Today we zone in on Jessica Heidt, new play director extraordinaire, and the woman at the helm of Geetha's Girl in a Box Rough Reading. Jessica built a career on her passion for new and experimental theater, directing and producing countless readings, workshops, and theatrical events throughout the Bay. I spoke with her briefly about the world of possibility--that is, the world of new plays--and here are the words from our conversation:
Can you talk a little
about the story of Girl in a Box?
Yes. The story begins with an event that happens in childhood. There are mysterious circumstances around the
disappearance of Sally, Ava’s best friend, when they are about 10 years
old. The rest of the play follows a
lifetime, as we try to return to this event from childhood and figure out what
happened. Ava, played by Lauren
English, ages throughout the story, and the other two actresses play multiple
characters that lead us from scene to scene as the years progress.
The Lily's Revenge by Taylor Mac at Magic Theatre
I love when actors
play multiple characters in one play. Is there an element of fantasy in this
story?
Yeah, I think in many ways there are, whether it’s fantasy
or dream. There are definitely
moments of suspended reality.
Miriam Wolodarski in her show Lavinia at Climate Theatre
Your theater company,
Climate Theater, creates a space for experimental performance, and as a
director you often work on original plays. Could you talk about what draws you to producing and
directing new work?
It’s the sense of possibility, with all of these different types of work. With new plays in general, I love working with writers, and I love being able to help someone realize their vision. As a director and producer in these settings, I can add my own sense of
theatricality and story and character, and be part of
the burst of these new projects. I find that incredibly exciting. It’s great to have a playwright in the room, like Lauren said, to be able to wrestle big questions.
Orestes 2.0 by Charles Mee at USF
As a producer at Climate, I was able to work with such a
wide range of artists—I had composers, people from physical theater, at one
point I had a filmmaker—who I loved and respected. I was really excited by the work they were creating, but
they didn’t necessarily have a space to do it, so that’s what I was able to
give them. And at the same time,
because many of the artists I was nurturing were part of a residency program
they all got to know each other and they inspired each other’s work. A lot of times
they became collaborators, and that was so much fun to watch grow.
Danielle Levin, Patrick Alparone and Michelle Maxson
Man of Rock by Daniel Heath at Climate Theatre
Do you ever begin
your process by gathering your favorite artists, say a video artist, choreographer,
and actors, and basically start from scratch that way? Or is it necessary to have an idea and
then gather people?
As of now, in general, the projects have been one person’s
idea and then other people enter as they bring their own collaborators. But I’ve always wanted to do what
you’re talking about. Maybe the next
one!
Could be
interesting. Could be a lot of
work.
(Laughs) And so
much fun.
Summer Shapiro (resident artist at Climate) in her show, In the Boudoir
Don't miss out on Girl in a Box! It's going to be amazing. If you prefer the Peninsula, you can catch it next Monday, November 28 at Stanford or if San Francisco is more convenient, come Tuesday, November 29 to the Thick House in Potrero Hill. This reading, like all of our Rough Readings is FREE with a suggested $10 donation. Bring a friend, your significant other, your OK Cupid date, or enjoy an evening of theater in solitude (paradox?). More info here.
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