Patchwork Theatre Company interview
Think of Patchwork Theatre Company as the flower that blossoms through the sidewalk. They want to create new and innovative theatre, in this case, a free radio play, even if 2020 has seemed a challenging time to do so. A story of two women who set out to solve a murder, WE WILL NOT DESCRIBE THE CONVERSATION is free and available to listen to through the end of the year. Company founder Kian Kline-Chilton talks about creating this piece in a pandemic, and how he hopes it inspires people to create personal connections and chase their dreams.
Written by Eugenie Carabatsos, and directed by Jillian Jones, WE WILL NOT DESCRIBE THE CONVERSATION follows a massage therapist and her client who are trying to deal with the news that her estranged brother has killed an elderly woman and now is missing. As the two women try to solve the mystery of what happened, they start to uncover more about themselves which makes them wonder if one day they could turn out like him.
Founded in March of this year Kline-Chilton, with Artistic Producer Eric Clark, and Technical Manager Dillon Hoban created the theatre company with the goal of producing theatre in new and innovative ways. So this piece, inspired by a missing scene from Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment," felt like a good fit to allow them to experiment with the radio play format.
The play was recommended by a friend and the play's dialogue and tone immediately sparked Kian's interest.
"It was the mystery, the horror and guilt of the day to day mundane life that bogs us down and yet the freedom to escape whenever want. I found myself wanting to hear the voices, I heard this soft music and thought what if we created a score around this and really built this world only based on voices and music and sound.
I found myself immersed in the world just from text and dreamed of all the ways it could happen. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by a team who wanted to create during this time and loved this play as much as I did. I was just so excited to be returning to a form that I think we have kind of forgotten. There is a magic that comes with creating an audible atmosphere, that I think taps into a deep, psychological part of who we are."
The circumstances of lockdown, and not being able to interact in-person to create added additional challenges and fueled creativity and the team's sense of connection as the piece came together.
"The team was one of the most amazing aspects of all of this. I am very thankful that Patchwork is comprised of very wonderful colleagues of mine from SDSU. I really have to thank Jill, our director who wanted to work with new actors. I also have to thank Eugenie the playwright who was so trustworthy and eager to work with us. Having two powerful women at the helm of a play about the friendship of two powerful women was so important to me."
Though the creative team was spread across the country, it was their shared commitment to each other and the piece that helped it make it successful.
"We had to accept the given circumstances that we were in California, Arizona, New York, Kansas, North Carolina BUT we all made the commitment. As cheesy as it sounds, we believed in the art. We made the time to be apart of each other's lives. Because of that, when it came time to edit or re-record, even if it was crunch hour, the bond was built and so it just felt like creating with new friends."
Kian also hopes the audience finds that beyond enjoying the murder mystery aspect, this piece inspires them to strengthen their personal connections, take that chance and chase those dreams, especially in this time of quarantine.
"I hope this challenges us to spark up those conversations we have wanted to have; reach out to that person. At the end of this, there is so much hope in the friendship that comes from these two unlikely humans. I think it beautifully encompasses how we should begin to think about life post COVID: What are the dreams, the wants, the yearns that we have been too afraid to achieve? Will we hide or will we take that first step? I never thought I could produce an audio play but I took the first step..."
(Note: Unless your dream is murder, no one is encouraging you to chase that dream)
WE WILL NOT DESCRIBE THE CONVERSATION by Patchwork Theatre Company is a free production and is currently streaming on Spotify, Youtube, and Podbean. For more information on the radio play or on the Patchwork Theatre Company go to www.patchworktheatreco.com
WE WILL NOT DESCRIBE THE CONVERSATION
Written by Eugenie Carabatsos
Directed by Jillian Jones
Starring: Kevin Herrmann, Ahna Demaro, Julia Boyes, DazMann Still
Sound Design by Andrew Gutierrez
Music Design by Josh Concepcion
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