Humor is an essential part of who I am, and it influences all my work. As I get older and the world gets smaller and often sadder, humor has become my tonic and my weapon; an on ramp to tackle serious subjects, loneliness, dementia and end of life issues, the whittling away of a woman’s right to her body, etc. Comedy can be healing, and it can be subversive. I use it to achieve both, to access dark topics but also as a vehicle to express hope, hope that people can take control of their lives to affect the change they want.
I’ve been told my plays could be films because of the short scenes that build on each other. But that’s how I see life, in moments that click by; you’re born, click, you’re in school learning whatever one learns at school, click, you’re a young adult stumbling through, click, you’re an old person living with the choices you’ve made through life, click, click, click. My plays reflect this; small moments that create a whole and where character is central. The characters in my plays move the plot. They are people, not symbols. If they represent anything it is some universal truth about being human. My writing gives actors a wide berth for interpretation, simple words with deeper meaning.
I write for theater because unlike film, the play unfolds in one take at each performance, no cutaways, or close ups. The audience can accept or reject the story in real time; there are no do overs. This excites and terrifies me.
My plays deal with universal experiences we as humans share, love, loss, fear, friendship. Stories told with humor, no matter how dark, and with hope, always hope for better days.