Aftershock

Just got back from D.C. where I had the great privilege and joy of writing for Signature Theatre's education program down in Arlington Virginia. This year it was called Aftershock and dealt with subjects as wide ranging as the hidden children during the Holocaust, hurricane Katrina, and the war raging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Marcia Gardner, Signature's Education Director, spends all year in Wakefield High School doing different programs, and then the theatre commissions me to write a piece to be performed by students who have to go through a very selective audition process. Even though I know what subject matter I'm going to write about each year, the past three years I have waited until auditions to really start writing so I can tailor the play to the specific cast we have. The play is performed at Signature on the set of the play currently running. The cast we had this year is the best I've seen since I started writing for the program four years ago. They are all incredibly talented, focused, and curious-- a tremendous combination. I spend a few days with the students early on in the process to hear the play read and then I make changes from what I hear. This is the first year that I hadn't finished the play before I arrived. The students questions and thoughts influenced the rewrites and the ending of the play significantly. The play gets two public performances and performances throughout the week for high school students who are bussed to Signature for the show. I love this program and it's so rewarding every year. It reminds me every year of why I wanted to do this in the first place. Pictures to come soon.