HERO WORSHIP

In the talkback, Gary talked about having a hero. A playwright hero/heroine. We all look up to someone. Or aspire to be like someone. Who is that person? For the most part, I've hero worshipped people like Tennessee Williams, Craig Lucas, and David Mamet. I remember reading "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" like ten times in a row. It changed the way I structured/thought out my plays. I have a habit of obsessively reading the works of one author. I did that last year with Tennessee Williams. I had to read everything he wrote--and he wrote a lot.

I'd have to say my playwriting hero is Edward Albee. He's one I always go back to. If I'm uninspired, or feeling like I don't want to write plays anymore, I go back and read "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" I have read that play so many times. It gets me excited about theater. It's such a simple set-up. And nothing really happens, but man, is it intense and dark and sad and funny.

I know many of you are new to reading/writing plays. But I do want you to think about this. Maybe read stuff on your own. Find your playwright. I'll start recommending writers to each of you--your style of writing will lead me to think you may dig some writer and I'll let you know. I remember being in Arnie Johnston's 368 Playwriting class and he asked me if I read any Joe Orton. I was like who? Now he's one of my favorite writers, and a big influence on my writing.

Find a writer you can relate to. Someone that speaks to you. Or someone that writes what you want to go see.

Pretend you're a six-year-old again--find yourself a hero.