A Day for Grace
nytheatre.com q&a preview by Doug Vincent
September 2, 2012
What is your job on this show?
playwright and performer.
Where were you born? Where were you raised? Where did you go to school?
I was born and raised in small town Berryville Virginia. I made my way out to Colorado to graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. A huge CU Buffs fan, I am dedicating “A Day for Grace” to the memory of fallen former CU Buff Offensive Lineman Gabe Oderberg and his father, Nate. I have become quite close to Nate. As he says, we are partners in this thing.
Complete this sentence: My show is the only one opening in NYC this fall that...?
“A Day for Grace” started as a solo show and unexpectedly, magically grew to organically include live music (written and performed by the amazing Sam Llanas, formerly of the BoDeans).
Do you think the audience will talk about your show for 5 minutes, an hour, or way into the wee hours of the night?
We hope and believe the show will be talked about into the wee hours of the night. The themes in "A Day for Grace" mirror a lot of difficult issues that many families and people experience. As Sam Llanas beautifully sings in "Messed Up Likes of Us" in the show, 'We never speak of it'. Hopefully this show cracks “it” open enough to create an opportunity for folks to process difficult issues and help them in their own lives.
Which famous New Jerseyite would like your show the best: Snooki, Bruce Springsteen, Thomas Edison?
Bruce would love “A Day for Grace,” particularly Sam’s music and the magical way his songs naturally incorporate into the piece in such a profoundly powerful way.
Can theater bring about societal change? Why or why not?
Theater can and does bring about powerful societal change. My parallel work with my emerging non-profit Boulder StoryHealers specifically works with folks who have experienced trauma, illness and adversity. Within a deeply safe supportive workshop environment, participants develop short monologues, which are performed publically as awareness raisers and fundraisers for their specific groups. The group monologue performances are a transcendent catalyst and deeply healing release, both for the participants and the audience.
