A Variation by Susan Yassky

Where do you go when you can’t hear yourself? Franz is the most famous pianist/composer of the 1840s, but he’s suffering from a career-ending case of writer’s block. Hoping to find some peace and quiet, he decides to go live in an abbey for a while, buried deep in the Italian Alps. Instead, he finds Eugenia, a nun and fledgling composer whose work finally moves him to start writing again. When Eugenia hears his...
Where do you go when you can’t hear yourself? Franz is the most famous pianist/composer of the 1840s, but he’s suffering from a career-ending case of writer’s block. Hoping to find some peace and quiet, he decides to go live in an abbey for a while, buried deep in the Italian Alps. Instead, he finds Eugenia, a nun and fledgling composer whose work finally moves him to start writing again. When Eugenia hears his new piece, however, she can’t help but notice that it sounds awfully familiar. A VARIATION explores the limits of inspiration, the costs of making art, and the joy of self-expression.
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A Variation

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  • Shaun Leisher:
    20 Apr. 2024
    “ Loved this celebration of the creative process. Eugenia is a fantastic narrator. ”
  • Sam Mueller:
    11 Jul. 2023
    “ I love this play so dearly; it shifts from underneath you every time you think you have it all figured out. Susan Yassky has the ability to write about multiple time periods at once, using the 1840's as a mirror to today's celebrity culture and capitalist, patriarchal vacuum in which creation must occur if an artist wants the chance to be supported by their creativity alone. It's one of the smartest plays I think I've ever read. ”