Tangles In Your Teeth
Good Things Coming |
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Good Things Coming |
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2016 had been a rollercoaster, for me. Lots of happenings. Between the awful presidential election outcome, and tensions at my job, and preparing myself for one child leaving the nest, for most of the year, anyway (college), when the new year rolled around, I told myself that I would write a comedy. Yes! I would not spend a year wallowing in sorrow, as I usually do when I write drama. I would write comedy, for the first time. This thought brought me such joy. An attempt at a new genre. How fun! Of course, I had no experience with comedy. I did not know any rules. I knew nothing about the genre. Conundrum. So, I read Christopher Durang plays, I went to see comedic plays, and I watched a couple of Woody Allen movies. I still couldn’t come up with anything to write. I decided to rely on past theater experience with comedy that left an impression on me. And that was Shakespeare, specifically the few productions I’ve seen over the years of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
So, write something to do with Midsummer… That was my answer. Soon, I learned that Shakespeare’s New Contemporaries contest, with its large prize of $25,000.00, was having a Round 2 competition, and, coincidentally, Midsummer… was one of the plays on the list. This contest was calling out my name! (I sent my play to the competition this week, but that's a different story). (So stressful when I didn't spellcheck, and I misspelled "Demetrius" all over my submissions form to the grand contest. Do you leave it be, or send a 'by the way', obsessive note? I have decided to let it go, after several days of fretting. Why did I misspell the name? Why? It's Demetrius, not Demetreus. Dang! Dumb, dumb, dumb). Lovely. … How was I going to write my very first comedy with something to do with Midsummer.., I wondered? After several arguments with myself in the mirror, all of which I lost, I decided here are the things I would NOT do for the contest: 1. I would not write an adaptation; 2. I would not mimic Shakes; 3. I would not follow Shakespeare’s structure, but choose my own; 4. I would write in my natural, poetic voice, free verse, and not in the Bard’s, iambic pentameter; 5. I would create a character list of wholly, original characters, and not include any of Shakespeare’s characters in my play, onstage. As much as I’d love to have a character named “Puck” in my play...; 6. I would not include forest fairies in my play. We live in the 21st century. My contemporary play would not have nymphs in it. So, what on earth was I going to write? A play of my own, that is inspired by William Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A play that alludes to characters in his play. A play that, and this is important, shares the same themes, motifs, and symbols, as Shakespeare’s play. And, a play that takes place outdoors, which brings the idea of “forest dwelling” into the play. And, most importantly, super-important above all else, I would create a zany ending! The mechanicals, Act V, where the play-within-a-play is presented in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is so awful, the audience thinks it’s a comedy --THAT I would, somehow, incorporate into my play, in my own way. Thus, my Tangles In Your Teeth was born. My contemporary comedy, first ever, is inspired by Shakespeare. And, our staged reading at FPTC is only three months away. My play is a streamlined story of the Helena and Demetrius, D-e-m-e-t-r-i-u-s, storyline. I feel that 9/16/18 is going to be a great reading, and such fun for all.
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I woke up on this cool, spring morning, and wiped dew from the umbrella table with a frayed, purple towel. Morning sun hasn't found my spot yet. I sit in shade. Streaks of light are clawing the pine tress and the roof-hat of the shed to my left. The smell of pine and lilacs. Music. Doves and sparrows. Warblers trot on a fence post. There really is nothing like an outdoor deck for writing. As my husband turns on the pool, I fall deeper in love with this ritual of writing. The sound of splashing water inspires. This is it! This is my favorite method of writing. Early morning, outdoors, with the sounds of mourning doves and whirling water. It stands to reason that a writer who is inspired like this will produce work that is performed outdoors. Work for an open space. Doesn't it?
Contemporary Park Shorts (CPS) has won a grant, and we are collaborating with Fort Point Channel Theatre, and performing a staged reading of my comedy Tangles In Your Teeth on September 16, 2018. Yes, I said "perform" a reading. There is movement in everything I write. A reading with actors standing at musical stands, or seated in place, doesn't work for me. Tangles... is written for an open space. This time, the audience will remain seated, and the actors will interact with the audience in two ways - cutting through the "circle" of arranged seats, and directly. In one scene, we have a phone toss back-and-forth with the audience. In the final scene, we choose a willing participant, and the audience member joins the dinner table, becoming part of the play. I have a strong feeling that CPS will be collaborating and performing Tangles.. during a full production soon... Well, we have to wait and see. In one month, we begin rehearsals. This is the part that is difficult for Amy. Arranging rehearsal schedules, and everything that occurs from here on in. As the writer, all of my stress and angst, and there was a lot of it!, has ceased with the first revision. My job now is, as I see it, to sit quietly during rehearsals, and express with Amy my ideas, thoughts, and concerns. I also need to work on rewrites, as they come along. As our director, Amy now takes the reigns, and she and the actors create magic with and from my words. As always, Amy has her work cut out for her. I'm often told in rejection letters (ha!) that my work is "challenging". I am very fortunate to have found Amy, and that she created this troupe, CPS. These may be my last calm thoughts before the whirlwind of rehearsal and rewrites. And, I love it! I love the whole process. From chilly morning writing through dress rehearsal, and up to performance. Untangling the magic of Tangles.. |
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June 2018
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