From angsty young actor to angsty 40-year-old playwright at the same historic theatre
The older you get, the more likely you are to say “Ah, it’s all coming full circle,” as you sip your herbal tea. And I am having that moment right now as I write a new play that will its world premiere at The Paul Bunyan Playhouse this June.
19 years ago, I got my first paying acting job: playing Myrtle Mae in Harvey at The Paul Bunyan Playhouse in Bemidji, MN. It was 2006, and I was going THROUGH IT, just like you’re meant to be when you’re 21 and have no idea what’s going on. I had just moments before developed an understanding of object permanence when I got the call telling me that I’d been cast. What followed was a wild summer and a crash course in what it means to work on a play that wasn’t 1) Being produced by a high school or 2) Directed by me.
It’s all sort of a blur now (partly because I’ve never had a good memory and partly because of a series of tequila sunrises. A drink that I would, in fact, never go near again after that summer) seriously, who drinks tequila sunrises?
Much would change not long after that summer. In 2007, one of the most important people in my life would suddenly pass away in a car accident, which would jolt my brain into a long-delayed decision to uproot myself and move across the country just to see what would happen. A lot, it turns out! But let’s skip ahead.
When the new Artistic Director at The Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Philip Hoks (who happens to be both a former classmate of mine and someone for whom I have written several plays in the past when he was directing at a high school), reached out to me about an open spot in their upcoming season, I knew I wanted to write something new, if they would have it. On the other hand…would they have it? Philip and I have both combed through the list of their past productions and could find no evidence that they’ve ever commissioned a new play in their 74-year history. (If you know something we don’t, I’m happy to be corrected!) 74 years is not an exaggeration. This will literally be their 74th season! So I wasn’t sure how that pitch would go over. But I wrote it up anyway. You know what happens after that — the waiting game.
But to my delight and sincere surprise, the decision came back: we’re doing it! It’s happening! Better get that script going!
So nearly two decades after stumbling on stage to experience my first all-day rehearsal, I’ll stumble back in this June with a fresh script in hand, ready to execute rewrites and punch-ups at rehearsal on-the-fly.
Why, yes, I have gotten this far without actually telling you about the play itself!
Over a Barrel is about four women in 1901 Minneapolis who retire from the flour milling industry to spend the rest of their days in early 20th century luxury — until the New York Stock Exchange crashes and takes their financial cushion with it. Now they’re doing everything they can to make a quick buck, from selling bogus cure-alls to stepping in for the horses in a stage spectacle of Ben-Hur. When they hear about a historic woman’s trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel leading to fame and potential fortune, they realize the only thing more spectacular than one woman going over the falls in a barrel is FOUR women going over the falls in a barrel. What could possibly go wrong? Don’t ask.
If you’re in the area and want to audition (or know someone who should!) you can find the info for that here.
I do hope to see you at the historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse this June, real horses or no.*
*THERE WILL NOT BE REAL HORSES.
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