Mom. Playwright.

The Pulitzer prizes will be announced tomorrow afternoon at Columbia University. Which play will be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama? Word has it that Lynn Nottage’s RUINED may take home the honor. Set against the modern day backdrop of the unspeakably brutal Civil war/genocide that has spread from Rawanda to the Congo, RUINED looks at a brothel owner and the chilling cause and effect of how she chooses to run her business in the quest for survival. The fact that RUINED does not take place in America, thus leaving its eligibilty up to the Pulitzer powers-that-be’s interpretation, leaves me hanging onto the edge of my seat until tomorrow…

Fingers crossed for this Mom Playwright, who lives in Brooklyn with her husband, filmmaker Tony Gerber, and daughter Ruby. Good luck, Ms. Nottage!

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It made me recall something I’d recently read by playwright/director/actor Angeli Primlani on the DCA Theatre blog regarding her thoughts on this process. She called it, “Adopted Moms, Birth Moms and People Who Throw the Baby in the Air.”

I’m amused by and appreciate her words, but in the end I’m trusting the process and believing my baby is in safe, capable hands.

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This entry’s inspiration is provided by a mom playwright I actually know personally and think is fabulous!

A hearty, “Congratulations!” to Vynnie Meli, whose play, JIM CROW AND THE RHYTHM DARLINGS, has been selected as the winner of the 2009 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award competition. A story centered around  the members of an all-female, “mixed-race”  jazz band touring through the Deep South during World War II, JIM CROW AND THE RHYTHM DARLINGS will be produced as a part of the Essential Theatre’s 2009 Power Plays Festival this summer at Actor’s Express.

Check out the video below to hear from Essential Theatre artist director Peter Hardy, the play’s director Betty Hart and Vynnie herself at 2:15 into the clip. If you’re in or plan to be in Atlanta July 5-August 2, put this on your summer must-see list.

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“I write for as many hours as I can carve out of a day, or until my sense of humor has utterly abandoned me. These days, since I’m currently on leave from my day job, that means I write during regular working hours, and then if I feel there’s something I didn’t get to that I don’t want to lose the thread of, I’ll work some more after my kids are asleep. I don’t make hard and fast rules, but the one thing I don’t like is to go for a couple of days without writing at all–it makes me unsettled.” 

–Melissa James Gibson, award-winning mom playwright, quoted in “The Craft” Front Matter of the March/April 2009 issue of The Dramatist

Thanks, Melissa. I needed to hear that.

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I said a couple of posts ago that if my 10-minute play submission was selected, you’d hear it here first. Well… some time has elapsed since the announcement, so actually it was heard here first. Sorry. Such is the life of a mom playwright, however well-meaning.

If you’re in the Atlanta metro area and are so inclined to save the date, please do so, and let me know which performance day strikes your fancy. I’d love to meet you.

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Poet, Momplaywright

Today is a historic day in the United States and for that matter, the world. On this inauguration day of President-elect Barack Obama, after he takes his oath of office, after he gives his highly anticipated speech, the world will hear from Elizabeth Alexander— poet, essayist and momplaywright (Diva Studies). In these weeks since being selected by Obama to compose and read a poem for the occasion, this mom of a nine year-old and ten year-old (boys) has been, in her spare time, crafting her words and preparing to share her gift that will unveiled today.

So when you tune in for the amazing and historic inaugural event at noon, be sure to hang around to hear from and salute a momplaywright. There’s so much of significance today worth noting.

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Happy New Year!

The holidays are a glad wrap, and I’m ready to get on with 2009. In the wee hours of this morning I’ve written and just submitted (on deadline) a 10-minute play for a June production consideration. Not a bad way for a mom playwright to kick off the year, though I feel I’m going to pay for the “all-nighter” later today. If anything happens with it, you’ll hear the news here first.

How are you planning to exert your playwriting power this year? Let’s make like Nike and ‘Just Do It’!

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As my life is still consumed as of late with my new day job, which consists of grant writing and management for a nonprofit, I take personal and professional interest in the announcement of American Theatre Wing (best known for putting on the Tony Awards) giving away $125,000 to 50 NY nonprofit theatre companies this past Friday. Watch the broadway.tv video re the event here.

One recipient of special note, Women’s Project and Productions.

Kudos to American Theatre Wing, and congrats to all the grant recipients. Looking forward to seeing new works by mom playwrights mounted by you real soon!

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A funny thing happened on the way to doing research for a play idea I had. I was serendipitously granted an interview for and offered a full-time position I couldn’t refuse. Know what’s wonderful about it? I’m still writing, it’s an extremely family-friendly office (wow! they DO really exist!) and I’ll be earning more disposal income that I can pour back into supporting theatre by seeing more plays!

So I’ve been making the transition to now working-out-of-the-home Mom. Playwright. Thanks to author and fellow Mom Playwright Amy Hillgren Peterson for turning me on to Who Does She Think She Is? News of this documentary on defying-the-odds, working women artists with families has come at a perfect time. I want to believe that I still, with this newly added dimension to my life, can and will write. I have no choice. It’s just in me. I’m sure it’s in you too. That’s why you’re here, right?

The dust is settling and balance is emerging. Blog posts will resume. Thanks for your continued support. Now, I’ve got to sign off, if I don’t want to be late for work!

One thing already taken off my list, my American friends: Voting. If it’s still one of your to-do’s just do it–and be a part of history!

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If you’ve been following this blog for a little while, you know I’ve been participating in a playwriting workshop over this past month. In the midst of what turned out to be unexpected and extreme circumstances with my husband being called to NY (we’ll be reunited this Saturday–yea!), I managed to learn much about myself as a mom and a writer through the creation of my 10-minute play, Emancipation Evacuation, that had a public reading this past Sunday evening. I’m still flying high over the positive reception it received, and I’m forever grateful to fab actors Jo Howarth, Megan Hayes and Theroun Patterson (find them on Facebook!) for giving voice to my words. What a gut-wrenching, educational process!

Having just come through this workshop experience, I was more than interested in the From the Desk of … column from Gary Garrison in the Sept/Oct 2008 education issue of The Dramatist. As mom playwrights, we don’t often have the luxury of time to take writing classes or participate in workshops. So if and when we make the decision to do so, it’s important that we choose wisely among the myriad of offerings out there for maximum return. I would invite you to get a copy of the journal to read completely the checklist advice Mr. Garrison offers, but here are the fundamental questions he suggests you get the answers to as the basis of your litmus test:

What is the real “what/why” of your studying?

Who is teaching?

How many students are in each class?

What is the tone of the workshop and how is it taught?

And, once you’re enrolled, is the class working for you?

Seemingly simple questions, but the depth comes in the subquestions they birth, and what you decide to do with the subsequent answers.

I’m now post-evaluating the workshop I just completed with Mr. Garrison’s questions. The answers are giving me valuable feedback to share with the facilitators. I believe it will be appreciated. I just love the serendipity of full circle moments.

Thanks, Gary!  And “Happy Getting Educated” to you, mom playwright!

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