If I write it this way, will it be doable?

Come From Away, the musical about 9/11

Whenever a playwright wonders – If I write it this way, will it be doable? – all they need do is study this script and watch the performance. Irene Sankoff and David Hein moved the stories of close to 7000 people stranded from their flights and 9000 people who lived in Gander, Newfoundland, into numerous characters through 12 actors for a play that could be performed by the full ensemble or by even fewer actors for small stage sets. And the full ensemble is basically onstage for the duration. Here’s a wonderful interview with the writers and cast member and Tony nominee Jenn Colella. I saw the musical at the Ford’s Theater in DC.

A contemporary musical I could see again and again!

It’s puzzling

It’s puzzling why I haven’t bought a ticket yet for The Color Purple, the musical.

I was introduced to the story through the movie first, and still believe this film shows the absolute best performances by Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey. When the film came out, I saw it over and over and over. My favorite lines:

When Sophia says “Get my children out of here”

Shug: I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple…and you don’t notice it”   

Celie: Her entire dinner speech 

Then I heard one of the writers in my feminist writers’ group comment how the movie was sculpted as a film about him, rather than staying to the story about her. So I knew I needed to read the novel. Yet, I resisted reading the novel because it was so long and I’ve had trouble getting into novels in general. I pushed through my resistance and Alice Walker’s book is among the best I’ve ever read where I learned that a way to write history into a story is to show the effect on the character’s current life.

As I keep re-watching the film (however painful it is), I could probably look at how the screenplay focuses on him, but director Steven Spielberg certainly lets the best acting come out of his cast – we’re there; and no matter how many clips I look through to say “my favorite” – it’s just too, too many. Who played young Nettie in the film? Ah! Akosua Busia. Who can beat this performance?   

Alice Walker on the novel and the film.

I may be afraid that the musical won’t live up to the film or the book. Stop it. I mean really.

Next time the musical comes to Pittsburgh, I’ll be there.

FUN HOME, the musical

 Fun Home – Yes!

Best plays read in 2016-2017

Fun Home: A musical based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Fun Home – When a young woman comes out, it unravels other family secrets where family members are now able to confide in one another. Favorite song: “Changing my major”.  This musical is the first Tony Award winner where the book, lyrics, and music composers are all women - Lisa Kron (lyrics, book) and Jeanine Tesori (music).

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Credit: Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company

Miss Julie, Clarissa and John, by Mark Clayton Southers (2016) - Inspired by August Strindberg's Miss Julie, Mark places the storyline in the US reconstruction-era in the South. This play that deals excellently with the various characters' complexity was also produced in the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.