A unique feature of the Our Voices Festival is that each playwright is given The Our Voices Artist Statement template to fill out and share directly with the audience during the evening of staged readings just prior to resenting her play. Audiences continue to share their gratitude for this opportunity to hear directly from the playwright about her inspiration and experience in writing the play. For the playwright, it's an opportunity to take a risk - to stand for her voice & vision in front of an audience. ~ Kelly DuMar
ARTIST STATEMENT: Kelly DuMar
Wish
This play was inspired by. . .
An uncle, now living in a nursing home, who has not had any relationship with his children for many, many years.
One thing that surprises me about this play is. . .
It hits close to home, but I chose to cast African American, rather than white, actors for this reading, but I didn’t write it intending it to be played by any specific race. I started developing the character of STARLING in a scene I wrote for a workshop with Stuart Spencer last summer, writing spontaneously and unconsciously from a prompt. That’s where I found her – or she found me. I wrote three STARLING scenes before this one, which I wrote from the inspiration of my uncle and cousin, and I knew I wanted to work with Yvonne as STARLING. Once I knew that, and she agreed, I asked Kamau.
This play is built upon my strong belief (or faith) in. . .
The possibility of survivors healing the damaging psychological scars of incest.
If my play could change something what would it be?
To free survivors of incest from the shame that is exploited by perpetrators and belongs to perpetrators. To encourage incest survivors to re-claim the treasures that are stolen from them.
One thing I’ve learned about myself/my writing from this play is. . . .
Reminder: Trust my instincts
A block or resistance I have had to overcome in creating this play or monologue was (is still?) my fear/belief/concern that. . . .
It's always challenging taking on a taboo topic – do it anyway
My wish for this play is. . .
Starling’s wish -
Wish
Written & Directed By Kelly DuMar
CAST:
STARLING: W. Yvonne Murphy
BABY DADDY Kamau Hashim
TIME: Day of reckoning: the time when one is called to account for one's actions, to pay one's debts, or to fulfill one's promises or obligations.
PLACE: A patient’s room in a nursing home. Late fall sunshine lets a bit of weak light into the room. There is a bed (optional), nightstand, a simple chair – standard furnishings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: During a visit to the Alzheimer’s wing of a nursing home, a woman confronts her aging father whom she hasn’t seen in many years – who is also the biological father of the daughter she gave up for adoption as a teenager.
Kelly DuMar (PLAYWRIGHT/DIRECTOR) Kelly’s monologues, one-acts & full-length comedies & dramas for adults & youth have been produced around the US and Toronto – and are published by Youth Plays, Heuer, Brooklyn, and her monologues are published in Smith & Kraus audition anthologies for actors. She is pleased that her newest short play, Everything Blows Away, will be produced March 20-April 1 in Toronto by the New Ideas Festival, and it was selected as a finalist in the Nantucket Short Play Festival, 2012. Kelly is a past president of Playwrights’ Platform, a member of the Dramatists Guild, a Playback Theatre artist & author of a non-fiction book writing book for parents, Before You Forget – The Wisdom of Writing Diaries for Your Children. This is Kelly’s 6th year co-producing the Our Voices Festival, and she is tremendously grateful to Yvonne & Kamau for sharing their talents in Wish. To learn more about her plays, go to http:// www.diarydoor.typepad.com/stagedoor.
W. Yvonne Murphy (STARLING) This is Yvonne’s second year performing in the Our Voices Festival, and we’re honored to have her! Last year, you saw her perform in Sybil Roberts William’s play, Zimbabwe – or, She Talks to Bob Marley . Yvonne is a Boston-area actor and theater educator (Wheelock College) whom I met her through the Actors in Residence program at Playwrights’ Platform where she won best actor award. To learn more about her as a performer, please contact her at [email protected].
Kamau Hashim (BABY DADDY) began his professional acting career in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of "Le Blanc". He also performed in many Publick Theatre productions (under the direction of Spiro Veloudos before he joined the Lyric Stage) including "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in which he played Oberon and "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To The Forum" in which he played Miles Glorious. He was last seen in Wheelock Family Theatre's production of "Seussical" as Horton the elephant. Kamau is pleased to be doing Kelly DuMar's ten minute excerpt from "Wish". You may reach him at [email protected]
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