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    It Starts with the Text

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    17 views5 pages

    It Starts With The Text

    Uploaded by

    Chris

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 5
    It Starts With The [ a> al GRACIELA DANIELE IN CONVERSATION WITH LYNN AHRENS + STEPHEN FLAHERTY er Se eee tron Cee ne STEPHEN FLAHERTY | just think its marvelous that we're here inthis soam today at the Dramatists Guild doing, 11s net really an interview, i= 2 conversation, [feel ike we know you xo ‘well, but thee area couple of sings that I dort know about you which Lhope wel find out Should we gue 3 bret history of how we came to get together in a room forthe frst time? LYNN AHRENS | Yes. wae thinking about our history: We have done so many shows together ‘that really had to think ick, wanted tb re-experionce that fst momerti~it all began with our mutual agest, Haward Roventone. (GRACIELA DANIELE | Thank you, Howard LeMaN | We hac written a tle show callad Once on This cian STEPHEN | Which miacclled Ti Moune atthe time, Ley | We didn't know what itwas, we dlce’s know where it should go, we did't know much ‘baut this show that we had writen except that we thought Graciela Danisle would be the perfect dicector because you Told stories with dance and movement and we were so intagued by your Work. Jin 50 me asked! Howard if he would set up a meeting and he di. STEPHEN [tas i ofa blind date actually, GRACIELA | retieriie that day Hae it was yesterday: LYNN | forget wht you were ween on STEPHEN | know what it was. ft was Eric Overmper’s In aig’ Valse at Second Stage and it was your kench hour LYNN | And yeu came te my loft wearing this giant white coat made ef some incanekind of fur never seen bafore. GRACIELA [It nas lui, Tibetan lamb A gift reen my husband LYNN [You had only one hour We sat you on a lite chair and we went to the piano and stared singing our heert= aut and ploying, We were going quickly bacause we knew you Pad to get ack. bn we said, "50, thas allwe're going tO.” and you said, “Oh. play me a inte more” So we played A ite more and you sd, "OR, play me 3 Ite reore” and we started slaying the whole show and you dissolved in tears, we dissolved tears STEPHEN | Itwres such an emotional vesction forall concemed, LYN | box of tissues. GRACIELA | Da you remember what Lsaid after you gave me the box of tissues? Fsaid, don't think] am-the right eirestor fae you. I'm not clinical enough’ [STEPHEN | Right, you couldi't be that remowed emotionally. GRACIELA | No, I coulda LEANN [twas just so fabulous, Se thats how vee met and that’s haw we care togetfe I remembered the fst day of our wosikchop and how nervous | was. I's ternfying when youre handing over piece that you've worked on for so long ta somebody and you don't know'what ‘are they going to do with it. But youust sat evesyane doen an the flogein a rcle and you sid, wiht fue tole tt a chlo? STEPHEN | Whici was not in the script LEVIN | And we said. well sure, give ita try and suddenly rernember my shoulders went down ‘about frve inches and L thought. “Oh, see what it i, Now I see what it s* You brought that tothe hom. The nation of telling it to-a child was a huge dramaturgical gift. GRACIELA [Tent that interesting, bacause don't coneicer mycelia cramacurg at all but when Tent through it felt very strongly that this stery-—baing passed on as. torch to the new _generation—could be more powert Lenn | than breaking the fourth walland telling the audience GRACIELA | Young and old audiences relate to a heuutsul story told to. cite. STEPHEN | Wel that one suggestion mas just brillant bacause the piees is ultimately ‘about storytelling and about making sense Cofswhat happens in our fives. I's try an ensemble pees sbout 8 group ef penple ie 2 group energy and just that one suggestion Lndeeined that ane really informed everything that came after that. luckily that ws the fst sentence in the entre script! Everything that iri after that fst zentarice waz informed by your directorial choice, which was so spot-on. Tesurprised us because we thought we knew all the insard outs of our litle show Fd so fi this would be the fist time that 1 would feel ‘that my music, combined with moversent, your movement, could actualy luminate the text GRACIELA | tithe other way arouse STEPHEN | Weil, not for me. GRACIELA | You know Lam such on admires ‘of writer: and composers. Leant write good Fettorin any af the faur languages I speak and [believe ital tarts there starts in the idea, nthe storytalling, in the music, which are the structure and the soul of the piece, Without ‘you. we dont exist, Without us you could si ‘erst, Remember that in Shakespeare's time ‘hare were ne directors. LYNN | Im putting iton my refrigerator. STEPHEN [1 starts with the author it starts ‘withthe text GRACIELA | starts with the author It starts wrth the text t'starts with the music. And directors, we are interpreters, We are just interpreters LYNN | You know that’s avery rae sentiment coming from a director, Thave 10 sy GRACIELA | Really? LYNN Mayle not as rare as think itis, but ‘are in my experience. (GRACIELA | un' that interesting? STEPHEN |1 tank a lot of that comer Rom the fact of who you are, that you're an incredibly (generous poruan besides being a generous and inspired arts. [think alo it comes from your sence of confidence. You know. Thonesty think slot af eiectore aren't confident and fet Unies they get ths billing or get this thing. it somehow diminishes them Tye never fot that with you. GRACIELA | don't care about those things: really don't Em just.a good housewife who happens to lowe the thestre_ laughter know it sounds rather orcinary butts true! Esch | play creates a family with al the probiess sponse | ec scuRMRLMe oeRMsT 19 ‘we must colve together, hopefully, in loving

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