Us, While The World Burns
Writer’s Note
This started out as a project for class, then a series of poems, then a mess of monologues, all to what it is now. All of the scenes are close to my heart, written during a time that is all at once chaotic and inspiring. To be alive right now is to see and be a part of major historical events and incredible social change. But to be alive right now is to also just be living. For me, it’s to be a college student, making friends and baking and trying to do well on my Spanish tests. With this Zoom production, I wanted to celebrate not only the great changes in the world, but the smaller scale loves, victories, and hopes we all have. Writing this play was its own form of vulnerability, and the respect and love with which it’s been treated has been so wonderful to see. This team has created something that’s grown past and better than what I ever hoped for, and it’s been a privilege to be a part of this project.
Director’s Note
In many ways, the core feelings and challenges that the characters of this piece feel are the exact same that actors face in this piece. How do you maintain a connection from afar? How do you grow trust in a relationship from afar? Things like timing, giving and receiving direction, reactions, and playing off of each other were very different in Zoom than it would have been in person, and required us to learn new skills and ways of communicating. Connection and the development of a relationship were the things I wanted most to emphasize in the direction of this piece, and we experienced them right along with the characters.
Stage Manager’s Note
As a Stage Manager, this project seemed somewhat daunting because of the number of scenes included in the script- all of which included different costume choices, characters, timelines, and design elements. A lot of problem-solving for this project simply included scheduling and time management for filming, but despite all these elements for the piece, and the number of people involved, it went very well. I think everyone was determined to be flexible with direction, try different things, and be present over zoom. I really appreciated that from this team. Ultimately, this project includes a lot of different elements strung together by themes of long-distance, family, friendship, and hardship. Sitting through rehearsals and filming days, those scenes were touching and emotional to watch, but also really funny at times, and I enjoyed getting to watch them find that balance that this piece is trying to emphasize: the happy little things looped in with the big and serious things.