Artistic Statement
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Crystal Skillman
Artistic Statement
"You start one action- real action. Your soul. It grows.”
-- Rain and Zoe Save the World
I am a passionate activist and playwright. I consider writing an act of revolution. After cutting my teeth downtown in Youngblood at Ensemble Studio Theater, my plays CUT, GEEK, WILD, and KING KIRBY were produced. The notice from those pieces led me to becoming the bookwriter of MARY AND MAX the musical. My work as a writer in comic books, audio drama, and most recently film, followed.
Five years ago, I began writing a new series of plays which examine aspects of activism in the United States. Those pieces are: OPEN, PULP VÉRITÉ, RAIN AND ZOE SAVE THE WORLD, and THIS SHOW IS MONEY. Darkly humorous, my pieces in theater, film, and comics, examine and offer contrary opinions on what creates "winners" and "losers" in a country struggling to define "reality". Each piece explores how love can conquer hate, how imagination or fantasy can inspire hope in dark times, and the struggle one faces in keeping their youthful idealism in these complicated times.
I came to theater as an outsider, after studying at the Hartford Art School and Parsons School of Design on scholarship. I use my visual art training as a photographer a lot in my plays and screenplays. After being put into Youngblood at EST by the Artistic Director, who read my work as an intern, I melded my art school perspective as an experimental visual artist into my actual writing.
In my poetical work, I use genre to bring my audience into a theatrical experience that makes them question their life choices. This love of using genre has come from writing musicals and comic books. Popular art forms.
My influences come from visual artists like Kara Walker, comic books like Watchmen, and playwrights like Paula Vogel. I write works that have something to say, but also that use the live art form in surprising ways. There is always an element of magic. Each piece I write is a play that asks: “How can I change preconceptions in meaty, dark, fun, and unexpected ways? How can I use theater as a tool to provide a place where we can explore empathy by going through a story together in one space at one time?”
I was raised to be critical of America. My vision for my artistic practices in the future has led to my activist plays that cover a wide landscape. My artistic goal is to have these stories performed in the theater to reach, and make space for, as many diverse, inter-generational audience members as possible, with a specific purpose - a strong message of the power of connection in these dark times. And to provide specific concrete ideas and goals of action. In this case, actions to save the very world and air which we breathe.
With all we are currently politically facing in this country, and the earned criticism of our place in the world internationally, Pulp Vérité itself is a race against time. Every time I turn on the news, it reflects why I wrote Pulp Vérité. This play unfolds and unravels in startling ways but, I hope most of all, it is a call to action. Rain and Save the World is a call to action.
And in dark times as a writer I do have some good news - I believe these plays are finding their way into the world. Please follow me online or drop me a line to know more. Thank you for reading!
-- Rain and Zoe Save the World
I am a passionate activist and playwright. I consider writing an act of revolution. After cutting my teeth downtown in Youngblood at Ensemble Studio Theater, my plays CUT, GEEK, WILD, and KING KIRBY were produced. The notice from those pieces led me to becoming the bookwriter of MARY AND MAX the musical. My work as a writer in comic books, audio drama, and most recently film, followed.
Five years ago, I began writing a new series of plays which examine aspects of activism in the United States. Those pieces are: OPEN, PULP VÉRITÉ, RAIN AND ZOE SAVE THE WORLD, and THIS SHOW IS MONEY. Darkly humorous, my pieces in theater, film, and comics, examine and offer contrary opinions on what creates "winners" and "losers" in a country struggling to define "reality". Each piece explores how love can conquer hate, how imagination or fantasy can inspire hope in dark times, and the struggle one faces in keeping their youthful idealism in these complicated times.
I came to theater as an outsider, after studying at the Hartford Art School and Parsons School of Design on scholarship. I use my visual art training as a photographer a lot in my plays and screenplays. After being put into Youngblood at EST by the Artistic Director, who read my work as an intern, I melded my art school perspective as an experimental visual artist into my actual writing.
In my poetical work, I use genre to bring my audience into a theatrical experience that makes them question their life choices. This love of using genre has come from writing musicals and comic books. Popular art forms.
My influences come from visual artists like Kara Walker, comic books like Watchmen, and playwrights like Paula Vogel. I write works that have something to say, but also that use the live art form in surprising ways. There is always an element of magic. Each piece I write is a play that asks: “How can I change preconceptions in meaty, dark, fun, and unexpected ways? How can I use theater as a tool to provide a place where we can explore empathy by going through a story together in one space at one time?”
I was raised to be critical of America. My vision for my artistic practices in the future has led to my activist plays that cover a wide landscape. My artistic goal is to have these stories performed in the theater to reach, and make space for, as many diverse, inter-generational audience members as possible, with a specific purpose - a strong message of the power of connection in these dark times. And to provide specific concrete ideas and goals of action. In this case, actions to save the very world and air which we breathe.
With all we are currently politically facing in this country, and the earned criticism of our place in the world internationally, Pulp Vérité itself is a race against time. Every time I turn on the news, it reflects why I wrote Pulp Vérité. This play unfolds and unravels in startling ways but, I hope most of all, it is a call to action. Rain and Save the World is a call to action.
And in dark times as a writer I do have some good news - I believe these plays are finding their way into the world. Please follow me online or drop me a line to know more. Thank you for reading!