IN THE LAB VAPORVAPOR TRAILTRAIL

By KenKen UrbanUrban

DECEMBER 18, 2020 VAPOR TRAIL by Ken Urban Director Actors Knud Adams** April Matthis* / Leslie

Design Consultant Maulik Pancholy* / Bennett Christian Frederickson

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, the Playwrights’ Center, Design Consultant and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Daniel Kluger **Member, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Apprentice Stage Manager Roshni Desai UP NEXT

Workshop Producer GETTING THERE by Dipika Guha Hayley Finn Wednesday, Jan 13 at 6:00 pm CST “I was inspired to think about how grief might bring strangers together; how it’s something you can share with a stranger, Associate Workshop Producer not with someone who knows you. The play had a workshop CELL SURFACE right before life shut down. Audience members commented the Julia Brown by Dominic Taylor play might work as a ‘radio play.’ Since the shutdown, I’ve been thinking about ways to bring this play to life during our current Friday, Jan 22 at 7:00 pm CST state of quarantine. I plan to use my workshop as an opportunity to imagine what a 21st-century audio play might sound like, and to get deeper into the story of Bennett and Leslie.” Visit PWCenter.org for information and tickets. —Ken Urban AN INTERVIEW WITH KEN URBAN BY HAYLEY FINN

Hayley Finn: I want to talk about your play, Vapor Trail, which will be writing. And because the play is really about the very intimate experience Playwrights’ Center put out the call in April or May of the Spring—I kept in our new series In The Lab, where playwrights experiment with form, that these two people have—this gay man who’s lost his husband and this thinking about those comments; about wanting to imagine the play as an and particularly at this time when we have to rethink what theatre is. I’m woman who rediscovered her life as a beekeeper in Hudson, New York audio experience. curious about Vapor Trail and how you thought about it as an audio play, but has had her own experience with tragedy—that when we kept it really when you thought about it as an audio play, and what you’re hoping to intimate and small and personal, that’s when the play soared. Before I’d even heard from you guys, I reached out to Daniel Kluger, a achieve? composer, sound designer, and arranger who’s a friend of mine. We’d been As luck would have it, this workshop happened the weekend before the working on music together. He’s been helping me with my band’s new Ken Urban: I wrote the first draft of Vapor Trail in January 2020. I was shutdown, so the first weekend of March. We did a Playwrights’ Center release. He was like, “I want to read that play. I want to read that play.” inspired by a memoir about a music journalist who had an infant child model where we do two readings with some rehearsal between the Which is weird because designers don’t usually ask to read things. It’s who was killed in a freak accident in New York City and about the process readings. I’ve always found that really helpful. So we had a presentation hard to actually get them to read it. But he read it and he was like, “I think of grieving after he and his wife lost their firstborn. I had read that in the on Friday, rehearsal on Saturday, and a second presentation on Saturday. this would be a really good narrative podcast.” And in my mind, narrative Fall and then I started to think about a play around similar issues. And podcasts, audio plays, they’re all the same thing. I guess it sounds bougier so, in January—I usually tend to write the first drafts of a play quickly I remember the morning of the first presentation. I had an emergency to call it a podcast than to call it an audio play or a radio play, but in my because I feel like it’s good to get it sort of all-out—so I think in about four faculty meeting where they were like, “Any events that happen this mind, they’re all genuinely the same genre. So that got my brain really days I wrote the first draft of Vapor Trail. weekend on campus can’t have any more than 50 people.” Remember thinking about it and Christian, who had worked on it at MIT, and Knud when we used to think that would be safe. [chuckles] And so, we had to thought that would be a really fun thing to do. And then as luck would We did a closed reading of it at New Dramatists, where I’m a member tape off a bunch of seats in the black box theater where we were doing have it, the Playwrights’ Center called me in August and said, “Yeah, playwright. I brought in two actors to hear the play out loud and a the workshop. And, I think Knud would agree with this, we both just we’re interested in including this in the In The Lab series.” And so it felt director to hear their response and to see what was there; to see if had our heads—like we were working and we were just in it and I was like a perfect way to put it to the test. And so that’s what we’re doing. there was something there that was worth pursuing. As with all of my like, “Yeah, COVID.” I wasn’t fully present to the extent of what was plays, I initially heard the play more than I saw it, so there weren’t stage happening. I’m planning on doing a deep dive into this script to revise it and really directions. I was really focused on just the voice of these two actors. use Daniel, Christian, and Knud as dramaturgs to help me understand Then Saturday, we did the second presentation, and a couple of audience how this will eventually work as an audio piece that’s exclusive to that art From there, I had a chance to do a workshop of the play at MIT where members came up to me and they were really moved. There was an form, while also holding onto the other draft of the script as something for we brought two actors to campus. Knud Adams came on board as the audience member who had broken down into tears. A colleague came up whenever we have stage productions again. director. And we spent the week workshopping this script. And as we kept to me and said, “This would make an amazing audio drama, radio drama. working on it, it became clear how important the voices were. You should really think about that.” And I said, “Oh thank you, I’ll really The thing that interests me about audio plays right now is that I feel think about it.” like a lot of us are spending time trying to walk outside as much as One of the perks about MIT is there’s just a lot of gear and technology we can before the weather gets too bad, or we’re listening to things always around, even in the theatre department. So Knud spoke with Josh By Monday morning we learned that MIT was closing and by the time I at home. I think that there’s a way this story could really work as an Higgason and Christian Frederickson, our lighting/projection design got back to New York all my meetings we canceled. A week had passed intimate experience. It feels new to me; something I haven’t done and sound design instructors respectively. We body-miked the actors. and life had changed forever, so I put the play away. It’s always good to before. It all feels very exciting, but also it makes me a little nervous Knud had the idea to keep the lights really, really low and just have these put a play away after a workshop so you’re not obsessing about it too just because doing something new is always hard. It’s hard to do single lights on the actors’ faces so when the audience was watching the much. But it was funny. You write something quickly and you don’t have a something new especially as you get farther along in the teeth. Is that the workshop, all they saw was their faces. They were amplified so the actors chance to kind of overthink it. So it felt really new and I didn’t quite know expression? could speak really quietly. What we found was when the actors pushed what to make of the thing. I was surprised when people responded so well CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 more into a theatrical performance quality, it lost the intimacy of the to it mainly because it’s like I wrote this thing very quickly. So when the Ken Urban’s (playwright) plays include A Guide Christian Fredrickson (sound design consultant) Maulik Pancholy* (Bennett) previously appeared For The Homesick (Huntington Theatre Company; is a violist, composer, and sound designer who in Ken Urban’s The Remains, The Awake, and The West End), The Remains (Studio Theatre), Sense specializes in live music performance for theater Happy Sad. Broadway credits include It’s Only Of An Ending (59E59 Theatres; London’s Theatre and dance. He has worked at a long list of theaters a Play and the Tony-nominated production of 503), Nibbler (The Amoralists), The Correspondent in New York City, notably the Brooklyn Academy Grand Horizons. Off-Broadway includes playing (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), The Awake of Music, Classic Stage Company, La MaMa, and opposite Ed Harris in Good for Otto. His television (59E59 Theatres; First Floor Theater), and The Playwrights’ Horizons as well as regional theaters work spans major roles on hit shows “30 Rock,” Happy Sad (Public Theatre/Summer Play Festival). around the U.S. He teaches design at the “Weeds,” and “Whitney” and lead voice roles on Awards include Weissberger Playwriting Award, EST/Alfred P. Sloan Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. the animated series “Phineas and Ferb” and “Sanjay and Craig.” His debut Commission, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, the Independent www.christianfrederickson.com novel, The Best at It, was named a 2020 Stonewall Honor Book. He served Reviewers of New England’s Award for Best New Script, Headlands Artist on President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans Residency, Dramatist Guild Fellowship, Virginia Center for the Creative Daniel Kluger (sound design consultant) is a Tony and Pacific Islanders and is the co-founder of the anti-bullying nonprofit Arts Fellowship, and MacDowell Colony Fellowships. Ken wrote the and Grammy-nominated composer, music ActToChange.org screenplay for the feature-film adaptation of The Happy Sad. His plays are producer, and sound designer based in New York. published by Dramatists Play Service. He leads the band Occurrence and Recent work includes The Sound Inside (dir. David Actors’ Equity Association (“Equity”), founded in teaches dramatic writing at MIT. Cromer, starring Mary Louise Parker), Sea Wall/A 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than Life (dir. Carrie Cracknell, starring Jake Gyllenhaal), 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity Knud Adams** (director) is a NYC-based director the Broadway revival of Marvin’s Room (dir. Anne fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of innovative new plays. His recent productions Kauffman, starring Janeane Garofalo & Lili Taylor) of society and advances the careers of its members by include The Headlands (Christopher Chen, LCT3), and the world premiere of Significant Other (dir. Trip Cullman, starring negotiating wages, improving working conditions and Paris (Eboni Booth, The Atlantic), Notes on My Gideon Glick), and Daniel Fish’s visionary revival of Oklahoma! for which providing a wide range of benefits, including health and Mother’s Decline (Andy Bragen, Play Co.), Tin Cat Kluger created entirely new and idiomatic orchestrations of this classic pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL- Shoes (Trish Harnetiaux, Clubbed Thumb), Marie score for traditional bluegrass instruments – he was nominated for a Best CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing and Bruce (Wallace Shawn, JACK), The Workshop Orchestrations Tony Award and Best Musical Theater Album Grammy arts unions. #EquityWorks (Torrey Townsend, Soft Focus), and Asshole Award. www.danielkluger.com (Justin Kuritzkes, JACK). When it’s safe, he looks forward to directing Equity is governed by its own members through an elected Council, rescheduled productions with The Atlantic, Roundabout, Clubbed Thumb, April Matthis** (Leslie) is an Obie Award representing principal actors, chorus actors and stage managers living in and JACK. www.knudadams.com winning actor and company member of Elevator three regions: Eastern, Central and Western. Members at large participate Repair Service. Off-Broadway: Toni Stone in Equity’s governance through a system of regional Boards and Committees. Roshni Desai (apprentice stage manager) is a (Roundabout); Fairview, LEAR (Soho Rep); Equity has 28 designated area liaison cities with over 100 members each. recent University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater Signature Plays—Funnyhouse of a Negro BFA Actor Training Program graduate, currently (Signature Theatre); IOWA, Antlia Pneumatica residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are a (Playwrights Horizons); On the Levee (LCT3). fierce believer in theater as a way to connect With ERS: The Sound & the Fury; Fondly, Collette communities, especially marginalized ones. Roshni Richland (NYTW); Measure for Measure (The Public); Everyone’s Fine also works at Project Success as a Program with Virginia Woolf (Abrons Art Center); GATZ (Perth Festival). Regional: Coordinator and loves getting to work with Little Bunny Foo Foo (Actors Theater of Louisville), A Streetcar Named students and is very passionate about helping young people obtain the Desire (Yale Rep). TV: “Instinct” (CBS), “New Amsterdam” (NBC). Film: skills and tools to make their dreams happen. Black Card (HBO, Showtime), Fugitive Dreams (FantasiaFest, Austin Film Festival) Meghan Kreidler asVolina inBettyShamieh’s Malvolio,duringtheFebruary 2020Ruth EastonNew Play Series.Photo byPaula Keller RUTH EASTON UP NEXT December, 2020–April, 2021 NEW PLAY THE

SERIES pwcenter.org/ruth-easton-series For Information AndTickets THIS MUCHIKNOW GETTING THERE GETTING PULP VÉRITÉ Jonathan Spector Jonathan Spector Crystal Skillman Crystal Jake Jeppson Rhiana Yazzie NO CURE Dipika Guha NANCY Jan. 13,2021 Dec. 9,Dec. 2020 Mar. 3,2021 Feb. 3, 2021 Apr. 7, 2021

creation atthe sametimeand having thoseconversations. Building sound The InLab workshopismy idealwhichisthatwe’re doingthat around tech;basically, techisyourfirstchance toplay withsound. lucky, comestomaybe thefirstorsecondrehearsal, andthen comesback to dothatwork.Usually, thesounddesigner, inaproduction, ifyou’re with sounddesignersandcomposers onhowanotherscore ishelping I write.Andthisisthefirsttime where I’m gettingthechancetowork and convey tellthestory actors theemotion,andsothat’s thescore that KU: Yeah. They’re I think ofmy asthescore, scripts right? helpingthe ofit? mentioned aspart score andthispiece,inadditiontothe songthatyou move forward, whatyouare seeingastherelationship betweenmusicand aurally SoI’m first. curiousto knowasyouhave writtenthisplay, asyou musician andyouhave aband.You talked abouthowyouthinkofthings you’re isinaddition tobeingaplaywright, touched onthisabit, a HF: Ilike thatmetaphor. ThethingIwanttoaskyounext, andyou KU: HF: So, toconfirm,you’ve never writtenanaudioplay? so allofthatfeelspretty new andexciting totackle. that’s intheplay thatplays dramatic animportant role inthestory. And and thisisthefirsttime—there’s asongthatIwrote withmy bandmates experience thatImake. I’ve usuallykept thosethingspretty separate mybringing myband,andwhatwedo, music, intothetheatrical yeah. Sothisfeelslike anew thingtoexplore. Andforthefirsttime, KU: Ifeelit’s harder todosomething new, becauseitfeelslike… right, HF: Idon’tthinkthatthat’s youKen. Thatjustisnotyou. gotten longerinmy tooth— KU: HF: [laughs]Longinthetooth? AN INTERVIEW WITHKENURBAN (continued) Idippedmy toeinbefore, butthisisthefullswim. Longinthetooth,that’s tosay. whatIwastrying [laughs].AsI’ve a kindof theatricalcontext. the oneswe’re gonnaedittogether. finallydo thatin That wecanactually my Ikeep vocalists, notesabouteach take takes andthesedifferent are have the abilitytogobackandbelike, that’s thetake. When I’m recording In away, I’ve always beenslightlyenvious aboutfilmandtelevision. You rehearsal oreven duringrecording becauseofthejoysediting.[laughs] Andthatmaybe wedon’thaveright? tomake thatdecisionduring this work.Canpeelbacksome ofthelanguagebecausewedon’tneedit, And itwillbegreat tohave thatintheroom; tolearnifthesoundisdoing intermsofhowthey oractors seeastory. orplaywrights, than directors, What’s alsoexciting—it’s thatdesignershave way adifferent oftalking time, wehave thisreally cleargoalofmakingthisaudioversiontheplay. Atthesame as thewritertokindofplay abitand seewhatcomesoutofit. and fail.We’re spreading itovertwo weekswhichwillbereally idealforme Center workshopisthatwe’ve builtintimetoexperiment Playwrights’ the time toexperiment andfail,soIfeellike ofwhat’s part exciting about things. Theway Americantheatre worksisthatthere’s notalways just becausenormallyeverybody’sThat isareal gift attentionisondifferent Everybody’s workingtogetherandeverybody’s focusedonsomething. Maulik Pancholy. It’s really exciting; theidealrehearsal processes, right? whoI’veto have thesetwoamazingactors worked with;AprilMatthisand Andwe’re waysdifferent todo italongsidetheactors. really, really lucky whoaretelling thesamestory; allonthesamepagebutare finding andthenDanielincollaborationplaywright, withChristian—whoare all There rightnow—there’s are three storytellers thedirector, myself asthe bysound. needs tobesupplementedandsupported bees, thehive.Thosethingsare allworkthatthelanguagecandobut we’rethat, oh,we’re outside, insomeone’s home,ohwe’re byanestof podcast, youneedthesoundtohelpcommunicaterightaway toalistener the locationthatthisishappeningin.Butwithanaudioplay oranarrative on stageyoucancommunicateorconveyWhen youhave actors thisis but we’llknowwhat’s there andwhat’s needed. takes alongtimesowewon’tdothatmuchbuildingduringthisworkshop, the 45-50 minutesthey spendwith Bennetand Leslie. and engaging soyou cankeep that audiencehooked inthatexperience for the thingsI’m howtomake thinkingaboutthe script; itreally immediate there’s adesire in metomake itfeelreally immediate.Sothose are some of versus beinginthescene,Ithink it’s harder todowhenit’s just audio. And playing multiplecharactersandswitchingactors in andoutofthenarrator But someofthethingsthatare like easiertodoinastageproduction, meeting couldappearasaflashback. that’smarket. Andmaybe someofthestuff inthescriptnowbefore that withBennetandLeslie’sshould nowstart firstmeetingatthefarmer’s have tokeep theaudiencehooked. Somy current thoughtisthescript canhappenfaster,news isthat thatmeansthestorytelling butyoualso to make inyourmind’s apicture eye ofwhatyou’re listeningto. Thegood images: totrack who’s speaking; whattheirrelationship is;where they are; This issomethingthat’s requiring yourmindtoworkandthinkaboutthe can listentomusicasadistraction inthebackground, butthisisnotthat. Youlistening tosomething.Listeningsomethingisalotofwork. right. experience, Ifeellike justunder anhour—that’s theprimeexperience of time, thisplay couldbe80minutes.ButIthinkinterms ofitasalistening thantheatricaltime.Ithinkintheatreis 45-50minutes,whichdifferent faster becauseIfeellike theideallisteningexperience like forastory this KU: Iwanttotake away alltheframes ofthething andgettotheheart you’re enteringthisprocess? think itmightevolve. Doyouhave any specificquestionsforthetext as HF: OneofthethingsyouandIhave talked aboutisthetext andhowyou of this,andthatfeelsexciting. posers—there’s way adifferent thatwecanthinkaboutthefinalproduct way—the andIthesounddesigners the com- different director most known.”Withthis,Ifeellike things.Andit’s different wecantry a let’s ortheonethatfeels justgowithasolutionthatfeelstheeasiest, don’t knowifI’m goingtofigure outtheanswer tothisbefore opening,so you make notgreat decisions,ordecisionswhere you’re justlike, “Okay I can, youknow, make youmake gooddecisions,butsometimes itcanmake to make thesedecisions.It’s already astressful time.Andsometimesstress There’s away thatyoufeelsometimesintechandpreviews thatyouhave UP NEXT AN INTERVIEW WITHKENURBAN (continued) really intimate way. unexpected at thesametime, howthatexperience canbringstrangers togetherina our entire lives.And I thinkthatisinessencewhat Vapor Trail But isabout. There arein thebasement. ways thetrauma thatwewillcarry around for put itinanenvelope andstuckunderthemattress intheguestroom or wads ofcashrolled up;clean billsthatsheclearlygotfrom thebankand you can’ttrust thebanksand yourmoney mightdisappear. Sothey found She livedthrough theGreat Depression soshenever that gotoverthefact Poland died,they foundstashesofmoney hiddenallaround herhouse. if itever goesaway, Whenmy great-grandmother thatfeeling,right? from traumatized atanationallevel. And that’sknow notgonnagoaway.don’t I years, we’ve from variousformsofPTSD, allbeensuffering of feelingreally I don’tthinkit’s anoverstatementtosay thatIfeellike, forthelastfour to celebrate, butthere’ll still bealotofgriefandtrauma toprocess. holiday seasonandlookingtowards thenew year, there’ll bealotofnews they AndIthink,especiallynowthatwe’re have toletitout. enteringthe people whocan’ttapthatdownanymore. They can’tkeep itinsideand been tampingdownjusttogetthrough ourday. Andthisisaplay about grieving rightnow. Thinkaboutalltheanxietyanddepression thatwe’ve than itdidinMarch 2020thanitwillinDecember2020.Ithinkwe’re all KU: Yes. Ithinkespeciallywhere theplay ends,itwillfeelreally different our current state? point ofreference? Doyouthinkitwillresonate inanew way considering many peopleare experiencing thatcurrently ifthat’s onyourmindasa andisolation.I’mOne ofthethemesisloneliness,right, curious,asso HF: Withthatinmind,thispiecehasthepotentialtobequiteemotional. as visceral aspossible. ofthesetwopeople,andmakefocus onthestory itfeel asimmediateand elaborate frames around thestory. Iwanttostripallthataway andreally sometimesyoubuild When youhave toomuchtimetoworkonascript, ends,andhowtheirrelationshipthe story evolves. there shouldbesomethingsurprisinginhowtheirrelationship ends,how And, like allgoodwriters,Idon’twanttogiveaway theending,Ifeellike find some partners tohelpus bringitoutintotheworld. find somepartners work thatwedo attheCenter. we’ll Andthenhopefullyfollowing that, to record andreally kind offinishthe withMalik andApril,ourtwoactors, the Playwrights’ Center, andthenearlyinthe new yearwe have achance got December. We have achancetoprocess whatkindofcomesout atthePlaywrights’that westarted Center. Soitfeels nicebecausewe’ve Knud, Daniel,Christian andIwillcometogetherwe’llfinishthework we willberecording atMIT. virtually We’ll beworkingwiththesamecast. record thisasafinished,really nice,bespoke audiopiece.Inthenew year, KU: thisworkshop?will beafter HF: That’s Andsomy great. final questionforyouiswhatyournext steps experience different ofthat. very the thingthat’s suchajoyaboutbeingplaywright isthatpeoplehave a play isaboutatall.”Butthatdoesn’t matter. That’s thegreat thing.That’s gonna findtheirway intoiteven iftome,I’m like, “Oh, that’s notwhatthis are andthey’re gonnabringthatidentification and emotiontothisstory That’s howidentificationandempathy People work.Ican’tcontrol that. intotheplay whentheystuff watchit. keep focusing on telling this story. And then let the audience put all of that trauma, butasawriter, Ihave toputthatinabox,itaway, andjust kid inPhiladelphia inthe’80s andearly’90s. It’s goodtobeaware ofthat have relationship adifferent toHIVnowthanwhenIwasgrowing upasa COVID isadeathsentence, oryouknow, inthesameway, thatpeople end toquarantine. There willbeanendtoCOVID oratleastthefearthat have resonances forpeoplethatwillexpand beyond even oncethere isan play. Ijustwanttokeep focusingonthestory. Andmy hopeisthatitwill January. Andinaway, Idon’twanttoknowthatwhenI’m revising the a way thatIdidn’tknowwhenwaswritingthefirstdraft oftheplay last in ofLeslieandBennetisakindnationalstory thestory that actually youknow,just, bisexuals andbeekeepers willbeinterested in[laughs]but with.Idon’tthink thisisaplay that thatalotofpeoplecanidentify a story youcanalsotell but inaway specific, thatfeelsuniversal.Sobybeingvery For me,Ithinktheatre bestwhenit’s isatits responding tothemoment Well we’re luckythatMIThasgenerously very fundedaway forusto HF: Thankyou. thing. Let’s somuchaboutthe next justenjoythatandnotworry thing.” We whenwefinishit. people thathearitafterward gettodothiscool mean alottothepeoplethat listenatthePlaywrights’ Centerandthe mean alottomeandthepeople thatare andhopefully it’ll involved init, level, tobelike, “Hey, I’m goingto make thisreally coolthing thatwill form.And soIthinkI’m andourart industry todothatatamicro trying ButIdon’tknow ifthat’scan countonit. thebestway tothinkaboutour ward fortheAmericantheatre. Imean,getthatitisasellerandyoujust I don’tknowifaChristmasCarol-based economy isthebestway for- such adesire forthingstoreturn toasthey were. there’s beensomegreat reckonings intheaters[laughs]butthere’s also bearealhow itwasbefore, missedopportunity. that’ll AndIfeel like, yes justgoes backto I thinkifwecomeoutofthepandemicandeverything finished version.”SoI’m toliveinthatkindofhappinessbecause trying Playwrights’ CenterinDecember, andthenwegettodoitagain forthe ofmeislike,part “Wow! Howcoolisitthatwegettodothisthingatthe to includethefinalversionofVapor Trail intheirseason.Butanother We theatre hopethatapartner ortheatres willcomeonboard andwant live more inthemoment. Youproduction.” thinkingaboutthenext juststart thing.I’m to trying feeling like, “Oh man,wemadethiscoolthing.We madethisreally great always livingforthenext thingandnever never livinginthemoment, cepted atthistheater, tofeellike andyouhave todothis.”Itstarts you’re “Well wedidthisandnowyouhave todothis,andyouhave tobeac- where you’rebecause Ithinkyoucangetintoacycle suddenlyallabout, I’m tothatimpulsewithmy playwriting career toconnect more trying andsowe’reand really right, proud ofthisthing. have tobelike, wemadethisthing,andthese12songsfeelreally great butyoudon’treallypeople willrespond know. toit, Butintheend,you know—I meanyouhopethatpeoplewilllike peoplewilllistentoitand it, In astrange way, itfeelslike whenyoumake analbum,younever UP NEXT INTERVIEW (continued) Photo byJoshOlson McGuire andSeniorCurator, Director Performing atWalker Arts Center forasold-outPublic Art Discussion. Meiyin Wang, Producing atTheRonald Director O. Perelman Performing Center joinsPhilip Arts Bither, Stay tuned! throughout the year. other dateswillbeannounced and topics, Specific participants, and Paula Vogel, amongothers. Daniel Alexander Jones,JoséRivera, including MigdaliaCruz, LisaD'Amour, have featured acclaimedtheaterartists, unfiltered words. Past conversations field, andtheworldthrough their own the oncraft, thoughts hearing artists’ withwriters, directly chance toconnect audiencesa these conversations offer scripted events throughout theyear, process. Unlike theCenter’s many andtheir intimate lookatplaywrights auniquely inConversation offers Artists Discussion seriesfrom pastseasons, Building onoursold-outPublic CONVERSATION ARTISTS IN VAPOR TRAIL by Ken Urban Dec 18,2020 wildly experimental new works, pushingtheboundariesofform and content, andrevolutionizingand content, theway weexperience stories. Through thisinnovativeprogram, three writerswilldevelop development called project andperformance And thePlaywrights’ Centerissteppingupoursupport CELL SURFACE by DominicTaylor to meet this moment, launchingabrandto meetthismoment, new online Jan 22,2021 New worldsrequire new ways. Visit pwcenter.org formore information. IN THE WILL BESUNDAY by HeatherRaffo TOMORROW

LAB In theLab. .

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$2,500-$24,999 Up to $999 INDIVIDUALS ArtSpace Projects, Inc. Actors’ Equity Foundation, Inc. $10,000+ Boss Foundation AmazonSmile Eric Anderson and Roger Beck Bush Foundation The Benevity Community Impact Fund Barry Berg and Walter Tambor Patrick & Aimee Butler Family Foundation GiveMN.org Lee Blessing and Melanie Marnich Dual Citizen Brewing Co. Jamf Jeffrey Bores• and Michael Hawkins France 44 Wines & Spirits Network for Good Mary Beidler Gearen• The Head Family Foundation Seagate Technology LLC Christina Ham The Playwrights’ Center, in partnership with KNOCK, Inc. US Bank Foundation MaryAnn Lippay Kanee and Stephen Kanee Family Augsburg University, is offering online, accredited Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) YourCause Fund Piper Sandler & Co Jennifer Melin Miller and David Miller playwriting courses taught by today’s leading writers City of St. Paul (Cultural STAR) In-Kind Wayne Zink and Christopher Schout• in the field, creating unparalleled arts education Tides Foundation Alma Dana and Stephen Strand Trader Joe’s Susan C. Williams access for aspiring writer! Learn more at $1,000 - $2,499 pwcenter.org/univeristy-programs Faegre Drinker Foundation Securian Financial Foundation •denotes Playwrights’ Center Board Member Jerome Fellow Tylie Shider teaches Playwriting II at Augsburg University. Photo Paula Keller Whole Lotta Future Foundation THANK YOU DONORS Individuals (contINUEd)

$5,000-$9,999 Jeanne Corwin Sarah and Matt Chaplin Robert C Droddy Anonymous Dan Dietz Sarah Cooke and Adam Lowe Bonnie S. Dudovitz and Jean K. Quam David Chelimsky and Flor Pinho Adam Rao and Elizabeth Emery Mary Dolan Paul Eiding Barbara Davis Nancy Engh Liz Engelman Scott Elyanow Robert P. 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Foley Sally Wingert and Tim Danz $99 & Under Maria Hurni Douglas Nopar Sarah Woessner Stephanie Melissande Jennifer and Joe Novak Robert Young Farrand Anderson John Humphrey Kemi Ojelade Jared Zeigler Valetta Anderson Ivan Idland William Parry Susan Zwickey Linda Anderson Willette and Jan Willette Walt Jacobs Barb and Rick Person Mark Armstrong Laura Jacqmin Daniel Pinkerton Carol Barnett Andrew and Amy Jendrzejewski Shelli Place

AMPLIFY VITAL STORYTELLING THROUGH GIVING

Social justice is at the heart of the Playwrights’ Center’s work. We strive for it by actively supporting equitable theater-making practices that shift the paradigm, uplifting unheard stories and sharing them with the world. With your support, the Center can provide the greatest diversity of artists with the time, tools, and space to tell their truths and reshape audiences’ perspectives. Make a gift and amplify vital storytellers today! pwcenter.org/donate STAFF BOARD THE 2020–21 Jeremy B. Cohen, Producing Artistic Director Carla Paulson, President FELLOWS AND CORE WRITERS Robert Chelimsky, Managing Director Harrison David Rivers, Vice President May Adrales, Artistic Associate Maura Brew, Secretary Kelly Renee Armstrong Sofya Levitsky-Weitz Alayna Barnes, Membership Programs Associate Adam Rao, Treasurer Lee Blessing Nora Montañez Julia Brown, Artistic Programs Manager Jeffrey Bores Sharon Bridgforth Daaimah Mubashshir Shalee Mae Cole Mauleón, University Programs & Partnerships Associate Carlyle Brown Carlyle Brown Kira Obolensky Hayley Finn, Associate Artistic Director Geoffrey Curley Darren Canady John Olive Martine Kei Green-Rogers, Fellowship Associate Karl Gajdusek Cristina Florencia Castro Marisela Treviño Orta H. Adam Harris, Engagement Associate Mary Beidler Gearen Erin Courtney Savannah Reich Katie Hey, Director of Development Jodi Grundyson Mashuq Mushtaq Deen Stacey Rose Jasmine Johnson, General Manager Jeff Hedlund Emily Feldman Andrew Rosendorf Hannah Joyce, Director of Membership Programs Jessie Houlihan Gina Femia Riti Sachdeva Emily Mathees, Executive Staff Administrator Charlyne Hovi Barbara Field Tylie Shider Sarah Myers, Director of University Programs and Partnerships Jonathan Jensen Gracie Gardner Charly Evon Simpson Daniel Rech, Director of Marketing and Communications David Kim Whitney Rowland, Institutional Development Manager Rebecca Krull Kraling Marvin González De León Crystal Skillman Teri Schafer, Development Assistant Annie Lebedoff Jeffrey Hatcher Jonathan Spector Sonitha Tep, Marketing Communications Graphic and Media Designer Mark Perlberg Rachel Jendrzejewski Ariel Stess Kaitlyn Boyer, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Christopher Schout Jake Jeppson James Anthony Tyler Roshni Desai, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Leah Spinosa de Vega JuCoby Johnson Katie Ka Vang Ashe Jaafaru, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Cecilia Stanton Adams Candrice Jones Abbee Warmboe Isabella Star LaBlanc, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Paul Stembler Nicholas Kaidoo Talvin Wilks Harry Waters Jr. Shannon TL Kearns Ray Yamanouchi Ginger Wilhelmi Keyanna Khatiblou Stefanie Zadravec Michael Winn Kurt Kwan Jeremy B. Cohen, ex officio Robert Chelimsky, ex officio THEATER BEGINS HERE OUR MISSION “Stories give us chances to see ourselves and what we Playwrights’ Center sustains, develops, and advocates for playwrights and their work to realize their full artistic potential. could hope to be.” —2020–21 Jerome Fellow, Candrice Jones OUR VISION We start with the storytellers. Through the practice of inclusive theater-making, Playwrights’ Center fosters engagement towards an equitable, empathetic, and boundlessly imaginative world. The playwrights. The artists. OUR VALUES Centering Artists As we continue to meet the challenges of these We believe in the crucial role that playwrights and theatermakers play in witnessing the past, illuminating the present, and times, the Playwrights’ Center seeks to reimagine dreaming us forward. Our work is grounded in the needs, desires, and sustainability of the artists we support, prioritizing what is possible in theater; both in this moment and long-term artistic relationships. beyond. Throughout our 2020–21 Season we are intensifying our efforts, investing even more deeply Adaptability in creative process, arts education, and access to We recognize that playwriting processes are as diverse as the human beings pursuing them. We evolve our perspectives, opportunity. We are working to amplify unheard practices, resources, and partnerships in order to stay relevant and responsive to artists’ needs. voices and promote equitable spaces, allowing for Equity the greatest diversity of artists to make plays around We continually interrogate our relationship to the word Equity. We support artists across all spectrums, with an emphasis the world. Through additional fellowships and on underrepresented and under-supported voices. We aim to uproot systemic inequities that inhibit creativity and focus increased public programming, we are creating new on building new systems that center meaningful financial compensation. We understand this work to be intersectional and channels of support for thousands of writers—from long-term, grounded in relationships and evolving anti-racist practices. paid opportunities that will sustain playwrights and theatermakers, to expanded educational resources Inclusivity + Accessibility that will enhance online learning tools and connect We proactively engage and welcome people of all abilities, ages, cultures, ethnicities, genders, incomes, races, religions, and university students from around the world. We are sexual orientations. We intentionally engage artists locally, nationally, and internationally, working across a multitude of processes and aesthetics. inspiring a whole new generation of theater artists. It begins here. Advocacy We fight for a theater field in which playwrights and theatermakers not only survive but thrive. We are committed to modeling Join us! how institutions can authentically support the art of storytelling, and connect artists’ work to audiences around the globe.