Suzan Lori Parks' Watch Me Work with the Public on Monday 3 August 2026

Hey, hey everybody. It's five o'clock. We're gonna start Watch Me Work. Um, we've been doing this for a million years. Not a million years. I don't want to misrepresent the enterprise, but we've been doing Watch Me Work for a long, long time, about 17 years. U, we used to do it in person in the lobby of the Public Theater. And then when COVID came, we moved on to Zoom and we've been zooming along ever since, which is just a joy because we can meet you literally, we can meet you where you're at. So yeah, um what we do is we work together for 20 minutes and then we talk we spend the rest of the hour 40 minutes talking with you about your work and your creative process. And that's uh a lot of fun. We get to talk shop while we don't have time to share work. Like if you're working on a piece of choreography, you won't have the opportunity to dance it out for us, but um we do talk shop and and we we have a lot of fun doing it and we've helped a lot of people over these years um take steps forward. So um we thank uh Zoe in the new work development project at the public theater is helping us out today. Um, you want to tell people how they can ask questions if they're not familiar with the process, please Zoe? >> Yeah, of course. Hi everyone and welcome to Watch Me Work and Happy August. So, as some of you may know, after our quiet work session, we'll start to get some questions going. If you would like to ask a question to SLP, how you do that is by raising your hand. You can find that function in the react button at the bottom of your Zoom screen. if you can click raise hand um that that way I'll know a queue of names and I'll call on you and you can ask your question and that's how we'll do it. >> Perfection. All right. So here we go with our work session. Here we go. >> [bell] >> All right. All right. That's 20 minutes. Uh hopefully you all had a good work time. I sure did. If anybody has any questions about your work and your creative process, please feel free to ask away. >> Yeah. Raise that hand. Let me know. Sorry, you're the best. Raise that hand. Let me know. Or we can sit in silence and drink water up. >> All right, Tracy, please unmute and ask your question. >> Hello. How are you guys? I hope you're all doing well. Um, I I'm curious to know how soon do I Well, Tracy, I think you're breaking up a little bit. And >> I got Tracy. I got How soon? And the rest of it I can't >> a collaborator on >> Can I guess what you're saying? How soon does one bring a collaborator on board? Is that it? Is that the question? >> On a piece that we're going to be working on together. Uh I'm working with a musician to create a musical. The collaborator. >> Great. Great. >> Oh, sorry. Can you guys hear me? Okay. >> Now I can hear you. Great. I think sometimes you're um >> Yes, that's correct. >> When we uh turn off the uh video. >> Sorry. Sorry. I'm in uh >> So, say it again, Tracy. If you could state it again, that would be great. >> If you could >> If you could state your question again, that would be great. >> If you could state your question again. >> I'm going to turn off video in hopes that uh that helps Wi-Fi. So, I'm curious to know how soon to bring in a collaborator. We're going to be working together on a musical. She's a musician, and I'm just curious to know how soon is too soon. >> All right. Um, great. That's a great question. And collaboration is one of the great joys of working in our business. Um, do you know, I mean, I know you know the musician, but do you have you ever worked with him before? >> I have not. I have not. >> Okay. Have they done uh musicals before? >> Yes. Yeah, they're a professional musician. Uh they've done uh she has lots of albums and she writes for children. >> Great. Great. Okay. Um that's great. It sounds like you've got an amazing collaborator. Uh do you know the story? Do you have a sort of a outline or a strong idea of the story? I do. I have the first um four scenes of the play and I'm to the point where um I almost don't want to write anymore until I work with her because uh I I I want to have her input as well. >> Great. Well, you just answered your own question. If you don't want to write anymore until you bring her on now is the perfect time. >> But but that could be my own insecurity, too. >> Yes. But that's all we ever have. Bring her on. Bring her Bring her on. It sounds like you're ready. You You have an idea of what you want to write. You She's amaz She sounds amazing. U you don't want to write anymore before you until you bring her on. I It sounds like it's time to bring her on. [laughter] >> Thanks. That's all I needed to hear. >> Okay. You're welcome. Good great question. Thank you. >> Thank you, Tracy. Hello, Lauren. Please unmute and ask your question. Hi everybody. Hello. Um, I been working on my play. Uh, I get a lot, not a lot, but a little a couple of cute times over the past two years, maybe three years I've been working on this project. Um, people say I have a lot, you know, it's going to be difficult because I have more than like five characters in more in a lot of different locations this play takes place in in Washington DC. Okay. And they they it's it's you know unfortunately it's the economics of it makes sense but I think I need I you know I just want to tell the story that I I I have that I see the way I I know I need to tell it and not worry about it. But it makes me wonder, you see, once I complete, you know, when I get to the final draft, am am I going to really have a difficult time getting people to consider it because it has too many pe you know, has like eight or nine nine 10 people roughly. >> So, okay, great question. You u you're writing a play that seems that that people say has too many characters. question. Characters or requirement for actors? >> No, characters. They they they have a distinct purpose. >> Yeah. If you if they don't have a purpose, if they if they don't need need to be there, they're out. >> No, but what I'm saying, Lauren, is are you going to need 10 actors? >> Is there any opportunity for doubling? >> Exactly. I have a great plan for doubling. >> Great. Great. So, okay, great. So, you have 10 characters and you're going to need five actors. >> Probably five or six. Let's say six. Six. >> Yeah. >> Six is great. Six. Six actors. You've got a great plan for doubling. That's amazing. >> Yeah. I mean, I am so impressed with actors and how you can have the same person and then they take in the same play and they do another role and it's incredible. And I'm like, okay, we can handle it, you know. Fantastic. Fantastic. No, I said I think you've got it covered. >> Don't let that noise get in the way of telling a story. Yeah. Okay. >> No, no, no. Not that noise. Not >> okay. Okay. >> Not anyway. But it sound What's what's wonderful about what you've done so far, Lauren, is you have a great plan for doubling, which it's just it's because, you know, at the end of the day, yes, theaters are concerned. They want to make sure that they want to produce things in within a budget. And if you need five or six actors, I think that'll that's doable. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. Not enough. All right. Thank you. Oh, thank you. Welcome. >> Hey. >> Thank you, Lauren. Hi, Hector. Please unmute and ask your question. >> Hey. Hi, Susan. >> Hi, [clears throat] Hector. >> Hi. Hi. Can you hear me? Well, >> yes. Thank you. Uh, Susan, well, I'm one of your biggest fans. Um, >> yeah, I've met you several times. You probably My camera has an issue. So, um, I think I can turn it on. I first met you, uh, in Forward, Texas, and, uh, yeah, then I've been an admirer of your work and your career. >> Oh, thank you, Hector. >> Yeah, I've seen you several times in New York as well. Uh, I have a hard question, I think. So um uh I think the question will be um basically how do you as the great playright you are move a play along um meaning where do you find the conflict just to avoid uh that that sounds like it's mere conversational so that it's just not people talking about stuff um and how do you uh you know make things explode >> yeah great question, Hector. No, that's great. Um, so are you very clear in your play that you're writing, and it also works in screenplays, it also works in novels. Okay, so this is something that can help all of us. Um, are you very clear about what each character wants? >> Uh, good question. Uh, I think so. Yes. >> You think so? >> Okay. So you might want to spend some time sharpening that focus. >> So instead of I think so, you might want to say yes, I'm very sure about what they want. You know what I mean? So, you want me to because because the conflict or making things explode is when, for example, um Sally wants to go to uh to Fort Worth to the rodeo and Joe is like, "No, you're not going because the last time you went to the rodeo, you ran around on me and you're not going." >> Right? for example. So one character wants to do some one thing and the other character wants something else. Fidelity, a stable marriage or a stable relationship, right? So what they want is in opposition, >> right? >> Right. >> And that's where the and those are the points of tension. Or you could think about it like um um have you ever hung wash out on a line? Like you know you do your laundry and maybe that's old school but anyway back in the olden days people used to do laundry and hang it outside on the line. >> Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Great. Okay. So you have like the tension between gravity, the thing that wants to pull the clothes down and throw it on the ground and the will of the person who's doing the laundry and you have the clothes pins. So one thing's pulling one way and one thing's pulling another way and the two things those are the points of tension and that's what keeps it kind of exciting and electric. Not an explosion but just points of tension where the contact the tension is very strong, >> right? where the clothes pin is pulling up, holding on, and the gravity is pulling down and it goes along, people talking, another point of tension. Right? So, you want to as much as you can identify, number one, identify what each character wants just on their own, what they want, what they're willing to do to get it. Okay? All the things they're willing to do to get it. Sally wants to go to the rodeo. She got a whole game plan, right? I'm just saying rodeo because there's a really good rodeo in in in Fort Worth, right? >> That's the background. Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Well, great. So, that's her. She wants to do that >> and then the other person, what was his name? Joe or something. He's got what he wants and all the things he's going to do to make sure that he gets what he wants >> and then in those places you can find points of tension. >> Is that true for all the characters? Even if there are minor characters, >> minor characters, um, it depends on the writer. >> Okay. >> Some writers like you have like Charles Dickens, right? He'll write a novel called like Bleeak House or something and the main characters have all that tension, you know, and the, as you call, the minor characters might not have so much. They might just be facilitating the things. Um, so you you can do that in a play as well. I like to see how much I can activate all the characters, >> right? Yeah. >> Because all the characters want something. You just you can give them a little voice. It doesn't have to be part of the huge big arc, the main thing you're watching, right? Or the main thing if you're reading a novel, the main thing you're reading. But all characters want something. And it's fun to just give them a little, you know, thread their needles, show those points of tension in what they want. >> Right. >> So, but you don't have to get as obsessive about your quote unquote minor characters, the characters that take up less stage time. >> Yeah. Well, sometimes they end up being the most important. >> Yeah. But it's very satisfying. I got to say, it's very satisfying when you get your play produced for actors who are playing some of those quote unquote minor characters to go, "Oh my god, my character has a journey, too." And you're like, "Yes, >> I was thinking about you." >> True. True. Yeah. >> You know what I mean? So, it's not just the It's not just the big dogs, you know? Little dogs little dogs have journeys, too. Right. >> Right. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And Susan, if I may, what if what if the the the conflict um would be like a cultural conflict? Any advice on that? >> Like a culture? What do you mean like a cultural conflict? What is that? What does that mean, bro? >> Yeah. Um how do I For instance, um well, I guess I'm going to have a like an Sorry about this. uh if this makes any sense like an August Wilson moment where I'm trying to establish a um like a like a like a cultural um uh fireworks if I can say that. Um like I'm trying to put a certain group of people on the map >> in the theater in the theater that may have not have been uh acknowledged before. So I'm trying to bring this in bring this culture on stage >> and Yeah. So, >> okay. Well, I think I mean an August Wilson moment. I think the great one of the great things many many many great things about August Wilson's writing and he was a cool guy as well, cool person, human as well. Um, he w he was really specific. You might read his plays or see his plays and go, "Wow, there's just a lot of people talking." But he was really really specific in terms of the culture. So, it wasn't like, you know, just culture. would a he right it was he was really specific so if someone um I'm trying to think of I I can't okay um oh okay let's just say fences that's very popular august play um Troy had a history with playing baseball and culturally that was his reference point and now he's a a a garbage man you know and so he has he's very uh uh intense about his feelings around baseball, but also his feelings around sports, right? And that's very specific to lots of communities, but African-American community, you know, he has a very strong opinion about should his son do sports or not. He thinks he should get a job, like a a regular job, you know, um work in the supermarket, I think, you know, for Mr. Stanwick. I I'm making this up. I don't I I have not read the play recently, but so those are very specific cultural beats for those characters. So get specific with your characters, >> right? >> Okay. Wonderful. >> Get specific. Okay. And and come visit us again at Watch Me Work. >> Oh yeah. Okay. >> I'll I'll be here until the end of time. Trust me. >> Oh, to Oh, till the end of time. Okay. Okay. Thanks, bro. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Hector. Thank you. >> Hi, Bill. Please unmute and ask your question. >> Hi. >> Hi. Hi everybody. I just wanted to ask about stage readings. >> Yes. >> I've done a a story three times as a storytelling adventure. >> Learned a lot. I'm I love the script. But now it's going to be a oneact play with two actors, multiple characters, and I'd like and I'm submitting it October 15th is the deadline. And I'd like to do a stage reading before then in probably September to give me time to fix what I need to fix. And I'm so fortunate I have a producer that's going to help me >> set this up because I don't I I mean I love the idea where you sit around at a dinner and you read it. But I kind of feel like I've done that already and that people that know me well have heard the story and I'd like to get input from, you know, other other people that that don't know me and don't know the story. Um, do you have any suggestions of how I can help my producer kind of reach audiences? Like would you go to theater departments at local schools here in San Diego or what would you suggest? >> I I love that theater departments at local schools. I say uh sometimes places of worship have auditori auditoriums, you know, spaces. It doesn't need to be a theater. You don't need to do so make it simple. Uh the design elements can be you know what zero you know you need music. Think of what you need. You have a producer already. So that's a partner uh a a creative partner for you. Do you have a director in mind? >> Well I usually self-direct but I I kind of might would like to use a producer as a director. I mean I I know the story. I know the beats but I want to get other voices in involved. >> Great. So you've got a producer director who's going to help you put it together. Think of what you need. You need a space, right? You need maybe music stands. It's a staged reading. You need uh minimal costumes, no costumes, a place with lights that has reasonably good acoustics. It can be a place of worship. It can be a school. It can be uh a a bar during off hours or the back room of a bar, you know, that sometimes have gathering places where people have um and you can just set up the chair. So, it doesn't have to be a theater, okay? Uh, you need to think of who you want to invite. Do you want like 30 people there? Do you want 50 people there? I would say I would say keep it chill and don't because it's going to be a lot of work. So, if you think of inviting a relatively small group of people, that could be really fun. Like 30 people, 40 people, that could be great. Um then you think of they're going to help you with the casting unless you've decided on that already. >> It's already Yeah, decided. >> Great. >> It's already decided. Fantastic. So, um yeah, I I would I would say think of maybe a place of I'm just looking around like the answer like we have Judson Church here or you could or it could theaters might have off nights, you know? So, a theater that you like, it's a black box or it's something more elaborate, might have, oh, we're not doing anything on Monday night. Fantastic. Call them up. You know, I'd like to have a stage reading of my play in your theater. >> Um, on the on the called the dark night, you know, on the on the night that it's dark and they I would say just keep the production values to a minimum. Focus on hanging out with the actors and uh giving yourself a really great reading. Right. And one conceit I have is to do do it twice so that I can kind of learn from the first one and then tweak and then see if it reads the way I think it's going to read on the second round. Do you think that's smart or >> um you could you could I I just uh since you already I mean yes and you could uh spend more time up front writing and then just do it once because you're going to be sending it in, you know. So, uh because the thing about the the staged reading that you want, you want audience >> and that's going to be getting people to RSVP. Uh is it going to be free? What are you going to charge? That's a that's in my experience that's the work of a production. That's kind of oh I want butts and seats. So you might just want to do it once >> brilliantly and then and then send it in and then ship it. >> Yeah, I think that makes sense to try to get a larger group for the first round and then do a Q&A one time. And >> there you go. There you go. That's exactly right. Q&A. Oh, that's gonna be fun. That'll be fun. And um then you'll you'll know everything you need to know. Okay, thank you so much. >> You're welcome. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. And congratulations, Bill. Hi, Chaz. Please unmute and ask your question. >> Hi. >> Aloha. >> Aloha. How is it over there in Hawaii? >> Uh, today is fantastic with trade winds blowing and you know, it's 80 something and it's just nice. It's uh it's not too hot yet and it's been hot but the breeze makes it really you know wind does things. >> Wind does [laughter] yes wind does that beautifully said. Wind does things. >> Um you know I thought a lot about your speaking about cat on a hot tin roof and I drink until >> I feel the click. I hear the click. >> Yeah. And I thought of that moment and what you know a character wants. And and my question is kind of twofold. One, it's a playwright question, a writerly question. The other is a character question. They might be the same. Um how do you said earlier today you said um our own insecurity? Well, that's all we ever have when we're going forward with the unknown in the play. You know, I mean, I'm adding that part to you. what you just said. Um, so how to use that insecurity that and I'll tell you what my insecurity is. >> Okay. >> Uh, God, how to do it in five words. Um, my in security is white alive in Asia decades living in the diversity of Hawaii where all these things come together from rural North Carolina to Korea to New York City to Chicago to, you know, all these things are together in me that have been growing and my insecurity that I I I I deal with as a writer is not about writing itself. It's about do I have anything to say or do my characters have anything real to say here and now in the world as it is. So all my characters want something. I get that. What I don't get is how I constantly feel my characters want to apologize for entering rather than live out theirelves in entering that almost backstage before they enter. I think you said that characters all want something when they come on stage when they enter and when they exit. And what I I'd like to know is how do you deal with the noise of the past engaging in the noise of the present >> on stage with characters how with what they want what they don't want. I love the characters all want something that you emphasize in several times I've been here. So does that sound like a strange question? Um, no, no, it doesn't sound like a strange question. Um, it sounds like a really good question. It's it's there's a there's a lot to it. Um, you can when by the time characters are on stage, hopefully you've you've sifted through a lot of the noise because you've done your >> I think I have sifted through the noise of them being themselves, >> but letting them be themselves in a real world context. Um, I I think what it has to do with is how does one ever get honest? Like, I want love. I want to escape pain. Uh, I want to just not feel anything. And yet, characters that I'm writing are wanting actually to heal. They want to heal themselves and others through life. And so it's a conflict because that I I know I sound crazy right now and I just realized it. Um I don't want to have my characters be crazy. I just simply want them to come on and be real and those points of tension discover by being just real on the stage, you know, and move forward. And I do know where to go with them. >> Okay. >> But how does one put oneself out of the picture in the sense is what I'm really asking. one's own history. >> Oh, well, I I would I mean I would hope that you never put yourself out of the picture. >> Oh, okay. That's >> okay. So, I I would hope that you're always in the picture. I mean, you just you just I I just want I mean, it sounds like you just >> This is the thing. So, um a volume dial. Can you imagine each character has a volume dial like like radio, you know? >> Yes. >> So, so uh for example, character number one, let's just take Right. They want to say heal, right? I'm just spitballing. >> Mhm. >> Okay. What now? The second part of what do they want is what are they going to do to get it? >> What are they going to do to get it? And not just one thing, but what are the 10 things they're going to do to get what they want, >> right? They're gonna they're going to go to the beach. They're gonna go to a shaman. They're going to take a go to therapy. I'm just making, you know, these are the things they're going to do. Now, what So then character number two, they want something. And what are the 10 things they're going to do to get what they want? >> That makes a lot of sense. >> You see what I mean? So, so you think of Maggie and Brick and Cat on a Hot Turn Roof. They wanted I I don't know. I haven't read the play in a while, but they wanted what they wanted and they're going to do what they're going to do to get what they want. >> Yes. >> And so those are the >> And so all along, Chaz, you're turning up the volume on all those characters. Each one has its own the play has its own dial, like a safe, you know, like a safe cracking, but each character has a dial and crank up the volume. >> I love that metaphor. Yeah. So, like, oh my god, I can't hear what the character saying. Just turn up THEIR VOLUME. SO, THEY'RE TALKING REALLY LOUD AND YOU CAN'T [laughter] HEAR ANYBODY ELSE. And when they're talking, they're talking. Then you have another dial because when it's their time to listen, you turn up the other character >> or so you're doing, you know, you're doing a lot of things, but you just turn up the volume, make them louder, make their gestures bigger. >> Yes. Hey, I can't, you know, you don't want them small and and what? Huh? I can't hear and I can't see what you're doing because it's all very small, you know. Yeah. >> You just make it bigger. Make it even bigger. >> Tell the character. It's like if you're listening to someone that you really love and you're at a a party or something, they're telling you something really important and you can't really hear them. You're like, I can't hear you. >> I can't hear you. You know, right? So, turn up the volume. >> That is so helpful. that image, that metaphor. And next time I will have a question about that because I'm going to work on what you just said a >> as a focus point. And I wanted you to know too that um one of my characters just wants to be invisible. >> Okay. What are they going to do? >> And but they they're never going to be invisible. >> How do you move up? What what they're never going to be invisible? Who are you to say? YOU [laughter] WANT TO PUT ON THAT? WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT BOOK? What's that book? Come on. This Harry Potter. He He puts on a coat. He's invisible. So, DON'T [laughter] TELL ME THAT YOU CAN'T BE INVISIBLE. >> I love that. And yeah, and I'll have a question about that coming up because you just happen to What are they going to do? What are they going to do to get it? If you've decided, and that's an example of you putting yourself too much in the play, right? >> Yes. Yeah, >> because you've decid you've decided that they can't have what they want. What kind of a play is that [ __ ] Have them go for it. Have them go for it. [laughter] >> Okay. >> Love it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Yes. We can't wait to see what they do. Get it? Because >> right, [laughter] >> they're invisible. >> Yeah. Right. Yeah. Very good. Um anyway, um hi Crystal, please unmute and ask your question. [laughter] >> That was good. Hi. Um how are you? [laughter] Um so, um it is it's actually just two questions really quick. One is like I guess a yes or no question, but um one is can a character have more than one objective in a in the entire play? Um, can or is that too much to juggle? >> Um, one more, you know, more than one thing they want. Is that what you're talking about? >> Hm. >> More than one thing they want. >> Yes. More than one thing they want. >> Well, I mean, Hamlet, when you have a question, just go back to Hamlet. Hamlet wants to What? Hamlet wants to find out who killed his dad, >> right? >> Yeah. Hamlet also wants to get with Ailia. >> Okay. >> Right. Yeah. Yeah. >> And then Hamlet wants to get revenge. >> So those are more, you know, that's there's like a whole bunch and probably some other things. Again, I haven't reread the play in a little while, you know. So those are things. That's more than one thing. >> Okay. Okay. Cool. Um and >> so yes, yes. >> Okay. leading into why I'm asking the next question is that um one of the plays that I'm working on it's the tarnished opal one um uh the reading that I had had tremendous feedback and it >> it's it still follows me like the notes still follow me and okay >> so I'm having some trouble um sifting because you know with my other plays when I've had readings I can kind of be like oh well I don't know if that works and I can kind of do away with. But um with this particular reading, there were so many things that were like um I I thought helpful um that I kind of was like, wow, I kind of feel almost uh stuck uh because am I would I be creating a a brand new play from applying all of these notes? um do I need to put on like, you know, creative bifocals and sift through even more to see what's more helpful? Um or or try to attack them all. Um so I was just kind of it's been about um a month and I've been writing different scenes and I've been writing different things for it. Um and a little some of it is like oh I could put this in the play. Um, and some of it has been like, "Oh, no. This doesn't work." But I I just kind of still feel like the notes, and there are more notes coming, funny enough. So, it's just kind of like I went from not knowing what to do because I had written this play so long ago. I I came in to watch me work with this play. Um um and now uh that it's so many years later, I kind of feel this like need to like cleave to like all these notes to see if I can make it um what I want it to be, but I don't know what I want it to be per per se just yet. So that that's kind of where I'm at right now. >> Right. Wow, that's a great question. Um, it's it's great that you have people interested in it and are giving you notes and it's great that you're coming back to something that you wrote a long time ago or have been working on for a long time. Um, I say you do have been in stages. So, again, do you have a print out of the of the notes or is it just all on your computer? >> Uh, I wrote them all out. >> Great. Okay. So, take a a highlighter like pink or something, you know, and circle the ones you like. and put in the ones you like. Only the ones you like. You have to really like them. >> Yeah, I like this one. Right. Like that. >> A gut response. It's like you want to feel Yeah. It's like um like that that writer Kai um says, it has to spark joy, you know? >> It should spark joy. Yay. Okay. The ones you don't like, don't worry about it. And then put in all the ones you like and then just put it aside. pick it up again in a couple of weeks. Read through them again. Maybe there's one more that you like or you said there more notes coming. So, put in the ones just put in the ones you like. >> But do a couple of waves. You know what I mean? >> So, this month you might do two passes on it. You know, put in some you like, let the rest go. >> Two weeks from now, put in some you like, let the rest go. you'll you'll you'll move toward figuring out what it is that you want it to be, >> you know? >> Okay. You just got to take your time with it >> and not rush it and not think that all the notes are good notes for your play. And definitely all the notes um given to you by smart people need to be in your play. You know, smart people don't always give notes that are helpful to what you're doing. Okay. I think I think um well, you're very right because a lot of the notes from a lot of the people that were there or have read it have were very smart >> and I think like in a way it it made me feel a little unsmart. [laughter] >> Right. >> Um >> Right. >> Uh so yeah, >> but but you know what's best for your play. >> Yes. Yeah. So, yeah, maybe you know and and people Yeah. they because they have maybe fancy degrees from fancy places and they can use $25 words and and it's like no no uh disrespect, but who the [ __ ] cares really no disrespect. And a lot of times they want to they want to show you how smart they are. And it's like, thank you, but really you don't have to take their notes just because they're smart. They might have a advanced degrees and teach at Harvard or whatever, you know. I mean, no disrespect. No disrespect, but it's your play. >> Got it. >> You know. >> Yeah. Totally. And we and and of course we love people who teach at Harvard and some of my best friends teach at Harvard. [laughter] Of course. No, but and and that's true. But you know, but you know, you know, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> You have to turn up like we were talking to Chaz, turn up the volume of your own play. Turn up the volume of your own voice. Turn up the volume of the characters. They'll help you decide what's going to be helpful. >> Okay. Cool. Thank you. >> Thank you, Crystal. Um, since we just have two minutes and we haven't heard from Kimmy, why don't we squeeze Kimmy in for the last two minutes and Hector, we promise to get to you uh next time. >> Yes. Thank you. Thanks, Zoe. Okay. Hey, girl. How you doing, Kimmy? >> Hey, thank you. Hi. I'm a little jet-legged, so um >> Did you get back from Edinburgh? >> I'm in Edinburgh right now. I just got here yesterday. I'm so excited. >> Congratulations. Yes. >> Thank you. I'm freaking out. [laughter] Oh, >> and hence my question. Um, so I'm sitting here thinking and listening and and you say this all the time and it always works with my plays about what do my characters want? But when you're doing a oneperson show, what do I want? Is that how do you how do you go about that? Does it does the same formula work about when you're doing a oneperson show? >> Well, there's a character. I mean, yes, there is a character. >> Well, yeah, me, I guess. Yeah. >> Well, well, well, well. Yes, there is a character called you. Okay. Yeah. So, what what is what is the character called Kimmy want? >> What is she going for? >> So, it's I called suicide hotline. I told you about four years ago. They said, "Do you have a gun?" "No." "Call back in 15 minutes." And so I was exploring why I was depressed in the first place for myself. I wrote a play about it, but now I was checking in with myself. And then I thought about like, why are we in society making the same mistakes over and over again? And I went to the Greeks and I read the allegory of the cave. >> So I put the allegory of the cave together with the societal constructs that made me feel depressed in the first place. And I guess I'm just trying to convey that. But I don't know now that I'm other than saying here's what I here's what I wrote and I think it's funny. [laughter] you know, how do how do I cohesively make a beginning, middle, and end now that I'm thinking about instead of just squishing about, you know, bits together and hoping that they they seem cohesive and >> Okay. Well, okay. There's a couple things and it's six o'clock, so a couple things. Um, how you make a beginning, middle, and end, I I don't know because we're not reading your your work right now. But in terms of just sort of what your character wants, right, which hopefully can be like a toll line to help you pull yourself through the performance. Um, did you call back when they said call back in 15 minutes? Did you call back? >> No. >> Why not? >> Cuz I just I took me everything to make that phone call in the first place and I just figured I have to figure this out myself. So I went and got hypnotized. >> Oh, I remember you told I remember you telling us that. So, okay. I would guess that the character, not Kimmy, but the character that you're playing wants to be listened to. >> Ah, yeah. >> And instead of calling back the Suicide Hotline, she's writing a play and she wants us to hear her out cuz she's got some stuff she's got to tell us. And maybe it doesn't have a beginning, middle, and end. I mean, it does have a beginning because here she is starting. It has a middle somewhere in the halfway point which might be minute number whatever >> and the end is when she says thank you >> for listening. >> So it's your version it's your live version of like this is what I had to work out. They told me to call back. I didn't. But here I am standing here. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> And thank you Liz who just said welcome to the UK. Thank you. [laughter] I love you all. Thank you so much. and I'm so glad that uh you were here tonight and that everybody's questions helped me and I and I'm so excited to be a part of this cohort. So, thank you everyone and thank you SLP and Zoe. >> Thank you. >> I don't know what I'd do without you. >> Break legs. Break legs in. >> Thank you. I'll keep you posted. >> Okay. When are we back? >> We're back on August 24th, folks. 24th. So, we'll see you in two weeks. >> Okay. We'll see you in two weeks. >> All right. Bye. >> Thank you. Thanks.