Weeks 33 and 34-Triangle: 1911

I doubled up this week and last week's play because I wanted to write a longer one-act than I usually do.  The title of this piece is Triangle: 1911 and it takes place during the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire that happened in New York City.

The fire, which happened on March 25, 1911 was the deadliest workplace industrial disaster in the history of New York City up until the destruction of the World Trade Center 90 years later.  The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers and spurred massive reforms in labor laws throughout the country.  Most of the workers at the factory were young immigrant women between the ages of 18 and 23, although girls as young as 11 were reported to have worked there.

I've been interested in the fire for a long time.  I played around with different ways to frame the story such as focusing on the manslaughter trial of the two men who owned the factory, the fights between labor workers over whether to unionize, etc.  I finally decided to keep it simple and focus on the stories of the victims (and survivors) of the fire.  Before they were victims, they were real people.  Sometimes it's hard for people to grasp that.  I hope that this play humanizes these brave young workers.  

Week 31: The Date and Week 32: Lovely

Hola!  It's been an exciting couple of weeks in 52 Plays land.  Theatre Wagon of Virginia did a reading of four (count 'em, four!) of my plays this past weekend as part of their annual summer readings.  The actors performed Cat Talk, The Shakespearean Actor's Nightmare, The Night The Lights Went Out, and Scout's Honor.  It was SO helpful to hear these plays read out loud for the first time.  It was kind of amazing to see what worked (and what definitely didn't).  I did a talkback after the readings to discuss my process and answer questions from the audience and actors.  One of the questions I was asked was whether I go back and revise after my plays are written.  I've actually been holding back from doing that because I feel like it would interfere with composing new plays.  I am definitely a perfectionist and the wonderful thing about this project is that it has forced me not to dwell on all my mistakes, but move on to the next week and the next play.  I will go back at some point and revise several of the plays in this project, but for now, it's onward and upward.

Due to visiting friends and participating in play readings, my posting for last week and this week were delayed.  Week 31's play is The Date and Week 32's play is Lovely.  I chose to concentrate these past two weeks on writing short, two-handers.

Week 30 - Sarah's Bridal Shower

Hello from Week 30.  More than half the year has gone by.  Unreal, isn't it?  I feel like I just started this project yesterday and I'm already more than halfway through and have written 30 plays.

My blog is a little late this week because I helped host a bridal shower this weekend in Philadelphia for my sister Katie.  Everyone had a wonderful time at the shower and Katie (and her husband-to-be) got some really great gifts.  This week's play, Sarah's Bridal Shower, obviously was influenced by this week's goings-on but should not be construed as an account of what really happened at Katie's shower.  It is totally and completely fictional. :)  In this week's play,  bride-to-be Sarah gets a surprising gift from her little sister and everyone has an opinion about it...

Week 29-The Mercy Season

I've spent the last few days thinking a lot about forgiveness.  I will be honest here and say that there are certain people in my life that I have found myself unable to forgive.  Sometimes I worry about that.

Most of you are very aware of the movie theatre shooting that took place a few days ago at a midnight screening of the new Batman movie in Aurora, CO.  Even nowadays, despite the fact that we, as a society, are surrounded by violent movies, TV shows, comic books, video games, etc., there are still some instances of real-life violence that take our breath away.  People have spent the last few days debating the issue of gun control in this country, whether Hollywood is to blame, the state of the mental health system, etc.  What has struck me, for the last couple of days, are how many survivors have said publicly that someday they are sure that they will be able to forgive the man who shot them.

I, frankly, marvel at these people.  People who were just trying to enjoy a movie and suddenly found themselves, their friends, wounded and dying.  They make forgiveness seem easy.  But is it that easy?  Can it be that easy?

Week 29's play is The Mercy Season.  As a Trigger Warning, the play includes graphic descriptions of sexual violence and its aftermath.

Week 28 - The Redemption of Bugs Meany

I was sad to learn this week about the death of Donald J. Sobol.  His name might not be familiar to you, unless you happened to be a kid who grew up in the 70s and 80s.  Sobol was the creator of the Encyclopedia Brown series of books for children.  As a kid, I was obsessed with these books.  Encyclopedia Brown was a ten year old detective who used his encyclopedic knowledge of random facts and deductive reasoning to solve mysteries.  His nemesis was an older kid by the name of Bugs Meany (just about the best name for a children's book villain ever.)  What was great about Sobol's books was the fact that the main character didn't win by force, but by using his intelligence.  A great lesson for kids (particularly bright, precocious nine years olds with dark brown hair and glasses.)

I loved the characters and chose to honor a big piece of my childhood this week by writing a take-off on them.  Week 28's play: The Redemption of Bugs Meany.

For more information about Sobol and his work:

Donald J. Sobol, Creator of Encyclopedia Brown, Dies at 87

Week 27 - LA MUJER MÁS BELLA DE HOLLYWOOD (The Most Beautiful Woman in Hollywood)

This week's play was inspired by this picture I saw on my friend and Directress Asae Dean's Pinterest wall.

Isn't that hat amazing?  As soon as I saw this photo, I wanted to know more about this woman.  I love her flirty, slightly bemused look, as if she's thinking "Well, well, who will the mystery man in the center be?"

The woman is Dolores Del Rio (1905-1983), a film star I was not previously familiar with.  She was a Mexican film star who appeared in many silent films as well as films made during Hollywood’s Golden Age.  She was the first Latin American film actress to have international success.  She was also considered one of the most beautiful stars of her era.  


It's amazing where you can find inspiration.  This week's play, thanks to Google Translate, is in both Spanish and English.  It turns out Miss Del Rio, like many beautiful film stars of her era, was a lot more interesting than the roles she often found herself playing, on screen and off.  Week 27's play is LA MUJER MÁS BELLA DE HOLLYWOOD (The Most Beautiful Woman in Hollywood).
 

Week 26 - The Night The Lights Went Out

Ladies and gentlemen.  Children of all ages.  I have done it.  They said it couldn't be done.  Well, actually, no one said that. But, for argument's sake (and for the sense of drama) let's just say that people said it couldn't be done.  

Today I have reached the half-way point of my project with my 26th ten minute play. 26 plays.  At an average play length of 10 pages, that is 260 pages of work that I have generated from my little brain so far in 2012.   260 pages of work from someone who thought she wasn't a playwright.  Well.  I guess I proved myself wrong.

The project is not over.  Not by a long shot.  But I am at the half-way point and it feels good.  Week 26's play is called The Night The Lights Went Out and was inspired by the freak storm and power outage that plunged most of Virginia into darkness this past weekend.  A power outage proves ominous for a couple living in Northern Virginia....