This was the first time I got to work with a playwright directly, as the piece was evolving, and collaborating with him, the music director and arranger, and giving input into the creative process from the beginning of a piece of theatre. The amount of creativity that happened as the piece was born into being was incredible to watch. I was mesmerized by the free-flow of creative expression that happened everywhere within this production.

What was so fun for me during this production, and challenging, was getting the opportunity to work on a new script, WITH THE PLAYWRIGHT, right there in-house. Normally interpreting what i THINK is the playwright’s intent - getting to hear it, witness his reactions, experience his creativity in action, watch the process for him was nothing short of amazing.

The following thoughts are what made this production so invigoratingly satisfying:

• To talk through his ideas, his concepts, what he saw in his head.
• To collaborate with him about what’s on the page vs. how it transforms when put on a stage.
• To revise, and revise, and revise, the script, choices of songs, etc.

To collaborate with, not only the playwright - but the actors ideas as to what would work for them in that moment, how we could find ways to make the script come to life. The music director and the exact arrangements of the songs that would work to bring forth the audience reaction we were hoping for. A choreographer - to make dance movements look natural with one of them sitting in a wheelchair and bring down the house after the number. The set designer - who gave me a gilded cage in which to make the spine visually work as well.