Something Wild...
nytheatre.com q&a preview by Heidi Hackney
September 7, 2012
What is your job on this show?
Dramaturg.
Where were you born? Where were you raised? Where did you go to school?
I was born in a small town in Northern Wyoming about 20 miles outside of Yellowstone National Park. I grew up in the mountains of Park City, Utah home of the Sundance Film Festival. I studied Theatre and Psychology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Who is more important in the theater: the actor, the playwright, or the director?
Part of what I love about working in theater is its collaborative nature. Each element within the production is linked to, or fed by, the work of the artist next to you. Theater is created by a group of human beings. When there’s a strong clarity of vision and respect for each member of the process, TELLING THE STORY is what’s important.
Why did you want to write/direct/produce/act in/work on this show?
I wanted to dramaturg (i.e. Be a researcher, or resource) for this show because I respect and am inspired by the work of the producers and actors involved in the show. I knew the company would approach the material with humanity, honesty, that the acting would be phenomenal. I wanted to be a part of it. I’ve worked on other Williams material and wanted to assist the actors in entering the world of his storytelling. The settings in Williams are their own character, through gathering research and source material I wanted to help the actors find information and images that would inspire and inform their work as they explored their roles.
People who like which of the following recent Broadway shows would also probably like your show: THE BOOK OF MORMON, ONCE, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, CLYBOURNE PARK?
There will be something for everyone: laughs, good music, drama, social questions. Come one, come all.
Can theater bring about societal change? Why or why not?
Theater can bring about social change. Social change begins with people listening to each other, finding ways to empathize with others outside of their experience. Theater is a safe venue to step into the life of someone else, without being watched, judged, or attacked. Theater stirs questions and conversations that may not happen otherwise. That's part of the process of social change.
