Way back when I started writing plays for young folks, I thought, "I'd love to work with Seattle Children's Theatre someday." I kept sending scripts but none were ever the right fit.
Until now.
In their 50th season, "The Girl Who Swallowed A Cactus" is riding high with other feisty young women.
Hooray!
I contend it is easier to cut 10 pages out of a 100-page play than it is to cut 2 pages out of a 24-page play.
If you've already written the draft as tight as you can with very specific rhythms, and you have a huge amount of story details to cover, plus allowing any character beats, plus allowing any time for dramatic moments to land...
But the scalpel has come out.
For the good of the whole, some great bits will vanish.
A couple of years ago, Shandong Province Drama Company produced "The Dead Guy" ("死人") in China. They have now brought it back for a year-run.
No idea if they are using it to skewer U.S. culture or Chinese culture...
打破腿, 大家!
It's been a long time since I got to share a new grown-up play with Cleveland audiences!
And this is an amazing company I've been wanting to work with for years - I just finally wrote a play that fits their house style.
It's a Chekhovian comedy-drama about the end of multiple worlds.
Eager!
