Directing ‘The Scribbler’ after years away from theater
During my first grade conferences, my teacher told my parents how much I loved to read. They were bewildered. I could barely read my own name, let alone a picture book. Still, I would sit in the corner of the classroom and pretend to read by looking at the pictures and observing my classmates. After uncovering my secret, they sent me to remedial reading to learn.
Luckily and thankfully, I took to reading and writing very quickly. My family showered me with books on birthdays and weekends at the library. I wrote stories, plays, fake letters, and newspapers. My imagination grew from a love of language that has carried me to the present day.
Directing is a lot like writing. Both are putting together a puzzle without the picture on the box. You create something unique to the sources available and the people in the room. A collection of ideas becomes a new invention, especially when you have a remarkably curious, generous, funny, and deeply talented cast and production team like we do for The Scribbler.
After a few years removed from making theater, I stepped into directing feeling like I was pretending to read again. Luckily, Kyle’s writing cultivates an opportunity for discovery by asking us to learn by being silly-dumb. Usually, we have to learn by being stuffy-smart. In the world of The Scribbler, we start from a point of absurdity and find that our potential is limitless.
If you can’t read, I hope this show can teach you how! But I guess someone who can’t read wouldn’t be able to read this. So if you don’t yet dream of a world where you can do the things you want and get the things you need, I hope this show makes you laugh hard enough to start. I thank my parents and uncles for the books, my friends for making me a funnier person, and Kevin and Kyle for inviting me into a pond the size of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
The Scribbler is a ridiculous show, and we have had a ridiculously fun time putting it together. I am excited to see everyone there!
