January 27, 2009
On stage at the Lawrence Arts Center I look out to the audience- I always start the show taking with the audience. It's an intense hour and an intimate show (even when you're playing 400 seat spaces like this one) so I like to start with a short hello, maybe a joke, a commitment to them as performer and as they as audience- that we're gonna SHARE this tonight.

And I have to tell you I was amazed. Lawrence, Kansas- heart of the midwest and I'm performing a play called KILLADELPHIA- urban setting, inmate interviews, violence (and also a good dose of humor when applicable- dude even I need some moments of levity living this each night!) and they went wild.

We were at capacity in this place- hip hop music blaring, expletives tossed, conflicting thoughts being sharpened like swords...

I've been receiving messages all week from students and audience members in Kansas. The same thing happened in Baltimore a week ago. And it would take a jaded man not to be moved... messages like:

"Sean, you don't know who I am but I saw your Killadelphia in Kansas and I wanted to let you know how moved I was..."
"It just was exactly what I would dream of doing- using art to explore the world"
"Affirming"
"Life changing"

And my favorite from a young man named Quay:
"I grew up in Philadelphia and honestly, when i left I had nothing but hate for the city that reared me. And then your play... I feel like I understand it now. I feel like I don't have to hate it anymore."

How can I not be moved? There's been producers who on title alone have derided the idea of doing the work based on its title- thinking what could a play about Philadelphia have to do with anything? But it's more than that- and we've had audiences in Ohio, Kansas and Baltimore- about 600 strong (over the course of three shows total) who would disagree. We're packing houses. We're in a time of great political interest, great curiosity for places we're not from, that we don't know- to better understand the human condition.

It's not about Philly, it's about America... segregated, violent, frightening but patriotic, hard working, forgiving and desperate for a new plateau. For a step forward.

Thank you Kansas.
Thank you Baltimore.
Thank you Ohio.

Next is Penn State. Then Philadelphia. Then NY. And hopefully, you, wherever you are. Americans talking about America. Whether it be Philadelphia, the Midwest or your backyard.

You've been so gracious to me, audiences.

I promise I'll keep giving you my heart.

January 15, 2009
Baltimore and Philly feel similar when you're driving in: highway ramps over water, old architecture in the distance, billboards of football players who play secondary positions (when you see a billboard with a tight end or a cornerback on it you know you're in football country)... CENTERSTAGE is an amazing building and is more secure than my local bank (you need keys just to push the buttons on the elevator). It's also stunning- the Pearlson theater is as grand as that sounds and the Head theatre is a pretty incredible thrust upstairs. Behind the Head (named for the man who owns Head Sporting Equipment) is a smaller cabaret space- light grid, sound, weird massive statues of Gertrude and Claudius from a production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead). This is where we were to present KILLADELPHIA.

Dave (sound design) and Matt (director) drove with me from Ohio- just a day after opening a new show with their company Available Light. This would be a night of firsts- first time in Baltimore, first time in front of an audience, first time with a sound design... Very fitting for the piece being the first presentation of CENTERSTAGE'S 2009 First Look Series.

It went well- typical nerves and the like- but the show played well and the audience was responsive, giving, attentive... we had about 50 people on a cold Monday night- about 40 of whom stayed for another whole hour after the piece for a talk back.

Talk backs are weird beasts. Especially right after performances and first performances. But the audience seemed simply excited about the piece and many interesting ideas and issues came about. Solo is a different type of new play development and one I really like because at least in the way my director and I have done it now and in the past we have created a full piece and then brought that in so an audience can actually see how it lives in three dimensions with sound and lights - they get a show (as someone started the talkback "this is great! I can't imagine what more work you could possibly have on this?") and then we get to ask what in a full show, a living performance was still not perfectly clear? Or challenging or curious? Or anything?

When i wrote the piece there was an issue of race and authenticity that I worried about- presenting the real stories verbatim of people in prison and throughout the city- it has to be real and honest and still maintain sensitivity. The audience seemed to think we accomplished this but with a few questions and concerns- all which have already made the piece stronger as we head out to the University of Kansas for the next week.

It was an exciting night- the staff of CENTERSTAGE were amazingly supportive and generous. Special thanks to Gavin Witt!

This is how I would love to create pieces regularly- even my more traditional plays- presenting a living version of it in three dimensions before an audience in a theater and then working from there and saying: "You really enjoyed? Great! Thank you. How can we make it better?"

Strong pieces becoming stronger... what a world... it's going to be exciting to see where this show keeps going.

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