A Play Reading
I had a reading for my 10-minute play “Embodiment” at Firelight Theater Workship this past week. I was nervous, such that I neglected to take photos. But really, it did happen! Jason Lambert (Co-Artistic Director of Firelight Theater along with Nora Fiffer) read the stage directions. Laura Carden and Jeremy Appleton read the two characters–brilliantly I might add–and, to my shock, relief and thrill, the audience of nine people—seven friends and two strangers (but they aren’t strangers any more!)—couldn’t have been kinder or more supportive.
Nora led the discussion afterwards. What did the audience see and hear? A few of the comments: “two people stuck.” “A relationship change.” “Power dynamics.” “Many layers of character in a short period of time.” “A journey.” “Loss and fear of greater loss.” “Elephants.”
What did they feel? “A roller coaster of emotions packed in a short amount of time.” “Swept up.” “Challenged to understand the complexity of what was going on.” “Immediately engaged and curious.” “Not in the head but in the heart and gut.” “Anger.” “Compassion.” “Confused by where the stuffed animals came in.”
What did they like? “The urgency.” “Immediate high stakes.” “The dialogue and writing were good.” “Poetic.” (!!!!!!) “All of it moved the story forward.” “It didn’t reveal itself immediately.” “Fantastical interiority.”
What did they wonder? “What happens next?” “What was with the stuffed animals?”
My notes get a bit illegible at this point. There were definitely questions raised. A degree of confusion. Frustration, though not necessarily in a bad way. And a good amount of back and forth regarding the stuffed animals and how they fit in.
The best part, and what I will be forever grateful for, is that I walked away with a sense of validation, and the confidence to know that I have learned how to write a play to its first draft. Check that off my list!
AND the audience encouraged me to keep working on ”Embodiment”, take it to the next level. I think it’s called collaboration. With other people. Which is why I started this play-writing venture in the first place. And so I will begin that climb, carrying all those stuffed animals with me. Check!
AND, in regard to my epic play, I am going to play with the eight characters’ four distinct stories and write out four ten-minute plays. Telling big stories in the constraints of limited time will force me to delve deeper, and be absolutely clear what I am aiming for. It’s one thing to know something, like what a character wants and needs. But it’s quite another to bring them alive, showing it. This isn’t to say those ten minute plays will be the epic. But they will take me a few steps closer to that goal.
It’s a smidge intimidating. But why? After all, I now know that I can write a ten-minute play, if not yet finish it, so why not four of them? Check!
Small steps. Just like Vicky, my play-writing mentor, suggested back in 2023 when we first started talking.
I never said I was a quick learner! Just call me Tory the Tortoise.