that deserves to be heard. If you want to put in the time, you can improve. If you can observe, if you can listen, if you can practice, you can become a better writer… a better artist. If you can challenge yourself to be honest with YOURSELF, and open with your audience, then you can create something transcendent. But that all starts with a willingness to sit down and write… and then share it.

“SAHM’s Club” by Bree O’Connor directed by Jill DeArmon for FRIGID 2017 Pictures: Kaili Y. Turner, Kim Rios Lin, Nicol Moeller, Megan Greener, Ron Phippen, Jamie Klassel

How do you measure success?

At this point, I am happy that I have collaborators who keep saying “yes”. We are still a very young company and so we have a few years of hard audience development work ahead of us, but the artists keep showing up and they keep coming back for more. Right now that feels like success. Being able to offer more opportunities for artists, that would feel like the next level. We are working toward the day when everyone will get paid more than subway fare and snacks and audiences have enough of a relationship with us that they LOOK for us. But until then, bringing people together in a room to breathe the same air and share the same experience and maybe even be moved in some way that makes them slightly different than they were the moment before the lights went down… THAT sounds like real success.

What’s next? 

Our second full season begins with “Shelter In Place” by Raphael Perahia (one of our original Writers’ Group members) runs  October 24 – 26th and October 31 – November 2nd at Under St Marks Theater. In November we will be offering a short term workshop for writers to explore scene study from an actor’s perspective. In Winter 2020, Playful Substance will take on a new piece by Lauren Lindsey White (also, original Writers’ Group member) and put up a workshop production. Our Writers’ Groups continue through June. There will be a Good Works Series Project (a project we do in partnership with a local charity- details to come), more workshops and readings and our season closes with our third annual Pithy Party in June.